Boo Diamond

President of VSA

Term: 2026–2029

I’m originally from a small town called Duncan Falls, in Ohio. I’m a really big nature lover, especially bugs and trees. I admire animals, especially my cats. I enjoy learning new things. Something I’ve learned to cherish is community, relationships, and communication.

We moved to Virginia to get away from the noise and fast-paced city, to the calm and introspection of nature. We had a few goals in mind, two of the biggest being doing more yoga and more spiritual practice, and finding a place that would support both. And then poof—Yogaville!

I love the VSA. My experience so far with the council, council members, and community members has been nothing short of incredible. I’m always impressed by the structure, quality, and atmosphere of the VSA. It is inspiring to watch talented individuals co-create a balanced future for the community and the Ashram. I would love to support that growth by helping strengthen communication and relationships among community members and the Ashram, creating environments that break down barriers, build up gardens, and leave the community feeling whole.

My vision for the VSA and Yogaville is the same I hold for my own future: realizing we are all one, and that love wants to spread into every corner of the universe. I look forward to serving the community in whatever capacity.

The President serves as the primary leader and representative of the Village Council, helping guide its work and support its effective functioning. This role strengthens communication within the Village Sangha Association, represents the Council in relationship with Satchidananda Ashram and in public settings as appropriate, and helps ensure that Council activities reflect the organization’s mission, responsibilities, and commitments to the community.

The President presides over Council and membership meetings as needed, helps communicate Council priorities and decisions clearly to the community, and supports coordination among Council members and committees. The President works collaboratively with the Vice President, follows Robert’s Rules of Order or the system currently in use, and is expected to present the Council’s official position clearly and fairly, regardless of personal opinion.

Santoshi Young

Vice President of VSA

Term: 2024–2027

Santoshi moved to Buckingham, Virginia in 2014. She is happily married to Richard Young and is the proud mother of two wonderful children, Gracie and Andrew. You’ll most often find her with her kids—walking, playing outdoors, or spending time with other families in the community. She works part-time in Charlottesville as a dental hygienist.
Santoshi values community as an essential foundation for healthy living. While many are drawn here for its spiritual essence, she believes everyone should feel welcome, regardless of their reasons for choosing to live here.

The Vice President shares leadership responsibilities with the President and helps support the effective functioning of the Village Council. This role strengthens communication within the Village Sangha Association, helps maintain constructive relationships with Satchidananda Ashram and the wider community, and provides organizational and operational support for Council priorities, initiatives, and ongoing work.

The Vice President works closely with the President to help ensure continuity in Council operations and serves in the President’s role when the President is unavailable or when duties are delegated. The Vice President may preside over meetings or represent the Council as needed, supports Council members and committees in advancing organizational goals, follows Robert’s Rules of Order or the system currently in use, and is expected to present the Council’s official position clearly and fairly, regardless of personal opinion.

Alex Mae

Secretary

Term: 2026–2029

Alex is a momma to two beautiful children, a long time student of Yoga, and a business owner.

The Secretary is responsible for preparing agendas and minutes for meetings of the membership and the Village Council and for helping ensure that approved motions are followed through to completion. Because the minutes are the legal record of VSA meetings, this role should follow the protocols described in Robert’s Rules of Order as closely as possible.

The Secretary also serves as the official archivist of VSA records, including the membership roll, committee lists and membership, the current bylaws with amendments, and any standing or special rules adopted by the organization. In the event of a roll call vote, the Secretary assists by calling each member’s name and recording the vote. The Secretary also sends notices of meetings and other correspondence unless that responsibility is assigned to a corresponding secretary.

Ewan Oglethorpe

Treasurer

Term: 2026–2029

Ewan took his first yoga class in 2012 and has been an avid armchair yogi/mediator since. In his professional life, he previously ran a Richmond-based non profit (Data Friendly Space) that provided IT services to the international humanitarian sector. The work took him overseas, primarily to Nepal, and he was listed in Richmond’s 40 Under 40 list in 2020. In his free time, he enjoys getting lost in the woods around Yogaville and baking.

The Treasurer prepares financial reports for Village Council and General Membership meetings, records all organizational financial transactions, and helps prepare the budget. The role also supports compliance with county, state, and federal requirements, supervises audit procedures, communicates audit results as needed, and seeks professional guidance when necessary to keep the organization aligned with its nonprofit obligations. The Treasurer performs duties in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order or the system currently in use and is expected to present the Council’s official position clearly and fairly, regardless of personal opinion.

