As 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. After several years in Los Angeles pursuing a career in the architectural arts, he 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 2023, and he has been the mastermind and muscle behind many of the Center's recent renovations. He ordained as a novice in May 2025 and will ordain as a priest in September 2026.

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