2012 Teachers
Ramona Moore Big Eagle is an internationally recognized storyteller, oral historian, teacher and Legend Keeper of the Tuscarora Nation of NC. A winner of numerous awards and recognitions she travels throughout the US and Canada as a motivational speaker, cultural educator, corporate consultant, and workshop facilitator. Her stories often relate to the Native American Indian oral tradition, culture and history. She uses authentic artifacts, craft, music and dance during her performances.
Kathleen Maier, AHG, PA, has been a practicing herbalist for over twenty years. She is currently director of Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, VA which hosts a three year community herbalist training program as well as other classes and internationally known guest lecturers. Her training as a Physician’s Assistant allows her to translate the language of medicine and ground it in the wisdom of the age-old, earth-centered practices. She is very active with United Plant Savers.
ALisa Starkweather, is a women's transformational leader, well known for her inspirational message of empowerment, healing, community, and ritual. She is founder of the women’s mystery school, Priestess Path, the Women’s Belly and Womb Conferences, Daughters of the Earth Gatherings and the co-founder of the international women’s initiation, Women in Power; Initiating Ourselves to the Predator Within. She has three recordings of her chants and launched the Red Tent Temple Movement which is now in 24 states and 4 countries.
Bevin Clare, MS, RH(AHG) is a clincial herbalist, nutritionist,
teacher, and Chair of the Herbal Division of the Master of Science
in Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia Institute. She is also
adjunct faculty at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and
a guest researcher at the National Institutes of Health. She
holds an MS in Infectious Disease from the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Bevin serves on the board of
directors of the United Plant Savers and the American Herbalists
Guild.
Justina Prenatt is a mother to teenaged sons, a midwife, mediator, and a professional counselor. She is an advocate and activist for local food security, social justice, healthcare reform, and women and family rights. Justina writes and performs poetry and facilitates public and personal ritual in a hybrid, holistic, Earth-based tradition of love for the natural world, humanity, creativity, and the power of transitions and seasonal change.
Aviva Romm, MD, herbalist, midwife is a highly respected expert in botanical medicine, childbirth, and women’s and children’s health. She practiced as a homebirth midwife and herbalist for over 20 years before becoming a Yale-trained MD. She is the author of the now classic books, The Natural Pregnancy Book and Naturally Healthy Babies and Children and the more recent, award-winning book Botanical Medicine for Women's Health.
Monica Corrado, MA, CNC, is a traditional food chef and holistic Certified Nutritional Consultant. She is the author of With Love from Grandmother’s Kitchen: Traditional Cooking Techniques for Well-Being, an adjunct professor at Tai Sophia Institute, and owns an organic catering company. Monica has appeared on public television speaking on the issue of children and nutrition, is involved in the White House Chefs Move! to Schools initiative and was featured on the front page of the Washington Post Food Section.
Kim Duckett, Ph.D.,Pr. has been teaching Women’s Studies in university settings for nearly 30 years. She is the founder and spiritual director of WHISPER: Land of the Sky Chapter of RCG-I, in Asheville, North Carolina, where she offers classes, circles, rituals, and a Sacred Mystery School for Women. Kim received her Ph.D. from The Union Institute in Women’s Studies/Feminist Theory and Transpersonal and Spiritual Psychology, with an emphasis in Goddess and Women’s Spirituality and Ritual.
Dr. Jody Noé is a licensed naturopathic physician in practice for over 15 years. She is currently an assistant professor for the University of Bridgeport’s College of Naturopathic Medicine teaching both the basic and clinical sciences and is a published natural medicine researcher. Dr. Noé has a private practice in Westerly, Rhode Island, specializing in family medicine, cancer, and chronic disease. Dr. Noé is also educated as an Ethnobotanist, specifically in Cherokee medicine.
Dani Cook is a poet, author, performer, and spoken word artist. With a knack for asking the hard questions in life, Dani’s sometimes angry, frequently emotional, always honest poetry and performance demonstrate her expansive talents. As a woman, mother, ex-wife, veteran, and domestic violence survivor, Dani has learned that not only is life not fair, but you don’t get a do-over. With that in mind, Dani shares to maintain her sanity, possibly make some sense of reality, show others they aren’t alone in their experiences, and hopefully, grow together.
Emily Ruff is a community herbalist, author, health educator, urban homesteader, and the Director of the Florida School of Holistic Living. She is an international speaker, avid gardener, and is currently serving her local community as a board member of the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative and of Slow Food Orlando. She is an active member of UpS and focuses much of her current research and publication efforts on biodynamics, bioregionalism, and biorhythmic-influenced cultivation and healing.
Holly Bellebuono is a 17th-year traditional and certified herbalist, an expert forager, award-winning formulator and apothecary, writer, women's natural health specialist, and a certified professional coach. She is author of The Essential Herbal for Natural Health and the slide documentary Our Healing Heritage: Celebrating World Medicine Tradition and Women Healers. She operates Vineyard Herbs Teas & Apothecary LLC as well as two women's coaching programs: a 9-Week Program, and a 1-Year Soulful Mentoring Program.
