Drala Governing Council Selects Nick Urban as the next Executive Director
The Drala Mountain Center Governing Council is delighted to announce the appointment of Nick Urban as our next Executive Director.
We first want to honor the exceptional stewardship of our current Executive Director, Robbie Rettmer, whose dedication and steady leadership have nourished DMC. We are profoundly grateful for Robbie’s extraordinary contributions.
Nick will formally start his role on October 1, working with Robbie for several months to ensure a
smooth transition. In welcoming Nick, we begin an exciting new chapter for DMC. Nick is a familiar face at DMC, and brings a strong alignment with our core values, deep operational experience, and a clear vision for sustaining DMC as a vibrant sanctuary for practice, contemplation, and retreat.
Nick is a longtime meditator. He began his spiritual path at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center over 20 years ago. Later, Nick lived at DMC and Marpa House, and became a Vajrayana practitioner in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. More recently, he began to study Mahamudra with Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, and received empowerments in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa from Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche.
A lifelong learner, Nick holds an M.A. from St. John’s College in Western Classics, an M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School in Religious Studies, and a certificate in Buddhist Studies from Nitartha Institute.
In his work life, Nick has been a software engineer and entrepreneur, leading engineering teams and business operations, and building high-trust, high-performance cultures. Nick also started Foundation for Enlightened Society, a Buddhist nonprofit.
As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to holding space for our broad community of practitioners, partner organizations, and friends across the wide dharma world. Please join us in offering our deepest gratitude to Robbie for her transformative leadership, and in giving Nick a warm welcome to the DMC community.
We will provide further opportunities to express gratitude and celebrate Robbie’s leadership on Shambhala Day 2027. More details regarding transition timelines and opportunities to connect with Nick will be shared in the coming weeks as well.