About Our Faculty

Leanne Apfelbeck has been involved in education for over 25 years covering topics in biology, massage therapy, sports medicine, and Chiropractic medicine. Dr. Apfelbeck began her Chiropractic career after graduating from the National College of Chiropractic in Lombard, Ill, in 1988. During that time, she maintained a private practice, taught in the Lincoln Post Graduate Department of Chiropractic, and was also on the faculty at the National University of Health Sciences. Recently, Dr. Apfelbeck earned a Master’s degree in Athletic Training from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, UT, where she published a paper in The Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. Currently, Dr. Apfelbeck has a private practice in Asheville, NC, and is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at the UNC Asheville. MAOM/PD

Simon Becker studied Chinese medicine in the US and then practiced for a period in China. He is the author of the “A Handbook of Chinese Hematology,” “The Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases with Chinese Medicine”, and “Correcting the Errors in the Forest of Medicine”. Presently he is working as a TCM-Expert at Lian Chinaherb AG and as a Teacher in Switzerland and abroad. He was the President of the Swiss Professional Association (SBO-TCM) from 2003 to 20110. Simon Becker is principal of Chiway Academy of Asian medicine in Winterthur, Switzerland. He has practiced and is deputy head of the Department of Chinese Medicine of the Lake Hospital Horgen. He specializes in Chinese medicine in pediatrics and for support of cancer patients. MAOM

Bonnie Benetato is a family nurse practitioner with 10+ years of nursing educational experience at Trinity College in Washington, DC and at East Carolina University. Bonnie has a PhD, MSN, and BSN in nursing from the Catholic University of America, and a MBA from American University in Washington, DC. Bonnie was the deputy director at the War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, DC. It was at the WRIISC that Bonnie obtained funding to start the first WRIISC Complimentary and Alternative Medicine Clinic where inpatient and outpatient acupuncture was offered to Veterans. She was involved in developing a WRIISC acupuncture research protocol examining the effect of auricular acupuncture on PTSD related insomnia. More recently, Bonnie has been teaching research and statistics, health care finance, health care policy, and theory in the doctor of nursing practice program at East Carolina University. MAOM/PD

Patricia Bernarding has been involved in the field of adult education for 25 years. She obtained her Master’s degree in Education from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Bernarding has been involved in the public school system and proprietary colleges as both an educator and administrator. She has continued her graduate studies in English and Teaching English as a Second Language at Western Carolina University. In 2003, she received her Associate’s degree in Business Administration from South College‐Asheville. While in Tucson, AZ, she attended the Desert Institute of the Healing Arts and received certification as a massage therapist. MAOM

Dr. Borzotta Dr. Borzotta is an allopathic general surgeon graduate of Georgetown University (BS 1973) and Medical School (MD 1978), who trained at the University of Louisville,completing a surgical residency in 1983, after which he took a fellowship at University of
Newcastle upon Tyne, in England. He has worked in the Veterans Administration and Case Western Reserve University (1985-1988), and was the associate trauma and ICU director at a Level I trauma center in Portland, OR from 1985 to 2000. He set up a Level III trauma center in Cincinnati’s Bethesda North Hospital, 2000 to 2012, where he was also responsible for a Paramedic Training Program. He also instituted and developed a medical simulation training center which eventually filled over 4000 square feet of space and instructed several hundred people annually. After completing a stint in the US Army Medical Corps 2006-2011 with two tours to Iraq, he worked as a trauma and acute care surgeon in Gastonia, NC before moving to Asheville full time in 2016. MAOM

Julie Burke has served the Asheville community as a well-respected healer for the past ten years. She began her path with a degree in Anthropology in 1996 from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, focusing on ethnobotany, shamanism, and Native American studies. She studied massage therapy at the North Carolina School of Natural Healing in 2000. Two years later, Ms. Burke took her practice deeper by studying Reiki and Energy healing with Daisy Conway. In 2008, she graduated from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts and opened her practice, Deep Alchemy Acupuncture. In 2012, she became a Reiki Master and is now certified to teach others. Ms. Burke enjoys sharing her clinical and life experiences as she guides and encourages students in their development. MAOM

