Meet the 84000 team

Through scholarly research, specialized translation, technological innovation, and necessary administrative support, we embrace a collaborative and cross-functional approach in service of our mission: to translate the Tibetan Buddhist canon and make it accessible for all.

Interactive menu collage with direct access to team member's bios.

Who We Are

Our team is made up of academics, Dharma teachers, technology experts, translators, and practitioners working remotely from twenty-two cities around the world, and all bound together by our core values. Learn more about us! 

The 84000 Board
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Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Board Member and Founding Chair

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is a student of important Tibetan Buddhist lamas including Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kyabje Sakya Trizin, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, and the 16th Karmapa.

Daniel Aitken
Daniel Aitken
Board Member

Daniel Aitken is CEO/Publisher of Wisdom Publications and is an experienced business executive with decades of insights gathered from corporate and consumer marketing executive roles.

Erik Pema Kunsang
Erik Pema Kunsang
Board Member

Erik Pema Kunsang is a Dharma teacher and translator of tantric texts and pith instructions of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages.

Huang Jing Rui
Huang Jing Rui
Executive Director

Jing Rui develops and executes 84000’s strategic vision, managing programs, operations and finances.

Ivy Ang
Ivy Ang
Strategic Planning Consultant

Ivy Ang has over thirty years of extensive experience in international business and organizational development.

Sara McClintock, Ph.D
Sara McClintock, Ph.D
Board Member

Sara L. McClintock, PhD, is Associate Professor of Religion at Emory University in Atlanta where she teaches courses in Indian and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and narrative traditions.

Executive Committee
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Khenpo Choying Dorjee
Khenpo Choying Dorjee
Advisor to the Executive Committee

Khenpo Choying Dorjee is assisted in this role by Sonam Jamtsho.

Huang Jing Rui
Huang Jing Rui
Executive Director

Jing Rui develops and executes 84000’s strategic vision, managing programs, operations and finances.

Ivy Ang
Ivy Ang
Strategic Planning Consultant

Ivy Ang has over thirty years of extensive experience in international business and organizational development.

Dr. Andreas Doctor
Dr. Andreas Doctor
Editorial Director

Andreas Doctor has been involved in translating and editing for 84000 since its earliest days and currently serves as Editorial Director.

Pema Abrahams
Pema Abrahams
Communications Director

Pema leads communications initiatives at 84000 with an emphasis on amplifying the organization’s mission and impact to the world. She drives our campaigns and is responsible for content across all communications channels. She initially joined 84000 as a volunteer in 2017.

Jeff Wallman
Jeff Wallman
Director of Technology

Jeff Wallman has 20-plus years of experience leading cultural heritage organizations with a keen focus on strategic technology planning and implementation.

Translation Team
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Dr. Andreas Doctor
Dr. Andreas Doctor
Editorial Director

Andreas Doctor has been involved in translating and editing for 84000 since its earliest days and currently serves as Editorial Director.

Dr. John Canti
Dr. John Canti
Senior Editor

John Canti was a founding member of 84000’s executive committee and editorial team and is now senior editor.

Dr. Ryan Damron
Dr. Ryan Damron
Research Editor

Ryan carefully reviews translations against the source texts to confirm their accuracy and clarity.

Dr. David Fiordalis
Dr. David Fiordalis
Research Editor

Dave feels gratitude for the chance to contribute his expertise in Buddhist literature to 84000.

Dr. George FitzHerbert
Dr. George FitzHerbert
Research Editor

George endeavours to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the 84000 translations.

Dr. Torsten Gerloff
Dr. Torsten Gerloff
Research Editor

Torsten ensures the accuracy of translations and is passionate about his editorial work at 84000.

Dr. Rory Lindsay
Dr. Rory Lindsay
Research Editor

Rory checks translations against their source languages (Tibetan, Chinese, and Sanskrit).

Dr. Bob Miller
Dr. Bob Miller
Research Editor

Bob translates and edits texts on the monastic life for monastics, scholars, and the reading public.

Dr. Nathaniel Rich
Dr. Nathaniel Rich
Research Editor

Nathaniel is passionate about the Dharma and ensuring fidelity to the sources of our translations.

Laura Goetz
Laura Goetz
Associate Editor

Laura edits the translations and maintains 84000’s guidelines for translators and editors.

