Begin
Start your mindfulness journey here
Ava was ordained as a Dharma Teacher in 2018, after 20 years of study and practice in the tradition of our Beloved Teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh. Now she facilities Tshedisa Sangha in Botswana – The first African Sangha established in our tradition.
A Latina originally from California, for the last 23 years she has worked as an HIV specialist physician and activist in Africa. In addition to direct clinical care, she focuses medical research on optimizing anti-retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS patients, preventing the development of HIV drug resistance and improving implementation of public health programs.
She directs her own medical center and serves as an HIV Technical Advisor to the Botswana Ministry of Health, a Research Associate with the Botswana-Harvard Health Institute, and the National Lead of the HIV Advanced Care Initiative.
Most importantly, she does her best to keep up with her two high spirited pups, paints, teaches yoga and dances – as often as possible.
Sign up to ‘Here and Now’ to receive the latest Plum Village news, mindfulness inspiration, and information on retreats and courses.