Gregory M. Casey attended Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in Asheville, NC (2010-2014) where he earned his Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Degree. He also holds an Associate Degree in Mathematics and Sciences from SUNY: Adirondack (2007-2010). Greg is certified by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and is licensed to practice Chinese medicine in North Carolina. He has also practiced in the state of Rhode Island as a licensed Doctor of Acupuncture (2015-2016) where he provided home visits, private office treatments, and rendered more than 2200 treatments in a community acupuncture setting, along with teaching weekly qigong and Taijiquan classes.
His interest in Chinese medicine grew out of his life long love of nature and passion for martial arts and spiritual cultivation since a young age, and he has practiced Chinese and Daoist systems of gongfu including meditation, qigong and taijiquan since 2007, and has specialized in Wudang Sanfeng Pai Gongfu since 2011 having studied under Master Bing (15th generation priest) and Master Chen (14th generation priest).
Greg teaches public and private classes on Chinese medicine, meditation, qigong, & Wudang Gongfu through Mystic Dao. Greg has also been an avid gardener since his teens and has worked in the past as Daoist Traditions College Herbal Gardens Supervisor. He is a classically trained acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, and expert in applying a healing presence and providing qigong, lifestyle and dietary guidance for improved healing and wellness to his patients and students. Gregory draws heavily on the teachings of Master Jeffrey Yuen having attended more than 900 hours of lectures from the eminent Daoist master of Chinese medicine since 2010.
Greg currently teaches qigong to the masters degree program acupuncture students enrolled at Daoist Traditions College, and supervises interns learning to practice Chinese medicine at the college clinic. Greg practices many modalities of Chinese medicine including acupuncture, herbal medicine, food therapy, prescription qigong, acupressure massage, essential oils, stone medicine and providing lifestyle guidance.
In his free time, Greg relaxes with his wife Grace, hikes with his dog Odin, cleans up after his cat Macai, does dishes, continues studying with his teachers, and trains and practices what he teaches and preaches every day. Gregory has taught public and private classes and workshops on Daoist meditation, qigong, taijiquan and gongfu since 2008, and is currently (spring 2017) in the process of opening a full service Chinese medicine wellness clinic, Wudang Gongfu School and tea/lifestyle shop in Asheville, NC. MAOM

Mona Dinari received her Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Emperor’s College of Oriental Medicine in 2006 and is nationally certified in Oriental medicine. She is a practitioner of Tai Qi and Qi gong since 2002. She is a founder of Classical Chinese Medicine Clinic in Los Angeles, CA where she is integrating Chinese philosophy, Tai qi, Qi gong, meditation into her treatments. She has been studying extensively with Dr. Jeffrey Yuen since 2002 and has completed an extended Chinese Herbology and Advanced Acupuncture program with Jeffrey Yuen in New York City. Mona Dinari also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from USC and had a prior 7 year career in Software engineering. Currently her focus and interest is to continue her studies in Chinese philosophy and how that unfolds into the wellness aspect of Chinese medicine and to incorporate that into her practice and teachings. MAOM

Lori Fendell earned her BS at the SUNY Stony Brook as a Physician Assistant, and spent thirteen years as a P.A. in primary care, gynecology, emergency medicine, health education, AIDS research, and nutritional education. Ms. Fendell also worked at a large Cambodian refugee camp for one year doing medical training and supervising the clinic. This dramatically shifted her perspective on wellness and healing especially after exposure to traditional healing and herbalism. Ms. Fendell was inspired to return to study for her Master’s in Public Health (International Health) at the University of Hawaii in 1984. As a result of her introduction to acupuncture, she attended and graduated from the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia, MD, and has been in full‐time private practice since 1991 in Durham, NC. Ms. Fendell is a guest lecturer at Duke University Medical Center, UNC Chapel Hill and other university medical centers. MAOM

Josh Fox is an experienced guide to our local abundance of plant food and medicine incorporating his knowledge of Chinese medicine with nine years of Western herbal studies. He received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a MAOM from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts. Mr. Fox apprenticed with CoreyPine Shane and Joe Hollis and completed programs at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in Asheville and the American School of Herbalism in California. He also spent many summers working in herbal first‐aid clinics, receiving extensive training over the years from Sevensong and Frank Cook. Mr. Fox is a core faculty member of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine and a regular plant guide for No Taste Like Home, wild food tours. He frequently offers plant walks, workshops, and weekend retreats while maintaining his private practice, Fox Herbs & Acupuncture, in downtown Asheville. MAOM, CCHM

