Tom Gunning

Board of Trustees

Tom Gunning brings his deep experience in law, business, and non-profit fundraising to Kripalu, together with the experience of applying Kripalu yoga and its teachings to transform his mind-body health in his mid-fifties. 

Tom began his legal practice at Nixon Peabody, LLP in Boston where he became a Partner in the Corporate Department. Tom left Nixon Peabody to join the Legal Department of his client, EMD Serono/Merck Serono, a leading biopharmaceutical company. After serving as U.S. General Counsel, Tom moved to Europe to become Global General Counsel of Merck Serono leading a team of nearly 100 legal professionals practicing law at the highest level throughout the world. Tom also served on the Executive Committee of Merck Serono. 

During his time practicing law, Tom served on the Board of Directors of Greater Boston Legal Services, Inc., the leading Boston-area civil legal aid organization. Tom focused his efforts on fundraising. GBLS selected Tom as the inaugural Chair of its Board level Development Committee and later hired Tom as its full-time Chief Development Officer. 

In his mid-fifties, Tom left the law and began to focus on his mind-body health. Having visited Kripalu several times, he had the intuitive sense that Kripalu yoga and its teachings should be at the center of his mind-body health work. Tom completed his 200-Hour Kripalu Yoga, Dynamic Gentle Yoga, and Chair Yoga Teacher Trainings and personal meditation training with Legacy Kripalu Faculty and Senior Kripalu Teachers. Tom credits Legacy Kripalu Faculty member Rudy Peirce with gratitude as his teacher and guides on his path into yoga. 

Tom teaches mindful gentle yoga at law firms, businesses and non-profits, and chair yoga to seniors and others. He lives in Ogunquit, Maine.