ABOUT |
MISSION:
To collect, preserve, and share Meher Baba’s Divine legacy of materials, artifacts, and words with integrity, love, and transparency for the benefit of humanity. |
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Meher Archive Collective seeks to create a safe space to preserve knowledge and objects associated with Meher Baba’s advent. Technology changes quickly, and we intend to stay on top of the changes, perhaps causing us to rapidly adapt and convert old stored media into new formats.
Primary goals:
SHARE KNOWLEDGE & RESOURCES
Meher Archive Collective intends to help other Baba archives in need of any of the services mentioned on page 1. Insofar as our resources allow, trained volunteers can organize work trips to help with on-location projects (scanning, rehousing etc.), as well as perform database work from home. Our goal is to work in close cooperation with all Meher Baba archives for the mutual benefit of His lovers and humanity as a whole. This close cooperation can lead to “complete” records being gathered digitally, and then stored in strategic locations around the world to reduce the chance of any one regional calamity (fire, war, or natural disaster) from wiping out a whole collection. The tools and the talent are available. Will you join us in donating time or financial resources to make this vision a reality? For more information, email us. |
Meher Archive Office
What we do:
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THE TEAM
Board of Directors
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TEAM — following COVID-19 social distance guidelines
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Scott is a teacher and an acupuncturist, as well as the principal of A Healing Partnership. He was formerly the president of the National Foundation of Integrative Medicine in California. Scott travels internationally, teaching and leading workshops and retreats on various aspects of Chinese Medicine in particular pulse diagnosis, Virtue Healing and Family Constellation traditions.
Beginning twenty years ago, Scott pioneered the introduction of an advanced system of Chinese Pulse diagnosis in Europe, reaching hundreds of students as well as the next generation of teachers. Rooted in his love for Meher Baba, Scott is committed to a life of integrity and service to others, and enjoys bringing together diverse ideas and groups of people. Scott has lived in the Asheville area since 2009. He has a passion for travel, both through the external exploration of the world and the internal exploration along the winding and never ending path of self-discovery.
Until recently Evie was a professor in a graduate program of art therapy in Connecticut and taught Bioethics at Yale; she moved to Asheville a few months ago. Evie is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a board-certified art therapist. She teaches courses on the use of mandalas, journal writing, and art making, as a pathway to personal integration and wholeness. In recent years Evie has organized humanitarian art therapy projects in the United States, India, and Jamaica. She currently has an active practice as a printmaking artist, working from the Asheville Print Studio in the River Arts District.
Evie’s journey to Meher Baba began after she graduated from UC Berkeley, when she began a two-year odyssey across Europe and Asia, eventually leading to Meherabad. She has traveled to India very often and is deeply inspired by the unique ways in which the Mandali embodied Baba's teachings. Evie had the good fortune to spend six months in India working with Dr. Goher in the medical clinic at Meherazad, as well as assisting Arnavaz Dadachanji with her spiritual autobiography. She served on the board at Meherana for a number of years in the nineties, and again in 2014-2015. Vacant – Treasurer
Ron loves the notion that a group of Baba Lovers are collaborating to construct a memorial, archive and a Center for the Asheville community and the world. He believes that posterity demands that efforts be made to preserve and make available Baba materials that are scattered across the Baba World. He is proud to be added to the Board and looks forward to bringing his worldly experience and love of Baba to the work before us.
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Hugh has spent the majority of his career establishing and running two consulting groups in the field of organizational behavior. Prior to semi-retirement, he was also a Permaculture instructor, raised organic Christmas trees, and developed the first eco-friendly housing community in Madison County. Hugh continues to be part of a family property management business along with his two daughters.
Hugh's most proud accomplishment to date is his work in aviation flight safety; along with NASA and four airlines he developed models of communication and problem solving for the enhancement of flight safety. Hugh’s introduction to Baba’s writings was on his first visit to the Meher Center in Myrtle Beach where he discovered the Discourses; this experience had a profound impact on both his professional work and personal life. Hugh is passionate about the need to preserve Baba-related treasures, not least because he believes that the purity of Christianity was compromised due to lost, hidden and/or modified documents. Hugh loves spending time with his four grandchildren and two daughters, and continues to enjoy private flying; his most recent adventure having been lessons in acrobatic maneuvers.
