Faculty & Meditation Teachers – Buddhist Studies Institute

Founder and Lineage Holder

Tulku Pema Khandro, Ph.D.

Founder, Scholar and Lineage Holder

Tulku Pema Khandro, Ph.D, is an authorized Lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. A scholar, teacher, and visionary founder of the Meditation Teacher Training and the Buddhist Studies Institute, she has dedicated her life to making Buddhist philosophy and practice accessible and relevant for modern practitioners.

Recognized as the reincarnation of an early twentieth-century yogini from Eastern Tibet, the first Pema Khandro, her training and teaching lineage emphasize Dzogchen, Chöd, and non-monastic Buddhist practice. Since 1999, she has led a vibrant worldwide community, offering in-depth education in Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and leadership grounded in compassion, critical inquiry, and embodied awareness.

Pema Khandro holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Virginia, where her research focused on the history of Dzogchen and women in Tibetan Buddhism. Her work continues to bridge rigorous scholarship, contemplative training, and the living lineage of the Buddhist yogic tradition.

Visiting Lamas & Guest Teachers

Teachers who have generously offered teachings, transmissions, and inspiration through our programs.

Khenpo Yeshi Rinpoche, PhD (c)

Visiting Lama | Dzogchen Lineage Scholar

Born in Kham, Tibet, Khenpo Yeshi Rinpoche is a lineage teacher and scholar of Dzogchen. He trained in the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Geluk traditions, completed a three-year retreat under Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and later taught advanced Buddhist philosophy at Ka-Nying Shedrup Ling Monastery and Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Nepal. Now completing his doctorate at UC Berkeley, he shares teachings internationally on the Heart Essence (Dzogchen Nyingthig) path.

Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche

Visiting Lama | Drikung Kagyu Retreat Master

Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is a senior retreat master of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. Trained under His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and other great masters, he received extensive teachings on Mahāmudrā, Dzogchen, and the Six Yogas of Nāropa. Having completed two traditional three-year retreats, including at Milarepa’s sacred Labchi Mountain, Rinpoche continues to guide students worldwide with profound realization, humility, and kindness on the path of liberation.

Ngak’chang Rinpoche

Visiting Lama | Aro gTér Lineage Holder

Ngak’chang Rinpoche is a lineage holder of the Aro gTér, a Nyingma Vajrayāna tradition founded by the visionary female Lama, Khyungchen Aro Lingma. Recognized by Kyabjé Düdjom Rinpoche as the reincarnation of Aro Yeshé, Rinpoche trained under some of the foremost Nyingma masters, including Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Samphel. He teaches internationally with his consort, Khandro Déchen, making Dzogchen and Vajrayāna teachings accessible for modern practitioners and family life.

Chödpā Kunzang Dorjee

Visiting Lama | Chöd Lineage Yogi

Chödpā Kunzang Dorjee is a Tibetan yogi renowned for his mastery of the Chöd practice—severing the roots of suffering through fearless compassion. A disciple of Lama Wangdu Rinpoche, Lama Chodak Rinpoche, and the revered yogini Ani Dawa, he teaches in the charnel grounds of Nepal and India, and at his center in Boudha, the Khandro Labdrön Shijé Chöd Institute, offering in-depth training in all aspects of Chöd to students worldwide.

Nechung Kuten Rinpoche

Visiting Lama | Tibetan State Oracle

Nechung Kuten Rinpoche serves as the Tibetan State Oracle — a spiritual advisor and healer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government. Born in Tibet and escaping with his family in 1966, he ordained at Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala at age twelve and trained under the previous Nechung Rinpoche. In 1987, following prophetic visions and confirmation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he was recognized as the next Nechung Oracle.

Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche

Visiting Lama | Nyingma Lineage Teacher

Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche
Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche is a Nyingma master and founder of Pema Karpo Meditation Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Ordained at age ten, he trained at Marig Munsel Dzogchen Monastery and later at Namdroling Monastery’s Ngagyur Nyingma Institute under His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and other eminent khenpos, earning the Khenpo degree in 2006. A translator and author of several books, he teaches with warmth and clarity, guiding students in meditation, study, and the living essence of Dzogchen.

