Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium 2025

Lodging and Meals

Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center
91 N Lakeshore Drive
Lake Junaluska, North Carolina 28785

With stunning mountain views, walking trails, and a historic lakefront, Lake Junaluska provides the perfect setting for renewal, community and connection. Attendees will find inspiration in its natural beauty and welcoming atmosphere.

Lodging packages with 6 meals included start at $235/night. There are various lodging options to meet your needs.

Note: If the Lake Junaluska reservation system states that they are full, please contact us to let us know, so we can reserve more rooms! Also, if you need Thursday lodging, please call Lake Junaluska’s Reservation line at 800-222-4930.

Register for lodging and meals online.

Keynote Address with Kiva Rose, Herbalist and Author

Title: Entering The Mysterium: Healing Through Wonder and the Living World
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 8:00 – 9:30 PM
Open to all attendees.

In this transformative keynote, Kiva Rose explores the profound interplay between the natural world and human healing. Drawing on decades of herbal practice and ecological immersion, she delves into the numinous beauty of plants—not merely as tools but as partners in an intricate dance of connection and wonder.

Kiva invites attendees to move beyond reductionist views of the materia medica, embracing plants as agents of enchantment and transformation. With vivid stories from her wilderness apothecary and personal reflections from her practice, she reveals how the sensory and spiritual dimensions of plant work bridge the mundane and the sacred. This talk reawakens our intrinsic bond to the more-than-human world, offering a path toward ecological harmony, personal wellness, and the healing truths of mystery itself. Attendees will leave inspired to rediscover the awe and interconnectedness at the heart of the green world, emboldened to carry its healing gifts into their lives and practices.

Friday Pre-Symposium Intensive with Wendy Warner, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

Title: Menopause as a Neuroinflammatory and Hormonal Event
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 1:00 – 5:15 PM
Place: Lake Junaluska Conference Center
Cost: $89
Open only to registered conference participants.

Continuing Education:

• Pending Approval for 2 General + 2 Pharmacy credits (OBNM)
• Pending Approval for 4 PDA (PE-CW) for acupuncturists (NCCAOM)
• Pending Approval for 4 Prescribed Credits (AAFP)

Description: For a very long time, the focus around menopause has been hormone balancing.  This is important, but it misses so much!  Menopausal changes are instigated by hormone shifts, yes, but not confined to them.  Our brains re-wire themselves and our immune function goes into hyperdrive.  Both of these responses are driven by inflammation.  In our time together during this workshop, we’ll review the current science of menopausal changes, from brain chemistry (including our understanding of the genesis of hot flashes) to shifts in immune drivers and how to modulate all of it.  We’ll review the beauty of traditional forms of herbal therapies for the change and how they, without realizing it, often “covered” areas we now find as vital to women traversing this time.  We’ll also focus on additional avenues of balancing that will help women feel more themselves and avoid long term health outcomes.

Friday Field Study with David Winston, RH (AHG)

Title: Ethnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study
Date: Friday, May 16, 2024
Time: 10 AM – 3 PM
Cost: $79
Location: Lake Junaluska Conference Center
Open only to registered symposium participants. 35 person limit.
Continuing Education: Application to be submitted to NCCAOM for 5 hours. Sorry, OBNM and AAFP do not provide credit for herb walks.

Description: Join this perennial outdoor favorite for a day with David Winston. Examine the unique flora of the southeastern mountains and hear stories of creation and the origin of medicine. Discover how the medicine, food and useful materials provided by the plants have nurtured the Native peoples and Appalachian settlers for millennia. Explore the healing power of the herbs, the water, the earth, the trees, and how you can make them a part of your life. This event fills every year, so please register early! Limit 35 participants.

 Monday Gaia Herbs Farm Tour

Date: Monday, May 19, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Gaia Herbs Farm
101 Gaia Herbs Drive, Brevard, NC 28712
Hosts: Susan Hirsch, Gaia Herbs Formulation Manager and Kate Renner, Gaia Herbs Director of Farm Operations
Cost: Free
Open only to registered conference participants. 40 person limit; first come, first serve. Gaia Herbs will maintain a waitlist and confirm final numbers by Saturday afternoon, May 17th. 

