Staff

 

Mercedes Bahleda

Vice President | Business Development & Global Operations

Mercedes Bahleda is an honors graduate of New York University and is an award winning artist and performer in the professional circles of NYC. Mercedes has been an international event producer serving Michael Roach for the past 14 years. She is a graduate of his12-year training in Asian philosophy. She is a popular business management teacher and coach and was recently signed as a recording artist by White Swan Records for her two albums, Mercy Songs and Path to Bliss.

mercedes@diamondcutterinstitute.com

 

 

 

 

Eric Brinkman

Vice President | Creative Media

A former IT consultant for the Computer Science department at Cornell University, Eric Brinkman is a founding member, former CIO, and current VP of Creative Media of Geshe Michael Roach’s new company the Diamond Cutter Institute. He travels extensively with Geshe Michael to lecture, teach yoga and film—visit our “DCInstitute” YouTube channel. Between traveling, teaching and posting photos to the DCI facebook page, he writes a business blog, practices martial arts, and is working on a documentary film.

eric.brinkman@diamondcutterinstitute.com

 

 

Scott Vacek

Senior Producer | Events & Creative Media

Scott Vacek is a 30-year media veteran. He produces creative media and events for DCI as well as developing new business. Scott began in network television news the 1980s for ABC and CNN, and moved on to produce, direct and manage thousands of hours of live broadcasts, stage shows and events for corporate clients including General Motors, Volkswagen, Audi, the Susan B. Komen Foundation.
Scott is also on the Boards of Directors of both the Asian Classics Institute and the Diamond Mountain University and Retreat Center, and has worked with the Diamond Cutter Institute as a producer and senior teacher since its beginning in 2008. He has studied with Geshe Michael Roach since 2004 and is graduate of Geshe Michael’s six-year advanced training course. He lives at Diamond Mountain in southeastern Arizona, where he and his wife Orit serve as volunteer caretakers for 34 people in a 3-year meditation retreat.

scott.vacek@diamondcutterinstitute.com

 

 

 

 

Orit Ben Basat Vacek

Producer | Events & Creative Media

Orit Ben Basat Vacek produces creative media and events for DCI. She is a Registered Nurse, holds a B.Ed. in Physical Education, and is a registered Yoga teacher. She grew up in Israel, and now lives in the mountains of southeastern Arizona with her husband Scott, where she also serves as volunteer health coordinator for 34 people currently in a 3-year meditation retreat.
After meeting Geshe Michael Roach in Israel in 2005, Orit began an intensified study of DCI principles, with a focus on teaching others how to apply them in their lives. She has led Karmic Management training groups and philosophy courses in Israel and abroad for years, and works full-time on projects for DCI and other related organizations.

orit.vacek@diamondcutterinstitute.com

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Brinkman

Senior Accountant

Lisa Brinkman has had a wide variety of experience including tax services to one of the world’s largest travel corporations, Cendant Inc.’s timeshare division, Resort Condominiums International Inc., as a senior financial analyst responsible for large budgets. She graduated with honors from Kansas State University, receiving a Masters degree in Accountancy with an emphasis in tax, and a B.S. in Business Administration, majoring in accounting. She currently also volunteers as accountant for a nonprofit and helped start another nonprofit organization in 2003, which serves hundreds of people in the midwest U. S. today.

lisa.brinkman@diamondcutterinstitute.com

 

 

 

 

Brooks Singer

Manager | Worldwide Publishing

Brooks Singer has been studying with Geshe Michael Roach for 18 years. He received a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy with honors from Northeastern University and also has a Masters degree in Sociology of Religion from Drew University. He spent 10 years in management of a Fortune 500 retail company and created several of his own businesses. His cafe’/bookshop in trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn was a pioneering enterprise for the neighborhood and helped establish the area as the home of hipster it is today. Currently, Brooks is the Operations Manager for sportswear company Spiritual Gangster, LLC.