Laurent Weichberger came to Baba in 1986 in Manhattan, New York. Since then he has been involved in various Meher Baba activities including working at Meher Mount, in Ojai California, and writing books for Baba. He also worked with Don Stevens on a number of book and seminar projects (between 2002 and Don's passing in 2011). Laurent lives in Asheville, NC with his wife Vanessa, two of their five children, and their cat Khadija.
Anne has been serving as MAC's Library Committee Chair. She has a Masters Degree in Library Science and has worked in various positions as director of a public library, director of an alcohol and drug abuse resource center, and as outreach librarian over nine branch libraries and a four county bookmobile service. The library received national attention based on its response in assisting evacuees during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Anne worked closely with community organizations in setting up ongoing collaborations following the disasters. Anne brings library administrative skills in support of organizing collections for the MAC community. From assessing donations to writing policies and procedures, she continues to be involved in library operations. Anne enjoys helping people find the right book and searching for information on a wide range of topics.
She is married to Chris Barker and is a proud grandmother. Since 1978 she has followed Meher Baba. Anne is delighted to be in Asheville, and is happy to offer service to the MAC Board. |
Scott Tower, Chair & MAC President: Scott.Tower@Meherarchive.org
Evie Lindemann, Vice President: Evie.Lindemann@Meherarchive.org
Hugh Huntington, Secretary: Hugh.Huntington@Meherarchive.org
Anne Barker, Director: Anne.Barker@Meherarchive.org
Ron Kantor, Director: Ron.Kantor@meherarchive.org
Laurent Weichberger, Director: Laurent.Weichberger@Meherarchive.org
Evie Lindemann, Vice President: Evie.Lindemann@Meherarchive.org
Hugh Huntington, Secretary: Hugh.Huntington@Meherarchive.org
Anne Barker, Director: Anne.Barker@Meherarchive.org
Ron Kantor, Director: Ron.Kantor@meherarchive.org
Laurent Weichberger, Director: Laurent.Weichberger@Meherarchive.org
STAFF
John Giusto
Transitional Consultant
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John became MAC's Transitional Consultant in August 2022. John was trained and practiced as a traditional Western medical doctor in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. After his residency at Stanford he specialized in treating and managing chronic pain with interventional, pharmacological and alternative approaches. He became the medical director of a cognitive and behaviorally based pain program, and focused especially on environmental medicine. John’s medical career came to a close with his own environmental illness. That was when Meher Baba took over in earnest and John began to live a New Life in obedience and service to Baba’s inner direction. He has worked on construction projects for the Heartland Center, Meherana, and Meherazad. When he moved to Asheville, John volunteered for MAC first with the construction team at the MAC Building and then worked with MAC's board members on the governance committee. As MAC's newest staff member, John is providing insight and direction to the transition of MAC’s organizational structure.
john.giusto@meherarchive.org |
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Claire Barrett
Archives Manager 
Claire is personally and professionally dedicated to making informational resources more accessible for the general public. After receiving a BFA in art history from SCAD she went on to get an MLIS degree from UNCG. During her years as a student Claire became enamored by the archival world and developed a love for the preservation of artifacts. Her goal, both in her free time and as MAC's archives manager is to dismantle the intimidation factor so many information repositories unintentionally cultivate. While she is new to the world of Meher Baba she has found the people of the community warm and welcoming, and finds the work she does for MAC to be meaningful. In her off time Claire paints, hikes in the beautiful North Carolina mountains, and enjoys the company of loved ones. She hopes to one day continue her education and pursue a doctorate of cultural preservation in order to further her knowledge about preserving the priceless artifacts that MAC has collected.
Claire.Barrett@Meherarchive.org |
Heather Masciandaro
Administrative Coordinator 
Heather Masciandaro is MAC's current Administrative Coordinator. She loves having a job that is dedicated to Meher Baba and she loves being involved with the development of MAC. Her work entails assisting the board and supporting the flow and organization of MAC's activities. Heather was born into a Baba family and her mother made sure that her first word was "Baba." As an undergraduate she took on a dual degree in both English and Painting. She received her BA in English at University of Connecticut and her MFA from Yale University. Before MAC, she held the position of Associate Administrator for the Egyptian Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for eleven years. Here she managed the department's budget and created programming for the department's donor groups amongst numerous other administrative tasks.
Heather.Masciandaro@meherarchive.org |