Anatta was founded by Dr. Cornelia Santschi as an official 501(c)3 non-profit organization in September 2006. Anatta consists of a small group of health care professionals, educators, and creative thinkers dedicated to establishing and supporting medical and educational programs for children with deserving and under-supported organizations worldwide, operating in impoverished circumstances.

Anatta is a small organization with a clear goal and dedicated purpose. Our projects are conducted by request and through the support of direct local contacts. Feasibility studies and careful planning are at the foundation of every endeavor. We will offer support only after careful investigation of potential sites, analysis by our business team, and establishment of a trustworthy local network to ensure timely and appropriate delivery of supplies and services. We intend to further each little community we serve toward self directed future growth, sustainability, and culturally guided optimization of lifestyle and opportunity. All project sites receive routine follow up to document progress and evaluate ongoing need.

All persons affiliated with Anatta offer their services and expertise on a completely voluntary basis. Funding for projects is obtained solely through donations.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead

Cornelia Santschi, Founder/President

Cornelia received her PhD degree in neuropsychology from City University of New York. She developed the Neuropsychology program at the Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Barnabas Medical Center from its beginnings in 1997 into its current form as part of the largest specialized epilepsy institute in New Jersey. She incorporates diagnostic testing and cortical brain mapping, as well as mindfulness based stress reduction and neurofeedback as part of her services for children and adults with neurological concerns. She is a skilled and caring professional, a published researcher, and an integral part of a multidisciplinary team.

Cornelia is a devoted student of Buddhism with a dedicated insight meditation practice since 2000. She completed yoga teacher training at Integral Yoga in NYC in 2001, graduated from the Community Dharma Leader Program (CDL5) through Spirit Rock in 2017, and completed ecodharma teacher training at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center in 2021. She studies with teachers in Asia and North America, teaches meditation in nature, and is training as an ANFT Forest Therapy Guide.

She is co-founder/board member of Newark Center for Meditative Culture (NCMC) in NJ, where she serves as meditation teacher and insight community liaison, working to increase access to socially engaged, secular and spiritual programs within a diverse, multi-cultural urban community. Cornelia is co-founder/vice-president of the Alegria Dharma Center, a growing meditation retreat center on the Nicoya Penninsula of Costa Rica. Here she is developing a comprehensive EcoDharma retreat program for international and local practitioners.

In addition to her demanding career, Conni is extremely dedicated to worldwide humanitarian efforts. For many years prior to founding Anatta, she volunteered her services to the Triple Gem Society, a small but highly productive non-profit organization. When the Tsunami so devastated parts of Asia in 2004, this little organization made dramatic progress in Sri Lanka where larger organizations could not. Conni took on the responsibility of organizing the large scale donations to Triple Gem here in the States, to ensure that relief efforts could be orchestrated rapidly on location. She convinced her medical center to donate $10,000.00 to Triple Gem to assist in building new homes for tsunami victims. She has located, purchased, and donated medical equipment to Triple Gem, benefitting hospitals in places like Kenya, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. She is also involved in environmental conservation and social justice. Her passion and determination founded and built Anatta, and now continue to fuel its' efforts.

Click below for information on some of Cornelia's early international humanitarian projects that inspired her to form Anatta:

Early Projects

Anatta has many wonderful volunteers and board members:

Deborah McMillon, Treasurer

Deborah has a born instinct to help others. For over 30 years, she has worked to develop, implement and troubleshoot procedures in PC based training development and delivery systems.

She is a seasoned traveler who has always enjoyed experiencing different cultures. Now as the treasurer of Anatta, Deborah views the trips with Anatta and the projects in a different light. She enjoys being part of a small grass roots organization where she feels like her time and talents are used and appreciated to their fullest.

After her first traveling experience with Anatta to Thailand, Deborah feels like her eyes were opened to both the tragedies and the wonders in the world. Having seen the need, she now helps in a very direct way. Her organizational skills and logical approach to problem solving make her a huge asset to Anatta.

Donna Dupuy, Secretary

Donna is a Project Manager to the core with a creative mind and heart. Whether it was her career in the Fashion Business, her time in the Construction Industry or now blending both in Workplace Design and Furnishings, she has always been motivated by bringing people’s ideas to fruition and connecting people.

From the moment Donna met Cornelia in 2013, helping bring hers and Anatta’s ideas and dreams to reality as been a passion. It even spurred her to start a support group called Women Supporting Women with the purpose of bringing together other amazing women who were all working toward a similar goal – How to help women and children around the world live better lives through education, health care and job training.

Donna’s first trip to Nepal with Cornelia in 2014 fed her love of volunteering both in NYC and abroad in Mozambique and created a connection to the young girls at the Peace Grove Nunnery that was only strengthened with her second trip in 2016. Having traveled extensively around the world and witnessed so much need, being a part of an organization that is truly changing the lives of those they encounter keeps her inspired every single day!