Mindy Gates received her BS in Nursing Science in 1997 from the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing. Since that time, Ms. Gates has worked as a registered nurse specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Her love for acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine began in 2001 while working as an assistant at the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic in Asheville. She earned her MAOM from Daoist Traditions in 2007. She continues her study of classical Chinese medicine with Jeffrey Yuen and the spirit of the medicine from a Five Element perspective with Lorie DeChar. Ms. Gates has been an advocate for bringing Chinese medicine to a wider audience by working with governments and institutions to establish professional licensing and credentials for acupuncturists. In addition to her work as an RN at Park Ridge Health, she is also the acupuncturist for that facility. She also maintains a private practice, Apotheca Acupuncture, in downtown Asheville. CL

Diane Gioioso received her Master’s degree and Certificate in Chinese Herbal Studies from the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture. She is nationally certified by the National Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) as a Diplomate in Acupuncture. Diane is certified in Shiatsu and Jin Shin Do by the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, California and has been a student of Jeffrey Yuen for over ten years. Diane has focused on acupuncture and energy healing, working with patients on self-cultivation and spiritual development. Before her studies of Chinese medicine, Diane performed professionally and taught classical music. MAOM/PD

Lorraine Harris received her Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 2001 and is nationally certified in Oriental medicine. Ms. Harris has specialized in women’s health and fertility during most of her practice in Asheville. She is a charter member of the Clinical Excellence of Fertility Professionals, an international organization of fertility specialists, started by fertility expert, Dr. Randine Lewis, and is a Fertile Soul clinic. She continues to study with Randine Lewis and Jeffrey Yuen. Prior to studying Chinese medicine, Ms. Harris’s other health‐related studies included nutrition, exercise physiology and biomedicine. Ms. Harris also holds a Master’s degree in business administration and had a prior career in marketing research. MAOM, CL

Joe Hollis received his BA degree from the UNC Chapel Hill in 1965. In 1972, he founded Mountain Gardens as a botanical garden of economic plants, specializing in Eastern North American and East Asian medicinals. Mountain Gardens cultivates several hundred Chinese herbs and incorporates a seed business, retail nursery, and herb shop/pharmacy, filling prescriptions and preparing tinctures and salves from Chinese and native herbs. Since 1980, Mr. Hollis has lectured, consulted, and taught workshops in herb cultivation and processing at Mountain Gardens, community colleges, and conferences. Mountain Gardens continues to pioneer Chinese herb cultivation in America, trialing several hundred species per year of seeds obtained from botanical gardens and research institutions in China and Japan. MAOM

Lissa Juedemann received her Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree from Daoist Traditions College in 2014. Prior to studying Chinese medicine she earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, Asheville in Anthropology and Documentary Photography. Since completing her MAOM degree, Lissa has focused her continuing education on the teachings of Jeffrey Yuen with special focus on the medicinal use of essential oils, including over two years further study of essential oils and their applications in Chinese medicine. Lissa is a practitioner/owner at Silver Leaf Natural Medicine in Asheville NC where she uses essential oils daily in her clinical practice. In addition to practicing Chinese medicine she manages the clinic’s large herbal pharmacy and complete essential oil pharmacy, and teaches essential oil classes for community members and healthcare providers. Lissa believes strongly in integrative healthcare and enjoys working with practitioners from all health care systems to provide patients with the most complete care possible. MAOM, CCHM

Donna Keefe earned her Masters of Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 1988. She continued post‐graduate studies while working in a hospital in Hainan, China in 1993, receiving a Certificate in ‘Bi Zheng and Scalp Acupuncture’. She is also certified as a Qi Gong instructor, integrating ancient therapeutic breathing and exercise techniques into her treatments. Ms. Keefe sat on the Board and was past Treasurer of the California Acupuncture Association. She currently teaches in the Departments of Oriental Medicine and Clinical Practice at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, CA. She is the Clinical Director of the Acupuncture Center of La Jolla and has been in private practice since 1989. Ms. Keefe is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and specializes in fertility and other women’s health care issues. MAOM

