Dharmic Life at Georgetown

Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya is the Director for Dharmic Life and Hindu Spiritual Advisor. In her role as director, she will lead the Dharmic Life team in supporting Georgetown’s vibrant Dharmic communities. Brni. Chaitanya joins us from Emory University where she has served as Hindu Chaplain since 2021. She received her monastic initiation in the Chinmaya Mission monastic order in 2017 following residential Vedanta (a philosophical branch of Hinduism) training in Sandeepany Sadhanalaya Ashram in Powai, Mumbai. Originally from Texas, Brni. Chaitanya completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied South Asian languages and cultures (Sanskrit). She completed her master’s degree in South Asian studies at the South Asia Institute, Columbia University. She was awarded a Nagral Fellowship (Hindu Ministry Initiative), from Harvard Divinity School and was twice awarded the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (Hindi), from Columbia University. Brni. Chaitanya was drawn to Georgetown by its commitment to serve its diverse community meaningfully and looks forward to forging relationships built around inclusivity, spiritual and personal growth, and community for all. She brings a deep passion for creating access to spiritual practices in a way that looks and feels recognizable to students and lets them know they belong. Shweta enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, experimenting in the kitchen, and going on long drives.

Dr. Ramaswamy is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Clinical Supervisor in the State of Maryland and in the District of Columbia. She completed her MS in Counseling at Johns Hopkins University (2004) and served as a counseling faculty for 6 years since 2015. Her first doctorate (PhD) in 2012 linked practices of Indian classical dance to ashta anga principle of yoga based on the seminal yoga text, Yogasutra. In 2017, Dr. Ramaswamy completed a second doctorate (EdD) on cultivating multicultural counseling competence, using meditation and mindfulness practices. At Sri Siva Vishnu Temple (SSVT) Dr. Ramaswamy teaches a Dharma-focused Sunday school program for students of all ages, that highlights the significance and relevance of dharmic wisdom, especially in modern times. As an educator, she has worked with school and college students since 1990 adopting a transformative learning pedagogy where both teacher and students co-create a nurturing and generative space for new learning to emerge.

Matt Regan (Acharya Matt) is a Dharma Teacher in the Taego Order of Korean Buddhism. A native of the DC metropolitan area, Matt has received training in the three major living schools of Buddhism and since 2011 has served as the secretary of the International Buddhist Committee of Washington DC, a group of Buddhist organizations that works to promote mutual cooperation and understanding amongst the local Buddhist community. His teachers include Ven. Surasak Jivinando (Luang Ta Chee) of Wat Thai DC, Ven. Katugastota Uparatana of the Maryland Buddhist Vihara, and Ven. Jongmae Park, Patriarch of the Overseas Province of the Taego Order. Outside of his Dharma work, Matt studies traditional Southeast Asian performing arts, particularly music and dance. He received his BA and MA in History from the Catholic University of America and is completing his PhD in Policy Studies at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, where his research focuses on democracy, culture, and sustainable development in Southeast Asia, as well as practical applications of Buddhist ethics. In his professional life, he works as a historian in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Historian, where he researches the history of U.S. foreign relations, especially related to Asia and global issues like climate change and international development.

Allyson Huval serves as the Graduate Assistant for Dharmic Life. Allyson supports the Director for Dharmic Life in event planning throughout the year including weekly gatherings, the annual Dharmic Life retreat, and festival celebrations like Diwali. Her favorite part of her job is meeting with students to chat about everything from classes to the best mango lassi in DC. Allyson received a BA in religious studies and a BA in public relations from Louisiana State University before continuing her studies at Yale Divinity School where she received a Master of Arts in Religion concentrating in Asian Religions. She is currently a PhD student in the Department of Theological and Religious Studies at Georgetown researching Yoga philosophy, post-colonialism, Hindu diaspora, and Christians who practice yoga. Of all the titles she holds, the one that makes her the most proud is being “the cool aunt.” 

Chantal Sanchez is the Interreligious Coordinator. In this role, she supports the chaplains and student teams in coordinating services and events for the Dharmic, Jewish, and Muslim traditions. Originally from Southern California, Chantal moved to the East Coast in 2016 to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Boston College. Influenced by the Jesuit values of BC, she developed a deep appreciation for Theology and International Studies. This academic interest took Chantal abroad to Nepal and India, where she strengthened her commitment to the study of South Asian religions and deepened her Buddhist faith. Chantal continued her exploration of religion at Harvard Divinity School, where she discovered a passion for community organizing, social and racial justice activism, and interfaith coalition building. Her volunteer work, with the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, put theory and her MDiv into practice through hands-on, grassroots efforts. In her free time, Chantal enjoys arts and culture, visiting new coffee shops, watching sci-fi and fantasy films, and spending time outdoors.