Lopön is a Tibetan word that means 'teacher' ('acarya' in Sanskrit). The lopöns and the drupön of Lotus Garden have been appointed by Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche to teach the dharma and offer practice and study guidance to the sangha. They also lead programs which are scheduled throughout the year.
The drupön (retreat master) is responsible for teaching and guiding those practitioners who undertake retreats at Lotus Garden.
Helen Berliner has been a student of Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche since 1994. From 1970-87, she studied with Trungpa Rinpoche, working full time for his administration. She has had the good fortune to receive teachings and empowerments from many Tibetan Buddhist masters of the Kagyu, Nyingma, and Sakya lineages. A meditation instructor since 1975, Lopön Helen has taught a full range of Buddhist study/practice programs, Dharma Art, Maitri Space Awareness, Shambhala Training, and teacher training. Other studies include a Master's in environmental psychology and certifications in interior design, hospice, and clinical chaplaincy. Lopön Helen now works as a writer, designer, and creative project consultant; and has shown her own art/design work in galleries and museums internationally. She worked as an ER crisis counselor while writing her book, Enlightened by Design. E-mail: helenberliner@gmail.com
Scholar-practitioner Rita M. Gross is internationally known for her innovative thinking about Buddhism and gender, as well as Buddhist approaches to other contemporary issues. She began to study Buddhism in 1965 as a graduate student. Early in her career as a professor, in 1973, she decided to become a Buddhist practitioner in the Shambhala tradition. Throughout her long career, she has continued to bring together academic and dharmic perspectives in her work as a professor, author, and dharma student and teacher. She is the author of many books and articles, the most influential of which is Buddhism After Patriarchy: A Feminist History, Analysis, and Reconstruction of Buddhism. Her most recent book is A Garland of Feminist Reflections: Forty Years of Religious Exploration. She has taught widely in the Shambhala mandala, including teaching a course on "Buddhist View" at the 1999 seminary. In 2005, she was appointed as lopön by Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche. Currently Rita is teaching a multi-year course "Buddhist History for Buddhist Practitioners" at the Lotus Garden shedra. Lopön Rita holds a Ph. D. is from the University of Chicago in the History of Religions and for many years she was Professor of Comparative Studies in Religion at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire. E-mail: grossrm@uwec.edu. Website: http://ritamgross.com.
Jann Jackson began her study of the Buddhadharma with the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1975. Under the auspices of Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche, Lopön Jann serves the needs of practitioners at Lotus Garden Retreat Center. Lopön Jann's personal and professional life has exemplified the Buddhadharma in action. In addition to serving continuously as a meditation instructor and teacher in Baltimore for the past 28 years, Lopön Jann worked for many years first as the Associate Director for the House of Ruth, a nationally acclaimed domestic violence program in Maryland, then as the Executive Director of Advocates for Children and Youth, an agency that advocates for quality health care, education, homes and benefits for children. Lopön Jann currently consults on child advocacy issues. Lopön Jann brings to Lotus Garden an uncommon ability to communicate to students the Buddhist teachings with clarity and vividness. E-mail: jann.jackson@gmail.com .
Peter Lieberson became a student of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trunpga Rinpoche in the mid 1970's and attended the 1976 Vajradhatu Seminary. He was the first east coast resident director of Shambhala Training in Boston, later becoming the regional east coast director. In 1989 moved to Nova Scotia as the International Director of Shambhala Training. During that time he also served on the Vajradhatu Board of Directors under Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He taught Shambhala Training undergraduate, graduate programs and the Warrior Assembly in the US and Europe for many years. Lopön Peter has been studying with Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche since 2003, and has taught at Lotus Garden and frequently in Santa Fe where he now lives. He is also an award winning composer and has been commissioned and performed by the major orchestras in the US and Europe. Since 1980 many of his works have been inspired by Buddhist themes such as King Gesar (1991) and the opera Ashoka's Dream (1997), both from a series of works based on the lives of enlightened rulers. In December 2007, Peter Lieberson won the University of Louisville's 2008 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for Neruda Songs, his song-cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra on poetry of Nobel Prize-winning Pablo Neruda. E-mail: peterlieberson@aol.com
Andre Papantonio began studying and practicing the Buddhadharma in 1980 at the Baltimore Shambhala Center, and studied with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche at the 1984 Vajradhatu Seminary. He met Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche in 1994 and has studied and practiced under her guidance since then. Lopön Andre has been honored with the opportunity to serve JKR in various capacities, including helping to guide the newest students as they enter the path of Mahayana at Annual Retreat and in the Baltimore Study Group. He is in the beginning stage of learning to serve as Umdze, or chant leader. Andre teaches several weekends each year at Lotus Garden, and travels occasionally to teach in other cities. He is particularly interested in bringing Mahamudra practice and bodhicitta practice to life in the hearts of students and in his own heart. As his small understanding of our fundamental Buddha Nature grows, he is especially eager to encourage students to discover, and rest in, their own natural state. Lopön Andre welcomes questions by email throughout the year. E-mail: heyandre@comcast.net
Lopön Barbara Ryan has been a Buddhist practitioner since 1980 when she began studying in the Shambhala tradition with the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Since 1996, she has studied with Her Eminence Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche. She has also received teachings and transmissions from H.H. Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche, H.H. Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche, H.H. the Dalai Lama, H.E. Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, H.H. the Sakya Trizen, Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche, H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, H.E. Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, and Kyabje Trulshig Rinpoche. Within her studies of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Lopön Ryan has completed many short and long term retreats. She has served her sangha as a meditation instructor since the late 1980's and began more actively teaching Buddhist students in 2003. She has a keen interest in helping students with the transition from mahayana to vajrayana and with their understanding of devotion and the outer and inner tantras. Lopön Ryan is a member of the board of Mindrolling International. She has been a resident of Samten Tse Retreat Centre in India since 2000 and a resident of Lotus Garden Retreat Center since 2003. She currently resides for 6 months a year at each center. She is the General Manager of Lotus Garden and the Coordinator of the Office of Practice and Study.
E-mail: barbaraaryan@gmail.comDrupön Roar Vestre has been a student of Her Eminence Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche since 1994. Other primary teachers have been Kalu Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.
Drupön Roar has received teachings and empowerments from many of the main teachers of all the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and completed a three-year retreat from 1980 to 1983 under the guidance of the late Venerable Kalu Rinpoche. Since 1984 he has also served as a teacher at Karma Tashi Ling, Oslo, Norway. Roar became the Drupön (Retreat Master) of Lotus Garden in 2005.
E-mail: roar.vestre@gmail.com