Contributors

Lisa Akers is an herbalist and spaceship builder. She enjoys solving complex problems, whether they be exploring the universe beyond, or uncovering the secrets to a client’s challenging health concerns. Trained as an engineer, Akers brings a scientific perspective to herbalism, where she focuses on evidence-based solutions and research-backed remedies combined with traditions and oral histories of our herbal elders.

Akers has a particular affinity for working with people who struggle to find solutions to their health situations. She uses structured, engineered methods to restoring health through a foundation-up strategy that considers her client’s lifestyles, tastes, and preferences. All the good health advice in the world is wasted breath if clients won’t follow it. Aker’s approach ensures clients always feel heard, understand the why behind her suggestions, and are partners in mapping out their own healing strategy.

Melissa Carr is a registered Dr. of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), lecturer, and health writer. She has a degree in kinesiology and worked in medical research in Japan prior to her Traditional Chinese Medicine studies in both Canada and China. As a result, she loves to blend Eastern and Western natural health knowledge and therapies.

In practice since 2001, Dr. Carr enjoys working at integrative medicine clinics because she believes that coordinating health professionals can provide the best patient experience and outcomes. Having worked with some of the top names in sports and entertainment, Dr. Carr was chosen as one of the few acupuncturists for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympics and Paralympics, and also volunteered at the World Police and Fire Games.

As a passionate educator, Dr. Carr has been a teaching assistant for anatomy and an instructor for nutrition at the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. She now continues educating the public about natural health matters via lectures, including to Blue Cross, David Suzuki Foundation, Fraser Health Authority, and the University of British Columbia.

She is an advisory board member of Alive magazine, writes for several publications, and was a columnist for a Vancouver newspaper. She is now in the process of writing a book on nutrition from a TCM perspective.

Regina Druz is a board-certified cardiologist, nationally recognized for her expertise in cardiac imaging and clinical research. A graduate of the Cornell University Medical College, Dr. Druz completed her residency in internal medicine and cardiovascular fellowship at the Weill Cornell University Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital. Seeking to prevent and reverse heart disease, and not just merely treat the end-stages, Dr. Druz immersed herself in the practice of integrative and functional medicine. She developed the Fit in Your GENES™ functional medicine program that uses personalized genomics to reverse cardiac disease risk factors, such as inflammation and oxidative stress, and halt progression of endovascular damage through targeted lifestyle interventions.

Dr. Druz is also a passionate healthcare innovator, developing digital and mobile health solutions. She developed a patient-facing urgent symptom platform (iVisitMD) that allows patients to rapidly assess their symptoms and find care locally. Dr. Druz is combining her interests in functional medicine and technology by creating a telemedicine solution for holistic heart health. Currently, Dr. Druz serves as a Chief of Cardiology in a community hospital in Far Rockaway, New York. She maintains a private practice in integrative cardiology in Long Island, New York. She is a board member of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and is an inaugural chairwoman of the American College of Cardiology Innovation Working Group. She is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at SUNY Downstate School of Medicine.

Corie Edwards graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in biology, and received a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine with honors in research from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland. In the past, she has worked in private practice offering primary care, nutritional counseling, weight loss, pain management, and vitamin injections. Currently she is a staff physician at Kashi Clinical Laboratories where she helps to support and improve their genetic testing department. Dr. Edwards is also adjunct faculty at the National University of Natural Medicine were she teaches genetics and Oregon College of Oriental Medicine were she teaches Western Pathology.

Growing up in Eugene, Oregon, Dr. Edwards has a deep appreciation for the Pacific Northwest, its natural beauty, culture, and creative atmosphere. In her professional life, she takes an interest in functional medicine with a focus on the role genetics plays in health. Outside of work, she loves her role as a mother and wife, as well as spending time with friends and family.

