Penang Zabsang Shedrup was founded under the direction of Khenpo Rinpoche in year 2004. Khenpo Rinpoche gave the group its name and appointed Michelle to teach the group.

Khenpo Chokey Gyaltsen graduated from Nalanda Institute in Rumtek, Sikkim, in 1991. After his graduation, he was appointed a Khenpo at the Institute along with Drupon Khenpo Lodro Namgial and seven others from the same graduating class that year. He taught in Nalanda Insitute for one and a half years and joined Pullahari Monastery in 1992 to serve the projects and activities of H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche at Pullahari.