Phil Kosdan is one of the first of several hundred acupuncturists trained and practicing in the USA. He went to New England School of Acupuncture (NESA) and graduated after two years with a certificate in 1981. (This was prior to licensing laws and national boards and current credentialing.) He practiced in Vermont as a “Registered Acupuncturist” for thirteen years. After moving to North Carolina, he received his M.Ac. from New England School (1998) and has practiced as a licensed acupuncturist ever since.
Phil Kosdan also has a M.A. from Vermont College in Psychology/Philosophy of Science as well; and has an abiding interest in integrating medicines. He is President Emeritus of The North Carolina Association of Acupuncture; and, has served as President for three years in a time of a substantial reinvigoration of the association. He has taught introductory courses in the theory of Chinese Medicine at Central Carolina Community College, The Body Therapy Institute in Silk Hope, N.C. (a massage school), helped graduates of an acupuncture school pass their national boards, and tutored and mentored for several years those interested in learning about Chinese herbs. Phil Kosdan is also a published writer and is working on a book on integrated medicine, The Medicine of the Future, World Integrated Medicine. MAOM/PD, CL
nccommonhealth.com

Kristen Lambertin is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in the state of North Carolina and she is certified in Oriental Medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She completed her Master’s in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts where she had extensive training in both Classical and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has treated a wide variety of health complaints and has a special interest in chronic pain syndromes and autoimmune disorders.
Kristen has traveled extensively and was living in South Korea in the early 1990’s when she had her first acupuncture treatment and fell in love with Chinese Medicine. Since then, she has pursued careers and volunteer opportunities in which she can be of service to others. She worked as an Immigration Specialist for a local non-profit agency, volunteered as a Spanish-speaking doula for the Buncombe County Health Department, taught English as a second language in the U.S. and abroad, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Eritrea, Africa.
In her free time, Kristen enjoys spending time with her teenage son, taking long walks, and giving community presentations on the numerous health benefits of acupuncture and Chinese herbs. MAOM

Ta-Ya Lee received a doctorate in nursing, a master’s in public health and a master’s in business administration from Johns Hopkins University. She also received a master’s in acupuncture from Traditional Acupuncture Institute, now called Maryland University of Integrative Health. Ta-Ya is certified as an adult nurse practitioner, as well as certifications in acupuncture, Oriental medicine, and Chinese herbs. Lee now practices at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians at Canton Crossing, specializing in adult internal medicine, acupuncture, and Chinese herbs. Ta-Ya fluently speaks three languages – English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. MAOM/PD

After her basic medical school curriculum Dr. Randine Lewis received her MSOM at the American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 1998, interned in China, and received her PhD in alternative medicine from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine in India. Dr. Lewis has been a governing board member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, as well as medical expert for numerous online resources. She is the author of The Infertility Cure and The Way of the Fertile Soul, conducts intensive fertility retreats, and teaches workshops for practitioners internationally. Dr. Lewis is the founder of Eastern Harmony clinic in Houston, Texas, The Fertile Soul Retreat process, and the Continuing Excellence in Fertility Professionals Program. She has kept up a regular qi gong and meditative practice, and uses elemental self inquiry and body wisdom meditative and movement processes in her work. MAOM/PD, CL

Karen Litton has practiced Chinese medicine at the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic since 2008 following her graduation from Daoist Traditions. Prior to studying acupuncture, she worked as a massage therapist for twenty years, specializing in sports injuries. Ms. Litton also holds a degree in social work from Hunter College in New York, where she worked with mentally handicapped adults and their families. As a graduate of Daoist Traditions, Ms. Litton has a deep understanding of the program as a whole and is excited to be able to guide students through their coursework. She actively continues her studies in Chinese medicine with Jeffrey Yuen. MAOM

 Mary Cissy Majebé began her educational pursuits with a BA in Sociology from the University of New Orleans in 1975. She continued her education at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1980 where she received an MA in Exercise Physiology. She pursued her Ph.D. at the University of Virginia before deciding to attend the American College of Chinese Medicine, completing her studies in 1985 with a Master’s in Chinese Medicine. In 1990, she received her O.M.D. degree from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine.
Since that time Dr. Majebé has undertaken numerous internships in both Korea and China. Her areas of focus in these post-graduate studies have focused on Internal Medicine. Dr. Majebé has a deep fondness for working in the fields of pediatrics and oncology.
Dr. Majebé began studying with Master Jeffrey Yuen, an 88 th generation Daoist priest, from the Jade Purity Traditions in 1998. His influence planted the seeds fort Dr. Majebé and a group of like-minded individuals to establish Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in 2003. Daoist Traditions has been one of the leaders in Chinese Medicine education in the U.S. She has served as president since inception.
In 1985, Dr. Majebé founded the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic in Asheville, NC. She was the first chair of the North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board (NCALB) and was instrumental in helping to write the laws governing the practice of acupuncture in North Carolina. Currently Dr. Majebé is once again serving as chair of the NCALB. MAOM

