Roger Hillyard began his Zen journey in 2007 and spent four years studying as a nonresident at City Center. During that time, he served as Jiko, or attendant, to his teacher Shosan Victoria Austin, a role he held for six years. He received Buddha’s precepts and lay initiation from Shosan in 2009, then became a full-time resident at City Center in 2011.
Over the years, Roger has lived and worked at Tassajara, Green Gulch, and City Center, taking on a range of responsibilities across the three temples and serving on the SFZC Board. He was Shuso, or head student, for the fall 2020 practice period at City Center. In 2025, he was Lay Entrusted by his teacher Rinso Ed Sattizahn, a recognition that invested him as a Practice Leader committed to practicing and teaching the dharma.
Alongside his Zen practice, Roger has been actively engaged in recovery for more than thirty years, bringing depth, steadiness, and lived experience to his teaching and presence.