Geshe Michael Roach and Christie McNally have written five books — The Garden, The Diamond Cutter: the Buddha on Managing Your Business and Your Life, The Tibetan Book of Yoga, Essential Yoga Sutra, and How Yoga Works: Healing Yourself and Others through Yoga— with a sixth book soon to be released. They have translated dozens of ancient Sanskrit and Tibetan texts on Buddhism and Yoga Philosophy, usually working directly from antique folios newly discovered in libraries hidden in the heart of Asia.

She graduated from New York University with a degree in Comparative Literature. He is an honors graduate of Princeton University and received the Presidential Scholar Medal at the White House.

She has trained at Tibetan monasteries in Nepal and India and has studied yoga extensively with some of the greatest Indian, Tibetan, and western masters.

He is the first American to pass the rigorous test for the title of Geshe, or Master of Buddhism, at Sera Mey Tibetan Monastery, after 20 years of study in the yoga and philosophy of India and Tibet. They have completed a traditional Tibetan Buddhist three-year deep meditation retreat and are planning a second three-year retreat beginning in 2010. They have also done numerous one and two-month formal, silent retreats.

In 2003, they founded Diamond Mountain Retreat Center and University, where they serve as professors and spiritual directors. Located on 1000 acres in Southern Arizona, it is modeled on an ancient Buddhist educational system. All classes are free of charge, and every day students have meditation, quizzes and traditional Tibetan debate in the style of Socrates.

As a young monk, Geshe Michael’s Teacher instructed him to take a job in the diamond industry. Rising from messenger boy to Senior Vice President of Andin International, one of the world's largest diamond and jewelry firms, he worked with the company's founders to build annual revenues exceeding $100 million.

He was a Buddhist sage on the inside and a normal American businessman on the outside.

Geshe Michael and Lama Christie currently spend most of their time teaching worldwide. Last year alone, they taught in Taipei, Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, Bahamas, Canada, New York, Austin, Houston and Tucson, attracting thousands of people. For fifteen weeks a year, they live and teach at Diamond Mountain in Arizona.

I am a fully ordained nun, and have had the privilege of working with my Holy Lamas for over twelve years.

Diamond Mountain, for me, is a fulfillment of a dream that I have had since my childhood. It is a place where people can come together, serve each other, and learn what they need to learn to reach their highest goals. I find that the people who come here are, to put it simply, amazing! I am proudest of the fact that Diamond Mountain is not just a place in Bowie, Arizona. It is found in the hearts of students around the world who support Diamond Mountain through their study, practice and donations. A large percentage of the donations used to buy our land came from people who have never had the privilege of setting foot on it, but believe in us and what we are doing and have been touched by the teachings born in Diamond Mountain's womb.

My professional training is as a psychologist and a coach, and I worked for many years as a supervising clinician for a school based counseling program in New York City. I left that to be one of the full time caretakers for Diamond Mountain's first three year retreat. Now I spend my time studying and teaching at Diamond Mountain and in a variety of places throughout the world. I also have the privilege of acting as a tour manager for my Heart Teachers, Geshe Michael Roach and Lama Christie McNally.

I have been on the board of Diamond Mountain since 1999, and am currently serving as President of the board. We are preparing to institute new board roles, as many of the original board members are preparing to enter the three year retreat

Ven Jigme Palmo has been a Buddhist nun for 18 years, and has been a student of Geshe Michael since he started teaching ACI courses. She teaches middle way philosophy at Diamond Mountain University, and has
been director of Diamond Mountain Retreat Center since it started in 1999. One of her hobbies is recording teachings and putting them on the various websites. She also likes animals and plants, but realistically spends most of her time in front of a computer. She tends to be busy, but isn't fierce, so you can usually approach without fear.

I started studying yoga and Buddhism in 1995 while on an extended stay in New Zealand - where I was fortunate to be able to study in the Kagyu lineage with Ven Lama Shedrup. Returning home to BC, I then studied in the Sakya tradition with Ven Lama Tashi Namgyal. I completed the 18 courses of the Asian Classics Institute before leaving the west coast of Canada for Arizona in 2003 to serve the tail end of the 3 year retreat at Diamond Mountain "West".

When Diamond Mountain relocated to its present site I became one of the first residents and served a 9 month retreat. Shortly thereafter I was asked to serve on the Board of Directors, to help create the University curriculum and infrastructure, and to help build the campus and campground. I have been studying and teaching at Diamond Mountain University ever since.

Although I have come to appreciate the contrast of the stark beauty and quietude of Diamond Mountain in-between terms and the potential chaos of the terms, I am looking forward to participating in the next three year retreat in order to find the space to actualize these teachings at the deepest level - perhaps as the greatest way to continue the impossible task of repaying my teachers for what they have shown me.

As for my background before coming to Diamond Mountain, I have Ph.D. in plant biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I was a research scientist at the University of Arizona for 22 years before moving to Diamond Mountain full time to build our home, moving into Menla House in January 2004. I have written two military histories, the first about the U.S. Navy's first cruise missile, Regulus, and the second for the U.S. Air Force about the Titan II ICBM program. Complex engineering systems remain a point of interest for me.

I have been studying buddhism since 1998 and met Geshe Michael when he taught the Course 6, The Diamond Cutter, in Tucson in September 1999. I completed the 18 ACI courses in November 2003 and took the Maroke exam during the first term of Diamond Mountain University in Fall 2004. I have taught ACI courses internationally in Canada and South Africa, as well as at Rockport, MA, ACI-LA, ACI- El Paso and in Tucson. I taught ACI review courses at DMU for several years.

I have a variety of roles at Diamond Mountain. I am a member of the board of trustees, serving as secretary from August 2003 to February 2009. I am the operations manager, charged with maintaining the physical plant of Diamond Mountain as well as assisting in planning and construction of new facilities, both buildings and infrastructure. I am the permit coordinator, serving as the point of contact with the county and state regulatory agencies regarding building permits and installation of the water systems. I am the book keeper for Diamond Mountain, maintaining the financial records for both Diamond Mountain University and the Retreat Center. I am the Dean of Diamond Mountain University. I serve on the Property Development Committee that coordinates building on the property and, the Architectural Review Committee that is coordinating design elements of the retreat cabins.

I am here to serve the Diamond Mountain community as they strive to reach their goals.

I moved to Diamond Mountain with my husband, David in 2003 with the intention of being the groundskeeper and general go-fer, to help prepare the property for it's teaching programs. Selfishly, I wanted the Secret Teachings, and knew that there had to be a place ready for the Lamas to share them. Somehow, I ended up on the Board of Trustees, as Treasurer, probably because I had run my own business as a Physician Assistant/Acupuncturist for many years. I have studied Buddhism since 1990, and met Geshe Michael's ACIteachings in 1998. I completed the ACI Sutra courses and daily practice modules in 2003 and had the good fortune to start sharing them with others almost immediately. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to live full time at DM and to serve our Lamas and community of practitioners by being on the Board.