Learning and unlearning led Anthony Vitaliano Zampella, MSOL, MS, CCP, to found Bhavana Learning Group in 2000. His firm works with coaches, learning professionals, and executives to bring wisdom to learning, life, and leadership.

As a wisdom coach, teacher, and strategist, Tony blends disparate paradigms of Buddhist psychology with Ontological inquiry to develop a contemplative pedagogy for adult learners.

From early in life, Tony was drawn to activism and learning. Struggling with his own sexual orientation, he dropped out of high school in 1981. After coming out, he became an LGBTQ and AIDS activist (1984-97), published an LGBTQ weekly newspaper (1986-94), and served as a Human Relations Commissioner (1993-97) for the city of San Diego.

In 1993, he was shot in the neck in a gang-related incident. With this “wake-up call,” he earned a B.A. in Sociology (UCSD), an M.S. in Journalism (Columbia University), an M.S. in Organizational Leadership (Mercy College), and more recently graduated from Nalanda Institute of Contemplative Science with a certificate in Contemplative Psychotherapy (CCP).

Thought Leader, Researcher

As a communications specialist, Tony’s research cultivates generative communications and deep listening. He consults on contemplative learning and practices as a curriculum designer. As a leadership specialist, Tony designs leadership development programs for coaches and learning professionals.

• Tony writes a regular blog, Unlearning Curve, for learning and development professionals.
• He contributed to the textbook Complex Situations in Coaching: A Critical Case-Based Approach, published by Routledge (2019).
• Tony wrote a chapter in the 2022 book Coaching Wisdom: Voices of the Gay Coaches Alliance: Coming Out and Being in the World; How Insights from the Coming Out Process Support a Coaching Mindset.
• White Papers located in the BLG Research Center detail his research, ideas, and thinking.

Tony has served on the editorial boards of two Journals.

• 2016-2018: The launch of Philosophy of Coaching: An International Journal.
• Currently: Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education (JOIE).

Education and Studies

Tony’s experience combines Western learning models with Eastern wisdom traditions.

Conventional Education

• MS in Journalism from Columbia University
• MS in Business with Organizational Leadership, Mercy College
• BA in Sociology from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD).

Certifications.

Tony is certified in these areas of adult learning and human development:

• Certified: Foundations of Ontological Learning (graduate studies), Newfield Network.
• Certified: Facilitators of Open Space Technology (OST) by originator Harrison Owen.
• Certified: Appreciative Inquiry by Frank Barrett and David Cooperrider.
• Certified: Spiral Dynamics Integral (SDI Level I & II) by originator Don Beck.
• Certified: Deep Change, Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) by originator Cindy Wigglesworth.
• Certified: Contemplative Psychotherapy at Nalanda Institute (CCP).

Philosophical Inquiries & Practice

• Philosophical approaches employ ontological inquiries and phenomenological analysis.
• Integral Theorist includes the work of Ken Wilber, Peter Senge, and Otto Scharmer to integrate meta-theories for cultivating systemic thinking.
• As a practitioner, he includes Buddhist psychology to support integrating contemplative practices.
• As a designer, our Contemplative Learning model with 12 Practices brings contemplative learning to individuals, teams, and organizations.
• Creating “Practice Fields” in personal mastery brings mindfulness practice to everyday life.

See this personal reflection on Tony’s introduction to Buddhist Psychology.

Experience

Academics

As a learning specialist, Tony has instructed undergrad and graduate students. He researched and delivered learning methods at various universities, including Rutgers University Business School, Newark (“Executive Leadership”), and Fordham University’s MBA Program (“Leadership, Language, and Trust,”).

Tony redesigned the “Master of Science in Organizational Leadership” (MSOL) program at Mercy College’s five campuses, where he served as an assistant professor and director of leadership programs (1999 to 2005).

Publishing

From 1985 to 1993, Tony founded and published two news magazines serving the LGBTQ community in San Diego (the San Diego Scene, and Bravo! Newsmagazine). He authored columns and essays on culture and leadership, published in Update Newspaper, The San Diego Reader, Ten Percent Magazine, and The San Diego Tribune (1994-97).

Activism

From 1984 to 1997, Tony served as an LGBTQ and human rights activist: as Chair of San Diego’s gay pride organization; board member of the County’s AIDS organizations; advisor to the Board of Trustees of San Diego City College; and on advisory boards to Mayors Maureen O’Connor and Susan Golding.

Tony also served on the Board of Governors at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. From 1993 to 1997, he served as Commissioner of the San Diego Human Relations Commission.

Speaking and Conferences

2018: ACTO Conference. Listening as a Field of Being. Tony worked with coach trainers to experience Deep Listening. (ACTO = Association of Coach Training Organization.)

2019: Gay Coaches Alliance. Workshop on Deep Listening. Tony worked with experienced coaches to cultivate Deep Listening.

2019: ACTO Conference. Unlearning: The challenge of cultivating deeper understanding, presence, and openness. Tony worked with coach trainers to develop unlearning of worldviews and systemic bias.

2024: Keynote Radiance Coaches Retreat. Beyond knowledge and competence: Bringing Wisdom to Coaching.