Join us for a special post-conference tour of the Gaia Herbs Farm! Located in Brevard, NC, Gaia Herbs’ Regenerative Organic CertifiedTM Farm is home to 350 beautiful acres of farmland, greenhouses, and production facilities. Come explore the Farm with our Operations Director and Formulation Manager for an overview of our growing and herbal practices. 

We will wrap up the tour at our historic farm house. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and stay to enjoy the memorable view and verdant scenery from the farm house patio. (Food Matters is a great place to grab a lunch to bring with you!)

Please be aware: This tour will be held outside, rain or shine, and will include both walking and standing. Farm fields, gravel roads, uneven paths, mud, and potentially hot and humid or cold and rainy conditions are possible. Guests will need to be physically able to walk the Farm with us. Please bring appropriate shoes and clothing for whatever Mother Nature may send our way. Each guest will be required to sign a waiver before participating in the Farm Tour.

Symposium Schedule

The main symposium begins Friday evening at 6:30 PM. All events listed below, including the reception and keynote, are included in the basic registration fee. Schedule subject to minor changes.

Friday, May 16

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Symposium Kick-Off
Come browse the exhibit tables while Joe Hallock & friends play old-time music to kick off the start of the event!

7:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Opening Meeting and Speaker Introductions
Meet the weekend’s speakers and find out more about them

8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Keynote: Entering The Mysterium: Healing Through Wonder and the Living World
Kiva Rose, Herbalist and Author
In this transformative keynote, Kiva Rose explores the profound interplay between the natural world and human healing. Drawing on decades of herbal practice and ecological immersion, she delves into the numinous beauty of plants—not merely as tools but as partners in an intricate dance of connection and wonder.

Kiva invites attendees to move beyond reductionist views of the materia medica, embracing plants as agents of enchantment and transformation. With vivid stories from her wilderness apothecary and personal reflections from her practice, she reveals how the sensory and spiritual dimensions of plant work bridge the mundane and the sacred. This talk reawakens our intrinsic bond to the more-than-human world, offering a path toward ecological harmony, personal wellness, and the healing truths of mystery itself. Attendees will leave inspired to rediscover the awe and interconnectedness at the heart of the green world, emboldened to carry its healing gifts into their lives and practices.

Saturday, May 17

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
(Concurrent lectures–choose one to attend during each time slot)

Surface Eruptions: A Primer on Skin Rashes and Botanical Medicine Approaches to their Treatment
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
Rash is a very broad medical term defined as a widespread eruption of skin lesions. They can vary widely in appearance, with causes ranging from insect bites to HIV and reactions to medications, they can affect one part of the body or cover a large area. Rashes can be dry, moist, bumpy, smooth, cracked, or blistered. They can involve pain, itching, and color changes. There is a vast spectrum for how skin rashes manifest in patients with more and less pigmentation and this is an arena of medicine fraught with controversy (most skin rashes are presented in photos of less pigmented people in the medical literature, but most skin manifestations of STI’s are presented with photos of people of with more pigmentation–a significant effector of bias when that distortion is presented to medical students). Some rashes will clear up on their own, some respond to herbal remedies, and others might be a sign of something more serious that needs to be addressed differently. We will discuss the many reasons for skin rashes and the underlying mechanism for their presentation, including skin infections from bacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic infections, allergies, and medications. We discuss the internal and topical botanical medicine interventions that have a history of use and we discuss their rationale, we also discuss concepts of suppression vs. healing.

Unsung Herbal Heroes of Immunity
Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, eMBA
This lecture explores the clinical use of lesser-known botanicals with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties relevant to all ages. Clinical providers will gain insight into evidence-informed applications of herbs such as Usnea spp., Spilanthes acmella, Hemidesmus indicus, and Coptis chinensis, including mechanisms of action, safety profiles, and practical considerations for integration into patient care.

Disaster Herbalism 
Sam Coffman, L.Ac, W-EMT, RH(AHG), Best-selling Author
This lecture explores the foundational principles of disaster herbalism and austere botanical medicine, focusing on the clinical applications of herbs and basic therapeutic techniques in crisis settings. Drawing from over 15 years of experience providing care in disaster zones both in the U.S. and abroad, Sam will review essential herbal protocols for musculoskeletal trauma, immune support, and stress management in austere conditions. Key topics include setting up sustainable infrastructure for herbal medicine in disaster environments, combining basic Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques (such as ear seed therapy) with field-ready formulations, and understanding practical challenges in resource-limited settings. Case studies from Sam’s hurricane response efforts, including post-Harvey work along the Texas coast, will be shared to highlight real-world clinical applications and lessons learned in disaster recovery.

