CORE STAFF MARY LIGHT, ND MH is director of Naturopathic School of Ann Arbor and Gaia Center of Herbal Studies. She teaches around the country, and contributes regularly to magazines as writer and consultant. She has extensive training, experience, and certification as a practitioner and educator in the natural healing arts: bodywork, massage, energy work, yoga, naturopathy, naturopathic hydrotherapy, herbal therapeutics derived from studies and certification programs completed at Florida Institute of Natural Health, Florida School of Massage, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, School of Natural Medicine, with Carolyn Myss; The Ann Wigmore Institute, Finger Lakes School of Massage, and continuing education with numerous energy healers, herbalists, and naturopaths. MAEGEN GABRIEL, MA: A certified medicinal herbalist and mother of 3 young daughters, Maegen has a masters in public administration and has served in the Peace Corps, teaching in Guyana, South America. Maegen brings an inspired interest and delight in teaching anatomy and physiology to our program. She is currently also a Teaching Assistant in the Gaia Center "Seven Saturdays" herbal certification program (www.gaiaherbalstudies.net) in the Ann Arbor area.
LEENA PALMER - Leena brings extensive experience in administration, accreditation, and admissions from several local colleges. As a teacher, she is passionate, experienced and inspired in the healing arts field of massage and bodywork therapies, and anatomy/physiology. The mother of a young daughter, Leena lives in Dexter, and is involved in the martial arts community in the area. MILAGROS PAREDES is a Shiatsu bodyworker with over 2200 hours of training. An avid student, teacher and practitioner of the Weston Price approach to diet and health,Milagros continues to explore and open to other complementary dietary health works. She wisely draws upon her childhood in the Phillipines in a culture following a traditional nourishing human diet. Her 9 year old son has been transformed and restored to health due to her guidance and research. She will enlighten our programs with her hands-on experiential background during food demonstrations and lectures during segments of our training in nutritional counseling. MICHELLE MEDLEY: Michelle graduated from University of Michigan with a degree in botany. She will enter medical school at Michigan State in 2010. She is a 2008 graduate of our Medicinal Herbalist Certification program, and also currently participating in our advanced herbal studies program. Michelle runs our Ann Arbor Farmers Market project this season, happily sharing about the uses of medicinal herbs with the general public, answering questions about our herbal products, and hearing the stories of those who attend the market about their own experiences. Michelle recently returned from Honduras as volunteer in a medical assistance program, assisting physicians in villages . Michelle will co-teach a 2010 herbal studies program " Seven Saturdays at Herbs of Light Medicine Farm" , a Gaia Center program. ROWENA CONAHAN: A community herbalist, massage therapist, and traditional healer combining herbal medicine, homeopathy, and bodywork, Rowena brings extensive wilderness skills training and experience to her Wild Edibles walks and lectures during our herbal medicine training. A graduate of Vassar, Rowena is a former Montessori teacher, and an active co-housing participant, mother of two small children, community storyteller, and community herbalist. In our program, Rowena will be assisting during bodywork/naturopathic physical medicine training, bringing her deep trust and movement through the intuitive process to bear upon the effectiveness of bodywork and the client/therapist relationship. SUSAN GUINN, R.N. Susan recently retired from a 30 year career as a nurse in our local hospitals. She has studied Polarity Therapy for several years, and is currently participating in Barbara Brennan Healing Science program, as well as Naturopathic School of Ann Arbor, Naturopath program. Susan brings her medical experience to the integrative segments of our naturopathy program. STEFANIE COHEN, Registered Somatic Movement Educator, brings an extensive, creative and academic background of experience in dance and therapeutic movement, as well as experience in the human health field, in Hospice. Primarily working with the Somatic practice of Authentic Movement, she presents segments within the program designed to increase awareness, deep level, embodied and interpersonal listening, and the experience of the holistic benefits of movement in healing. PEGGY JONES: Peggy is a graduate of our Medicinal Herbalist Certification program, 2007, and is currently ipursung advanced study in herbal practice., She has successfully completed the certification program for Organic Master Gardener offered by Washtenaw Community College in 2008, and is apprenticing to teach in our herbal medicine program as of this summer. Peggy is currently co-teaching the program "Herbal Studies: Seven Saturdays" at Gaia Center in Ann Arbor. She tends expanding herb gardens at her home which is situated on several acres, including many wild stands of Elder tree and marsh plants. She is currently creating wonderful creams, balms, and poultices, and will be assisting in Apothecary and Dispensary projects at Gaia School. Aleta Luesse, R.D.H. is our guide and teacher for the internal ecological relationship between dental health / dental disease, and systemic conditions of the entire body. A graduate of University of Michigan, she also has completed extensive training in energy medicine, a passion she continues to pursue. She works in the capacity of R.D.H. at the practice of Dr. Dina Cocco, D.D.S. in Ann Arbor. Jamila Diallo is one of our office assistants, putting the school on course with bookkeeping duties and computer/communications related tasks. Jamila was born and raised "way out west", and lives with her husband north of Ann Arbor. We are grateful for her genuine interest in natural healing , as well as for her acumen and insights into our office management needs. OUR BOARD - Naturopathic School is served by an advisory board which meets regularly to review and develop policies. Mary Light, Carole Florence, and Peggy Jones currently comprise the board. Are you interested in teaching? Share with us your resume, references, experience, and potential with our school. We will send you our protocol on vetting, hiring, pay rates, benefits, and policies. We have several part time positions available for instructors of different topics, and offer career benefits to our core teachers. As teachers and staff mature within the mutually supportive structure of the school, one helps the other grow, and teacher salaries grow as well. |
