Ven Lhundrup Damchö

Born and raised in New York, Ven. Lhundrup Damchö previously worked for seven years as a financial journalist, based in New York and Hong Kong.

While in Asia, Ven. Damchö first encountered the teachings of the Buddha, and shortly thereafter left her work to devote herself full time to study and practice. In 1999, she received permission from her teacher, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to take monastic vows, and was ordained as a Buddhist nun by Geshe Sopa that same year.

Ven. Damchö lived and studied as a resident nun at Geshe Sopa's center in Madison, Wisconsin, for most of the five years following her ordination. During that time, she also received her Masters degree in languages and cultures of Asia from the University of Madison-Wisconsin, specializing in Sanskrit and Tibetan, and is now completing requirements for her PhD in Buddhist studies.

Ven. Damchö has completed numerous retreats in India, Nepal and the US, particularly lam rim, and in recent years, has begun teaching at her teachers' request. Most recently, she has completed a three-months' residence, teaching in Spanish, at Yangsi Rinpoche's Dharma center in Puerto Rico.