Saturday Herb Walk
Doug Elliott and Todd Elliott, PhD
Whether pointing out poison ivy, pontificating on poke sallet, crooning about creasy greens, jiving about ginseng, or extolling the virtues of dandelions, these herbalists, authors, and storytellers will delight and amaze you with their broad, practical, scientific and cultural knowledge of the area’s many useful plants. Doug has been leading his special brand of herb walks at this event for over 25 years and we welcome him back for another in-person fun fest, joined again this year by his son, Todd.

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Botanical Support for HPV and Cervical Dysplasia
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) remains one of the most common viral infections affecting reproductive health, with the potential to progress to cervical dysplasia. In this session, we’ll explore integrative strategies to support patients navigating HPV, drawing on both emerging research and traditional herbal knowledge. Discussion will include current screening recommendations, clinical patterns of progression, and evidence-informed botanical protocols that promote immune function, enhance mucosal integrity, and encourage healthy cervical tissue response. Special attention will be given to formulation considerations and practical guidance for incorporating botanicals into primary care and gynecologic settings.

Fungi Medicine in Clinical Practice
Lindsay Chimelski, ND, LAc, RH (AHG)
This lecture provides an in-depth exploration of the clinical use of medicinal mushrooms, beginning with a foundational overview of their shared therapeutic benefits, safety considerations, and guidelines for selecting high-quality, efficacious preparations. Dr. Chimelski will then focus on the clinical applications, research evidence, and traditional use of key species including Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), Grifola frondosa (maitake), Cordyceps spp., Hericium erinaceus (lion’s mane), Inonotus obliquus (chaga), Lentinula edodes (shiitake), Auricularia auricula (wood ear), Trametes versicolor (turkey tail), and psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Practical guidance on dosing, indications, and integration into patient care will be emphasized to improve patient outcomes.

A Number of Nervines
jim mcdonald, Herbalist
The dysregulating impact of chronic and systemic stress on every system of the body highlights the important role of nervines in all manner of health imbalances.  But there are SO MANY nervines, how do we choose between them?  The idea of relative strength is often used, but gentle nervines are in no way “weaker” than more forceful plants.  Join jim in looking at the qualitative (energetic) virtues of plants and their specific indications within and outside the nervous system can help us get optimal results by choosing the right herb(s) for the right person.

Plant Walk: Seeing Medicinal Plants through the Eyes of a Wildcrafter and a Clinician
CoreyPine Shane, RH (AHG)
The herbal tradition is a bridge between the natural world and the human world – spending time in the woods harvesting plants, then matching those medicines to the person who needs them. This gives the herbal practitioner three places to work: harvesting ethically and sustainably, understanding health and disease, and the place where the two meet – matching the personality of the plant to the pattern of the imbalance in the person. In this plant walk we will talk about how to harvest each plant in an ethical and sustainable way, as well as how to match these plants to specific patterns of imbalance.

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Natural Approaches to Fertility
Wendy Warner, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
A large number of couples experiencing fertility challenges are told “we don’t know what’s wrong” and simply put into a system of treatments that are not individualized and yield poor results. This talk will delve into the underlying explanation of much of what is called “unexplained infertility”, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and the impact of gut dysbiosis. We’ll also cover the simplest means of modulating these imbalances and the science that backs it up. In this talk, you’ll learn to ask the right questions and find the answers for your clients/patients that everyone else has ignored.

Last Butt not Least – Herbal/Nutritional Proctology
David Winston, RH (AHG)
Proctology is the study and treatment of diseases of the rectum and anus.  In many areas of the country there are few proctologists and the therapeutic options they utilize are often limited and can be quite painful.  While the common conditions that affect this part of the body (hemorrhoids, rectal spasms, rectal fissures, renal pruritis, fecal incontinence) are not life threatening, they can be very painful, embarrassing and negatively affect the quality of life.  In this class we will discuss this often neglected topic and the herbal protocols, lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, exercises and nutritional supplements that can in many cases offer significant benefits without having to resort to surgery or to continue to suffer where you sit.