Junie Norfleet holds a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine, in Santa Fe, NM. Prior to attending the International Institute of Chinese Medicine, she completed a one‐year tutorial in 1996 with Dr. Mary C. Majebé. She has practiced acupuncture at the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic in Asheville, NC, since 1999. Before studying acupuncture, she served for ten years as office manager at the Asheville clinic. Ms. Norfleet also holds a BA in Early Childhood Education from the UNC Greensboro and a MEd from Western Carolina University. She taught in the North Carolina public schools for ten years, as well as at Asheville Country Day School and Asheville‐Buncombe Community Technical College. Ms. Norfleet has taught Qi Gong since 2000 and is continuing her studies in classical Chinese medicine with Jeffrey Yuen. MAOM

Russ Palmeri has a Bachelor in Science in Chemistry. He studied physical chemistry at UC Berkeley before going to medical school at Georgetown University. He completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency at Georgetown University Hospital, where he served his chief year with a special appointment to the teaching faculty. Russ practiced OB GYN with the Public Health Service South Hill, VA, and later in private practice in Goldsboro, NC. He taught residents from UNC Greenville during his appointment to Wayne Memorial Hospital, as well as taking charge of Continuing Medical Education for the hospital. He has been teaching Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Humanities at AB Tech Community College since 2005. MAOM/PD

Charles Pannell earned a BFA in drawing and painting from University of Georgia in 1998 and worked as an Exhibition Preparator at the Georgia Museum of Art, while also exhibiting original watercolor paintings of native plants and landscapes around the Southeast. During this time, he became increasingly interested in body movement arts, eventually focusing on the Chinese Internal Arts and training closely with R. Allen Pittman in martial arts and bodywork. He earned his MAOM from Daoist Traditions in 2011. Mr. Pannell practices classical Chinese medicine at Black Mountain Integrative Care in Black Mountain, NC, with a focus on preventive medicine and teaches community classes in Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and herbal medicine. He continues to cultivate the integration of nature, art, philosophy, and medicine as a discipline. MAOM, CL, CCHM

Tracy Peck studied acupuncture, bodywork, Taijiquan & Qigong at the Bio-Balance Institute from 1981-1986. He then attended and graduated from the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia, Maryland in 1990. Tracy co-founded East Gate Healing Arts in Greensboro in 1990 and has had a fulltime acupuncture & Chinese medicine practice there since. He has had a life-long interest in Daoist philosophy, mysticism and Internal Alchemy, all of which sparked his initial interest in Chinese Medicine. Tracy is a certified teacher and healer in several Wudang Pai Qigong forms and in the Emei Linji tradition as well. He is a 26th generation Daoist Initiate in the Longmen Pai (Dragon Gate School) and a 15^th generation Initiate in the SanFeng Pai tradition, from Wudang Mountain, under Master Yun Xiang Tseng. He has also been a senior student and Qigong teaching assistant of Master Yong Zhou since 1995 and continues his education in Classical Chinese Medicine with Daoist Priest Jeffrey Yuen. MAOM

