Rick Olderman
Sports and orthopedic physical therapist
Rick Olderman is a sports and orthopedic physical therapist with more than 25 years’ experience that specializes in helping people with chronic pain experience a pain-free life.
After graduating from physical therapy school in 1996 and shortly after realizing his training failed to help his patients adequately, he spent the next 25 years developing his own pioneering approach pain management and improving function.
In 2012 he started his own physical therapy business in Denver, CO, and his business grew rapidly from word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied patients and physicians seeing immediate and lasting results. Body in Balance Physical Therapy became the go-to clinic for recovery in from the most complicated injuries. He trained all his therapists in his approach to fixing pain and is sought out for help around the world.
Rick’s powerful techniques can be found in his ground-breaking
Fixing You® series of books which have sold tens of thousands of copies through Amazon. However he discovered that some people needed more direct guidance. So he created his unique videos for people to follow along at home—a more streamlined approach to solving pain.
Rick is becoming know as one of the top health professionals in the U.S. when it comes to understanding recurring injuries and chronic musculoskeletal pain. He wants to enhance quality of life by helping people fix their pain once and for all.
Reed Davis
Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT)
Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT), is an expert in functional lab testing and holistic lifestyle medicine. He is the Founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® (FDN) and the FDN Certification Course with over 4,000 graduates in 50 countries.
Reed served as the Health Director at a Wellness Center in Southern California for over 10 years and with over 10,000 clients is known as one of the most experienced clinician in his field. Reed serves on the Advisory Board of the American Natural Wellness Coaches Board and the American Association of Natural Wellness Coaches. He lives in the US and when not teaching the FDN Certification Course and helping his graduates build their private practices, he is usually found gardening or riding motorcycles.
As an Environmental Paralegal throughout the 90’s Reed was “saving the planet” including the birds, bees, air, water and trees. In 1999 he turned his attention to, “What is the environment doing to PEOPLE, including ME?” That began a 20-year career dedicated to helping people find out what’s really wrong and how to fix it naturally. After earning a certificate in nutritional therapy, Reed noticed that most patients had already seen multiple doctors and therapists and still had many of their original complaints. Reed decided then he would be the last practitioner anyone needed to see and became an expert in functional lab assessments. FDN is the result of more research and experience than most practitioners get in a lifetime.
Reed Davis is one of the authors of The Gap: Simple Steps to Reclaim Your Health and Reverse Most Chronic Diseases. This book is the missing link, the piece of the puzzle that holds the answers you’ve been searching for. It’s The Gap between chronic disease and your true recovery.
Dr. David Prologo
Dr. David Prologo, MD, FSIR, ABOM-D, is a dual board-certified interventional radiologist and obesity medicine specialist
Dr. Prologo has spent more than twenty years specifically analyzing the phenomenon of diet attrition—why do diets always fail? More importantly, when they do fail, why do we blame the patients for that failure?
That journey led Dr. Prologo to perform first in human advanced interventional procedures to manage obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions. It further led to the identification of the catching point—a clear pivot point beyond which calorie restriction and exercise are easier for patients. Dr. Prologo has been recognized nationally and internationally for his work, including features on The Today Show, in the Washington Post, on Capitol Hill, in numerous peer-reviewed journal publications, countless web-based invited expert articles, and much more.
Dr. Prologo continues to advocate for those who are in pain or struggle with weight loss—particularly driving an agenda of acceptance, inclusion, and love.
Al Levin
Assistant principal at a PreK-8 school in Saint Paul, MN Public Schools
Al Levin is an assistant principal at a PreK-8 school in Saint Paul, MN Public Schools. He has been in education for over twenty years, the past fourteen years as an administrator. He is married, has four children…and two dogs.
He has completed all of the coursework in working towards a Co-Active coaching certificate through the Coaches Training Institute and is certified in Cognitive Coaching. The coaching work has allowed him to support the staff he works with in the public schools, as well as others who are seeking support in reaching their goals or working past challenging times in their lives.
Al is also a person who has recovered from two major bouts of depressive disorder, one of which was quite debilitating for nearly six months of his life. Through this experience, he has become very passionate about learning more about mental health and supporting others with a mental illness, particularly men with depression. In addition to a blog, Al has a podcast in which he interviews men who have struggled with depression and/or other mental illnesses and has expanded to include “deep dive” conversations with guest experts on various topics of mental health.
He also speaks publicly for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and, more often, on his own. He currently serves in a governor-appointed position on the Minnesota State Advisory Council on Mental Health and also the State Suicide Prevention Task Force.
Al has been published in The Mighty, The Huffington Post, Psych Central, The Recovery Letters, Made for More, and was featured in Esperanza Magazine and the MinnPost.
Lauren Ohayon
Creator of Restore Your Core® (RYC®)
Lauren Ohayon is the creator of Restore Your Core® (RYC®), a comprehensive and sustainable fitness program that empowers women who aim to be confident and functional.
With more than two decades’ of experience as an internationally renowned yoga and pilates instructor, Lauren focuses on resolving core and pelvic floor issues without the “burn and shred” mentality. The Restore Your Core® program has become a transformative, game-changer for women suffering from diastasis recti, pelvic-organ prolapse, urine leakage, back pain and more.
RYC® also boasts an incredibly popular and comprehensive Professional Training program and highly trained movement teachers around the world; from India to Alaska and Australia to North America and Europe. Lauren and the RYC® teachers are helping women across the globe to gain core strength, achieve ideal pelvic floor function, and learn to move efficiently and exercise optimally—in a safe and nurturing community-driven environment.
Dr. Tammie Chang
Board-certified physician in pediatric hematology/oncology practicing in Tacoma, Washington
Dr. Tammie Chang is a board-certified physician in pediatric hematology/oncology practicing in Tacoma, Washington. She is the Medical Director of the Provider Wellness for her health system, and Founder and Director of her hospital’s Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Program.
She earned her bachelor’s degree and medical degree from Brown University and completed a 4-year combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of Massachusetts. She completed her fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
Tammie is the Co-Founder of Pink Coat, MD, a platform dedicated to helping women physicians thrive in their lives and careers, and the Co-Founder and Program Director of ELEVATE, the American Medical Women Association’s Leadership Development Program for Women Physician Attendings. She is the creator and host of the LeadHER Podcast for women physicians, and the author of the bestselling Boundaries for Women Physicians and co-author of the bestselling How to Thrive as a Woman Physician.
Dr. Judson Brandeis
Board-Certified Urologist & Founder of BrandeisMD
Over the course of his 25-year career as a board-certified urologist he has performed thousands of surgeries and pioneered surgical robotics.
In February of 2019, he opened BrandeisMD, a national leader in technology and sexual medicine innovations for men. BrandeisMD engages in ongoing clinical research to improve wellbeing and provide tools for men to live their best lives.
Dr. Brandeis is dedicated to helping his patients and men everywhere feel great, look good, and have better physical intimacy. He brings this wealth of expertise and care to his first book, The 21st Century Man: Advice from 50 Top Doctors and Men’s Health Experts to Help You Feel Great, Look Good and Have Better Sex. A native New Yorker, Dr. Judson Brandeis now resides in Northern California.
Sanjay Prasad, MD, FACS
Author of Resetting Healthcare and assistant professor at George Washington University
Sanjay Prasad, MD, FACS, has been a practicing surgeon for nearly thirty years in the fields of otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery; a subspecialty within otolaryngology head and neck surgery (ENT).
As a medical director for an ambulatory surgery center, he was one of the first to start bundling surgical services for all-inclusive prices in 2014. In the same year, Prasad found SurgiPrice, Inc. with subsidiaries SurgiQuality and SurgiConnect, with a mission to help surgical patients connect to best-in-class surgeons who operate in a cost-efficient environment.
Sanjay is the author of Resetting Healthcare, which examines the lack of transparency in surgical care. Dr. Prasad is also an assistant professor at George Washington University. He practices and lives in Washington D.C. area.
Jonathan de Potter
Founder & CEO of Behold Retreats
Jonathan de Potter is the Founder & CEO of Behold Retreats, a bespoke wellness service that facilitates journeys of self-discovery and transformation, supported by the scientifically proven benefits of plant medicine therapy.
Jonathan is passionate about raising awareness on the benefits of plant medicine therapy, and its potential to improve wellbeing and mental health outcomes. This led him to launch Behold Retreats in 2020, providing curated programs incorporating a memorable plant medicine retreat in a safe, legal and highly supported setting.
Jonathan has spent his career working in strategy consulting with clients across Asia-Pacific, defining and delivering digital transformation programs. After a number of years in New Zealand, Jonathan moved to Hong Kong to work with Accenture, and most recently lived in Bangkok as country manager for the boutique consulting firm Capco.
