Our Teachers

​Our spiritual community (Sangha) began in 2000, under the guidance of Anam Thubten Rinpoche, founder of Dharmata Foundation. At Rinpoche's request, Dharma Refuge was founded and Sue Kochan has been serving as Guiding Teacher and Spiritual Advisor since 2008.

Sue's teaching activities and our sangha are supported by our lineage committee and Dharma Refuge Meditation teacher Deborah King.

Anam Thubten Rinpoche
Founder and Guiding Teacher at Dharmata Foundation 

Sue Kochan
Guiding Teacher at Dharma Refuge
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Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of Dharmata Foundation, teaching widely in the US, Europe, and Asia. He is the author of several books, including Embracing Each Moment; No Self, No Problem;; The Citadel of Awareness; and The Haunted Ground.

​Through sharing his wisdom and personal experience on the spiritual path, Anam Thubten brings alive the timeless teachings of Buddhism.

Deborah King
Dharma Refuge Meditation Teacher

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Deborah first experienced the positive effects of meditation in the late 70's when transcendental meditation ('TM') swept the nation and the college campus where she was studying. Decades later, after her partner was diagnosed with serious illness, she 'discovered' Buddhism with Sogyal Rinpoche's Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. She first took refuge with Penor Rinpoche in 1997, and has been a devoted member of Dharma Refuge and the Dharmata Foundation for over 10 years. She is profoundly grateful to Anam Thubten Rinpoche, Sue Kochan, and Lama John Makransky for their guidance, support and inspiration over the years. The work of John Makransky and Paul Condon (Sustainable Compassion Training, SCT) and that of John Welwood (The Psychology of Awakening) have had a profound effect on her life as well as her practice of clinical psychology. Since retiring from the University of Rochester, Deborah has maintained a small psychotherapy practice but also  deepened her involvement in Dharma Refuge as an umzed (chant leader) and SCT-informed meditation guide. She also saves as much time as possible for traveling, playing in her rock'n'roll band, and taking long walks with beloved friends and family.
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Sue was inspired to dedicate her life to the path of the Bodhisattva when she first met H.E. Garchen Rinpoche in 1999. In 2008, at the request of her teacher Anam Thubten Rinpoche, she was ordained to teach. Sue is motivated everyday by Dharma Refuge's vision "A World Of Bodhisattvas."

In addition to being a wife, mom, watercolor artist, and Spiritual Advisor at Dharma Refuge, Sue is retired founder and former CEO of a Rochester-based B Corp which is now part of Butler Till Media. Her ​career in advertising and marketing was focused on work with sustainable brands as well as public sector behavior change campaigns designed to mitigate climate change.

Sue's Dharma teaching is informed by motherhood, leadership, lineage, and additional study and training in the following complimentary areas of study and practice.