July 21, 2023
Enso Village, a senior living community developed by The Kendal Corporation and the San Francisco Zen Center, recently welcomed Malika Bouhdili as Head of Spiritual Life. Malika will build community relationships and encourage resident involvement in curating the Enso Village Spiritual Life program. This program will integrate interdisciplinary principles and lends to the overall approach of mindful aging at Enso Village. This role will also focus on elevating, nurturing and bringing in new ideas to ensure healthy interactions between residents and the Enso Village team.
“Malika brings a background that is uniquely positioned for this role,” shares Pamela Coleman, Vice President of People and Culture at Enso Village. “This role at Enso Village required someone with spiritual skillness, an ability to effectively manage relationships, and someone rooted in values-based decision making. Malika fit all those qualities.”
Malika started her career as a legal aid attorney, serving low-income families. Although her work was inspiring, Malika was encouraged to change career paths after serving as a volunteer with Zen Hospice Project on the hospice and palliative care floors of San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital. Prior to joining Enso Village, Malika served as a hospital chaplain where she provided emotional and spiritual support, crisis intervention, counseling, meditation instruction, ritual facilitation, and grief support.
“I hold a deep reverence for the many ways humans find meaning and I have studied with teachers from a variety of traditions. I look forward to infusing my skills into the Spiritual Life program at Enso Village,” shares Malika.
In her free time, Malika writes essays and poetry, studies Buddhist and Jungian psychology, and enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Social Transformation from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkely, California, and a Juris Doctor from American University in Washington D.C.
About Enso Village
Enso Village is a Life Plan Community currently under construction in Healdsburg, CA, with a focus on mindful aging, the joys of nature, environmental stewardship, contemplative care and healthy life choices for adults 60+. It’s a collaboration between the San Francisco Zen Center and The Kendal Corporation.