During the OMF’s AGM on 2nd November, 2023, it was announced that Makeda McKenzie and Leonie Schell will be joining the Board of Trustees. We are delighted to welcome them to the team and are excited about all they will be able to offer the organisation.

The mission of the OMF is to improve lives through mindfulness and the practice of being mindful. The OMF Board of Trustees acts as guardian of the mission and are responsible for providing the infrastructure and support for the OMF.

With that in mind, we are delighted to welcome Makeda McKenzie and Leonie Schell to the Board. They come with a wealth of experience and talent and we are excited about all they can contribute towards our mission and our vision of a world in which there is universal access to mindfulness and a greater understanding and acceptability of the impact of mindful behaviour.

Their appointments were officially announced during yesterday’s AGM, on Thursday 2nd November, 2023 as the first to be made as part of the OMF’s recruitment process for new Trustees.

Makeda McKenzie

Makeda McKenzie: “I’m thrilled to announce my appointment as a Trustee to the OMF Board. When I started on my mindfulness journey all those years ago, having first come across the word ‘mindfulness’ when I was searching for strategies to combat workplace stress, I could not have imagined that this is where it would lead. This is an exciting step in my journey, and I’m truly honoured for the opportunity to contribute to OMF’s strategic mission and vision.

I’m truly honoured for the opportunity to contribute to OMF’s strategic mission and vision.

For those who may not be familiar with me, I’m based in Trinidad & Tobago and have almost two decades of progressive corporate experience, primarily in Human Resources, both locally and abroad. My personal journey, marked by workplace burnout and chronic stress, has shown me the transformative power of mindfulness and fuelled my passion to create my own mindfulness institute here in Trinidad and Tobago. Since 2020, I have had the pleasure of collaborating with the OMF, most recently as a mindfulness Teacher and Teacher-Trainer on a number of their international programmes.

As a Caribbean woman and mindfulness teacher, with a deep passion for workplace mindfulness, I’m committed to promoting mindfulness and meditation’s accessibility to all, and the OMF’s vision aligns perfectly with this dedication.

As a Trustee, I’m excited to leverage my extensive experience in entrepreneurship, business, and mindfulness to ensure that OMF’s programmes and initiatives continue to have a positive impact on people’s lives worldwide. In my new role, I hope to champion the development of innovative programmes aimed at enhancing the accessibility of mindfulness in a variety of settings, advocate for mindfulness at local, regional, and global levels, and provide mentorship and support to fellow mindfulness teachers and practitioners, especially those from traditionally underrepresented communities.

As a Caribbean woman and mindfulness teacher, with a deep passion for workplace mindfulness, I’m committed to promoting mindfulness and meditation’s accessibility to all, and the OMF’s vision aligns perfectly with this dedication.

I’m truly honoured to serve as a Trustee at OMF and wholeheartedly embrace the opportunity to collaborate with the board, their dedicated team, and all those who share our mission. I warmly invite you to join us in fostering a global culture of presence, compassion, kindness, and mindfulness.

With gratitude,
Makeda”

Leonie Schell

Leonie Schell: “I’m honoured to join the OMF’s Board of Trustees, and I very much look forward to working collaboratively with the other Trustees to ensure the OMF continues to operate in accordance with its mission, objectives and values and remains true to the expectations of its supporters and beneficiaries.

Drawing on my 10 plus years’ of corporate experience as a change advisor focused on designing and implementing large-scale programs, and on my familiarity with MBCT curriculum development and delivery, I hope to serve by proactively assisting the OMF in their efforts to enhance public and organisational engagement with their services, expand their offerings in the realm of personal development, and create new programs that specifically target health and wellbeing outcomes through the application of mindful approaches.

As a Trustee based in Germany, I intend to explore potential new funding streams, collaborations and partnerships with local universities and organisations in the DACH region to continue to expand access to MBCT to all who might benefit, including under-represented populations and sectors.”

We are currently recruiting for Trustees, if you are interested and would like to find out more, visit: https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/news/new-trustees/

The closing date for applications is Friday 24th November 2023 @ 17:00