Robin Rose Bennett is a writer, herbalist, teacher, author and wisewoman who loves the earth and gives voice to the healing wild food and medicine plants which surround us. Her teachings focus on the WiseWoman Healing Ways of Herbal Medicine and EarthSpirit teachings. She is the author of Healing Magic : A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living.
Susan DeLaney, ND, has been in private practice for 22 years in Carrboro, NC with a focus on nutrition and homeopathy. She began her adventure in health care as a nurse and then graduated from National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1984, and spent time in India studying Homeopathy. For the past 15 years Susan has helped to organize and run The Wellness Alliance a group of health care practitioners offering traditional and alternative care.
Suki Roth is a Community Herbalist and Educator in the Piedmont of North Carolina. Years ago she co-founded the Piedmont School of Herbal Studies which has transformed into a sought after Wise Woman Apprenticeship Program. Her greatest teachers are the plants themselves, communicating to her their unique gifts during plant meditation. Her line of teas and tinctures, Suki's Blends, are a natural extension of the plant knowledge received. Growing, exploring, and communicating her love for plants is her life's passion.
Sierra Hollister is a certified yoga teacher in both Kundalini and Ashtanga yoga and has been teaching in Asheville for fourteen years. It is her deepest hope to uplift and empower others to return to the vitality, health, and happiness that is their birthright. Sierra is an environmental and political activist and co-owns Sundance Power Systems, a local renewable energy business. She lives with her family on a beautiful mountain farm in Western North Carolina.
Mimi Hernandez, MS, RH(AHG) is an herbal educator whose courses balance traditional reverence with scientific understanding and intuitive awareness. She is the Coordinator of the Appalachian Center for Ethnobotanical Studies at Frostburg State University in the mountains of Maryland and the Founder of the One World Healing Arts Institute.
Patricia Kyritsi Howell, RH (AHG) is the author
of Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians and
director of BotanoLogos, an herb school in northeast Georgia
that emphasizes the edible and medicinal plants of the Southern
Appalachians. She is co-owner of Wild Crete, a travel company
that offers travel seminars on native herbs, wildflowers and
traditional cuisines on the Greek island of Crete.
Laurel Mamet is a gifted healer, and teacher of the spiritual arts whose life focus has been to understand the energetics of the body. She has over 30 years of training with master healers in such arts as dance, massage, cranial-sacral therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and esoteric healing. Laurel is in private practice as well as the Dean of Education and senior faculty for the Inner Focus School for Advanced Energy Healing.
Lupo Passero is an herbalist, flower essences practitioner, and natural products specialist. Intimately connected with the plant world, her practice and classes focus primarily on herbal and natural remedies for the family including herbs for woman, men, children and teens. Lupo spent over a decade developing a deep relationship to the diverse medicinal plants of the Appalachians Mountains of North Carolina. She is now a community herbalist and educator in the Northeast where she continues to teach about the wonders of herbal medicine.
Juliet Blankespoor has been sharing her love of plants by teaching about medicinal herbs and botany for over 16 years. She owns the Chestnut Herb Nursery specializing in medicinal and native plants and is the director and primary instructor of the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, which offers all-outdoor, hands-on herb courses. Her training includes a B.S. in Botany and programs at the NE School of Botanical Medicine, the California School of Herbal Studies, and the SW School of Botanical Medicine.
Jessica Godino, L.Ac., co-founder of Red Moon Herbs and graduate of the wise woman herbal training with Susun Weed, is a Asheville-based licensed acupuncturist and herbal teacher at the Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism. She aspires to bring the perspective and wisdom of eastern herbalism to deepen an understanding of western herbs.
Amoke Awele Kubat is a teacher, artist, writer, and elder who partners with community artists, activists and organizations to bring African/African American culture through art, storytelling and education to women. Amoke is the CEO and owner of Respondability, Inc the umbrella entity for the emerging YO MAMA – The Mothering Mothers Institute and Living Womb Ceremonies (for self discovery and healing through ritual). As a birth to five Early Childhood and K-12 Special Education teacher for almost 30 years, has been involved in empowering families since 1987.
Corinna Wood has opened the hearts of thousands
to the wisdom of the plants and their own bodies. She is director
of Red Moon Herbs, making herbal medicines from fresh, local
plants, with a focus on women's health. Corinna's background
includes an extensive apprenticeship with Susun Weed in 1993
as well as a B.S. in Biology. Corinna is certified as an herbalist,
a fertility awareness teacher, and also in permaculture design.
Corinna lives with her family at Earthaven Ecovillage, an intentional
community in Black Mountain, NC.
