Founder & Senior Teacher
Toronto-born, Theo Koffler is founder and teacher of Between Four Eyes, a collaborative for teaching mindful awareness and social-emotional intelligence to educators, parents, students and healthcare providers. In the late 1970's, she together with her father and brother founded Super-Pharm Israel Ltd., Israel’s national drugstore chain. She developed Therapeutic Riding for the Disabled in Israel and in 2008 launched therapeutic riding for the disabled in Jericho, as an Israeli-Arab cross-border initiative. Mother of two children, writer, teacher and peace activist, Theo started on an online community, called Mindfulness Without Borders for those students from around the globe interested in sharing best practices on mindful living. She serves on the Board for The Hawn Foundation and Connecting For Change and is an advisor for the Inner Kids Foundation.

Program Advisor & Senior Teacher
Gary Diggins leads motivational workshops in communication skills and team building to a wide variety of groups internationally ranging from leaders in the energy industry to healthcare providers and senior secondary students in Rwanda. Gary's work is informed by 30 years of experience as a counselor and expressive arts therapist. In addition, Gary teaches at Fleming College in the Expressive Arts Department and heads up the faculty at Toronto SoundSource Academy. Gary is currently composing music for his sixth solo CD. Gary is based in the Toronto and leads the MAC initiative in the greater Toronto area. www.garydiggins.com

Program Advisor & Senior Teacher
Soren Gordhamer is a writer and teacher who has led mindfulness courses for a decade both for teens and adults in diverse settings, including in schools in Africa, in Juvenile Halls in New York City, and at US-based technology corporations. He is the author of a teen-focused mindfulness book, called Just Say OM! (Adams Media, 2001). In 2009 he published Wisdom 2.0: Ancient Secrets for the Creative and Constantly Connected (HarperOne, 2009), which is targeted for a corporate constituency.

Development & Communication Associate
Jasmin was born and raised in California's Bay Area. In 2007, she received a B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Southern California. Jasmin holds a certification in Mediation from the APADRC and worked as a Mediator for the East Los Angeles community, examining first hand how racial tensions can be alleviated through conversation and mutual recognition. For the past 3 years, Jasmin was the Special Projects Manager for Global Inheritance, a nonprofit organization working to jazz audiences on social and environmental issues.

Strategic Development & Teacher, East Africa
Patrick Iregura is a graduate of the Kigali Institute of Education, with a Bachelor's Degree in English. Since 2007, Patrick has worked in collaboration with Between Four Eyes, as an advisor, translator and facilitator. Currently, Patrick is responsible for the implementation of B4E programs to secondary schools, universities and non-governmental organizations in Rwanda. In 2009, Patrick was invited as a guest lecturer at the London School of Economics and The Interdisciplinary Center, a leading university in Israel, educating audiences worldwide on the Rwandan Genocide and the influence of the media. Patrick is fluent in Kinyarwanda, French and English.

Educational Development & Teacher, East Africa
Living in Kigali, Emery Rutagonya is a graduate from the National University of Rwanda with a Bachelors Degree in sociology. From 2007-2009, Emery was the Education Program Development Officer at the Kigali Memorial Center (KMC). Currently, Emery is leading the Research & Documentation Initiative for KMC. As an advisor to B4E, Emery facilitates the MAC initiative in schools around Kigali and is a key contributor to all educational curriculum. Emery is fluent in Kinyarwanda, French and English.

Office Manager
Kathy is referred to as 'the chief cook and bottle washer' for B4E as her natural ability to multi-task, account for the bookkeeping and provide office management services, (while staying relatively sane and grounded), makes her invaluable. After 10 years as an independent contractor, she enjoys working with a select group of clients, from diverse industries. She is a wicked athlete, runs half-marathons, and her artistic talents help to balance out the number-crunching game.

Development & Marketing Advisor
Linda Nockler was raised in South Africa and has extensive experience in the US and Canada in strategic consulting and financial services, as well as more recently in international education where she was the Academic Dean of a study abroad program that provides accredited academic programs to US undergraduates studying abroad. Linda has joined the B4E team as a strategic advisor to help with grant-writing, project measurement and program expansion.

