Our Teachers

Al Fusho Rapaport, Roshi

Sensei Al is our guiding teacher, and the Director of Open Mind Zen based in Melbourne, FL.  He travels to Naples several times a year to lead retreats and workshops.  He has practiced and taught Zen Meditation for 50 years. As President of Open Mind Productions, Sensei produced the landmark Buddhism in America Conferences in Boston, San Diego, Denver and New York City. He studied with Kozan Roshi, Maezumi Roshi, and Genpo Roshi until moving to Florida in 2001, and received Dharma Transmission within the Soto Zen Lineage from Shuzen Sensei in 2008.  Sensei is the author of Open Mind Zen: A Guide to Meditation, and editor of Buddhism in America.  He is a member of the White Plum Asangha, the American Zen Teachers Association and the Lay Zen Teachers Association.

To learn more about Sensei and the Open Mind Zen School, visit: openmindzen.com

David Jitsusan Vititoe, Ph.D., Sensei 

David Jitsusan Vititoe, Ph.D., Sensei has been practicing Zen since 2005 and received Dharma Transmission from Fusho Roshi in 2019. Dave is a Lay Monk in the Open Mind Zen school and is a current member of the Lay Zen Teacher’s Association. In the early 2010’s, Dave volunteered at the Lake County Correctional facility, teaching meditation and emotional intelligence techniques to inmates in the corrections system. Dave received his doctorate in physics in 1997 and now working as a scientist and engineer building software systems for the U.S government. He currently lives in Melbourne, Florida.

Kellie Shojaku Garza M.A., LMHC, CST., Sensei

Kellie Shojaku Garza M.A., LMHC, CST., Sensei is a licensed mental health counselor and has been practicing psychotherapy since 2004. A large part of her practice and focus has been on working with trauma survivors. Kellie received Dharma Transmission from Fusho Roshi in 2021. She enjoys integrating psychology with her Zen practice and teaching.

Rev. Michael Jiun Stamper, Ph.D., Sensei

Rev. Michael Jiun Stamper, Ph.D., Sensei has been meditating since the early 90’s, practicing Zen since 2009 and receiving Dharma transmission from Roshi Rapaport in 2020. Mike has a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies/Depth Psychology, and a BA/MA in Economics. He was ordained as an interfaith chaplain/minister in 2010, after graduating from Chaplaincy Institute in Berkeley, is an interfaith spiritual director, and was trained in Buddhist Chaplaincy at SATI in Redwood City, Calif. He has volunteered as a chaplain with the Florida Department of Corrections since 2009. He is retired from the banking industry and lives with his wife, Elizabeth, in the Melbourne. They have 7 children and one grandchild.