Lama Willa Blythe Baker, PhD

Visiting Lama | Kagyu Lineage Teacher

Lama Willa Blythe Baker is the founder and spiritual director of Natural Dharma Fellowship in Boston and its retreat center, Wonderwell Mountain Refuge in New Hampshire. A lineage holder in the Kagyu tradition, she trained for twelve years in monastic life and completed two three-year retreats, with additional study in the Nyingma and Shangpa lineages. She holds a PhD from Harvard University and teaches internationally on embodied mindfulness, eco-dharma, and non-dual awareness.

His Eminence Gyaldak Rinpoche

Visiting Lama | Kagyu Lineage Tulku

His Eminence Gyaldak Rinpoche is head of Drub Tashi Dhargey Cholkor Dechenling Monastery. In the lineage of the great Yogi Milarepa, Rinpoche was recognized as the tulku (reincarnation) of one of the three main disciples of Gampopa – Dorje Gyalpo. This recognition was conferred by the great Nyingma Yogi Sera Yangtrul, Sakya Dawa Sangpo and Taklung Matrul Rinpoche. Rinpoche lived in Tibet until 1991 and was taught by the Karmapa, the Dalai Lama and Chatral Rinpoche and he came to the US in 2005.His Eminence Gyaldak Rinpoche
His Eminence Gyaldak Rinpoche is a Tibetan Lama of the Kagyu lineage and head of Druk Tashi Dhargey Cholkor Dechenling Monastery in Eastern Tibet. Recognized at age ten as the tulku of Phakmodrupa Dorje Gyalpo, one of the founding fathers of the Kagyu tradition, Rinpoche trained extensively in meditation and philosophy with great masters including Chatral Rinpoche and Mingyur Rinpoche. Now based in California, he shares authentic teachings and rituals with warmth, humor, and compassion.

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang

Visiting Lama | Yuthok Nyingthig Lineage Holder

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang is a physician of traditional Tibetan medicine (Sowa Rigpa) and lineage holder of the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition of Vajrayāna Buddhism. Born in Amdo, Tibet, he trained at Lhasa Tibetan Medical University and founded the International Academy for Traditional Tibetan Medicine (IATTM). Renowned for uniting ancient healing wisdom with modern clinical insight, Dr. Nida teaches globally on mantra healing, yoga, and the integration of meditation and medicine for personal and collective wellbeing.

Father Francis V. Tiso, PhD

Visiting Scholar | Interfaith Contemplative Studies

Father Francis Tiso is a Catholic priest and scholar of comparative religion whose work bridges Christian mysticism and Tibetan Buddhism. A graduate of Harvard and Columbia Universities, he served as Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Author of Rainbow Body and Resurrection: Spiritual Attainment, the Dissolution of the Material Body, and the Case of Khenpo A Chö, he lectures internationally on contemplative experience and interfaith dialogue.

Lama Lhanang Rinpoche

Visiting Lama | Nyingma Lineage Teacher

Lama Lhanang Rinpoche is a spiritual teacher of the Nyingma Longchen Nyingthig lineage, known for his joyful wisdom and dedication to preserving Tibetan culture. Born in northeastern Tibet, he received transmissions and empowerments from many great masters, including His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. Rinpoche teaches internationally on meditation, compassion, and sacred art, emphasizing the integration of spiritual practice with daily life through kindness, awareness, and creative expression.

BSI Directors & Faculty

Aruna Rig’dzin Ross

Ordained Yogini, Umdze, Co-Director & Core Faculty

Aruna Rig’dzin Ross was ordained in the Nyingma lineage by Pema Khandro Rinpoche in 2007 and has since dedicated her life to the study, practice, and transmission of Buddhist wisdom. She serves as a Director of Ngakpa International, is the Chief Financial Officer of the Buddhist Studies Institute, and also leads as Director of the Yogic Medicine Institute, where she integrates ancient wisdom traditions with modern approaches to healing and well-being.

