Zenkei Blanche Hartman began sitting in 1969 at the Berkeley Zen Center with Sojun Mel Weitsman-roshi and in San Francisco with Suzuki-roshi. She was priest ordained in 1977 by Zentatsu Baker-roshi and received dharma transmission with Sojun-roshi in 1988. Zenkei was abbess of San Francisco Zen Center from 1996-2003. She is married to Shuun Lou Hartman. They have four children, eight grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchilden. They reside at City Center, where Zenkei is Senior Dharma Teacher.