Strategic Development, West Africa
Emmanuel is the founder of Creative Minds International Academy, an interdisciplinary school created to help young Nigerians discover and develop their inherent talents and abilities, in Jos, Nigeria. Emmanuel serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including Teachers Without Borders, Safe Water for Africa Community and the Nigerian Interfaith Youth Forum. Recently, Emmanuel was appointed as Nigeria Coordinator for Project Happiness and International Ethics Study Circle Coordinator for The Dalai Lama Foundation. Emmanuel also founded the New Era Educational and Charitable Support Initiative, which is dedicated to supporting the educational goals and aspirations of underprivileged children living in Nigeria. www.creativemindsacademy.net

Strategic Advisor, Middle East
Omri Stern graduated from the Inter-Disciplinary Center, Herzliya (IDC) in Israel, with a Bachelors Degree in International Relations, in 2006. His passion for researching innovative public policy solutions to terrorism and conflict led him to a recent post as International Media Spokesperson, for the Israel Defense Forces. Omri continues to pursue his interests in conflict resolution and is currently developing the strategic plan for B4E's pilot launch in Israel.  He is the managing director for the B4E Blog, which encourages international university students and faculty to develop a cross-cultural dialogue regarding the social, emotional and cultural elements that permeate conflict and the peace-building process. Omri is presently living in Buenos Aires.  Between 4 Eyes Blog

Strategic Advisor, North America
Born in Tel-Aviv and raised in Northern California, Itamar’s professional focus has been investigating cross-cultural dialogue through the performing arts. After completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts in 2007, Itamar returned to East Africa to deepen the conversation on utilizing theater and mindfulness as a tool for reconciliation. In 2008, Itamar worked as Program Assistant for the Koffler Centre of the Arts in Toronto, and recently returned to Los Angeles to collaborate with Poor Dog Group, a performance-based arts collective. www.poordoggroup.com

Artistic Advisor & Teacher
Performance artist, dancer and dance teacher, Lital has attracted world-wide attention for her artistic aesthetic. In recent years, Lital devotes much of her time to developing and conducting art workshops for Israel’s leading corporations such as Amdocs, Teva, Bank Leumi. Her art programs specialize in assimilating corporate themes through art and based on reflection, dialogue and communication. Together with her partner, Eyal Perry, Lital is currently developing the Mindfulness and Art Project for Between Four Eyes. 

Artistic Advisor & Teacher
Born in Israel, Eyal is a professional artist, photographer and lecturer in Israel’s leading art institutions on photography, history of photography and phototherapy. He holds a BFA from the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem and an MFA from Pratt institute, in New York. Since 2001, Eyal and his partner Lital Dotan have exhibited their art to audiences around the world. Senior instructor of the ‘Artist for Social Change’ program and the ‘Jewish–Arab Seminar’ at the Musrara School of Photography in Jerusalem, Eyal currently develops the Mindfulness and Art Project for Between Four Eyes.

Program Advisor & Teacher
Musician, saxophonist and teacher. Tal spent a decade in San Francisco and New York studying music and meditation at such institutions as the New School University and the Shambhala Meditation Center of New York, where he was trained and authorized as a meditation instructor. From 2005-2007, Tal served as Co-Director of the Shambala Meditation Center an in 2007, he returned to Israel with his wife, to continue teaching and finding ways in which to utilize both disciplines for the promotion of peace in the individual and society.

Communications & Media Associate
Veronica is a Connecticut-based freelance photojournalist and storyteller regularly commissioned to work on documentary stories and news events. Her approach to social photography has excited audiences around the world as her assignments expand to cover international issues.  She applies her skills in visual journalism to a number of media outlets, including television news, print journalism, non-profit initiatives and the on-line community. Veronica's work is dedicated to giving voice to those who are often unheard, and she invites her audiences to view her award-winning imagery with open hearts and minds. www.veronicawilsonphoto.com