A NAMA-certified Ayurvedic Practitioner with more than two decades of experience as an advanced yoga and meditation instructor, Aruna is deeply respected for the clarity, compassion, and presence she brings to her work. Her teachings and client care reflect a passionate commitment to holistic healing, sustainable living, and the empowerment of individuals to cultivate health, balance, and joy in their lives.

Satya Shiva, DAOM, L.Ac, AP

Contemplative Medicine, Umdze, Co-Director & Core Faculty

Dr. Satya Shiva is a senior teacher and Co-Director of the Buddhist Studies Institute, where she has served as Faculty and Programming Director since 2010. A devoted student of Pema Khandro Rinpoche and practitioner of Vajrayana Buddhism since 2001, she serves as Core Faculty, guiding students to refine their skills with clarity, depth, and confidence.

A Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, NAMA-certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, and Panchakarma Specialist, Satya also serves as Clinic Director of the Yogic Medicine Institute and Founder of Radiance Healthcare. Her work reflects a lifelong dedication to integrative and contemplative medicine, compassionate presence, and the cultivation of radiant health, inner clarity, and balanced vitality.

BSI Umdzes

In Tibetan monasteries, the Umdze (dbu mdzad, ritual chant leader) guides the flow of rituals through precise melodies, rhythm, and timing. At the Buddhist Studies Institute, our Umdzes carry this spirit of guidance in a yogic context. They are seasoned practitioners — students of Tulku Pema Khandro for decades — who lead group practice with devotion, continuity, and care. They are yogis living in the modern world, offering an accessible yet authentic bridge into Vajrayana meditation and ritual.

Tsal’gyur Dorje

Tsal’gyur Dorje has been studying with Pema Khandro Rinpoche since 2005. She is the Membership Co-ordinator and Registrar for the Buddhist Studies Institute, and has been on the leadership team for Ngakpa International since 2012. Tsal’gyur is a certified Yoga Instructor, Meditation Teacher, and Teaching Assistant in the school. A former soloist with the San Francisco Ballet Co, she now teaches ballet to her local community. Tsal’gyur is currently working on her BS in Sociology.

Khalden Dorje

A personal student of Pema Khandro since 2006, Khalden Dorje is a dedicated practitioner and a passionate student of the dharma. Beyond his roles as a Meditation Teacher, Umdze, and Teaching Assistant, he is an accomplished master builder and artist of many disciplines. Khalden is also the proud father of two grown children.

Kundini Yedrol

Kundini has been a student of Pema Khandro since 2003. She is an Umdze, and teaches Meditation and Yoga. She has worked in volunteer roles for the Bhuddist Studies Institute for many years, and is currently one of Pema Khandro’s personal assistants. Kundini is a licensed Acupuncturist and East Asian and Medicine Practioner. She specializes in Five Element Acupuncture and Ayurveda. One of her favorite things to do is to practice outside in the stunning landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Rev Fa Jun

Rev Fa Jun was ordained as a Cha’n Buddhist priest in 2008 and went on to continue studies in Yogic Buddhism in both the Nyingma and Sarma traditions. He has received authorization as a master of medical qigong, and Sifu in three traditional Chinese martial arts traditions. He is a certified teacher of yoga and meditation. Fa Jun has been studying with Pema Khandro Rinpoche since 2015.

BSI Daily Meditation Teachers

Select Graduates and TAs of the BSI Meditation Teacher Training

A wall with many buddhas in the new Chinese Temple Borum Racha in Bangkok, Thailand, Bangkok

The Buddhist Studies Institute has trained more than 100 Meditation Teachers.

Each daily session is guided by certified graduates of the Buddhist Studies Institute’s Meditation Teacher Training.

Our core group of teachers come from diverse backgrounds and bring a shared dedication to cultivating compassion, awareness, and wisdom in daily life. Together, they sustain this living rhythm of practice, day after day.

