Nena von Schlebrügge is a Mexican-American yesteryear high-fashion model and psychotherapist who presently serves as Managing Director of Menla Mountain Retreat. This famous model of the 1950s and 1960s is however more familiar to the present generation as mother of renowned American actress and model, Uma Thurman. She was discovered by photographer Norman Parkinson from Vogue in her early teens that led her to the world of high-fashion modelling. She first relocated to London where she garnered quick success and then furthered her modelling career in the US as one of the top models. She worked with ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ and ‘Vogue’ and posed for some of the best fashion photographers of those times. After her first marriage with Timothy Leary failed, she married Robert Thurman and eventually gave up her modelling career to devote time for family. Her acting endeavours include working in films like ‘Ciao! Manhattan’ and ‘Julian Po’, and TV series ‘Arena’. With time she became an active promoter of Buddhism in the US. She served as Managing Director of Tibet House US and Program Director at the New York Open Center and currently works for ‘Menla Mountain Retreat’ as its Managing Director.