Jonathan felt that – despite an objectively great life, good friends and career success, something intangible was missing. As a result, Jonathan took a sabbatical year to travel through South America, where he attended his first Ayahuasca plant medicine retreat in Peru. The retreat experience was transformational, and in his expanded state of consciousness, Jonathan was shown directly the mindsets and behaviors that were keeping him from reaching his potential. Returning to the corporate world, Jonathan was surprised to find he was more patient, empathetic and productive than ever before, and began researching the world of plant medicine, and facilitating retreats.
Originally from Hawaii, USA, Jonathan is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand, travelling often to continue his research into the best plant medicine retreat centres around the world.
Dr. Kerry D'Ambrogio, D.O.M., A.P., P.T., D.O.-M.T.P.
President and Director of the D'Ambrogio Institute (DAI) and Therapeutic Systems, Inc. (TSI).
Dr. Kerry D’Ambrogio, D.O.M., A.P., P.T., D.O.-M.T.P. is an internationally recognized lecturer, author, physical therapist, osteopath and board certified acupuncture physician. He is the President and Director of the D’Ambrogio Institute (DAI) and Therapeutic Systems, Inc. (TSI).
He graduated from the Physical Therapy program at the University of Toronto, Canada, the Osteopathic program at the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, The John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy in Maidstone England and the Acupuncture program at the Academy of Chinese Healing Arts in Sarasota, Florida, USA.
His unique approach follows several schools of thought. His background in manual therapy includes: Maitland, Kaltenborn, Cyriax, McKenzie, Norwegian approach, and Osteopathy (Muscle Energy, Strain/Counterstrain, Myofascial Release, Craniosacral Therapy/Cranial Osteopathy, Visceral Manipulation, and Classical Osteopathy among others). Dr. D’Ambrogio also has a background in Acupuncture, Applied Kinesiology, Orthotics, Muscle Imbalance and a variety of exercise and movement therapies (Janda, Somatics, Florence Kendal, Shirley Sahrman and the Norwegian approach, among others).
Dr. D’Ambrogio started lecturing in 1988 and has taught in over 20 countries worldwide. He is a certified instructor recognized by the International Alliance of Healthcare Educators (IAHE). He is a published author of Positional Release Therapy and he has written numerous articles in Physical and Occupational Therapy journals.
Cecily D. Havert, M.D.
Physician at Northern Virginia Family Practice Associates (NVFP
Cecily D. Havert, M.D., is a physician at Northern Virginia Family Practice Associates (NVFP), a family medicine practice that offers full-service concierge health care in the Northern Virginia area. With an impressive background in preventive health care, mental health support and outpatient medicine, Dr. Havert specializes in women’s health with an emphasis on the LGBTQ+ community.
She has a passion for nurturing patients’ emotional and mental health needs, with a goal of providing the utmost in quality, personalized medical care and a safe environment for all.
Dr. Havert has extensive experience in healthcare policy and communication, public speaking and education. She trains future medical professionals as a clinical assistant professor of family medicine at Georgetown University, and she also speaks about major public health issues such as anxiety, menopause, women’s cardiovascular health and the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Dr. Havert regularly contributes to The Second Half Podcast, which shares people’s stories about the challenges and joys they experience, especially in the second half of life.
Prior to joining NVFP, Dr. Havert served as a physician at General Internal Medicine Group and Springfield Family Medicine. She has been an advocate for the National Research Center for Women and Families and continues to remain active in shaping healthcare policy on behalf of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Havert has received many awards throughout her career, including the Washingtonian Magazine Top Doctor Award for four years, Northern Virginia Magazine Best Doctor Award, Patients’ Choice Award for four years, and Washington D.C.’s 2012 Top-Rated Primary Care Doctor Award.
Dr. Havert holds a Bachelor of Science degree in medical microbiology and bacteriology from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed her residency in family medicine at Fairfax Family Practice-VCU. In her spare time, Dr. Havert enjoys playing tennis, hiking, painting and traveling. She currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her college sweetheart, two sons, and a menagerie of pets: two cats, two bearded dragon lizards, and a dog.
Dr. Bonni Goldstein
Medical Director of Canna-Centers Wellness & Education
Dr. Bonni Goldstein is the Medical Director of Canna-Centers Wellness & Education, a California-based medical practice devoted to educating patients about the use of cannabis for serious and chronic medical conditions
After years of working in the specialty of Pediatric Emergency medicine, she developed an interest in the science of medical cannabis after witnessing its beneficial effects in an ill friend. Over the last 13 years she has evaluated thousands of patients for use of medical cannabis and is recognized as an expert in the clinical application of cannabis therapeutics.
She has a special interest in treating children with intractable epilepsy, autism, cancer and other conditions. Her latest book, “Cannabis is Medicine: How Medical Cannabis and CBD are Healing Everything from Anxiety to Chronic Pain” was published in September 2020 by Little, Brown Spark.
Erin O’Hearn
Journalist and television anchor for 6ABC in Philidelphia
Erin O’Hearn is an American journalist and television anchor for 6ABC in Philidelphia.
She has been covering politics and culture for more than 20 years and has recently become involved in film and documentary series.
Nikki Kenward
Pediatric specialist and trauma specialist
Nkki has practiced CST for over 20 years, teaching internationally as a Certified International Healthcare Educator for the Upledger Institute.
As a pediatric specialist and trauma specialist Nikki became fascinated with new insights and information on the gut/brain connection how these might help people with chronic digestive issues. As a result she has written her book “It’s All In the Gut, Let Your Second Brain Guide You to Optimal Health” and her class for the Upledger Institute “CST and Listening to the Enteric Nervous System”.
Dr. Jon Lieff
Neuropsychiatrist with a BA from Yale University and an MD from Harvard Medical School
Dr. Jon Lieff is a neuropsychiatrist with a BA from Yale University and an MD from Harvard Medical School. Known as an innovator in several medical fields, he pioneered integrated treatment programs for the elderly, medically ill, and brain-injured patients combining medical, psychiatric, and neurological treatment.
He was president of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry and helped found the major journal in that field – the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
For many years, in addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lieff has been researching the question of where mind can be found in nature. His successful blog, Searching for the Mind, as well as Twitter (@jonlieffmd), and his Facebook page, discuss the latest scientific findings in neuroscience, animal behavior, cellular biology, immunology, and microbiology. Many of his thousands of followers are physicians, scientists, professors, authors, and spiritualists; some of whom are editors of major journals.
Dr. Elyse Scheuer
Member of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatology Foundation, American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and Minnesota Medical Association
Dr. Elyse Scheuer graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Yeshiva University in New York. She did her resident training in Dermatology at the University of Minnesota and has been in practice since 2002.
She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatology Foundation, American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and Minnesota Medical Association.
She found early in her career that she has a fascination in rare conditions and this curiosity has lead to an encyclopedic knowledge of dermatologic conditions, diagnoses, and treatments. It has also broadened the scope of her practice allowing her to work from cosmetic skin care, to medical treat and to surgery, and able to work with nearly every age demographic.
Dr. Tera Jansen, Psy.D., LP, CST
Licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist
Dr. Tera Jansen, Psy.D., LP, CST is a licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist. She is a specialist in the fields of sexual health and gender, where she regularly works with individuals and couples across a wide variety of areas.
In addition to masters and doctorate degrees in counseling psychology, Dr. Jansen completed a two-year, postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota’s Program in Human Sexualty. Dr. Jansen also regularly speaks, teaches, and consults on all things related to sex and sexy times. She believes that sexual health and satisfaction are essential to overall well-being and is passionate about helping others build their best sexual selves. Dr. Jansen is also a founder of The University of Pleasure Podcast with Jeremiah James, where they have “sexual conversation to help build a happier nation.”
Melanie McNally, PsyD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Illinois and Michigan, licensed to provide teletherapy in Florida
Melanie McNally, PsyD, has worked in the mental health field since 2005 and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Illinois and Michigan. She is also licensed to provide teletherapy in Florida. She is a member of the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, American Psychological Association, and Michigan Psychological Association.
She sits on the Communication and Regional Committees of the Michigan Psychological Association and mentors emerging clinicians in the field of psychology.
She received a masters degree in counseling from Roosevelt University and a doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Adler University, both of Chicago. She has worked in community mental health centers, group practices, private practices, and currently provides 100% online support to Gen Z through destinationyou.net.
Dr. Jason Sole
Former president of the Minneapolis NAACP, and former Criminal Justice Advisor to the Mayor of St. Paul, MN – Co-founder of Humanize My Hoodie
Dr. Jason Sole (he, him, his) is a formerly incarcerated abolitionist. He has been a criminal justice educator for over 11 years and is currently an adjunct professor at Hamline University in the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Department. He is former president of the Minneapolis NAACP, and former Criminal Justice Advisor to the Mayor of St. Paul, MN.
