TLC Transitional Life Care
A Vajrayana Buddhist education and resource program offering spiritual support for the end of life transition.
TLC BOARD MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS
Julie Rogers, Founder, Director, and President of the Board
Julie has been a student of Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche since 1983. She is the author of TLC’s end of life manual ‘Instructions for the Transitional State’, published in 2007 (vimalatreasures.org). Julie received hospice and bereavement training at Ashland Hospital in Oregon where she volunteered for two years, and was employed as a caregiver for elders and developmentally disabled adults for over twenty years. She and Ian Villarreal founded TLC in 2014. She has been performing her poetry for over four decades and her work is published in numerous books and anthologies. Julie leads a Buddhist practice group, acts as a creative writing coach, and loves writing, the arts, travel, camping, and the woods. She lives in Oakland, California.
John Pfeiffer, Corporate Treasurer
John has practiced Vajrayana Buddhism under various masters since 1993. He and his wife, Cate Hutton, began attending TLC events during the program’s early development. John was a long time consultant in the health care field advising hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers in financial and business matters. He has received hospice training and serves as a volunteer. He is also a member of Saraha Nyingma Institute’s Board of Directors in Eugene, Oregon, founded by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Lama Tsering Gyaltsen, and Lama Sonam Tsering, and founding board member of The Buddhist Home. He, Cate, and several donkeys and other animals live on a small farm in Northern California.
Joy Ruppersburg, Board Secretary
As a child living in Tokyo, Joy learned about Buddhism from a Zen nun who lived with and cared for Joy’s family. She learned to meditate and visited many temples when living in Japan. Attending the University of Oregon, Joy studied with various Dharma groups until meeting her root guru, Mindrolling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche in 2006, who she continues to follow. For almost 50 years, Joy has fulfilled various roles as a professional educator, beginning in a one-room school house, and is now semi-retired after 20 years in private practice as an educational therapist. She completed 3 years of Karuna Training and later served as a crisis counselor for suicide prevention, which led her to supporting those in transition. After over a year as TLC’s volunteer admin assistant she became the board secretary. Joy enjoys caring for her husband and their two Havanese doggies. Her organic garden with 15 fruit trees and hundreds of flowers, a tiny oasis for pollinators, is a certified wildlife habitat in Petaluma, CA.
Leslie Crabtree, Board Member, Ashland Organizer & Outreach
Leslie has practiced Buddhism since 1996 with HE Chagdud Rinpoche, Chagdud Khadro, and Lama Tsering Everest. She has assisted family members and friends with end of life care, and has written for an online support site, “The Grieving Room”. She leads Minjur Ling, a Buddhist practice group in Ashland, OR, and is instrumental in running TLC’s Ashland, Oregon branch and Deep Chat group. Leslie has been a fund raiser for various Buddhist organizations, and has cooked for many group retreats. Her retreat cookbook, 'One Taste', was published in 2019 (onetastekitchen.com). Leslie takes long-distance bike rides across various countries and is an amazing cook! She lives in Ashland, Oregon.
Carol Veilleux, Board Member
Carol Veilleux is a long-time student of Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, and Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche. She was previously a Director, Board Member and volunteer at Namdroling Buddhist Center in Bozeman, MT. Carol holds a B.S. in Clinical Science from SF State University, and an MBA from Golden Gate University, and has been employed as a Medical Technologist at California Pacific Medical Center, and in marketing at Bio-Rad Laboratory. She spends time in Maine caring for her parents, and also tutors teens, is a lover of family, music and art, travel, tai chi, and camping. She lives in Brisbane, California when she happens to be in town.
Joan Stigliani, Board Member
Joan discovered Buddhism in Japan and became Vajrayana Buddhist in the late 1980s. She studied with HH the Dalai Lama, at the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana tradition as staff member, and at Institute Lama Tsong Khapa in Pomaia, Italy. Ven Gyatrul Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche are her main teachers. Joan taught ESL in Brazil, Japan, and the US, and worked a tech writer in the computer industry. She assisted her sister and mother during their long term care and transitions. Joan enjoys swimming, tai chi, horses, and travel, and lives in Crestone, Colorado.
TLC VOLUNTEERS
Sangye Land, Social Media Manager
Sangye has been a Vajrayana Buddhist all her life, and is a student of Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche. She attended Buddhist classes at Tashi Choling in Ashland, OR during her teens and has studied with many Vajrayana masters. Sangye helped guide her grandmother and stepfather through their transitions. She assisted in establishing TLC’s presence on the internet, currently manages TLC’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and assists in film editing & Vimeo art/design. Sangye is also TLC’s photographer and media scout. She loves music, reading, poetry, and is a talented collage artist. She lives in Oakland, California.
TLC's Essential Volunteer Staff
John Pfeiffer – Board Member, Corporate Treasurer, Event Registrar & Zoom Host
Joy Ruppersburg – Board Secretary, Administrative Assistant & Deep Chat Co-Host
Leslie Crabtree – So. Oregon 'Deep Chat' Support Group Zoom Host & Coordinator & Board Member
Carol Veilleux – Vimeo Management & Board Member
Joan Stigliani – Researcher & Board Member
Louise Gallup-Roholt – Grant Writer
Bill Kanemoto – Video Tech
Jacob Tendrel – Video Editor & Production
Sangye Land – Social Media Manager, Video Editing & Media Arts
Roger Hardy – Public Event Assistant & SF Bay Area ‘Deep Chat’ Support Group Zoom Host
Keith Flippin – Public Event Assistant/Audio & Video Tech
Christine Rossi – Public Event Assistant
Advisors to the Board
Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche
Chagdud Khadro
Tara Roberts – End of Life Coach
VOLUNTEER AWARDS
Laurel Hansen
Volunteer ‘Laurel Award’ Winners
The ‘Laurel Award’ is in honor of Laurel Hansen, beloved friend of Leslie Crabtree and Julie Rogers, among many others. Laurel left this world after pancreatic cancer took her from us on the new moon, Tibetan New Year, February 2014. Leslie, Julie, and others were by her side during a very courageous and peaceful passing. Her Buddhist teacher, Lama Tsering Everest of Chagdud Gompa, traveled from Brazil to sit at bedside with Laurel as she gave her the sacred, traditional Vajrayana Buddhist instructions on dying.
Laurel Hansen and Julie Rogers first planned to found an end of life program during the early 2000s, and took hospice and bereavement training together. That experience enabled Julie to complete TLC’s end of life manual, 'Instructions for the Transitional State'. Laurel’s endless energy for Buddhist dharma as a practitioner, organizer for Chagdud Gompa’s southern Oregon sangha, her love of the arts, and her generosity in cooking and entertaining are well known. She is held in the hearts of her husband Patrick Hansen, her son James, daughters Ariel and Chloe, brothers Dave and Terry, her grandchildren, and countless friends. She is always missed.
Volunteer Dik Willmes & TLC Director Julie Rogers
2016 Dik Willmes
2017 John Devilbiss
2018 Sangye Land,
Ani Chonid & Roger Hardy
2020-21 John Pfeiffer
2022 Jacob Tendrel
2023
TLC's Logo ~ Meet the Artists
Dik Willmes, 2016's TLC Volunteer of the Year, and Sally Dannels, a professional San Francisco artist and muralist, together designed our beautiful logo, now featured on our website, Facebook and Instagram pages, TLC's new greeting card, and will be seen in future publications. TLC's Board of Directors thanks these two for their generous support and artistic ingenuity. Best wishes from TLC!