Nancy Gahles is CEO and Founder of Health & Harmony Wellness Education and Center for Integrative and Holistic Healthcare, TeleHealth & Harmony and Spirit of Love~The Rockaway Sangha. She is a Chiropractor (Ret.), Certified Classical Homeopath, Certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) practitioner and Ordained Interfaith Minister in family practice since 1980 specializing in the stress that underlies disease, and pain management.

Gahles’ unique method, the Triumvirate Technique, integrates the best of the mind/body/spirit disciplines including nanomedicine, diet and lifestyle, meditation, yoga/QiGong, breath/bodywork, cognitive behavioral techniques, spirituality in health and medicine, palliative care, and end of life issues and positive potential practice.

Gahles is a member of the Board of Directors & Federal Policy Committee member of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium; the Advisory Board, Integrative Healthcare Symposium; and a Partner for Health for Council for Homeopathic Certification. Gahles is Pres. Emerita of the National Center for Homeopathy. She is a freelance healthcare journalist, newspaper columnist, member of the Association of Healthcare Journalists, author of The Power of $elf Care: A Common Sense Guide to YOUR Wellness Solution, and a public speaker and TEDXTalk presenter. Gahles practices in the New York City suburb of Rockaway Beach and via TeleHealth delivery.

James Lehman is an Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences at the University of Bridgeport/College of Chiropractic and Director of Health Sciences Postgraduate Education (HSPED). He completed his MBA at the University of New Mexico and doctorate in chiropractic medicine at the Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Lehman is a board-certified, chiropractic orthopedist. He teaches orthopedic and neurological examination and differential diagnosis of neuromusculoskeletal conditions. In addition, he provides clinical rotations for fourth-year chiropractic students and chiropractic residents in the community health center and a sports medicine rotation in the training facility of the local professional baseball team.

As Director of HSPED, Dr. Lehman developed the three-year, full-time resident training program in chiropractic orthopedics and neuromusculoskeletal medicine. The program offers training within primary care facilities of a Federally Qualified Health Center and Patient- Centered Medical Home. While practicing in New Mexico, he mentored fourth-year, UNM medical students.

Julie Luzarraga is a psychotherapist and founder of Omaha Integrative Care, Nebraska’s first integrative care center dedicated to providing integrative therapies for health and wellness.  She received her Masters in Clinical Social Work from Boston College and has a Diplomate in Clinical Social Work.  She is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and holds a Certificate in Integrative Mental Health.  In addition to extensive training in trauma informed practices and mind body medicine, Julie has trained in yoga, Reiki, and mindfulness based therapies.  She is a graduate of the Leadership in Integrative Healthcare at Duke University.  Her background as a psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker brings a unique perspective to her leadership role.

With over twenty years of experience as a clinical social worker, Julie specializes in many areas, including mind body medicine, depression, anxiety, trauma, mood disorders, infertility, loss and relationship issues.  She is particularly passionate about working with executives and entrepreneurs on developing mindfulness and stress reduction practices to enhance creativity, productivity and living and working to one’s full potential.  In addition to her clinical work, Julie provides consultation to individuals and organizations looking to develop mindfulness skills as leaders and integrative business cultures.

Karen Malkin, NBC-HWC, is among the first National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches. She is certified as an Integrative Health Coach and Lifestyle Practitioner from both the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM) and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and is certified through the Institute for the Psychology of Eating.

Malkin has a private health coaching practice in Chicago, Illinois. As co-founder and CEO of MCT Foods, LLC, Malkin developed a line of high-quality vegan protein blends, MCT oil, and superfood bars. She is the author of the 14 Day Transformation series, including “Toxin Takedown.”

She is a regular guest on ESPN Sports Medicine Weekly Radio and has appeared in several media outlets and publications, including The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, and Crain’s Chicago Business.

Malkin passionately serves on the board of directors of the Environmental Working Group, an environmental advocacy organization. She also serves on advisory council for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern Medicine, the board of directors for Gardeneers, an organization which sustains and provides curriculum for Chicago Public Schools, and serves on the advisory board for Spiral Sun Ventures, a mission-based capital fund investing in health and wellness products.