David Waters

VSA Council Administrator

Term: appointed by VSA council

David is an amateur naturalist and a jack of many trades. He has worked and studied in various sustainability fields over the past decade and brings to the VSA team an interest in developing community through developing connection with the Earth. David moved to Yogaville in early 2020 to deepen his exploration of yoga as a framework for healthy living. David manages Heartwood Farm in nearby Appomattox, after spending 3 years managing the farm at Satchidananda Ashram. He serves as the VSA Council Administrator.

The Council Administrator serves as logistics coordinator for major projects at the Council’s pleasure, and chairs the Council Meetings.

Karuna Binstock

VSA/Ashram Liaison

Term: 2024–2027

I have been a part of the Integral Yoga Family and the Satchidananda Ashram since the early 70’s. This includes volunteering at the New York IYI and volunteering and the Integral Yoga Food Store. At this time, I took teacher training, and taught daily and evening classes to members of the New York City Ballet as well as a class for senior students. In 1976 I was fortunate to be appointed by Swami Satchidananda to be the pre-school teacher at Yogaville East in Connecticut. I did this for four years. My work included administration, guidance, and curriculum development. I also taught fine arts in our elementary school. The program’s ideal was holistic growth based on yogic principles. This was the first school of its kind to be certified by the State of Connecticut.

In 1979, Asangan and I were married, and we left the Ashram and moved to Washington, D.C. so he could attend Architecture school at the University of Maryland. I worked in a law firm in D.C. for several years as an admin and head of personnel. I then pursued teaching, first in the Allegheny Learning Center and St John’s Episcopal Pre-School. This is a model pre-school specializing in the Reggio-Emilia philosophy – based solely on the student’s innate curiosity. After a long break we returned to our home in the Buckingham community in central Virginia.

The VSA/Ashram Liaison acts as a bridge between the organization and the Ashram, initiating dialogue spaces, facilitating communication, and fostering collaboration to strengthen relationships and achieve common goals.

Siva Fiske

Community Liaison

Term: 2024–2027

Siva is a long-time disciple of Swami Satchidananda since 1971. After living in Venice Beach California for 50 years and active in the LA and California IYI, Siva and his wife Uma have bought a home in the Village Sangha and moved here in December, 2022. A musician, author, poet, and Interfaith Minister, Stephen has been a teacher of Integral Yoga and has performed with Sri Gurudev and at Yogaville numerous times over the years, and on multiple occasions since arriving here. An events producer and community organizer, who has been active in the non-profit sector in Los Angeles, Siva looks forward to taking an active role with the VSA.

The Community Liaison serves as the primary point of contact for local and wider community engagement, facilitating dialogue, sharing information, and supporting outreach, fundraising, and membership initiatives.

Jai Ram Eyth

Community Space Supervisor

Term: 2024–2027

With a deep-rooted commitment spanning 25 years as a community member, I bring experience and a genuine passion for enhancing communal spaces. For over a decade, I served in the Ashram’s Maintenance Department Landscape division, nurturing and beautifying the grounds. My service extends beyond the ashram, where I proudly contributed to emergency response efforts with both the Manteo Yogaville Emergency Response Service and the Buckingham County Volunteer Rescue Squad for seven years. I also served as President of BCVRS for two terms.

Now, I am eager to transition my skills and dedication to the Village Sangha Association as its Community Space Supervisor. My goal is to foster the continued growth and cohesion of our community. In this role, I aspire to develop and implement strategic plans for acquiring land and establishing a community center, while actively participating in various VSA initiatives. I am committed to serving our community, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing success and well-being.

The Community Space Supervisor manages current community space. Leads the search for suitable land and oversees the development, fundraising, and planning of a future community space, ensuring alignment with the organization’s goals and community needs.

Lee Cason

VSA Website Manager

Term: 2024–2027

Lynn Lantz and I (on the right) moved to Buckingham from Virginia Beach, into our retirement home at 422 Unity Place, in November of 2023. We are happy to be new members of the Village Sangha Association. I retired in December of 2024 after working as an IT Specialist in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, VA for the past 29 years. Since there was a need for a Website Manager I thought this might be an area where I could provide service to the community.

The VSA Website Manager manages and maintains the organization’s website, ensuring content is up-to-date, user-friendly, and reflective of the organization’s brand and mission. Implements improvements and oversees technical aspects as needed.