Who We Are

Tibetan Aid Project is a volunteer-run non-profit organization. We donate our time and service so that funds can directly benefit the preservation of Tibet’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

  • Tibetan Aid Project’s staff and board members are guided by the following:

    • We value Tibet’s ancient tradition of meditative insight into the potential of human consciousness, passed down from teacher to student as a living lineage for more than twelve centuries.

    • We respect the knowledge that Tibet offers the world.

    • We apply in our work the practice of Skillful Means* acknowledging that every experience is an opportunity.

    • We strive to practice generosity, ethical conduct, patience, authentic communication, intensity of effort, mindfulness, and wisdom in our work and in our interactions.

    • We focus to support the mission of Tibetan Aid Project and maximize the value of each donor’s contribution.

    • We support the education of young Tibetans, mindful that the next generation will determine the future of this great civilization.

    • We collaborate with affiliated organizations within our Nyingma community as well as other organizations and individuals who support our mission.

    • We donate our time and service so that funds can directly benefit the preservation of Tibet’s cultural and spiritual heritage for the benefit of the Tibetan people and humanity.

    *Skillful Means was written by Tarthang Tulku to show Westerners how to reawaken the joy of work and cultivate the richness of our human potential in all that we do. It can be purchased at Dharma Publishing.

Board Members

  • Tarthang Rinpoche founded Tibetan Aid Project in 1969 shortly after arriving in the United States. He is a highly respected Tibetan master and lineage holder of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. He guides the development of Tibetan Aid Project and the Nyingma Mandala of Organizations that he has founded.

  • Tsering Gellek holds an M.A. in International Relations with a concentration in refugee studies. She is Director of the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute and Director of the Ananda Light Foundation.

  • Jack Petranker is the Founder of the Center for Creative Inquiry and Director of Mangalam Research Center, both in Berkeley. He has also served as Dean of the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley and is a former attorney.

  • Rosalyn White holds a B.F.A. in General Fine Arts and has studied Tibetan art and culture under the guidance of Tarthang Rinpoche for over forty years. She has also served as Executive Director of Tibetan Aid Project, Director and Art Director of Dharma Publishing, and Co-director of Ratna Ling Retreat Center.

Staff

  • Executive Director

    Pema Gellek, M.A. serves as a bridge between dharma in the East and West and has helped carry out Tarthang Tulku’s dharma activities in Asia for the past 20 years. She is also co-dean of Nyingma Institute.

  • Assistant Director

    Pauline Yu serves as Assistant Director. Her background includes non-profit communications, project management, and graphic design.

  • Bookkeeper

    Hyeryun Park oversees financials for both Tibetan Aid Project and sister organization Nyingma Institute.

  • Coordinator

    Emily Provosty manages volunteers and oversees event registration.

Nyingma Mandala of Organizations

All the following organizations were founded and are guided by Tarthang Rinpoche beginning in 1969 upon his arrival in America. These organizations relate to one another like the petals of a mandala. Together they form a cohesive whole, achieving more through a common mission and collaboration than could be accomplished individually.

  • Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center (TNMC), Sonoma County, represents the spiritual heart of the community.

  • Tibetan Aid Project, Berkeley, supports the preservation of the Tibetan culture and spiritual heritage.

  • Nyingma Institute, Berkeley, is one of America’s oldest Tibetan Buddhist centers of learning, offering traditional  retreats, classes and workshops for the public.

  • Odiyan Retreat Center, Sonoma County, is a home for Dharma in the West, modeled after Tibet’s first monastery, a three-dimensional mandala of temples, stupas and libraries.

  • Dharma Publishing, Sonoma County, publishes Tibetan texts, sacred art, and publications in Western languages.

  • Yeshe De Text Preservation Project, Sonoma County, preserves the heritage of Tibet through researching, archiving, and translating books in the Tibetan language.

  • Ratna Ling Retreat Center, Sonoma County, offers retreats, classes, and conference space for the general public, guided by Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

  • Dharma College, Berkeley, offers secular courses and independent work and meeting space in an environment grounded in the Tibetan wisdom tradition.

  • Mangalam Research Center, Berkeley, offers scholarly programs and conferences in Buddhist and Asian studies, as well as residential opportunities.

  • Guna Foundation, Berkeley, is a film studio, specializing in Buddhist documentary films.

  • Sarnath International Nyingma Institute, Sarnath, India, promotes dynamic bridges of goodness, based on timeless Buddhist principles for the benefit of humanity.

  • Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International, Berkeley, is dedicated to reviving the Buddhadharma in India.

  • Center for Creative Inquiry, Berkeley, sponsors activities related to secular mindfulness and inquiry-based practices, guided by Time, Space and Knowledge, a teaching developed by Tarthang Tulku for modern times.

  • Nyingma Centers International oversees centers and study groups throughout the world, including centers in:

  • Nyingma Trust supports our long-term residential community in California by fundraising to provide volunteers with living essentials and offers the public opportunities to sponsor ceremonies.

About Us
Our Founder