Malkin’s clientele includes executives, professional athletes, women of all ages, and motivated individuals who are ready for a new level of vitality. Some of Karen’s specialty areas include corporate wellness, 14-Day Transformation whole foods cleanses, reducing environmental chemicals toxicants, emotional eating, weight loss, the science of nutrition, managing cravings, and healthy lifestyle makeovers.

Robert Silverman graduated magna cum laude from the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic and has a Masters of Science in human nutrition. His extensive list of educational accomplishments includes designations as a certified nutrition specialist, certified clinical nutritionist, certified sports nutritionist. Silverman is a diplomate with the American Clinical Board of Nutrition and the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition.

He is an internationally-known speaker and author with a full-time private practice in White Plains, NY, where he specializes in the treatment of joint pain with innovative, science-based, nonsurgical approaches and functional nutrition.

Silverman is also on the advisory board for the Functional Medicine University. He is a health contributor to Fox News Radio and has appeared on Fox & Friends, Fox News, NBC News, CBS News, NewsMax TV, WPIX, and Wall Street Journal Live.

He was awarded the prestigious 2015 Sports Chiropractor of the Year by the ACA Sports Council. In 2016 he published Inside/Out Health: A Revolutionary Approach to Your Body.

Taylor Walsh is principal at Integrative Health Strategies in Washington, DC, where he provides strategic consulting services and writes to raise awareness and understanding of integrative whole health approaches for care. He also develops creative innovations to advance access to integrative care and to strengthen individual and community health and wellbeing outside of the clinic. His initiative “Integrative Healthcare in Medicare and Medicaid” builds on connections made in 2016 and 2017 with the leadership of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS. His current Project for Whole Health Education in K-12, is an effort to bring coherence to widespread efforts across the U.S. to engage students in health-based learning.

He previously conceived and managed the project CoverMyCare.org for the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC), which engaged state advocates around provisions of the Affordable Care Act intended to end health insurance discrimination against licensed providers (Section 2706). He has written for The Integrator Blog and the Altarum Institute’s Health Policy Forum. He was also a co-author with FON Consulting’s Glenn Sabin on the e-book “The Rise of Integrative Heath & Medicine, The Milestones: 1963 – Present.” Consulting clients have included The Institute of Integrative Health, Baltimore, MD, the Samueli Institute, Alexandria, VA, the Integrative Health Policy Consortium, and Casey Health Institute, a non-profit integrative primary care clinic in Gaithersburg, MD.

Taylor’s work in integrative health and wellness builds on 20-plus years as a pioneer in online community and digital news and content services. He was managing editor at The Source, then owned by the Reader’s Digest and the first national online services built for personal computer owners.

John Weeks is a writer, speaker, chronicler and organizer with 32 years of experience in the movement for integrative health and medicine. the long-time founder/editor of The Integrator Blog News & Reports, a primary connective terrain for the diverse stakeholders and professions in the field and was invited in May 2016 to serve as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Besides his Integrative Practitioner column, he presently writes for Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, the Huffington Post and elsewhere.

He increasingly enjoys teaching and mentoring. He has keynoted, led plenary sessions, breakouts, and offered guest lectures for dozens of organizations ranging from the Bastyr University to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the UCLA School of Medicine to the Institute for Health and Productivity Management, the AANP and AIHM to the American Hospital Association. He has consulted with insurers, employers, professional organizations, universities and government agencies at all levels.

As an organizer, Weeks convened the Integrative Medicine Industry Leadership Summits (2000-2002), directed the National Education Dialogue to Advance Integrated Care (2004-2006), fund-raised the start-up of the Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium (2002), and co-founded the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health, which he directed 2007-2015. In 2014, three consortia and others combined to grant him a Lifetime Achievement Living Tribute Award. Four academic institutions have granted Weeks honorary doctorates for his work. Seattle-based, he considers himself a particularly lucky soul to have worked remotely while living with his spouse Jeana Kimball, ND, MPH, and their children in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico for 6 of the last 15 years.