The organizer of the Tech Community Zen Center is Chris Chapman, PhD.

Zen: Chris began Zen practice in 2001 and ordained as a Zen teacher in 2015. In 2023, he received Inka (authorization as a guiding teacher, aka JDPSN) from Zen Master Jeong Ji Anita Feng in the Golden Wind Zen Order. Chris served for many years as a Dharma Teacher and Head Dharma Teacher at the Blue Heron Zen Community in Seattle.

Tech: Following studies in psychology (MA, PhD) and philosophy (MA), and working as a clinical psychologist, Chris began a research career in Tech in 2000. After 24 years at Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, Chris now leads a tech industry educational association and teaches Zen.

Teaching: As a Zen teacher, Chris's goal for everyone is compassion and awareness: Wherever you are, right now, wake up!

A Zen lineage is a sequence of Zen teachers, who each authorized their successors, starting with the historical Buddha.

Tech Community Zen continues the lineage of Zen Master Seung Sahn, who brought Korean Zen to the whole world. Korean Zen holistically encompasses the paths that are present in the two Japanese Zen branches, Soto and Rinzai Zen.

Our lineage traces through Jeong Ji Anita Feng who gave teaching authorization ("Inka") to our organizer in the lineage of the Golden Wind Zen Order. The Golden Wind order has affilated groups in Albuquerque, Long Beach, Seattle, and Vashon, Washington. It practices in Korean and Japanese Rinzai styles, reflecting the harmony of different traditions. 

A few of the women and men in our Zen lineage are Jeong Ji Anita Feng, Ji Bong Robert Moore, Seung Sahn, Kyongho, Taego, Linchi, Paichang, Hui Neng, Bodhidharma, Prajnatara, Yasodhara, Mahapajapati, and the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. We value the lineages of other Zen traditions, including the Kwan Um School of Zen, the Chogye order in Korea, Soto and Rinzai schools in Japan and the West, and the history of women and nonbinary ancestors.

For the complete Golden Wind Zen lineage, see here (PDF).