Dr. Jeremy S. Manheim
Dr. Jeremy S. Manheim
Associate Editor

2024 Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholar

Line Tofte
Line Tofte
Editorial Manager

Line is responsible for the practical, day-to-day operations of the Translation team.

Lowell Cook
Lowell Cook
Associate Translator

Lowell produces the initial translations of the sūtras, tantras, and other texts in the Kangyur.

Dr. Catherine Dalton
Dr. Catherine Dalton
Associate Translator

Catherine Dalton has worked as an oral interpreter and textual translator of Tibetan Buddhist teachings since the early 2000s.

Dr. Dylan Esler
Dr. Dylan Esler
Associate Translator

Dylan specializes in translating texts from the Old Tantras section of the Kangyur.

Dr. Bruno Galasek-Hul
Dr. Bruno Galasek-Hul
Associate Translator

Bruno is dedicated to achieving both accuracy and fluidity in his translations.

Dr. Paul G. Hackett
Dr. Paul G. Hackett
Associate Translator

Paul produces English translations of primary canonical texts.

Dr. Annie Heckman
Dr. Annie Heckman
Associate Translator

Annie translates monastic legal texts for 84000, with a special interest in stories about nuns.

Dr. Adam C. Krug
Dr. Adam C. Krug
Associate Translator

Adam C. Krug began working with 84000 in 2017 as a translator and editor with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s Dharmachakra Translation Committee.

Dr. Ana Cristina O. Lopes
Dr. Ana Cristina O. Lopes
Associate Translator

Ana Cristina focuses on the translation and study of sūtras, particularly the Buddhāvataṃsakasūtra.

Wiesiek Mical
Wiesiek Mical
Associate Translator

Wiesiek likes to explore Sanskrit roots of the texts and is passionate about translating tantra.

Sophie McGrath
Sophie McGrath
Trainee Translator

Sophie translates sūtras and tantras from the Kangyur.

Dr. Dawn Collins
Dr. Dawn Collins
Copyeditor

Dawn's role for 84000 is to copyedit the English translations to the best of her ability.

Ven. Konchog Norbu
Ven. Konchog Norbu
Copyeditor

Konchog ensures that the translations adhere to 84000 editorial and style conventions.

Content Team
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Huang Jing Rui
Huang Jing Rui
Executive Director

Jing Rui develops and executes 84000’s strategic vision, managing programs, operations and finances.

Ivy Ang
Ivy Ang
Strategic Planning Consultant

Ivy Ang has over thirty years of extensive experience in international business and organizational development.

Dr. Andreas Doctor
Dr. Andreas Doctor
Editorial Director

Andreas Doctor has been involved in translating and editing for 84000 since its earliest days and currently serves as Editorial Director.

Jeff Wallman
Jeff Wallman
Director of Technology

Jeff Wallman has 20-plus years of experience leading cultural heritage organizations with a keen focus on strategic technology planning and implementation.

Pema Abrahams
Pema Abrahams
Communications Director

Pema leads communications initiatives at 84000 with an emphasis on amplifying the organization’s mission and impact to the world. She drives our campaigns and is responsible for content across all communications channels. She initially joined 84000 as a volunteer in 2017.

Andrea Bringmann
Andrea Bringmann
Content Project Manager

Andrea manages content, driven by her passion for creating meaningful content for future generations

Ken Ying
Ken Ying
Brand and Content Consultant

Ken works with the content strategy team and relevant external consultants to drive audience research, host focus group discussions, develop a content strategy framework, and roadmap the rebranding process for the organization.

Technology Team
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Jeff Wallman
Jeff Wallman
Director of Technology

Jeff Wallman has 20-plus years of experience leading cultural heritage organizations with a keen focus on strategic technology planning and implementation.

Dominic Latham
Dominic Latham
Head of Digital Editions

Dominic is an experienced software developer inspired by meditation and the Buddhist view.

Aman Sharma
Aman Sharma
AI and Data Lead

Aman brings his expertise in AI to translate and preserve the words of the Buddha.

Rafael Ortet
Rafael Ortet
UX and Design Lead

Rafael Ortet has dedicated more than two decades to produce Buddhist publications for print and digital media channels, directing large collections of scripture in several languages.