He has been a national restorative justice trainer since 2008, leading circles in jails, prisons, and community. In 2019, he received the John Legend “Can’t Just Preach” award for his work to abolish prisons. In addition, Jason is the co-founder of the Humanize My Hoodie Movement in which he challenges threat perceptions against Black people through clothing, art exhibitions, documentary screenings, and workshops.
Tad Wanveer, LMBT, CST-D
Certified Cranio-Sacral Therapy (CST) practitioner specializing in CST
Tad Wanveer, LMBT, CST-D is a certified CranioSacral Therapy (CST) practitioner specializing in CST since 1993. In 2001 he joined the Upledger Institute Clinic staff, where he served as a clinical therapist and head of the Intensive Therapy Programs until 2006 when he moved to Cary, NC.
Tad is the developer and instructor of two CST classes that focus on glial cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems that he teaches through the Upledger Institute International. Mr. Wanveer is the author and illustrator of the book Brain Stars, and his articles have been published in several periodicals, such as Massage Today and Massage Magazine. He has also illustrated various works written by Dr. Upledger, such as the book Cell Talk, and he is the author, illustrator, and animator of In Motion. An Animated Exploration of The Craniosacral Rhythm
Nadine Artemis
Co-founder of Living Libations
Nadine is a gifted aromacologist and visionary who gathers and works with the purest ingredients from around the world. Through Living Libations, a company co-created with her partner Ron Obadia, Nadine offers beauty and natural health products that bring out the strength of the botanicals without reliance on synthetics.
By drawing on her gift of synesthesia, with which scent is also depicted as living color, Nadine is able to tap into the purest plant essences, enabling her to create the most sublime botanical compounds.
Nadine is a key speaker at health and wellness conferences and a frequent commentator on health and beauty for media outlets. She has received glowing reviews for her work in the Hollywood Reporter, Goop, Vogue, People, Elle, Yoga Journal, Natural Health, W Magazine, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and National Post.
She opened the first full concept aromatherapy store in North America when she was 22 years old.
Celebrity fans include Shailene Woodley, Carrie Anne Moss, Mandy Moore and many others. Alanis Morissette, describes Nadine as “a true sense-visionary. Nadine has the greatest collection of rare and special oils… she has a wondrous knowledge and passion for it all.” Aveda founder, Horst Rechelbacher, calls Nadine “a pure flower of creativity.”
Sue Hitzmann, MS, CST, NMT
CEO of Longevity Fitness Inc and The MELT Method
Sue Hitzmann is the creator of the MELT Method, a revolutionary self-treatment technique that helps people get out and stay out of chronic pain, avoid injuries, and boost athletic performance. A nationally recognized educator, manual therapist, exercise physiologist, and founding member of the Fascia Research Society.
Sue is the author of the New York Times best-selling book The MELT Method: A Breakthrough Self-Treatment System to Eliminate Chronic Pain, Erase the Signs of Aging, and Feel Fantastic in Just 10 Minutes a Day! – which has been translated into eight languages. Her second book, MELT Performance: A Step-by-Step Program to Accelerate Your Fitness Goals, Improve Balance and Control, and Prevent Chronic Pain and Injuries for Life, will be published by HarperOne in April 2019.
Her journey to help others began in the world of fitness. She became a group exercise instructor in 1988. In 1999, she starred in the Crunch video Boot Camp Training, which has sold more than half a million copies worldwide and remains one of the top-selling fitness videos today. She continues to teach in some of New York City’s top fitness facilities.
Sue’s interest in manual therapy began with her quest to find answers to her own debilitating pain, which served as the foundation for the MELT Method. After receiving her Masters in Exercise Science from New York University, Sue went on to complete thousands of hours of research, as well as certifications in manual therapies such as neuromuscular, craniosacral, and lymph drainage. Since 1998, Sue has had a private manual therapy practice, working with clients who suffer from a wide range of issues, injuries, disorders, diseases, and dysfunctions.
In 2001, Sue was inspired to create “homework” for her clients, which led to the development of the MELT Method – the first-ever form of Hands-off Bodywork. This groundbreaking program provides a self-care option that addresses the cause of pain rather than offering temporary relief, such as medication and surgery. Now with MELT and the products Sue personally designed – including the MELT Soft Roller, the soft Performance Roller, and MELT Hand & Foot Treatment kit – anyone can take steps to restore whole-body efficiency, improve performance, avoid injuries, and lead a healthier, more active life. In 2017 she launched the streaming video site MELT On Demand and the MELT Method app to provide access to MELT’s self-care techniques, anywhere.
She has personally trained more than 1,800 professionals from 21 different countries – some of whom are even working with Olympic and professional athletes. She is a leading presenter for national organizations such as IDEA, ECA, and PMA, and an accredited continuing education provider for ACE, AFAA, NASM, PMA, and NCBTMB.
Sue has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Nightline, Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show , and Live! with Regis and Kelly, and the MELT Method has been featured in magazines such as SELF, More, and Prevention. Sue Hitzmann lives in New York City.
Dr. Mark McLaughlin
Founder of Princeton Brain and Spine Care
Dr. Mark McLaughlin is the founder of Princeton Brain and Spine Care where he practices surgery focusing on trigeminal neuralgia and cervical spine surgery. McLaughlin is also a thought leader in performance enhancement and physician hospital relations.
His interests extend beyond medicine and speaking engagements. McLaughlin coaches youth wrestling and he co-founded and funded Trenton Youth Wrestling, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing inner city boys and girls with skills gained through wrestling and working with mentors.
In his new book, Cognitive Dominance: A Brain Surgeons Quest to Out-Think Fear (Black Irish Books, Nov. 2019), Dr. McLaughlin shares a new framework for dealing with fear to think and perform at the top of your game during stressful situations. He combines philosophy, psychology, neuroscience and his own experiences to provide unique insight on how the brain processes fear and how we can change our mindset about this universal condition.
The Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/193689162X
Erik Dalton, PhD
Founder of the Myoskeletal Alignment Technique
Erik Dalton – Erik Dalton, PhD, has been a manual therapist for more than four decades and a leading bodywork educator for more than 30 years. Dalton earned his clinical psychology and philosophy degrees from the University of Oklahoma.
A seminar featuring Dr. Ida Rolf launched him on an impassioned mind-body adventure, leading Dalton to study at the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute, the Menninger Foundation, the Mueller College of Holistic Studies, and Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
In 1998, he released one of the industry’s first nationally approved home study courses, titled “Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques.” Overwhelmed by the positive response, Dalton decided to open his own teaching facility with a full MAT training curriculum. He licensed the facility with the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools and named it the Freedom From Pain Institute.
Dalton was inducted in the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2012, he received the One Concept Lifetime Achievement Award. Along with his busy teaching and writing endeavors, Dalton has maintained a private manual therapy practice in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for more than 40 years. He and his wife Teri Dalton (and their two overly optimistic dogs) split their time between Oklahoma City and Santiago, Costa Rica.
Dr. Christopher Shade
Founder of Quicksilver Scientific
An internationally recognized expert, lecturer, and teacher on mercury detoxification and liposomal delivery systems, Dr. Shade’s eclectic background has informed the breadth of his work in cutting-edge lipid-based delivery systems for nutraceuticals.
Growing up in a toxic steel town, he started asking questions about sustainability, igniting an early career in organic and biodynamic farming. Dr. Shade dug in deeper to the role environment plays in health at the Rodale Institute, observing how supplements could solve many issues in our depleted food system and help people on their journeys to optimal health.
Today, Dr. Shade works alongside our management team and directly oversees our in-house R&D lab team. He personally developed Quicksilver Delivery Systems®, our proprietary nanoparticle technology that dramatically increases the bioavailability of supplements and protocols, leading to higher efficacy products — without the prick of a needle. Each day, Dr. Shade and the Quicksilver team are working to redefine the way we deliver vital nutrients into our bodies.
Shane Foss
Founder and CEO of Hooray Health
With over 20 years of tenure as an executive in the medical industry, Shane Foss became frustrated with how under-served Americans were with the current healthcare options.
He set out to make a change and in 2018 achieved this goal through launching Hooray Health, an unconventional health insurance company dedicated to providing affordable basic and urgent health care alternatives to high-deductible health plans.
Through Hooray Health, Foss and his team focus on offering peace of mind to lower-income individuals and families who face medical challenges, while also providing business owners with an affordable way to reward and retain employees. Partnering with companies like Sedera, Ameritas, and Aflac, they have be able to add critical services and supplemental plans giving immense value to employers and individuals.
Throughout his professional experience, Foss has negotiated complex, multi-million-dollar contracts, worked in device sales management, created business strategies, and optimized P&L. He holds an MBA from Rice University’s, Jone’s School of Business, a BS from the University of the Incarnate Word, and a Surgical Technologist Certificate from the United States Air Force.
