Norman Oberstein, Chairman of the Board
Norman Oberstein, Chairman of the Board of the Lenz Foundation. is a 1962 Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Iowa and a 1965 Order of the Coif graduate of the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California (Berkeley), where he participated as a member of the Board of Editors for the California Law Review. Mr. Oberstein was a senior partner in the litigation department and a managing member of the Beverly Hills law firm of Kaplan, Livingston, Goodwin, Berkowitz & Selvin. In January of 1982, Mr. Oberstein formed his own firm, and in April of 2006, merged his practice with Gipson Hoffman & Pancione, where he is Of Counsel to the firm. Mr. Oberstein’s legal career has been devoted to the litigation of complex business disputes in a wide array of general business, entertainment, intellectual property, and trust and estate matters. At the request of Dr. Lenz, he and the late Norman Marcus formed The Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism in 1998.
Liz Lewinson, Chief Executive Officer
Liz Lewinson is Chief Executive Officer of the Lenz Foundation. She leads the grant category titled "Women in Buddhism” and is chairperson of the Advisory Committee. She studied American Buddhism with Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz for 17 years and was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1992. A long time practitioner and teacher of meditation, she is the author of the award-winning biography, American Buddhist Rebel: Rama - Dr. Frederick Lenz and is narrator of the audiobook. She has published other books of Buddhist teachings. She was a senior vice president at several television studios before embarking on a career in technology and project/program management.
Rob Francais, CPA Board Member, Wealth Manager and Financial Advisor
Rob Francais is CEO of Aspiriant, the foundation’s accounting and wealth advisor firm and one of the leading financial services companies in the United States. Aspiriant has eleven offices across the USA serving 1,700 families with $12.5 billion in assets under management. As CEO, Rob successfully led and completed the acquisition of Deloitte’s national investment practice. As a Board member of the Lenz Foundation, he provides operational oversight and advice on philanthropic matters.
Jeffrey Richardson, Technical Advisor
Jeffrey Richardson is an American Buddhist and IT architect. Jeff is a technology advisor to the Lenz Foundation and was a direct student of Rama - Dr Frederick Lenz for many years. Jeff published the catalog of audio teachings of Dr Lenz online and co-produced the short film, "Signs of a Rebel Buddha," which explores Dr Lenz's approach to Buddhism. The film has won numerous awards, including the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Druk International Film Festival in Bhutan. As a consulting IT architect, Jeff leads software development and digital transformation projects.
Julie Steinberg, Director of Administration
Julie Steinberg began her career in the banking and finance industry as an Account Executive for a Los Angeles-based finance company. After a hiatus as a stay-at-home parent, Julie immersed herself in local politics and successfully ran campaigns for School Board members, City Council members and city-wide School Bond measures. She led campaigns for community improvements and events. In 2006, Julie joined the Board of Directors as Treasurer of a non-profit that raises much-needed funds for a local high school’s athletic department. Julie joined The Lenz Foundation in 2016.
The Lenz Foundation Advisory Committee
- Liz Lewinson, Chairperson
- Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology; Director, Master of Arts in Yoga Studies; Fulbright Nehru Fellow, New Delhi, Aug 15 – Dec 15, 2019; Theological Studies; Loyola Marymount University
- Lisa Marshall, CEO, Rama Meditation Society
- Acharya Fleet Maull, Prison Dharma Network
- Ben Moore, Publisher, Lion’s Roar
- Jeffrey Richardson, Sr. Consulting Information Technology Architect, IBM
- Stacey Schindler, Business Transformation Project Manager, WGU; Compassionate Care Service Manager, ABS; ICF Accredited Coach for the Higher-Consciousness Way
- Judith Simmer-Brown, Ph.D., Professor of Contemplative and Religious Studies, Naropa University