Roberta lived in Hong Kong for over 20 years, where she studied Chinese, worked as a translator, and then did her PhD in Translation Studies, after which she worked as an assistant professor at a university there for nine years. It was during her tenure there that she researched and published on the translation history of Tibet. After moving to Portland in 2016, she studied at Maitripa first as a part-time MA student and now as a Continuing Education student, while working part-time as an academic editor. 

Tsa Tsas

Roberta Raine began making tsa tsas in 1999 after having been given a tsa tsa commitment by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The next year, Lama Zopa Rinpoche appointed Roberta director of the Tsa Tsa Studio/Center for Tibetan Sacred Art, an FPMT center dedicated to the practice. She was director of the center for five years, running its educational program and teaching the practice to students.

The center closed some years later, but Roberta has continued to make tsa tsas and teach the practice to others. Roberta has been a student at Maitripa College since 2016.

With tsa tsa workshop students (center)