Kraig (Satyaki) Brockschmidt

Kraig (Satyaki) Brockschmidt is both an innovator and student of the human experience.  As Chairman of the Board of Ananda University, Kraig is seeking to bring “higher education for higher consciousness” to people of all ages, backgrounds and professions. Through his extensive travels he has observed the variations and impact of consciousness across many cultures as well as history.  Holding a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Washington, he has worked in the technology industry through two tenures at Microsoft (1988-1996 and 2008-present).  His positions have ranged from developer support, evangelism, and community relations, to engineering, program management, and content development, including a long history of public speaking.  He is well-known for his deep empathy with the people he serves and his ability to synthesize unifying perspectives and cognitive frameworks from multitudinous details.  In between these career segments, Kraig enjoyed enough financial independence to spend twelve years volunteering and working in well over 100 distinct roles and professions.  He has served in childhood and adult education, music (performing and directing), non-profit organization, alternative energy, editing and writing.  In 2003 he helped start Ananda University, taught some inaugural courses, and served on the Board of Directors from 2003-2013 and 2015-present.  He is author of several best-selling books along with The Harmonium Handbook; Finding Focus: How to Clarify Your Priorities and Live with Purposeful Simplicity, and his unique autobiographical account Mystic Microsoft: A Journey of Transformation in the Halls of High Technology.  He began practicing yoga and meditation techniques in 1995, becoming a member of the Ananda Sangha and its community in Seattle, WA with his wife, Kristi.  He currently resides with his wife and his 9-year old son at Ananda Village in Northern California and travels extensively on behalf of Microsoft.