Guiding Teacher

Rev. Allison Yusho Draper

Rev. Allison Yusho (“Bright Courage”) Draper, MDiv, BCC joins Bamboo in the Wind as Guiding Teacher (interim), assisting with the sangha’s transition after founding teacher Rev. Val’s retirement “Stepping Down” in December 2024.

Rev. Allison has been formally practicing Soto Zen Buddhism for over 20 years, primarily in the Suzuki Roshi lineage. She is grateful for the teaching and training of many teachers and sanghas including: Chapel Hill Zen Center (Chapel Hill, NC),  Everyday Zen Foundation (Marin County, CA), San Francisco Zen Center, Berkeley Zen Center, Central Valley Zen Foundation/ Empty Nest Zendo (North Fork, CA), Mountain Root Sangha (Larkspur, CA), Stanford Zen Sangha (Palo Alto, CA), Upaya Zen Center (Santa Fe, NM), and Bamboo in the Wind (Sunnyvale, CA). Rev. Allison received “Leaving Home” priest ordination from Roshi Grace Schireson at Stanford University Circle Sanctuary in  October 2016 and completed Head Student (Shuso) with Rev. Val at Bamboo in the Wind Zen Center November 2024.

Rev. Allison holds a Master’s in Divinity (Shogaku Zen Institute, 2017) and is a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) through the Association of Professional Chaplains. She is also an advanced-practice board certified chaplain in palliative care and hospice. Rev. Allison currently leads a team of professional chaplains at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, serving patients and families of all cultural and spiritual backgrounds from around the country and world. Spiritual support of others represents a life shift after a 25+ year career as a marketing executive, to better align with Right Livelihood on the eightfold path. Her journey toward Zen teaching and professional chaplaincy included Zen priest training at SPOT, 2-year Upaya Chaplaincy program and 1-year clinical pastoral education (CPE) at Stanford Healthcare.

She lives in the South Bay with her husband Rev. Jeff Goldfien (former a BintW BOD Member). In her free time, Rev. Allison enjoys playing tennis, baking pies and spending time with one of her three young adult children.