Serge Avery
Historian and teacher for over 20 years at the largest high school in the United States, Brooklyn Tech in New York City
Serge Avery – has been teaching in the New York public school system for over 20 years.
He holds an MA in Near Eastern Studies and Anthropology from the University of Toronto, an M.A.T (Masters of Arts in teaching) from Fordham, and a BA in Anthropology from Penn State University.
Serge worked as an archaeologist in Israel and Jordan and traveled extensively in the Middle East. He now teaches world history and historical research methods.
Udo Erasmus
Author, speaker and founder of Udo’s Oil amino acid complex
Udo Erasmus is a pioneer of the health and wellness industry having created FLAX OIL and the Healthy Fats Movement.
He is also the co-founder of the UDO’S CHOICE supplement brand, a global leader in cutting edge health products having sold tens of millions of bottles of healthy oils, probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer
Founder and director of the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota
Mary Jo Kreitzer PhD, RN, FAAN is the founder and director of the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota, where she also serves as a tenured professor in the School of Nursing. Within the School of Nursing, Dr. Kreitzer is the co-lead of the doctorate of nursing practice program in integrative health and healing.
She has served as the principal investigator or co-principal investigator of numerous clinical trials focusing on mindfulness meditation with persons with chronic disease including studies focusing on solid organ transplant, cardiovascular disease, chronic insomnia, diabetes, and caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Current studies include the role of mindfulness in improving human brain-computer interface; the use of social technology to enhance healing and wellbeing; nursing leadership in integrative health and healing; and mindful movement for physical activity and wellbeing in older adults.
Dr. Kreitzer earned her doctoral degree in public health focused on health services research, policy and administration, and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing.
Sara Berliner
Founder of Vote Like a Mother
A passionate tech & media executive, content creator and curator, and product strategist with a focus on multiplatform children’s and family content, digital media, and driving change.
Catalyzed by a Harvard degree in Folklore & Mythology, over the last 15+ years she created products and original media for early childhood through teen audiences. She has partnered in story development and content licensing with some of the largest and most innovative media companies, helping them envision new paths for their characters and worlds, and launching them into new formats and marketplaces.
She launched the Vote Like a Mother campaign in 2018 to make parenthood a lens for politics—to promote voting with empathy, kindness, and ferocity. To amplify women’s voices and efforts.
Shane Dowd
CEO and founder of GotROM.com
Shane is the CEO and founder of GotROM.com – a website dedicated to helping athletes fix injuries and get flexible. He is a Certified Massage Practitioner (CMP), Strength & Conditioning Coach, and Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).
Since 2010, after suffering a traumatic back injury due to an underlying hip condition called femoroacetabular impingement, Shane has been intensively studying various healing modalities (PNF stretching, Joint Mobility, Yoga, Massage, Chiropractic, Physical therapy, etc) to learn how to heal and optimize the functioning of the athletic body, and in 2013 he began teaching his system and methods to thousands of athletes who have benefited from his unique approach.
He is the creator / co-creator of over 16+ popular online programs, including The FAI Fix, which are helping thousands of people around the world fix pain, correct posture and improve their flexibility & mobility.
Lonny Stormo
CEO of Pops Diabetes
Lonny has a passion for helping people live complete lives. His career has been dedicated to creating and delivering solutions to help people manage their health.
As the consumerism of healthcare comes to age, he believes the future of the industry is to democratize healthcare by putting simple technology in the hands of consumers to enable people to own their condition through technology, and not allow their health condition to own them.
Pops was started to flip the healthcare model and enable people to manage their own condition through a simple technology platform. He helped to create Mina, an AI virtual coach combined with the Rebel integrated glucose meter. The system combines the power of the user’s phone with an app and an integrated glucose monitor. People who use the system can manage their condition through their phone using a simple experience, leading to improved outcomes.
Dr. Ernesto Gutierrez
Physician, Communicator, Entrepreneur
Dr. E is a physician by training and an educator by choice. His training background includes an MD degree, and degrees in Age Management and Regenerative Medicine.
Dr. E, known as ‘The Stem Cell Guy’ has been a Faculty Member for the MMI’s Stem Cell Fellowship. And he is one of very few doctors who can currently claim to have a decade of experience in the stem cell field!
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
For most of this time he led a world-class medical tourism facility in Cancun. There he served as Chief Medical Officer until late 2018, inspiring his team to develop stem cell treatments for previously untreatable conditions.
Conditions such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, COPD, and Multiple Sclerosis, and many others.
He has also served in different executive positions at stem-cell related businesses. And he’s a sought out consultant for stem cell clinics, research, and treatment centers.
HIGHWAY TO HEALTH SHOW
Yet, his passion is now being the host of Dr. E’s Highway to Health Show. A weekly podcast where he simplifies complex medical knowledge into everyday language. And where he gives listeners actionable steps to get started.
Dr. E opens his rolodex of top scientists, researchers and thought leaders to join him on the show. Together, they discuss the best and newest about living ageless. Like alternative health science, cutting edge nutrition, practical fitness, and family wellbeing.
TEACHING AND SPEAKING
Dr. E is also a former Faculty Member at Universidad Anáhuac’s School of Medicine in Cancun. And for the Metabolic Medical Institute’s Stem Cell Fellowship. As well as a frequent lecturer at professional meetings. Like the A4M, and the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS).
He can tailor his message to doctors, patients, or stem cell advocates. Usually in peer-led interviews, podcasts, webinars and in-person seminars.
Timothy Klein
Award-winning urban educator, clinical therapist and school counselor
Tim Klein is an award-winning urban educator, clinical therapist and school counselor. He has spent the last decade working intensively with marginalized and underserved students to empower them to pursue meaningful and fulfilling lives.
In addition to his work at Project Wayfinder, Tim is a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University and the Project Manager for True North, a purpose development program at Boston College that helps students navigate their college, career and life journey.
Tim has written extensively about how youth purpose can be used to empower young people. His work has been featured in EdSurge, Greater Good Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and KCRW. He has been a featured panelist for NBC’s Education Nation, presented at Ashoka U Changemakers conference, and speaks regularly about the youth purpose learning research and program development.
Tim is currently developing youth purpose curricula with the National Science Foundation to engage Massachusetts urban public school students. To learn more about Tim’s teaching career see this video from the Nellie Mae Foundation.
Dr. Anne Kelly
Medical Director
Dr. Kelly specializes in treating children and adults with complex symptoms that have not responded to traditional medications or have been challenging to find solutions for. She uses functional medicine help you find the root cause of symptoms and the nutritional and biochemical imbalances that contribute to poor health and dysfunction.
Functional medicine is an extensive certification program that deals with the root causes of poor health instead of just treating symptoms.
Dr. Kelly completed her residency in Pediatrics, a fellowship in Academic Pediatrics and a master’s in public health at the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota. She received her medical degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan and became board certified in Pediatrics in 1997. Following her residency, she spent a year as a hospitalist for the St. Thomas hospital in the Virgin Islands, followed by a return to the University of Minnesota for a research fellowship and faculty appointment for clinical teaching. While at the University of Minnesota she partnered with the Minnesota Legislature to fund a program for children with complex health conditions that used telehealth to reduce hospitalizations and improve health outcomes.
In 2009 Dr. Kelly founded Nutrition Ignition Inc., to develop a line of healthy sports nutrition products. In 2017 Dr. Kelly became the medical director of Holland Biomedical Clinic and has achieved certification in Functional Medicine and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapies.
Dr. Kelly’s background as a pediatrician, scientist, and functional medicine practitioner combined with 20 years of clinical experience with complex, chronic health conditions uniquely qualifies her as a healthcare innovator. She is an accomplished and internationally respected expert in chronic care models and has a history of confronting seemingly insurmountable problems with innovative solutions.
Soni Albright
Admissions Director and Cyber Civics Teacher at Waldorf City of Lakes School in Minneapolis, MN
Soni Albright is the Admissions Director and Cyber Civics Teacher at Waldorf City of Lakes School in Minneapolis, MN.
Having taught for over 2 decades in different locations around the country in public, parochial and Waldorf teaching methodologies, she brings a wide scope to what is needed to support strong human development and believes that choosing the right educational system is about fit for each child and their family.
Leah Martinson
Director of health coaching at Speakeasy Care
Accomplished Health Coach and respected leader with a proven ability to effectively evoke individuals’ highest potential and improve overall well-being.
Excels at leading individuals through lifestyle changes, applying concepts of lifestyle medicine, functional nutrition, and mind-body medicine in individual consultations and group work.
Demonstrated success in building health and wellness programs within rapidly changing organizations and with diverse clientele. Passionate about improving health, well-being, and happiness through coaching strategies.
