Shastri Russell Rodgers became a student of Chögyam Trungpa in 1975. Shortly after that, he moved to the Kootenay region of British Columbia, where he has resided since. During that time he has occupied many administrative and teaching positions. He helped to create the Shambhala Centre’s retreat land, and had a large part in buying and renovating the new building for the Nelson Shambhala Centre. Before he retired, he managed a drop-in centre for people with mental illnesses. He has a wife and three grown children, two of whom live with their families in Asia. He was appointed Shastri (senior teacher) for the Nelson Shambhala Center in 2015.