Ceara Foley is the director of the Southeast's oldest herbal studies school;
Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism, where she also teaches. Ceara is vice president of NC Plant Savers and president of the NC Natural Products Association board. A certified herbalist and beekeeper, Ceara is steward of Soulflower Botanical Sanctuary in Leicester, NC, where she has empowered adults and children to honor their inner and outer environments for over a decade.
Anyaa McAndrew is a psychotherapist and teacher with 31 years experience in the sacred work of emotional, sexual, and spiritual healing. She’s facilitated The Shamanic Priestess Process ™, the Sexual Priestess Process™ and the Shamanic Magdalene Mysteries™ around the US and in Costa Rica, integrating a lifetime of therapeutic work with women. Anyaa is also a Master Shamanic Astrologer, Shamanic Breathwork Practitioner, Sacred Sexuality Educator, and Imago Couples Therapist.
Kelley Wolfe, Ph.D., is a sexologist, was the lead educator for the sex education program in the Asheville county and city school systems from 1993 to 1998 as well as an adjunct professor at UNC Asheville from 1995-2010 where she taught Women’s Health, Health and Sexuality, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and Health Promotion and Wellness. Kelley is a tireless advocate for a positive sexual education that is free of negativity, ignorance, and bias.
Byron Ballard is a writer, ritualist and urban homesteader in Asheville, NC. She offers workshops and lectures on traditional mountain culture and Goddess spirituality, and is one of the founders of Mother Grove Temple. She was featured at the 2007 "Forging Folklore" conference at Harvard and presented at the Association for the Study of Women and Mythology in 2010. Her writing has appeared in both print and online and she blogs for the Asheville Citizen-Times.
Rebecca Chaplin serves as a Somatic Sexologist, Shamanic Priestess, Reiki Master, Cranial Sacral Therapist, Intrinsic Coach and Gerontologist. She is gifted with integrating her talents and trainings to support our intrinsic self-healing nature. Rebecca was born and received a BS in Communication in upstate New York. She received an MA at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She has lived and worked in the US, England and Canada and now happily resides in Asheville, NC.
Charli Vogt has been teaching and guiding people to whole health with her infectious enthusiasm and extensive knowledge for more than 35 years. She teaches on a wide range of topics such as healthy eating, healthy cooking, herbal therapy, aromatherapy, energy healing, Nonviolent Communication (as taught by Marshall Rosenberg) and mind/body medicine. Charli holds advanced degrees in Nursing and Public Health, which offers an excellent vantage point to see the worlds of both alternative and conventional healing.
Sajit Greene, M.A. has a Master’s in Dance/Movement Therapy from Naropa University. She awakened to her own inner “dance” through sitting meditation practice, in 1980. Following this spontaneous discovery, she embarked on a personal journey of emotional healing. Now, with 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist and expressive arts facilitator, Sajit maintains a coaching practice in Asheville. She assists women in reconnecting with their bodies, reclaiming their power, and reigniting their sexual passion.
Demetria Clark is a traditionally trained Herbalist, Aromatherapist, Midwife and Doula living in NC, with her husband and two unschooled teenaged sons. In 1998 She founded Heart of Herbs Herbal School, teaching herbalism all over the world, to students from every continent. This program gave birth to Birth Arts International, the largest holistic doula, cbe and postpartum doula training program in the world. Demetria is also the Author of Herbal Healing for Children.
Dawn Gates is an herbalist, aromatherapist, registered nurse, and a medicine woman of the Cherokee tribe. Her interest in Herbalism began when her Native American grandmother taught her to dye objects and create simple medicines with local plants. Dawn has a private practice in central Florida and runs the Live Oak School of Natural Healing. She lectures both locally and nationally and is a member of the AHG, UpS, the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA).
Katie Haleyis the founder of CosmicFlower Aromatherapy Inc. and has trained thousands of health care practitioners in the art & science of aromatherapy since 1997. Katie is also a licensed massage therapist, esthetician, and received her medical aromatherapy certification in France. She studied Ayurvedic Medicine in India and her first book "A Diamond for India" was published in 2011 by Peppertree Press.
Rising Appalachia’s eerie banjo originals, gritty lyrics, and effortless harmonies are created by sisters, Chloe and Leah, who each play some combination of vocals, fiddle, banjo, jaw harp, kalimba, and spoons. Born to a fiddlin’ mother and a folk-sculptor father, they were raised with old-time mountain melodies. Other influences include the underground hip hop and spoken word movements of the urban South.
Kristen Arant is a drummer, musician, teacher, and organizer. She is the founder of the Young Women’s Drumming Empowerment Project - a DC-based non-profit that gives rise to young women’s self esteem, creative self-expression and positive development through drumming, poetry, movement, song and performance. She travels internationally bringing healing through the drum.
Sandi Ford has been working with plants for beauty, food, and medicine for over twenty years. She teaches at the North Carolina School of Holistic Herbalism and maintains a small clinical practice in Asheville. An avid gardener, Sandi teaches that it is our daily relationship with the plants as food, medicine, and friends that is truly healing.