André Rodrigues
André Rodrigues
Senior Digital Editor and Glossary Lead

André Rodrigues has been a translator for Padmakara Translation Group, into Portuguese, since 2012. He joined 84.000 in 2017, on a part-time basis, and currently focuses on managing the glossary resources.

Celso Wilkinson
Celso Wilkinson
Senior Digital Editor

Celso helps manage 84000's digital publication workflow and generation of translation memories.

Martina Cotter
Martina Cotter
Digital Editor

Martina works as a Digital Editor for publication ensuring quality, consistency and authenticity.

Sameer Dhingra
Sameer Dhingra
Digital Editor

Sameer completed his Bachlor's degree in Buddhist Studies at Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Nepal.

David Scheuneman
David Scheuneman
Technology Infrastructure Lead

Since the 1990s, David Scheuneman has followed a dual career path in information technology and religion. In addition to training and certifications in computer science, he has a master’s degree in theology.

Ruby Ostrow
Ruby Ostrow
Research Assistant

Ruby Ostrow completed her bachelor’s degree at Bard College, where she majored in Computer Science and Classical Studies.

Matt Lindsey
Matt Lindsey
Computational Linguist

Matt supports research, AI, machine translation and other computational linguistic efforts at 84000.

Migmar Lama
Migmar Lama
Junior Designer

Junior Graphic Designer eager to learn and grow through creating impactful designs at 84000.

Communications Team
Your experience of 84000 is in our hands, and we love hearing from you. We are constantly improving the ways in which you learn about new translations and how you explore our embedded resources and tools; how you are inspired by the stories of our team and our supporters and how you can engage with the words of the Buddha. You will see us at the outreach tables during teaching events, behind the scenes of our online event series, at the helm of our newsletter, and on social media. If you have suggestions or feedback, reach out.  
Pema Abrahams
Pema Abrahams
Communications Director

Pema leads communications initiatives at 84000 with an emphasis on amplifying the organization’s mission and impact to the world. She drives our campaigns and is responsible for content across all communications channels. She initially joined 84000 as a volunteer in 2017.

Carol Tucker
Carol Tucker
Communications Editor

Carol Tucker has worked as a communications professional throughout her career, starting as a newspaper reporter in Los Angeles and most recently as a senior public relations specialist.

Ushnisha Ng
Ushnisha Ng
Community Outreach Manager

Ushnisha connects people with our content by organizing engaging programs and activities.

Siyu Tian
Siyu Tian
Social Media Specialist

Siyu manages 84000’s social media, helping connect a global audience and grow the online community.

Cabie Sim
Cabie Sim
Associate, Communications & Development

Cabie supports major donors cultivations & journey, promotional ideas, public facing initiatives.

Devlen Yeoh
Devlen Yeoh
Content Manager and Lead Translator

Devlen oversees the translation of 84000 material into Chinese, manages the largely volunteer Chinese translations team, and is responsible for the maintenance of all our Chinese-language communications channels.

Jain Feng
Jain Feng
Translation Reviewer

Jain Feng is based in Taiwan, and reviews 84000's Chinese communications.

Joie Chen
Joie Chen
Chinese Language Consultant

Joie Chen, a PhD candidate in Buddhist Studies at Harvard University, is a volunteer with the Communications Team who often serves as host of our webinar series 84000 in Conversation and Teachings on Sūtra.

Qiu Hong
Qiu Hong
Proofreader

Qiu Hong proofreads 84000's Chinese communications.

Wang Lang
Wang Lang
WeChat Manager

Wang Lang manages our WeChat account, and provides guidance for our Chinese communications.

Zhang Yanjun
Zhang Yanjun
Translator

Zhang Yanjun translates the summaries of 84000's new publications for our Chinese communications.

Development Team
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Huang Jing Rui
Huang Jing Rui
Executive Director

Jing Rui develops and executes 84000’s strategic vision, managing programs, operations and finances.

Cabie Sim
Cabie Sim
Associate, Communications & Development

Cabie supports major donors cultivations & journey, promotional ideas, public facing initiatives.

Michelle Trisno
Michelle Trisno
Special Projects Associate

Michelle collaborates with the development and operations teams to streamline daily operations.

Finance Team

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Marco Noailles
Marco Noailles
Treasurer

Responsible for financial resources and operations, including accurate and timely reporting.

