CCARE at Stanford University

Robert Cusick​

Robert Cusick is a Founder and Director of the Applied Compassion Training at CCARE Stanford University. Robert trained at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). He is a Stanford Lecturer and Certified Sr. Stanford CCT™ (Compassion Cultivation Training) Instructor and teaches at Stanford University, UCSF, Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers and in multiple other venues.

 

As a long time meditator and former monk, Robert ordained in Burma under the renowned meditation master, Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, and studied with him from 2003 - 2012. He has also studied in the Soto Zen tradition, in the Ridhwan School's Diamond approach with A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), and in the Insight Meditation tradition with Gil Fronsdal PhD. He provides grief counseling and bereavement support for adults and children at Kara kara-grief.org in Palo Alto, where he co-leads men's grief groups and facilitates retreats for fathers grieving the death of a child.

 

Robert also serves as an Educational Consultant at Kara and directs, teaches and co-facilitates trainings for Kara's Caregivers Forum and Adult Services Program. Robert sits on the Board of Directors of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies 

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Neelama Eyres

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Neelama Eyres is a spiritual teacher, author, workshop facilitator, and Co-Founder and Director of the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) offered through CCARE at Stanford University. For the past 25 years, Neelama Eyres has developed, customized, and facilitated experiential programs for individuals, groups, and leaders worldwide. She’s trained participants to enact and apply compassion within their organizations, institutions, and communities around the globe. She is the co-author of a personal memoir which details her journey through a Compassionate Divorce. 

 

Throughout her career, Neelama has provided customized training, consulting, and executive coaching for companies such as Google, Slack, MetLife, the Alzheimer’s Association, and many more. In addition, she has trained and developed facilitators within corporations, non-profits, and healthcare organizations.  

 

She is also Co-Founder, facilitator and lead trainer for The Inner Journey Institute:  an educational organization that has delivered transformational trainings across the United States, Canada and Europe since 1999.  For IJI, she has designed and facilitated highly-experiential workshops geared towards helping participants embody higher levels of compassion,  mindfulness, and personal transformation for themselves, their organizations, and their communities.

 

Neelama's mastery is creating interactive, immersive, and experiential learning environments that allow participants to have a direct and embodied experience of spirituality and compassion. Neelama's contemplative practice combined with her extensive travels throughout Southeast Asia and India have given her an extraordinary depth of spiritual experience and knowledge of Eastern traditions which, like her studies of Western spirituality, is reflected in all of her work. To learn more about Neelama visit her website

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Monica Hanson

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Monica L. Hanson is a Stanford Lecturer, Consultant, Co-Founder, and Director of the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) program at Stanford University School of Medicine in the renowned Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). 

 

Monica's work in leadership and organizational development, executive coaching, and facilitation emphasizes areas such as Fierce Compassion at Work©, Leading With Compassion©, The Power of Compassion: Making a Case and Dispelling Myths about Applied Compassion©, Applied Compassion: a Core Value for Success© and High-Quality Coaching with Applied Compassion: Unleashing Positive Action and Impact©.

 

With extensive experience, Monica successfully led compassion programs in prestigious institutions at Stanford University within the Stanford School of Medicine, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, Executive Education, and Systems Neuroscience and Pain Lab. She actively developed and trained teachers in CCARE's protocol, fostering the cultivation of compassion. And Monica most recently co-founded the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) program at CCARE Stanford—an unparalleled global program driving remarkable results and transformations.

 

Monica's unique skillset has positively impacted industries and organizations, including Nike, Nasa Johnson Space Center, Genentech, SAP, Stanford Hospital, the University of Washington, and government institutions like the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) for the State of California, and the National Center for PTSD Dissemination and Training Division VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Her deep understanding of applying compassion in diverse contexts has positioned her as an impactful and valued advisor, speaker, and consultant.

 

As an enduring advocate for advancing applied compassion, Monica looks forward to connecting with individuals and organizations ready to embark on a compassionate journey toward greater success and well-being as participants in the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) at CCARE Stanford and through LinkedIn.

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