Mercedes Martin-Burgess is Founder & CEO of Mercedes Martin & Company and Co-Founder & Chief Visionary of BuddhaDiva. A former U.S. Air Force officer and veteran EY consultant, she’s spent the last decade designing immersive “reset” retreats for women leaders.
At Mercedes Martin & Company, she guides Fortune 50 teams through leadership development, change management, and cultural transformation. Previously, as EVP of Business Transformation at Ashton212, she created the SobreMesa Experience—a deep-dialogue process for lasting organizational shift.
At BuddhaDiva, Mercedes curates each retreat’s soul-led journey, weaving her MMC Learning Framework into mindfulness practices, creative inquiry, and nature immersion. She holds a B.S. in Transcultural Nursing (University of Miami), an M.S. in Leadership Development (University of San Francisco), and is a MEECO-certified Master Corporate Executive Coach. Her forthcoming book, “Rewiring the Leadership Mindset for Human-Centered Business Transformation,” underscores her commitment to ethical, sustainable leadership.
Lisel Fundichely-Cox brings over 25 years of strategic leadership and people-centered vision to BuddhaDiva’s Sedona Experience. As a first-generation Cuban-American raised in New Jersey, she spent nearly three decades shaping iconic brands at The Hearst Corporation and Condé Nast, then earned her M.A. in Counseling & Psychology to lead marketing for a top integrated behavioral-health organization.
Alongside her corporate career, Lisel fronted EPICSOUL for 12 years—providing soulful entertainment at private gatherings and corporate events—where she fine-tuned her knack for seamless event flow and guest engagement.
At BuddhaDiva, Lisel orchestrates every detail of the retreat’s operations: securing luxury venues, coordinating farm-to-table menus, designing intuitive check-in rituals, and ensuring 24/7 guest support. Her rare blend of narrative expertise, operational rigor, and heartfelt hospitality guarantees that each participant moves effortlessly from arrival to transformation, grounded in ease and intention.
Caridad (Cari) Hernandez is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and nationally respected media executive, currently serving as a News Director in Washington, D.C. With a career spanning powerhouse markets like Miami, Atlanta, and Philadelphia, Cari has built and led high-performing newsrooms that inform, empower, and elevate the communities they serve.
As a leader in a demanding, high-stakes industry, Cari understands firsthand the cost of unrelenting
output. Her own path has been shaped not only by grit and excellence, but by intentional restoration—drawing on practices like meditation, journaling, and immersive retreat experiences to remain grounded, focused, and resilient.
Now, Cari brings that lived wisdom to BuddhaDiva as Chief Marketing & Brand Officer. She is channeling her storytelling talent and executive insight into curating transformative retreats that help women step away from external noise and reconnect with their internal voice. Through BuddhaDiva, she’s helping build a movement where women in leadership can find stillness, elevate their strength, and return to their lives with renewed clarity and conviction.
Donald Burgess is the Chief Strategy & Finance Officer for BuddhaDiva Retreats. He is a seasoned executive, wellness coach, and community builder. He currently serves as President & CEO of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, where he champions economic growth and engagement across Interior Alaska. A Certified Running Coach and Health & Wellness Coach, Donald has spent decades helping others integrate physical stamina, mental resilience, and strategic vision—both through his Sunshine Striders running group and his emerging wellness-retreat ventures, BuddhaDiva and VitalStrides Performance Coaching. His leadership blends discipline with empathy, leveraging his chamber experience (including his tenure leading the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches) to craft programs that lift people—and organizations—to their highest potential.