Mary has been studying Chinese medicine for 11 years and attended Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts in Asheville, North Carolina from 2008-2012, where she earned her Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree. Mary is certified by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and licensed to practice Chinese medicine in North Carolina. Her interest in Chinese medicine grew out of a passion for gardening. Before studying Chinese medicine Mary worked for Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens to learn to grow Chinese medicinal herbs. Her interest in botany and herbal preparation continued after completing her studies at Daoist Traditions. She was involved with a farmers cooperative focused on growing Chinese medicine herbs in Western North Carolina. Currently, she is involved with community gardens. Her private practice, Longevity Acupuncture & Apothecary is located in the Blue Ridge mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. The mountains’ strength and wisdom provide a beautiful home for her practice, which promotes and nourished a full life so that the body and spirit may feel light and free. Her longevity philosophy of Chinese medicine is also symbolized by 9 mountaintops, each peak representing major themes we move through in our lifetime: health, wealth, abundance, relationship, creativity, travel, career, wisdom, and finally reaching a sense of peace and completion. Her specialties are mental and emotional well being and neurology.
Mary has studied qi gong, tai chi and sword forms in the US with Gregory Casey, Master Bing and Master Chen from the Wudang tradition. She has also completed numerous lectures by Jeffrey Yuen on favorite topics including the roots of Chinese herbal medicine, tree spirit medicine, and numerous other topics on healing since 2008. These studies have enriched a personal exploration of understanding Daoism in a modern era and longevity practices. MAOM, CCHM
Research project on topics of Daoism
Video on Longevity Acupuncture & Apothecary
Medicinal herb growers cooperative

Evan Rabinowitz is the program manager of the Chinese Herbs Graduate Certificate program at Maryland University of Integrative Health. He is a former faculty member of the Chinese Herbal Medicine department at the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Gainesville, FL. Mr. Rabinowitz holds a Master’s degree in Acupuncture and a graduate Certificate in Chinese Herbs from Tai Sophia. He apprenticed with Thea Elijah for several years, after completing his initial training. For the past decade, Mr. Rabinowitz has studied with Jeffrey Yuen, completing graduate certificates in Chinese Herbal Medicine and Advanced Acupuncture. His undergraduate degree is from George Washington University, where he studied Eastern philosophies and comparative religion. Mr. Rabinowitz is the founder of the Yao Shan Center for Chinese Medicine in Washington, DC. MAOM

Kathy Robinson graduated from UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine in 1989. She did her residency in family medicine at Duke University. She worked in private practices in Cary, NC and Durham, NC, and then went on to teach in the family medicine residency program at Duke. In 1998 she moved back to her hometown of Asheville. Since then she has worked in public health, first at the Buncombe County Health Department and presently at WNC Community Health Services. Dr. Robinson teaches healthcare at local prisons, serves on the Ethics Committee of Mission Hospital and volunteers at Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry medical clinic. She is a past president of Asheville Toastmasters and loves to read and garden. MAOM/PD

Connie Ross completed her undergraduate work in Chemistry at Furman University in 1981 and received her MD degree at the University of South Carolina in 1985. She completed her residency in 1998 in Family Medicine in the Greenville, SC hospital system. She began a private family medicine practice in 1988. From 1989 to 1998, Dr. Ross worked in emergency medicine. During this time, Dr. Ross coordinated training programs for medical personnel in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Pediatric Life Support. She also taught resident physicians in training for family practice. Dr. Ross continues to pursue education by taking courses in nutritional and integrative medical support for health care issues. MAOM/PD

Peter Shea earned his BA in Secondary Education in 1992. He graduated from the American Institute of Massage Therapy in Fort Lauderdale, FL, in 1996. He received his MS in Oriental Medicine in 2003 from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in Santa Fe, NM. Mr. Shea ran his own practice in Western NY, specializing in orthopedic conditions, from 2003‐2008 before selling his practice and moving to the Blue Ridge Mountains. He has pursued extra training in Qi Gong, Tui Na, Daoist philosophy and Northern Wu Tai Chi and actively explores the relationship between movement arts and spirituality. He continues his studies with Jeffrey Yuen. MAOM, CCHM, CL

Dov Shoneman began his Chinese medicine studies in 2000 with a three and a half year apprenticeship with Lesley Tierra, Lic. Ac., which led to becoming licensed to practice acupuncture in California since 2005. He also completed an apprenticeship with Christopher Hobb’s, Ph.D., in Western herbal medicine, giving him a unique background in both Western and Eastern herbs and treatment. Returning to school, he completed an internship at Zhejiang TCM University in Hangzhou, China, and earned a master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University in Santa Cruz, CA. Mr. Shoneman has taught at Five Branches University, the American School of Herbalism, the national American Herbalist Guild conference, Lesley and Michael Tierra’s East West correspondence courses, and the Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism. He has a private practice in West Asheville and continues his training in Chinese medicine and Western herbal traditions. MAOM, CL

