An 18-year old Nate first stumbled into the CZC in 1999 after finding the Center's address stamped in the back of a copy of Three Pillars of Zen. He quickly took his youthful enthusiasm to residential training at the Rochester Zen Center and, later, to Bukkoku-ji monastery in Japan, where Kapleau himself had trained. After several years in Los Angeles pursuing a career in the architectural arts, Nate returned to his hometown of Chicago to start a family. He currently works as a part-time landlord, part-time grocer, and full-time father of two.

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Nate took over as Head of Zendo in July 2023, and he has been the mastermind and muscle behind many of the Center's recent renovations. In May 2025 he ordained as a novice with a view to full ordination as a priest in September 2026.

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