Susan Reichman, Board Member

Susan is a retail pharmacist in the Barnabas Health System in New Jersey who has worked in many facets of her field including hospital, long-term care, and consulting

In all of her endeavors, Susan's passion is working with and connecting with people. She considers her proudest accomplishment her family, husband Ed, and children Dylan, Maddy and Ben. She is always smiling, whether enjoying cooking, relaxing at the beach, spending time with family and friends, or working under pressure in a high level medical setting.

Susan brings a level of dedication and joy to her work that energizes everyone around her. She has a natural connection with humanitarian work, and after traveling with Anatta for the first time in 2014, Susan was hooked. She claims to have been so inspired that she plans to spend the next 50 years contributing in any way she can!

Natalie Hernandez, Board Member

Natalie is a lover of life, peace, and humanitarianism. Her drive to help others and create positive change has followed her all throughout her life. From being an active volunteer to running for her local Board of Education, Natalie's passion for community empowerment is neverending. Natalie began her journey with Anatta in 2015 as a high school student. She was connected with the organization through a local supporter and was instantly inspired. It was always her dream to travel the world and help create social change. Through Anatta's mission and generosity, Natalie traveled to Nepal as the first reverse scholarship recipient.

After graduating high school, Anatta supported Natalie in pursuing a gap year in Lumbini- the hub of Anatta's projects. She lived at the Peace Grove Nunnery assisting the local school's arts program and English classes, among other projects. She also became a student of Buddhism, whose teachings have motivated her since. Upon Natalie's return to the United States, she pursued her Bachelor's in Global Studies, with a concentration in Women and Gender Studies. She graduated in 2022 and has worked for various non-profit organizations specializing in community empowerment, youth enrichment, and outdoor education.

Ezekiel Maben, Media Committee

Zeke Maben, has volunteered with Anatta since 2017, when he lived in Lumbini as an English Teacher at Karuna Girls School. He is currently a MPA in Environmental Science and Policy candidate at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. Zeke hopes to focus his career on inclusive ecosystem restoration and conservation. Zeke helps maintain the Anatta website and write about our ongoing efforts. He is passionate about supporting our educational projects in Nepal and conservation efforts like the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary.

Edward Ntim Addae, Accountant

Edward is a professional with over twenty years of diversified audit experience in brokerage, investment banking, and public accounting, with world-class firms.

He holds a BBA from Baruch College in NYC, and has served as adjunct professor in Accounting at Baruch College (CUNY) for many years. Edward is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society CPA as well as the Securities Industry Association. He has held the title of NPP- USA New York Chapter General Secretary from 2006 to the present.

Edward routinely combines his excellent audit skills with solid analytical ability to evaluate and resolve complex business and financial problems. He also brings his experience as an ordained pastor (Christ Pentecostal Church - New York) to bear in his effective communication style and willingness to engage wholeheartedly with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. A consummate team player, Edward has generously volunteered his skills and energy to Anatta both in terms of business and financial management, as well as outreach and project development. He intends to organize an Anatta visit to his native Ghana in the near future.

Andrea Iorizzo, Logo/Identity Design

Andrea is a designer with extensive background both as a freelancer and on staff. Expertise encompasses all aspects of graphic design including creative concept exploration and implementation, branding and logo development, design of promotional material, direct mail, advertising, & package design.

Currently residing and working on the West Coast in Mission Viejo, California, Andrea earned her BFA at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Gaining her initial experience at a design studio specializing in packaging, she subsequently worked for a number of design firms in NYC with a varied clientele ranging from the toy industry to consumer packaging, from food to pharmaceutical to household products. Andrea continues to freelance for clients on both the East and West Coast including her favorite not for profit educational and health care outreach organization.

You can learn more about Andrea and view some of her art here

Julie Burstein, Web Design

Julie is a Peabody Award-winning radio producer, TED speaker, and best-selling author who has spent her working life in conversation with highly creative people – interviewing, probing, guiding, and creating live events and public radio programs about them and their work. In her book Spark: How Creativity Works, she maps out some of the coordinates and dimensions of creativity. No one can exactly explain creativity, but Julie offers a tour through some of its essential byways; shining a beam onto its mysterious workings in a way that is illuminating and can help us find more of that dimension within ourselves, and put it to good use.

Julie has produced and hosted radio programs and live events for NPR, Carnegie Hall, The New York Philharmonic, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, PRI, and WNYC, among others. She helps organizations create websites and podcasts, and loved working with Conni and her team to create Anatta's new website. Julie can't wait to travel with Anatta and help on an upcoming trip.

You can learn more about Julie and her work here.