Teri Kwant
Award winning graphic, furniture, and experience designer
Teri is an award winning graphic, furniture, and experience designer who brings a well-being and human-centered focus to her design work.
She is two parts design thinker and one part design doer with the heart of a research geek. Teri leads a multidisciplinary team of designers and researchers to create meaningful experience design solutions for clients in healthcare, a broad range of business and civic organizations.
She also teaches student designers to be inclusive in their design processes at the University of Minnesota, and strives to involve, engage and delight all members of the communities she serves.
Dr. Bill Manahan
Founder of The Wellness Center of Minnesota, now Open Door Health Center, in Mankato MN
Dr. Bill Manahan is a retired family physician who now co-chairs the Minnesota Holistic Medicine Group. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, he founded the Wellness Center of Minnesota in 1982 to give care to underserved populations, one of the first physician-led integrative medical centers in the country.
He now co-chairs the Minnesota Holistic Medicine Group. His current interest is in helping healthcare practitioners from all disciplines learn from each other and figure out how to find colleagues and satisfaction in their daily care of patients.
Dr. Matthew Putman
Co-founder and CEO of Nanotronics
Dr. Matthew Putman is the cofounder and CEO of Nanotronics, a science technology company that has redefined factory control through the invention of a platform that combines AI, automation, and sophisticated imagining to assist human ingenuity in detecting flaws and anomalies in manufacturing, an industry that has stagnated since the 1950s.
Prior to Nanotronics, Matthew was an owner and Vice President of Development for Tech Pro, Inc., which was acquired by Roper Industries in 2008. During his time at Tech Pro, he lead two acquisitions and the transformation of the instrument manufacturer into new global markets, having formed partnerships or subsidiaries in 15 nations.
Matthew and his team at Nanotronics are building New York’s first High-Tech Manufacturing Hub in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. This new facility will allow Nanotronics’ artificial intelligence researchers, computer scientists, chemists, and physicists to work directly with skilled machinists on the manufacturing floor to develop innovations that will lead partner industries to a smaller factory footprint, producing less waste while bolstering speed from R&D to production. Nanotronics’ new facility is projected to be completed by Q2/Q3 2020 and aims to serve as the blueprint for modern manufacturing.
Matthew has a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Physics from Columbia University, where he is also a researcher. Matthew has published over 30 papers and is an inventor on over 50 patent applications filed in the U.S. and other countries for his work on manufacturing, automation, inspection, instrumentation, super resolution, and artificial intelligence. He is an expert in quantum computing and a founding member of The Quantum Industry Coalition and has testified in front of Congress on the importance of Quantum Research.
Matthew resides on the board of directors of New York Live Arts and Pioneer Works. He is also an accomplished jazz pianist, published poet, and has served as Executive Producer on several films and plays.
Cathy Biase
Holistic nutritionist, cancer coach, and host of The Health Hub on Radio Maria Canada.
A graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and a Certified Professional Cancer Coach, Cathy is a huge Toronto sports fan and a breast cancer survivor.
In her work with patients, she specializes in the functional application of nutrition for root cause health improvement in the area of chronic disease with a focus on cancer care.
She has appeared on television, frequently lectures, and is the host of The Health Hub, a Canadian-based radio show and podcast covering various aspects of Integrative health.
https://learn.cancercanopy.com/integrative-cancer-nutrition-method/
Thom King
Part CEO, part personal development wonk, and part biohacker info geek
Part CEO, part personal development wonk, and part biohacker info geek, King is a self-confessed serial entrepreneur.
In 1999, King founded Steviva Brands. When not envisioning a new stevia blend to help replace the amount of sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup used in food products and food prep, Thom spends much of his time learning and thinking about people’s dietary needs and ways to help improve what we eat. If King isn’t coming up with new and exciting ways to prepare food for friends and family, he is working on a ketogenic diet.
A firm believer in also giving back to his community, King is a member of and contributor to the Portland Boys & Girls Club. He is a volunteer and mentor for the Mercy Corps MicroMentor program and a contributor and participant in the Audubon Society of Portland, Ecotrust and the Wild Salmon Center.
Dr. Glenn Livingston
A veteran psychologist and was the long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food industry
Glenn Livingston, Ph.D. is a veteran psychologist and was the long time CEO of a multi-million dollar consulting firm which has serviced several Fortune 500 clients in the food industry.
You may have seen his (or his company’s) previous work, theories, and research in major periodicals like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Sun Times, The Indiana Star Ledger, The NY Daily News, American Demographics, or any of the other major media outlets you see on this page. You may also have heard him on ABC, WGN, and/or CBS radio, or UPN TV.
Disillusioned by what traditional psychology had to offer overweight and/or food obsessed individuals, Dr. Livingston spent several decades researching the nature of bingeing and overeating via work with his own patients AND a self-funded research program with more than 40,000 participants. Most important, however, was his own personal journey out of obesity and food prison to a normal, healthy weight and a much more lighthearted relationship with food.
Nancy O’Brien
Co-founder of Experience Happiness
Nancy is passionate about researching, developing and sharing innovative tools to enhance and measure well-being.
Prior to co-founding Experience Happiness, Nancy spent years on the leading edge of massive innovation and change, serving on the IBM change team to transition the global business from manufacturing to services. She also shared her deep experience design and management expertise with many clients by helping them develop and implement bespoke strategies to ensure delivery of authentic, consistent and memorable experiences.
April Seifert, Ph.D.
Social Cognitive Psychologist & Life Design Strategist, Co-founder of Peak Mind
April holds a Ph.D. in Social Cognitive Psychology. This means, she has spent over a decade studying the ways our minds store information, form habitual and subconscious thought processes, and how all of that impacts our behavior and our life experience.
April has experienced tremendous adversity in her life. After losing her father to cancer at a very young age, April herself was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a rare, unpredictable condition that she has lived with for over 25 years.
Finally, April’s expertise and experience as a Life Design Strategist arose in her entrepreneurial ventures using the human-centered design process. She, too, uses her professional expertise within her own life to thrive!
Dr. Richard Firshein
Integrative Medicine & Family Medicine located in Manhattan, Upper East Side, NY
Dr. Richard Firshein, is board-certified in family medicine, and the leading authority in the fields of Integrative, Anti-Aging, and Precision-Based Medicine. He embarked on his journey as a physician over 25 years ago and founded the Firshein Center for Integrative Medicine on Park Avenue in New York City.
He’s treated over 25,000 patients who have often experienced life-saving as well as life-enhancing results while receiving the most intensive, state-of-the-art, and personalized treatment available.
Dr. Richard Firshein is the author of the best-selling books the Vitamin Prescription for Life, Reversing Asthma and Your Asthma Free Child. In addition to being an Osteopathic Physician, Dr. Firshein is also a Certified Medical acupuncturist trained at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), incorporating both Eastern and Western modalities into his therapeutic regimen. Dr Firshein has helped other doctors come up through the ranks by serving as assistant professor of Family Medicine at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, and as director of residency training in Family Medicine and director of medical education at Brookdale and St. Claire’s Hospital in New York City.
His groundbreaking approach to medicine has made him a consistently sought-after medical expert on numerous television programs, including CNN, FOX News, CNBC, HLN, Good Day New York, WPIX Morning Show, CBS Morning News, and The Food Network.
Dr. Jeannie Larson, Ph.D.
Manager, University of Minnesota Nature-Based Therapeutic Services Program, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Dr. Jean Larson began her work for the University of Minnesota in 1992, where she developed the Nature-Based Therapeutic Services (NBT) a partnership between the Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
NBT provides a range of services including direct programming, training, education, research and outreach in the fields of therapeutic horticulture, animal-assisted interventions, facilitated green exercise, and therapeutic landscapes. The partnership provides opportunities to better understand and ensure students, professionals and general public will have access to the most current research and practices.
The unique partnership recognizes the strengths and expertise to make the best use of resources from both integrative medicine and nature-based science.
Apparatus - Leili Fatehi & Laura Monn Ginsburg
Public relations group committed to advancing a cleaner environment, a more fair economy, and a just society
At Apparatus, we are experts in getting people to care about issues of public concern and to act individually and collectively to make a difference.
As a General Benefit Corporation, we have a mission-level commitment to advancing a cleaner environment, a fairer economy, and a more just society. We offer our services exclusively to clients and projects that seek to serve the common good.
We are not hired guns but, rather, partners and advocates who are invested in our clients’ goals. In working to deliver project-specific outcomes, we also work to build political and public support for our clients’ broader mission and priorities whenever possible.
Leili Fatehi
Partner & Principal
leili@apparatusmn.org
Leili has 15 years experience developing and executing strategies to influence people’s attitudes and motivate their actions.
Leili offers deep substantive knowledge of the legal, regulatory, market, and non-market systems that govern decision-making at the federal, state, and local levels, including how these systems interact with one another. A resourceful strategist and agile negotiator, Leili has earned a reputation for delivering legislative and administrative wins against some of the biggest and most entrenched special interests.