Amy Ang
Amy Ang
Finance Manager

Amy oversees the financial health of 84000, leading the team in donations, expenses, and reporting

Wu Lin
Wu Lin
Accountant

Wu Lin is charge of accounts payment preparation.

Yeo Pei Shan
Yeo Pei Shan
Finance Assistant

Pei Shan assists with the bookkeeping of the organisation's donations and expenses.

Isabel Pedrosa
Isabel Pedrosa
Investment Advisor

Isabel Pedrosa has been responsible for the investments of Chagdud Gonpa Brasil for more than twenty years. She has been a long time student of DJKR and the chair of Khyentse Foundation’s Investment Committee since 2004.

Finance / Donations Management Support

Celia Chew
Celia Chew
Donations Support

As part of the donation support team, Celia provides assistance to donors from all walks of life.

Ratna Liu
Ratna Liu
Donations Support

Ratna provides donation management support to 84000's Finance team.

Diana Tan
Diana Tan
Donations Support

Diana provides donation management support to 84000's Finance team.

Karen Choo
Karen Choo
Donations Support

Karen provides donation and info email account management support to 84000

Finance / Regional Volunteers

Dellay Phuntsho
Dellay Phuntsho
Volunteer (Bhutan)

Dellay Phuntsho is an 84000 volunteer based in Bhutan.

Sangay Tenzin
Sangay Tenzin
Volunteer (Bhutan)

Sangay Tenzin is an 84000 volunteer based in Bhutan.

Tashi Tobgay
Tashi Tobgay
Volunteer (Bhutan)

Tashi Tobgay is an 84000 volunteer based in Bhutan.

Qiu Hong
Qiu Hong
Volunteer (China)

Qiu Hong proofreads 84000's Chinese communications.

Wang Lang
Wang Lang
Volunteer (China)

Wang Lang manages our WeChat account, and provides guidance for our Chinese communications.

Andrea Bringmann
Andrea Bringmann
Volunteer (Europe)

Andrea manages content, driven by her passion for creating meaningful content for future generations

Awing Choi
Awing Choi
Volunteer (Hong Kong)

Awing assist Lizzy to ensure the correctness of all donation records.

Lizzy Tam
Lizzy Tam
Volunteer (Hong Kong)

Lizzy ensures the accuracy and clarity of all donation received.

Deepa Thakur
Deepa Thakur
Volunteer (India)

Deepa Thakur is an 84000 volunteer based in India.

Jain Feng
Jain Feng
Volunteer (Taiwan)

Jain Feng is based in Taiwan, and reviews 84000's Chinese communications.

Ranya Wu
Ranya Wu
Volunteer (Taiwan)

Ranya Wu is an 84000 volunteer based in Taiwan

Legal Counsel

Alexander Halpern
Alexander Halpern
Legal Counsel, LLC

Alex Halpern has practiced law in Colorado since graduating from the University of Denver College of Law in 1976. He has had a wide-ranging career assisting clients throughout the State and the country.

Alumni
Over the course of this one-hundred-year project, many dedicated people have contributed their time, effort, and knowledge to 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Here we would like to acknowledge some of those who have made exceptional and significant contributions to the project.
Dr. James D. Gentry
Dr. James D. Gentry

Dr. James D. Gentry served as 84000 editor from 2015-2019. Dr. Gentry is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University. He specializes in Tibetan Buddhism, with particular focus on the literature and history of its Tantric traditions.

Dr. Steven D. Goodman
Dr. Steven D. Goodman

Dr. Steven Goodman, a scholar and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism for nearly 30 years, was founding member of the working committee of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. He passed away in 2020 leaving behind a legacy of humor, deep knowledge, and dedication to his students.

E. Gene Smith
E. Gene Smith

E. Gene Smith, founder of the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (now Buddhist Digital Resource Center), dedicated his life to preserving Tibetan literary culture, studying extensively with Tibetan masters and contributing significantly to the preservation of Tibetan texts world-wide.

Dr. Tom Tillemans
Dr. Tom Tillemans

Tom J.F. Tillemans served as 84000 Editor-in-Chief from 2011-2019. Tillemans is Professor Emeritus of Buddhist Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Languages and Civilizations at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. With a focus on Buddhist logic and epistemology, Madhyamaka philosophy, and comparative philosophy, he was from 1998–2006 co-editor of the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies.