Maria Teresa Abdala-Romano

Tere was born and raised in Mexico City in a Lebanese-Mexican family and migrated to Los Angeles in 2002 with her late husband and their three young daughters. Leaving behind a successful career in geography and business, she devoted herself fully to her family, creative expression, and the study and practice of the Dharma. As a migrant woman navigating profound transitions, she found in the Dharma a path of healing, resilience, and deep belonging.

Tere is a senior teacher at InsightLA and a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leaders Program and the four-year Spirit Rock Teacher Training. She has also trained in MBSR, Compassionate Fearless Care-Takers, and Cultivating Emotional Balance at Holy Isle, Scotland, amongst many. Her practice has sustained her through the loss of her husband and through leading a large multinational company based in Mexico, which she grew and strengthened over ten years. That experience affirmed for her the power of mindfulness not only in personal transformation but also in high-stakes leadership.

A visual artist and devoted practitioner, Tere teaches in both Spanish and English, sharing the Dharma with heart good humor and clarity, especially among Latinx, immigrant, and underserved communities.