Our Teachers
Buddha’s wisdom teachings are handed down from teacher to student in an unbroken lineage. Thanks to the previous master and our current teachers we can be a part of this living lineage.
Our Founder Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche
A world-renowned meditation master who holds the very essence of Buddha’s teachings in his heart
Venerable Geshe-la transmits this profound wisdom and compassion to the people of the modern world in very practical ways through the extremely accessible methods of modern Kadampa Buddhism, which he introduced.
Spiritual Directors
Gen-la Kelsang Dekyong
is a very powerful Teacher able to make Buddha’s teachings easily accessible and to show through her example how to integrate these teachings into our daily life.
Gen-la Kelsang Khyenrab
Gen-la Kelsang Jampa
is the Deputy Spiritual Director of the NKT-IKBU and Resident Teacher at the International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon.
Gen Kelsang Rigpa
is the Western US National Spiritual Director and teaches our annual Northwest Dharma Celebration.
Olympia Teachers
Resident Teacher
Kelsang Lhamo
Kelsang Lhamo is the full-time Resident Teacher at Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center. Lhamo graduated from the intensive six-month teacher training program at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center in the UK where she received instruction from Gen-la Khyenrab. Lhamo has been a Buddhist practitioner since 2008. The first 12 years of her practice were in San Diego, California. She then spent 2021 in Denver at KMC Colorado and 2022 at the International Kadampa Retreat Center Grand Canyon. Lhamo was the Administrative Director for the San Diego Kadampa Center for 3+ years and served as President of the Board of Directors prior to that.
In addition to leading many special events and retreats at Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, Kelsang Lhamo teaches our Thursday Evening Classes. She also leads the Foundation Program, a more in-depth study program.
Steve Maddox
Steve is a long time Buddhist practitioner who is greatly admired for his heartfelt and informative teachings at Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center. He has been in study programs for ten years and has received teachings from many qualified teachers. He often refers to the text during his teachings because the language is so beautiful and alone has the power to penetrate our heart. He mixes reflective listening of Dharma texts in meditation contemplations as often as possible.
Kelsang Jima
Jima is a long time Kadampa Buddhist practitioner and ordained nun. She found Dharma when her husband, Jim, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and it greatly helped the challenging years that followed.
Jima teaches Dharma by bringing it into our daily lives and transforming adverse conditions into the Path. She teaches from the heart through readings from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s texts and also examples of experience in her own life as a nurse and caretaker for over 40 years.