From Frederick Meyer:

Namaste! I'm Frederick Meyer, a lifetime practitioner within the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. My inspiration is to help spiritual practitioners connect across geography and tradition, and I've recently joined the NABA board to offer technology and marketing help.

My first hint of the possibility of online connection for Dharma practitioners came three years ago, when I became involved with the Ziji Collective, a global network of young meditators' groups within Shambhala. I've made many of my closest friends through Ziji -- and I still may have met them only once or twice in person. Creating enlightened society (the Shambhala term for a culture of wakefulness and compassion) on the diffuse and disembodied space of the internet is very difficult, but the glimmers of payoff are extremely powerful.

My immediate hope is to help create an online Dharma discussion where Buddhists of all denominations can discuss a relevant contemporary topic or study classics of Buddhism -- perhaps something like the Dhammapadda, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, or a book by Thich Nhat Hanh -- together in a mindful and welcoming environment. I think this could let the beauty of the North American Buddhist community start to shine through in a very immediate way. If you'd like to be involved, I'd be delighted to meet you!

In the longer term, I think the American sangha can be connected in a lot of wonderful ways -- as practical as a job board and a chat forum, and as potentially powerful as regional nondenominational retreats. If you have any ideas or would like to be connected to one or another piece of work, please be in touch.

For a few more practical details about me, I live with my fiancee and our dog in New Orleans, where I work as a web technology consultant and help lead a small weekly young meditators group.
All the best to you, wherever you are!