About Drala

Drala Adventures was founded as a labor of love by two long-time Buddhist practitioners Suzan Garner and Bart Mendel. The Santa Barbara couple wanted to find a way to share their experience, knowledge and remarkable relationships with authentic spiritual guides and Drala Adventures was the answer.

Bart and Suzan are involved in several nonprofit activities dedicated to creating positive change in ourselves, our communities and the environment, including a contemplative center planned for the Central Coast of California.

Bart has taught Buddhism for over 30 years at various Dharma centers throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Suzan lived in Nepal and India for two years in the late 1980s where she established long-term relationships with prominent Tibetan Buddhist wisdom masters.

Bart is President of Stonemark Construction Management, a professional consulting firm that specializes in the planning and management of design and construction. He serves as the Construction Manager for Mahamudra Hermitage, a retreat center currently under development in upstate New York. Bart is a licensed General Contractor, ICBO Certified Building Inspector and is LEED Accredited in the design and construction of Green buildings.

In 1984 Suzan Garner founded and served as President/CEO of Clonetics Corporation, a privately-held biotechnology company. Clonetics earned a reputation as the world’s leading supplier of normal human cell systems and was acquired by a major east coast company in 1996. Suzan received a MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Business.