Laura Monn Ginsburg
Partner & Principal
laura@apparatusmn.org
Laura has spent her career helping organizations tell stories that compel action.
She brings 15 years of experience in strategic marketing, branding, communications, and project management for a variety of corporate and non-profit organizations. Her extensive marketing experience includes analyst and public relations work, new product launches, website design and optimization, web/print/social media content development, event planning and management, multi-channel campaign design and execution, and more.
Peter Kaminsky
TV producer and writer/columnist
Peter Kaminsky is a writer and creator/executive producer of the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on PBS.
He wrote ‘Underground Gourmet’ for New York magazine for four years, and his “Outdoors” column has appeared in The New York Times for 25 years. He has been a contributing editor to Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Sports Afield, and is the author of many books, including American Waters and The Moon Pulled Up An Acre of Bass.
His books include Pig Perfect: Encounters with Remarkable Swine, The Moon Pulled Up an Acre of Bass, The Elements of Taste (with Gray Kunz), Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way (with Francis Mallmann), Letters to a Young Chef (with Daniel Boulud), Celebrate! (with Sheila Lukins), andJohn Madden’s Ultimate Tailgating.
Lauren Cox
Dancer, choreographer, poet, and teacher at the Joffrey School of Ballet in New York City
Lauren Cox is a storyteller, teacher and traveler born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lauren was nurtured young as a poet by Helena Jones who believed that “if you teach a child poetry, you open something up in them that will never close”. Mrs. Jones taught Lauren all subjects through the lens of poetry in her formative years.
Her personal research and love of dance has led her to teach in Trinidad & Tobago, India, Hong Kong, Spain, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. Lauren was on faculty for the year round program at Joffrey Ballet School Jazz & Contemporary for seven years, developing curriculum in Jazz, Dance History, Critical Analysis & Industry Prep. She also taught Jazz at The Ailey School Junior Division and is now a full time lecturer in Jazz Dance at University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Pulling from history, Lauren has developed her own style in teaching, choreography and performance now infusing them into performance poetry pieces. She debuted her performance poetry at TEDx Asbury Park detailing the story of her Grandparents in post World War II Germany. She has also presented at We The Women Collective as covered by Vogue Magazine, Wise Fruit NYC A Planned Parenthood benefit where she is also a resident host. Lauren is the producer of Stories from The Basement a space for storytellers to hash out new work in front of an inviting audience.
Lauren continues to grow and create from her home in Harlem, New York while secretly hoping the Harlem Renaissance comes back around.
Dr. Lynn Gershan
Medical Director of Integrative Health and Wellbeing at UMMCH
Dr. Gershan is the Medical Director of Integrative Health and Wellbeing at UMMCH.
Her clinical interests are helping children to build resilience and supporting integrative health in children with medically complex illness. Her research interests are the autonomic response of children to integrative therapies and integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine in pediatric academic health centers.
Abby Epstein
Film director and producer
Abby Epstein is a film director and producer most known for working in the field of the documentary.
Her film The Business of Being Born, which deals with the birth process in American hospitals, is one of her most widely known and acclaimed films.
Laurel Van Matre
Founder of Yoga Garden in Minneapolis, and co-founder of Gypset Retreats
Laurel is a Minneapolis, MN based Yogi, Designer and Entrepreneur. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching for almost two decades
Her yoga studio, YOGA Garden, is considered one of the leading studios in Minneapolis. She teaches her students to use Design Thinking concepts on their mats and how to use that experience as a metaphor for their creative pursuits.
She is a teacher to many successful C-Level executives, artists and entrepreneurs who are curious, creative and understand yoga as a way to increase creative confidence through movement.In addition to YOGA Garden she is the owner/operator of LVMGardens Design. She holds a BFA from the University of Wisconsin, has lived in London and travelled extensively through Europe and Asia.
Sohui Kim
Chef and Restauranteur of the The Good Fork and Gage & Tollner
Sohui was born in Seoul, Korea and lived there until the age of ten, as part of a household where food and entertaining were a regular event.
In 1981, her family immigrated to the United States and settled in the Bronx. After acquiring a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College, she was hunting for life’s meaning and discovered her quest for passion. And it was in cooking.
After graduating from the Peter Kump School of Cooking, she started her career with an externship at Blue Hill under chefs Dan Barber and Michael Anthony, who then invited her to join them as they opened Blue Hill Stone Barns. Not wanting to move to Westchester, she went to work for Anita Lo at the celebrated restaurant Annisa in the West Village, quickly rising through the ranks. After Annisa, she did stints working for the Batali/Bastianich group under chef Anne Burrell, recipe testing for Cesare Casella, and as a private chef making French and Japanese food at the high-end Sony Club.
In 2005, she was convinced by her husband Ben Schneider to go forth on her own, and together they opened The Good Fork in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Nearly a decade later, Sohui’s highly personal, totally accessible style of cooking has ensured that The Good Fork remains both a beloved neighborhood eatery and a destination restaurant.
Bob DeBoer and Julie Neumann
Co-founder of A Chance to Grow, Director of outpatient services
A Chance To Grow’s vision is to be a place where children and adults can receive the support and guidance they need to achieve their highest possible potential.
Through a broad base of programs and services, they take an integrative and interdisciplinary approach that places the person at the center by determining where he or she is at and addressing the full range of needs through the most appropriate intervention or combination of interventions.
Julie M. Neumann MA, OTR is an occupational therapist and Director of Clinical Services at A Chance to Grow.
Alan Fine
President and CEO of Elleutte
In all of his many pursuits Alan Fine has sought to elevate and improve the lives of others. An accomplished author, poet, composer, concert performer, teacher, businessman and athlete, Alan’s venture’s have one thing in common and that is a living in accordance with a greater purpose.
Alan has been a faculty member at the Carlson School of Management for nearly a quarter century where he has taught more than 10,000 students. His teaching includes leadership, ethics, entrepreneurship, strategy, international business, accounting and information system design.
Having traveled extensively throughout the world, he is fluent in a number of languages which has broadened his experience and raised his awareness of the challenges we face on a global scale. It has also deepened his respect for the rights of all living things as well as his understanding of the sanctity of life. A deeply spiritual man, he believes the challenges we face environmentally and interpersonally are a great opportunity for us to come together for a shared purpose.
With his experience and influence from his years advising the leadership of more that a hundred companies, Alan seeks to help businesses and individuals create enduring value in the work they do every day while building sustainable path for generations to come.
Jay Walljasper
Journalist
Jay Walljasper is an award-winning writer, popular speaker, veteran communications specialist and authority on vital communities.
He shares stories and strategies that inspire us to make changes in our lives, our hometowns and the world. Even in the age of big data, storytelling is still the best way to grab people’s attention and activate their imaginations.
He is the author of The Great Neighborhood Book (2007), All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons (2011), How to Design Our World for Happiness (2013) and America’s Walking Renaissance (2016). He is Urban Writer-in-Residence at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and Senior Fellow at Project for Public Spaces.
Editor of Utne Reader magazine for 15 years, Jay was also contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler, executive editor at Netherlands-based Ode magazine and travel editor at Better Homes & Gardens. Utne Reader was nominated for the National Magazine Award in the General Excellence category three times during his years as editor. He has been quoted on current issues in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and NPR.
Dr. Michele Renee
Chiropractor, acupuncturist and massage therapist
Michele Renee, DC, MAc is a family doctor who treats the whole person, and the whole family, from the first day of life to the last. She is a healer first and foremost, offering gentle chiropractic adjustments through the experienced hands of a long-time massage therapist and body worker.
With an additional deep pool of knowledge about nutrition and healing from the inside out, she approaches each client individually from the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. She also applies principles of functional medicine to find the root cause of the issue, and not just manage symptoms.
A massage therapist since 1998, Dr. Renee graduated from Northwestern Health Sciences University (NWHSU) as a Doctor of Chiropractic in 2008 and Master of Acupuncture in 2016. In 2020, Dr. Renee earned her Certificate in Integrative Healthcare Leadership at Duke University. Additionally, and her Master of Health Sciences in Applied Clinical Nutrition in December 2020.
She is currently the Director of Integrative Care and Associate Professor at NWHSU. She also volunteers in both support and leadership capacities for several professional associations, including the Integrative Health Policy Consortium, the Academic Collaborative of Integrative Medicine, and the Society for Oncology Massage. Notably, she is currently serving as the president of Alliance for Massage Therapy Educators. Michele contributes regularly to magazines, trade journals, and professional texts, and speaks nationally at highly regarded healthcare conferences.
Dr. Rosie Ward, PhD
Co-founder of Salveo Partners
Dr. Rosie Ward began wellness career in 1994 as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and master’s degree in Public Health, with a focus was on worksite health promotion.