Tashi Drolkar

BSI Certified 2018

Tashi Drolkar is a professor of socio-environmental studies, writer, and holistic well-being coach.

Raylen Williams

Raylen Williams received her first Meditation Teacher Training certification in 2015 taught by Senior Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern, later completed two other Meditation Teacher Training Programs (through the Buddhist Studies Institute with Pema Khandro Rinpoche and Dharma Moon - Tibet House), and is currently attending the Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness (TSM) certification program with David Treleaven. Her heartfelt wish is for all beings to recognize their truest nature; and she hopes that offering a sacred space to practice together in community supports the conditions for that possibility to come to fruition.

Dedzin Drolma

BSI Certified 2017

A long time meditation practitioner and dedicated student of Pema Khandro, Dédzin is honored to serve the community as one of the meditation instructors. She is a licensed somatic psychotherapist and licensed massage therapist in private practice in northern California, where she offers a unique blend of body-based therapies that help clients reveal and heal adverse childhood experiences. Join her on Mondays for daily meditation!

Sherab Gyatso

BSI Certified 2024

Sherab (he/him) currently resides in a small community house in the suburbs of Denver where he enjoys religious studies, cooking, gardening, and hiking. He is pursuing a PhD in Applied Chemistry, applying his research to the field of next generation all-solid-state battery materials.

Tashi Wangjchuk

Tashi Wangchukr has been studying Tibetan Buddhism and meditation for about 40 years, first with the Kagyu lineage and then studying under Pema Khandro since 2020.

Sofie Velander

I first learnt about Buddhism from a geshe within the Gelugpa during 2003 before I met Garchen Rinpoche and have done the foundation of Buddhist thought course within the FPMT. I have also studied with Patrul Rinpoche in Belgium, the first 3 years of a 6 year Dzogchen practitioner course. I continue to follow HE Garchen Rinpoche and Pema Khandro Rinpoche regularly.

Detsal Stevens

BSI Certified 2017

Detsal Stevens started studying with Pema Khandro Rinpoche in 2013. She was overjoyed to complete her meditation teacher training with the BSI in May of 2017. In person she has taught in Bali, California, Canada and Asheville.

Pam Brown

BSI Certified 2022

Pam has been leading Online Meditation since 2022. She lives in Spokane, WA and loves to meditate with new and regular Sangha members. You can frequently see her cat, Clover, sneak across the screen.

Rosanne Cassidy

BSI Certified 2022

Rosanne has been on the meditation path for over 25 years; devoting the last 14 years to the study and practice of Buddhism. In 2022, Rosanne had the great good fortune to study with Pema Khandro, Rinpoche, through her group, the Buddhist Studies Institute, and to take the training which now allows her to facilitate the basic Shamatha sessions being offered online through the Institute.

Rachael Henrichson

Since discovering Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute in 2020 she has dove into every opportunity to deepen her studies with Pema Khandro. Last year she completed the Longchen Nyingthig Ngondro and found it to be a life changing experience. When she isn’t helping manage the MTT program and teaching meditation she spends time teaching adults at Five Branches University of Chinese Medicine and sacred geometry art to elementary school children. After 20 years of study, she has become a Lopon of the Tibetan Bon Lineage and loves singing and teaching the mantras of their Ngondro and the Tse Dup Healing Practices of Tsewang Rigdzin. Passionate about healing and helping people, she also works in private practice as a primary care provider.

Jennifer Meuiller

BSI Certified 2022

Jenn Meilleur lives on Vancouver Island in Canada and is passionate about bringing Buddhist practice into daily life and leadership. Her work in social change and community wellbeing is shaped by fierce compassion and a welcoming of the full spectrum of human experience.

Rev Laura Cannon

BSI Certified 2021

A certified meditation teacher, Laura C. Cannon brings more than two decades of contemplative practice to her teaching. She guides students in cultivating mindfulness, compassion, and the capacity to live with greater clarity and ease.