Program Teachers
Dr. Reginald A. Ray
Program Teacher
Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray is the Director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, dedicated to the evolution and flowering of the somatic teachings of the Practicing Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He teaches in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. The author of many books, audio courses, and online series, Reggie’s work and teachings draw from his background as a Buddhist scholar and practitioner. His PhD is in the History of Religions from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago (1973). He was the first full-time faculty member and chair of the Buddhist Studies (later Religious Studies) Department at Naropa University. Over nearly four decades he grew the department and played various leadership roles at Naropa, developing with Trungpa Rinpoche many of the initiatives and projects that became part of Naropa’s unique identity as a Buddhist inspired university. He began explicitly working with dharma students in 1995 and now devotes all of time to transmitting the teachings of the Vajra dharma of his teacher.
Caroline Pfohl
Program Teacher
Caroline Pfohl has been pursuing a spiritual path for most of her life, first in Catholicism and later in Asian traditions, particularly Buddhism and Daoism. For many years she lived in Northeast Asia, travelling, working and studying with a number of spiritual masters. She came to study with Reggie Ray in the Dharma Ocean lineage in 2006, drawn by its deeply somatic approach to the Vajrayana. In 2012 she began co-teaching, and since 2014 has led programs for both new and experienced meditators. She has a particular interest in transmitting the dharma through the arts, the natural world and relationship, incorporating these elements into her teaching in both Buddhist and secular environments.
In parallel with her spiritual path, Caroline has worked in strategic planning for business and non-governmental organizations, as well as in philanthropy for the past 15 years. She is the founder and Chair of the Hemera Foundation, which is dedicated to exploring the role of Buddhism in the modern world, and to supporting contemplative approaches that enhance self-awareness and encourage selfless and compassionate action.
