Katherine Senshin Griffith

Sensei Senshin became the new Head Teacher at Zen Center of Los Angeles in 2022.

She started studying Zen in the Rinzai tradition at the New York Zendo Shobo-ji in Manhattan in 1987. At Dai Bosatsu Zendo, she received Jukai in 1994 from Eido Shimano Roshi, with whom she studied until 2000 when she moved to Los Angeles. During her time in New York, Senshin also studied with various Tibetan teachers and at Fire Lotus Zendo. She also volunteered for ten years at the Ethical Culture Society’s Homeless Shelter.

She became a member of ZCLA in 2001 and began her studies with Roshi Egyoku. She joined the staff as Program Steward in 2010, was Head Trainee in 2014-2015, was empowered as a Dharma Holder in 2018, and was given dharma transmission and made a lay preceptor in 2019. She has been on the Teachers Circle since 2016.

Born and raised in Texas, she moved to New York in 1978 to attend the Juilliard School’s Drama Division, where she trained as an actress and received the Michele Saint Denis Award for Outstanding Achievement. She also trained in the rigorous physical theatre of Tadashi Suzuki with his company in Toga-mura Japan. Currently, she is a professional actor, comedic performer and writer. Through Theatre of Hearts/Youth First, she also works as an artist-in-residence with at risk kids all over the Los Angeles area and with incarcerated teenagers in the probation camps.