Callan Welder earned a BS degree as a Naturalist from Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC in 2000. The love of nature and the outdoors led him into wilderness therapy education and ski patrolling in the Montana Rockies. The power of Chinese Medicine became his calling after suffering a traumatic back injury while skiing. Since then, Mr. Welder has earned a massage therapy license from the Center for Massage & Natural Health in 2009 and a MAOM from Daoist Traditons in 2014. Mr. Welder is also a certified Wu Dang Qi Gong instructor under Master Yun Xiang Tseng (know as “Wu Dang Chen”), Daoist Priest and healer. Mr. Welder owns Marshall Acupuncture & Herb Clinic in Marshall, NC and enjoys serving his community with Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Daoist Healing Arts. CL

Jennifer Williams completed her Ph.D. in Counseling Studies at Capella University and earned her M.S in Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences in the California Bay area.  She is on faculty at Walter Reed where she teaches herbs and nutrition to senior pain management providers of the Army, Navy, Airforce, and Veterans Administration.  Dr. Williams has published articles, contributed to books, and participated in research.  She worked for the U.S. Army as an acupuncturist, researcher, and educator.  As a national and international National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine professional development activity partner, Dr. Williamsis committed to providing quality preapproved continuing education.  She has a small Chinese Medical Practice north of Asheville, North Carolina where she specializes in chronic pain with comorbid conditions, complex presentations, and difficult diseases.  In her mountain property, she grows herbs, mushrooms, and tea. MAOM, CL

Ann Wolman earned her BS in History at the University of Colorado. In 1987, she earned a professional teaching certificate and taught secondary school for five years. She graduated from the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1996 and began practicing in Denver and Boulder, CO. She maintained a private practice specializing in Women’s Health Fu Ke (Chinese Medicine OB/GYN) and Tieh Tah (martial arts injury treatment and prevention). After completing an extensive internship with Amelia Greacan in Japanese Acupuncture, she integrated this approach into her practice. She has studied and taught martial arts for 25 years. MAOM, CCHM, CL

Jeffrey Yuen, is an 88th generation Daoist Priest of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai (Jade Purity School, Yellow Emperor/ Lao Tzu Sect), ordained by Master Yu Wen, and 26th generation of the Quan Zhen Long Men Pai (Complete Reality School, Dragon Gate Sect), ordained by Master Lu Xin‐Xu. Mr. Yuen is recognized internationally to be a Master of classical Chinese medicine, daoism, Tai Ji Chuan, and Qi Gong. Mr. Yuen trained under his adoptive grandfather, the late Daoist Master Yu Wen (1872‐1981) of the Yu Qing Huang Lao Pai, a sect from the Shang Qing tradition of Daoism. Having a strong resonance with Daoist teachings, Mr. Yuen studied extensively under Master Yu Wen and was allowed to openly practice and serve the community when he was 16 years old. Mr. Yuen also studied Chinese herbal medicine with Master Gong Song‐Liu, a eunuch for the last two emperors of the Qing Dynasty who apprenticed with the Imperial Medical Academy physicians. In the martial arts arena, Mr. Yuen trained under many eminent masters. Among these masters are Leung Shum (Northern Eagle Claw), Lo Ching‐Sum (Vietnamese Jing Wu Association), Chan Hai‐Fu (White Crane’s Eagle‐In‐Cotton), Chan Tai Shan (Tibetan Lama Style), Yao Mei‐Hua (Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan), Wang Qing Shan (Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan), and Cui Yan (Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan). Mr. Yuen believes that he can contribute to the practice of Chinese medicine by spreading the traditions of classical Chinese medicine. In that regards, he continues to teach extensively throughout the United States and abroad. He has been a member of the faculty of Daoist Traditions since 2003. MAOM/PD

Weixing Zhao graduated in 1983 from Hubei College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Wuhan City, China, after five years of study. He then became a teacher and Chinese Medical Doctor, working in the schools and teaching hospital for ten years. In 1991, he moved to Tel Aviv, Israel, where for the next six years he was a faculty member and clinic supervisor at the Israeli College of Complementary Medicine. In 2000, he moved to Minnesota where he opened his own private practice. Prior to his arrival at Daoist Traditions, he was a faculty member and Clinical Director at the Atlantic University of Chinese Medicine in Mars Hill, NC, for four years. He joined the faculty of Daoist Traditions in 2006 and maintains a private practice in Asheville. MAOM, CCHM