After personally experiencing the ill-effects of a toxic work environment, she became disheartened by how employee wellness programs failed to achieve proper results. She was inspired to shift gears and completed her Ph.D. in Organization and Management where she focused on organizational culture, leadership and coaching.
Seeing how incredibly interconnected health and wellbeing is with organizations she began holding various leadership and consulting roles, later co-founding Salveo Partners, LLC, a consulting and professional development firm dedicated to re-humanizing workplaces so organizations and their people can thrive.
John Samuels
Co-founder and CEO of Better Health Advisors
For over 20 years, John has served as a senior healthcare leader in New York City’s top hospitals including Northwell Health (formerly known as North Shore LIJ) and Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
Responsible for the operation of 16 emergency departments and a rapidly expanding network of urgent care centers, he sat at the helm of a system that touched nearly 800,000 lives per year.
Through his two decades of work in hospitals, John has developed relationships with top doctors and facilities, and has strong connections with major hospitals all over the country. In 2016, he founded Better Health Advisors, a national healthcare advisory practice based out of New York City. As chief advisor, John uses his extensive healthcare experience and wide network of medical professionals to achieve the best possible care for his clients.
John earned his Masters of Public Health from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and graduated from the Academy of Healthcare Leadership Advancement at Cornell University. He is a licensed nursing home administrator in New York and New Jersey. John formerly served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy.
Katrina Mitchell
Co-founder of Picture Impact
Inspired by multidisciplinary thinkers and visionaries, Katrina sees possibilities and connections where most do not.
As a serial entrepreneur, thinker, developer she is constantly thinking of ways to improve our experience together.
She has a Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning in International Sustainable Development from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Science in Art from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. I started my undergraduate studies at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. I am trained in participatory facilitation and group process for social change, and have a permaculture design certificate in regenerative agriculture.
Zeke Freeman
Founder of BeeRaw honey
Zeke Freeman grew up on his family’s farm in Northwestern Pennsylvania, gaining an appreciation for homegrown fruits and vegetables and the rich heritage of artisanal food production.
As an adult, he turned his passion for preparing food for family and friends into a full-time pursuit of the culinary arts, enrolling in the University of Montana’s School of Food Management & Culinary Arts. After earning his degree, he moved to France to continue his education at the Hotel School of Grenoble, later working at Louis XV under the direction of Alain Ducasse.
After 2 years, he back to the States and began working as a buyer for Dean & DeLuca in New York City. In his pursuit of fine foods for the upscale retailer, Freeman discovered Beehive Bee Products, Inc., a small start up with an idea to sell single-floral varietal honeys.
In 2005, Zeke acquired majority ownership of Beehive Bee Products, re- launched the company as Bee Raw Honey, and expanded to become an Oprah, New York Times, Food & Wine, and Martha Stewart Living-celebrated product line that is sold in some of the finest shops across the country.
Freeman is committed to supporting artisanal beekeepers and farmers by ensuring that they receive a premium price for a premium product.
Finally, and possibly closest to Zeke’s heart, the Bee Raw Foundation was formed in 2013 with a mission to help save endangered bees and promote crucial-to-the-planet sustainability.
Grant Ernhart
Rolfer in Boulder, San Francisco
Grant Ernhart is photographer, former national bi-athlete, and a Rolfing Structural integration Specialist.
In his hands on therapy, he addresses postural and pain issues byteaching the Biopsychosocial model of pain. This model helps explain the role of the nervous system in our perception and proliferation of chronic pain.
He also utilizes the concept of body-mapping and the roles it plays in facilitating or hindering movement. His aim with those he treats is to help them move away from feeling like a collection of parts toward a feeling of awareness, ease and integration.
Lissa Hunsicker Kenney
Founder of Feelings School
Lissa Hunsicker Kenney, LCSW is the developer of Feelings School, which she created over the course of her career with children and families.
Building on her experience as a child therapist in a partial hospitalization program and her subsequent training in multiple evidence-based trauma treatments for children and adults, Lissa has used both cognitive behavioral therapy, attachment therapy, and play therapy principles to develop her unique and creative approach to short-term treatment for children.
Luke Peterson
Owner of Peterson Farms, Dawson MN
Luke and Ali Peterson are from Dawson, MN. Luke is a certified organic farmer using regenerative practices. He farms 700 acres and is integrating a grass-fed beef herd. Ali is a Family Nurse Practitioner at the rural health clinic in Dawson, MN, and they have three small children. Ali is also studying nurse-midwifery and enjoys caring holistically for families.
Luke and Ali are on a quest for improved soil health and improved human health. Luke grew up spending time in the Lac qui Parle Wildlife Refuge and working for the Department of Natural Resources in Minnesota. While there, he recognized that diversity was key for the survival of the ecosystem. Luke draws on that knowledge in farming and believes that plant diversity provides healthy, resilient soil. By integrating the beef herd, he hopes to keep fertility on the farm and create a regenerative ecosystem.
Ali is passionate about food and food systems. She also recognizes how important diversity is in human health and how nutritious eating is key. Ali enjoys supporting women and infants with lactation, which led her to lactation training and ultimately back to nurse-midwifery to be with women and families, promoting the best possible start. She also enjoys her role on the farm. She takes responsibility for keeping everyone nourished, assists with writing and marketing and day-to-day operations where Luke needs an extra hand.
The duo uniquely supports each other. With Luke being self-employed, he makes himself available for his children and supports Ali when working. Reciprocally, Ali makes herself more available during his intensely busy growing season. By working in synergy and deeply trying to understand each other’s passions, they interweave their work and lifestyle, staying true to their lifelong aspirations for continual learning and mastery. In caring deeply for the planet and the people, Luke and Ali hope to improve the trajectory for agriculture and healthcare in their community.
Dr. Corey Schuler
Director of Clinical Affairs for Integrative Therapeutics
Dr. Corey Schuler is a certified nutrition specialist, licensed nutritionist, registered nurse, and chiropractic physician board-certified in clinical nutrition.
He has earned degrees in nursing and phytotherapeutics, and has a private integrative medicine practice in Hudson, Wisconsin.
He is a thought leader, product innovator, and educator in integrative and functional Medicine. He serves as the Director of Clinical Affairs for Integrative Therapeutics and is an assistant professor at the School of Health Sciences and Education at NYCC, lecturing around the United States.
Shelli Stanger Nelson
Founder of Rukha Academy of Healing Arts and Science
Shelli Stanger Nelson is the founder, president and lead teacher of Rukha Academy of Healing Arts & Science. She centered her life work around the integration of medicine, healing and the evolution of human consciousness.
Shelli’s health and wellness career began in 1985 when she became a registered nurse in the state of Minnesota. In both her professional and private life, she observed that traditional medicine and treatments too often failed. This frustration launched a 25-year quest for integrative methods of improving health — for herself and her patients.
She had lived with type I diabetes, and the complications of multiple related illnesses, since she was ten years old. Her condition was resolved in 2008 through the carefully integrated use of traditional medicine and bio-energy healing arts. Her experience in coping with the pain and debilitation of the illnesses, and her conscious choices to reclaim her health, fueled a passion for hope that honors the struggles of all humanity.
Before Shelli was cured of diabetes, the disease had permanently damaged many parts of her body and eliminated all physical eyesight. She became totally blind by the age of 24. The absence of visual distraction has enabled her to access her innate gifts and develop a way of perceiving that is highly accurate and profound.
Ulysses Smith
Founder of Telos Governance Advisors
Ulysses Smith is President & CEO of Telos Governance Advisors,
Ulysses is an accomplished attorney and thought leader on issues of governance and development, rule of law, multilateralism, and international law and regulation.
Ulysses is Director of the Business and Rule of Law Program at the Bingham Center for the Rule of Law. He is a member of the UN Global Compact’s Expert Network. In September 2017, Ulysses was appointed Special Advisor to the UN Global Compact on Anti-Corruption and Global Development.
His experience includes advising on human rights frameworks, international economic sanctions and anti-corruption regulations. He regularly works with governments, NGOs, multilaterals, and major multinationals and state-owned enterprises on a range of governance, development, and regulatory matters, and has advised clients in more than 20 countries on 6 continents.
Mark Meier and Bill Dehkes
Founders of Face It Foundation
Mark Meier is the co-founder of Face it Foundation. With a master’s degree in social work, he’s taught and lectured on depression to mental health professionals hundreds of times across the U.S. and is on staff in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health in the University of Minnesota’s School of Medicine.
It was his own experience with depression, and nearly taking his own life back in 2002 that lead to his understanding of the need for men’s mental health challenges in our culture.
Bill Dehkes is Face It’s COO, working to identify funding sources for their services, completing grant requests, and ensuring the financial viability of the organization. He also arranging paid speaking engagements, which generate funds that support our individual services for men.
