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

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

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

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

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

Sarah Girard began studying Chinese dietary therapy in 1999. After graduating from Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine in 2005 she opened a private practice in Winston‐Salem, NC. She also taught at Forsyth Technical Community College Massage School for four years. In 2009 she completed an extended Chinese Dietary Therapy Program through the Chinatown Wellness Center in New York City with Jeffery Yuen, adding to 300 post‐graduate hours with Yuen in Chronic Painful Obstruction (Bi Syndrome); Endocrinology; Cancer; Channel Systems of Acupuncture and Stone Medicine. She is now both clinical instructor and regular presenter at Jung Tao’s Grand Rounds Clinique modules. MAOM, CCHM, CL

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

Jenna Hayworth is the founder of Tri-Cities Acupuncture & Wellness, where she has practiced Chinese medicine since graduating from Daoist Traditions in 2009. Ms. Hayworth believes that education is the greatest gift that she can share with her clients, and she often speaks with community groups on the topics of nutrition and self‐care. In addition, she is a frequent guest lecturer for the Mind‐Body‐Spirit Healing class at East Tennessee State University’s School of Nursing. Close ties to the academic community offer Ms. Hayworth the opportunity to guide and mentor new healthcare practitioners, as well as to cultivate her own knowledge of complementary and holistic medicine concepts. She is deeply honored to return to Daoist Traditions as a member of the faculty. MAOM

Joshua Herr pursued undergraduate studies at Warren Wilson College with interests in agriculture and natural science. He received his MS in Acupuncture and Certificate in Herbal Medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington, in 2000. While studying at Bastyr, he managed and expanded the university’s medicinal herb garden, introducing over 80 species of Chinese medicinal plants. Mr. Herr completed this phase of his studies by traveling to Seoul, Korea, to study at Kyung Hee University. From 2000‐2004, he provided health services in an integrated healing center in Seattle, WA, working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals. He moved to Asheville, NC in 2004 and became a faculty member at the Atlantic University of Chinese Medicine. In 2006, Mr. Herr joined the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic and became an instructor at Daoist Traditions. He continues his studies in classical Chinese medicine with Jeffrey Yuen and Dr. Richard Tan. MAOM

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

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

After completing basic medical school curriculum at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, Dr. Lewis finished her studies at the American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 1998; interned in China in 1999; and, received her PhD in alternative medicine from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine in India in 2001. Dr. Lewis has been a professional member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, as well as the residing medical expert on HowToMakeAFamily.com and About.com’s infertility site. She is the author of The Infertility Cure and The Way of the Fertile Soul and teaches workshops and retreats on fertility enhancement across the country. Dr. Lewis is the founder of Eastern Harmony clinic in Houston, Texas, and the Continuing Excellence in Fertility Professionals Program. 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

Susan Lorentzen has dedicated her life to improving the lives of others. She completed massage therapy training at the Blue Sky Education Foundation in 1994 and received Hatha yoga certification at the Southwest Institute of the Healing Arts in 1997. Ms. Lorentzen earned her MS in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in 2004. From 1993 to 2011 she was in private practice in Franklin, WI providing Chinese medical services and private yoga instruction. Ms. Lorentzen was an instructor at the Milwaukee School of Massage and the Lakeside School of Massage in Milwaukee, WI. MAOM, CL

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 where she received an MA in Exercise Physiology in 1980. 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. In 1985, Dr. Majebe founded the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic in Asheville, NC. She was the first chair of the North Carolina Acupuncture Licensing Board and was instrumental in helping to write the laws governing the practice of acupuncture in North Carolina. Dr. Majebe has continued her study of Chinese medicine in China and Korea and in classical Chinese medicine with Jeffrey Yuen. 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

Theresa Oursler is a family nurse practitioner. She graduated from Georgetown University in 1978. She received her master’s degree in nursing from Western Carolina University’s Family Nurse Practitioner Program in 2002. Ms. Oursler has worked in primary care and public health. She is currently employed as a primary care provider at Western Carolina Community Health Services. She has enjoyed mentoring numerous master’s level students since 2002. She is a participant in WNCCHS’ postgraduate residency program for mid-level providers. Ms. Oursler is a founding member of the Asheville Mushroom Club and has taught courses on mushroom identification and cooking with wild mushrooms for more than 30 years. 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

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. CL

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

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, CCHM

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

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, 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.CL

Josephine K. Spilka received her MS in Oriental Medicine from Samra University in Los Angeles in 1994. Ms. Spilka is currently licensed to practice Chinese medicine in North Carolina, California, and Vermont. Recently, she expanded her love of Chinese medicine to learning Chinese language, living in Taiwan for a year and traveling in China. Ms. Spilka has been studying classical Chinese medicine with Jeffrey Yuen since 1999. MAOM, CCHM, CL

David Treviño competed his undergraduate work in Biomedical Science at Texas A&M University in 1986. He continued his education and received his Master’s degree in Physical Education in the area of human health and performance form the University of Houston in 1996. Mr. Treviño worked as an exercise physiologist at Harvard’s affiliate Mind and Body Medical Institute Cardiac Rehabilitation program in Houston, Texas from 2000‐2006. In 2002, he earned his MS in Oriental Medicine from the American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Houston, Texas. He joined the staff of the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic and the faculty of Daoist Traditions in 2006. In 2011, Mr. Treviño returned to Houston for two years where he was a faculty member at the American College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and an acupuncturist at MD Anderson’s Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine program and the outpatient pain and rehabilitation clinic at Memorial Hermann Hospital. He relocated back to Asheville in 2013 and resumed his acupuncture practice and his faculty position at Daoist Traditions. MAOM, CCHM, 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

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