His involvement also came from an his own battles with depression and an attempted suicide. After learning more about how many men struggling with the same challenges, he dedicated all of this time to helping others face their own despair with dignity.
John Pederson
Founder of 612 Sauna Society
John Pederson is founder of the The 612 Sauna Society started in 2014, and co-founder of Stokeyard Outfitters started in 2017.
His intention is to bring options for public sauna access across the Twin Cities and beyond, responding to a growing demand for healthy recreational experiences, and promote thermaculture.
Before his life as a professional sauna meister, he was a community manger at a Coworking space, a journalist by producing programs for NPR, and a Fulbright Fellow working in Sumatra on Indonesia’s first student-run radio station.
Mette Dyhrberg
Founder of Mymee
Mette Dyhrberg is a digital health innovator committed to improving the quality of life for those with chronic disease.
She is the founder and CEO of Mymee, a digital program that is rethinking autoimmunity. The Mymee protocol eases the symptoms of autoimmune disease through data analytics and health coaching. As an authority on autoimmune issues, Mette is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences such as Stanford Medicine X and Exponential Medicine.
Mette holds an MS in economics and is a certified health coach. An economist turned diagnostician, she’s the Sherlock Holmes of anamnestic data. She first entered the functional medicine arena in an attempt to tackle her own chronic health issues. In her early twenties, she became severely ill. For years, Mette battled an ever-expanding array of medical diagnoses ending up with six different autoimmune diseases simultaneously. Mette took matters into her own hands, hacked her own health and in doing so, she created a tool that solved her health problems and soon began helping others do the same.
Stacey Degen
Lead Acupuncturist at University of Minnesota Physicians
Stacey Degan has been dedicated to improving health and well-being for the past 25 years.
With a degree in Recreational Therapy from the University of Minnesta, she worked with Challenge Aspen, helping optimize the experience of individuals with terminal disease, traumatic injuries and disabilities for nearly 10 years.
She returned to school at Northwestern Health Sciences University to recieve her Masters in Acupunture and Oriental Medicine. After years of private practice in Portland, OR and Minneapolis, MN, she is now the Lead Acupuncturist at University of Minnesota Physicians. Her mission to educate and provide a broad community with health and wellness solutions to improve thei quality of their lives. She has joined Highway to Health as a board member to further her outreach as a wellness leader throughout the world.
Tom Evers
Executive Director of Minneapolis Parks Foundation
Tom is a resident of Minneapolis and avid user of the Minneapolis Parks system who has focused his career on strategically guiding organizations dedicated to parks, land conservation, and youth development.
Prior to joining the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, Evers served as the founding Executive Director of Playworks Minnesota, part of a national non-profit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children by creating opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.
Evers’ professional background includes more than a decade with the Trust for Public Land where he was involved in strategic conversations about urban parks across the country including Minneapolis and supported efforts to create new parks and natural areas throughout Minnesota and the Northwoods. Prior to his time with TPL, Evers spent four years working in Vermont as a Park Ranger with the State of Vermont and the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. He has a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and is a graduate of St. John’s University.
“The parks, trails, lakes, and Mississippi riverfront of Minneapolis are essential to the Twin Cities regional health and our state’s economic vibrancy” says Evers. “Parks bring a community together through play, creativity, and conversation. Every person living in and around Minneapolis has a personal connection to these parks and we owe it to the next generation to ensure our existing parks continue to include creative programming and engaging design and that we generate new parks to serve the next century of Minneapolitans. The opportunity to guide the Minneapolis Parks Foundation and bring people and resources together around a grand vision for our parks and the Minneapolis Park System is a challenge I embrace with enthusiasm.
Todd Wojchik
Founder of Fundamental Strength
As a former athlete, Todd completely understands the balance of strength, conditioning, rest and competition.
His strength, conditioning and throwing plans prepared me for the 2014 US Paralympic Track and Field National Meet where I became the American Record Holder in the Discus, Javelin and Shot Put.
Fundamental Strength was created to offer clients a systematic, outcome focussed strength and fitness training service. Along with 15 years of coaching/training experience, Fundamental Strength he also offers ongoing assessment and electronic tracking of your progress to maximize people’s current potential.
Dr. Aaron Babb
Plastic surgeon in Rochester, Minnesota
Dr. Aaron Babb is a physician, designer, and curious explorer.
He currently works as a general physician at a federal health clinic in the rural mountains of California where he does primary care for the community and directs the MAT (medication-assisted therapy) to help people coming off of opioids. He’s also the director of telemedicine at the local critical access hospital, Mayers Memorial Hospital.
He recieved his B.S. from St. John’s University in MN and his medical degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He went on to received surgical training from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and has been deeply involved in patenting health care technology to improve health care process and patient experience. He’s a staple on the Highway to Health Podcast and has been a board member since it’s inception in 2016.
Karin Weidenmueller
Gestalt and EMDR therapist
Karin is a gestalt therapist working with adults, couples and groups specializing in trauma, attachment and addiction.
She combines her training in Gestalt Therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy within a transpersonal approach integrating body, mind, and spirit. She combines her training in Gestalt Therapy, EMDR, Mindfulness and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy within a transpersonal approach integrating body, mind, and spirit.
“Living means being in relationship. It is my intention to support you in exploring how you relate to and make contact with yourself, others, and your environment.
Healing takes place within the unique therapeutic relationship, therefore establishing a genuine, trusting relationship is absolutely essential. I provide a secure and compassionate environment and I am committed to an engaged and lively process that will support you in your journey.”
Rebecca Egbert
Founder of Little Mother's Helper
Rebecca Egbert spent nearly 20 years working to reform women’s and postpartum healthcare in the U.S.
I’ve done everything from research how collaborative care models can improve maternal mortality and health outcomes to investigating the roles that wellness and access to care play in transforming behavioral changes in healthcare.
Seeing gaps in the US maternity care model encouraged me to start The Mother Love. Using a combination of facts and intuition, and her experience as a midwife, she brings a human-centered approach to everything. Whether it is creating content for health information products, to strategic business development, to product innovation.
With clarity of vision, she likes push thinking forward, applying optimism and depth when there are roadblocks, identifying ways to build momentum while impacting sustainable profits and progress.
Lilly Bennett
Physician Assistant
Lilly is the first independently licensed Physician Assistant in the state of MN.
There’s a lot happening behind the scenes as the state of care delivery is changes in the U.S., especially in the areas of primary care and urgent care, and Lilly has some great insights for us.
Thomas Pann
Waste water management in Seattle
Tomas Pann has worked in waste water management in Seattle and Minneapolis.
He explains the treatment process, filtration, and why each city has a different process for waste water, storage, recycling and reuse. He’s here to shed light on something we all take for granted in this country – clean potable water. He’s got a great piece of advice for maintaining health.
Phoenix Ferrari
Phoenix Ferrari is the son of Jeremy Quinby, the host of Highway to Health Podcast.
He appeared in an early episodes as a 13 year old, discussing their blended family and his opinions about how health is taught in schools – he was an instant hit! He’s been on the show 3 times, most recently speaking with Timothy Klein about finding purpose as he prepares for his first year at the University of Minnesota in 2021.
Divi Crockett
Film-Maker
Divi Crockett is a creator, producer, line producer and supervisor for feature films, commercials and television.
With over 20 years experience. Some of the features she worked on include: “Hesher” with Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Rainn Wilson, “Cold Comes the Night” with Bryan Cranston, Netflix original series “Lilyhammer”, Dani Menkin’s “Is That You” and “Bert and Arnie’s Guide to Friendship”
Divi worked as a staff line producer for in their production management department where she shot as well as oversaw 3rd party productions for VH1 and Comedy Central. She has worked on show opens, integrated content as well as print campaigns for shows like Mob Wives, Love & Hip Hop, Black Ink Crew and Kay’s Jewelers, just to name a few.
Earlier this year, Divi created DC Digital, a one stop shop for digital content that works out of New York and Los Angeles. Her most recent projects included; music videos for Prima “Blue” NY and the UK band The Shires “Guilty” for the Universal label in LA. In addition, she produced an integrated spot in LA for Scripps and Bounce TV for AARP/In the Cut. Divi is presently adapting a short story that was a winner of the BBC short story competition. She is planning to direct the short film next year in the UK.
Dr. Daniel Kohen
Pediatrician practicing in Minnetonka, Minnesota
Dr. Dan Kohen is a pediatrician practicing in Minnetonka, Minnesota
He spent the early years of his career working on a reservation in NM, later became the director of education and training at the University of Minnesota.
The focus of much of his work has been in his career has been in Developmental and Behavioral Psychology and is widely known for his work in Clinical Hyphnosis, co-authoring the book Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy With Children, widely known as the definitive text on the subject worldwide.