Providing Mutual Herbal Aid after Helene: Formulas for Building Resilience (Demonstration)
Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
In the wake of natural disasters and collective trauma, community-centered herbal support can play a vital role in fostering resilience and recovery. This presentation explores herbal formulations that address physical, emotional, and nervous system stress following crisis events, with a focus on accessibility and mutual aid. Demonstrations and recipes will be included to support practical application in both clinical and community-based settings. Attendees will gain insight into strategies for using botanicals to regulate the stress response, support immune function, and build long-term resilience.

Plant Walk: Establishing Plant Relations
Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
This experiential class teaches simple methods for developing intimate relationships with the plants around us. We employ techniques such as wide angle vision, sketching, organoleptics, journaling, and other methods in order to understand the depth of the relationships that are available to us with plants. We also pay tribute to Goethe and his study of plant morphology.

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Panel: Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes: How to Motivate Patients to Make Meaningful and Impactful Dietary and Lifestyle Changes
Panelists: Wendy Warner, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP; Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, eMBA; and Lindsay Chimelski, ND, LAc, RH (AHG)
Sustainable lifestyle modification is a cornerstone of managing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes—yet motivating patients to adopt and maintain these changes remains a challenge in clinical practice. In this dynamic panel discussion, experienced integrative clinicians will share evidence-based approaches for engaging patients in behavior change, with a focus on nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and therapeutic supplementation. The conversation will explore strategies for addressing barriers to adherence, building trust, and tailoring recommendations to individual readiness and health goals. Panelists will also highlight case-based insights and clinical pearls to help practitioners inspire lasting change in diverse patient populations.

7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Herbal Stories and Songs
Fireside program in amphitheater
Stories of healing from the last few years. Songs inspired by plants and the natural world to build community and support personal healing. Come to tell a story of healing, sing a song, or just be.

Sunday, May 18

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

My 7 Top Integrative Oncology Botanicals
Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, eMBA
This presentation highlights seven botanicals with well-documented roles in integrative cancer care. For each herb—Curcuma longa, Cordyceps spp., Lavandula officinalis, Withania somnifera, Scutellaria baicalensis, Althea officinalis, and Silybum marianum—participants will review key oncology-related indications, clinically relevant research, optimal delivery formats, and potential drug interactions. Through real-world case vignettes, this session will offer practical strategies for safely incorporating these botanicals into supportive care for patients undergoing conventional cancer treatment. Emphasis will be placed on symptom management, quality of life, and integrative care coordination in family medicine settings.

Intestinal Permeability: Symptoms, Controversy, and Treatment Approaches
Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
Intestinal permeability, also known as leaky gut, is often considered the cause of digestive and whole-body symptoms in holistic practices. We will review symptoms of intestinal permeability from a naturopathic/functional approach. We will also touch on criticism of this concept from a conventional perspective, and when additional testing should be considered. Herbal, lifestyle and diet treatments to improve symptoms and support healing will form the bulk of the session.

Advanced Wound and Infection Management Concepts (Demonstration)
Sam Coffman, L.Ac, W-EMT, RH(AHG), Best-selling Author
This workshop delves into advanced wound and infection management strategies, combining conventional practices with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles for a comprehensive, integrative approach. Participants will gain practical knowledge on assessing and treating acute and chronic wounds, as well as managing infections using both botanical and clinical methods. Advanced medicine-making techniques, including the preparation of freeze-dried fluid extracts and alcohol honeys, will be covered to enhance wound healing and support immune function. The workshop will emphasize hands-on applications, focusing on both the theoretical foundation and practical aspects of incorporating herbal therapies into clinical practice.

Herb Walk: Plant Personalities of Appalachian Botanicals
CoreyPine Shane, RH (AHG)
Herbal remedies, unlike pharmaceuticals, are complex and often have more than one action on the body. The health issues that people experience are even more complex. It could be said that a major part of western herbalism is matching the unique signature of a plant, its personality if you will, with the personality of the imbalance. On this plant walk, we’ll focus on a small number of plants, diving deep into the specifics of when they can be used and for whom.

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Nootropic Mushrooms & Your Mind: Ancient Wisdom Meets Exciting New Research
Lindsay Chimelski, ND, LAc, RH (AHG)
Explore the undeniable nootropic and psychedelic mushroom movement and dive deep into the many mechanisms medicinal mushrooms employ to optimize brain vitality. We will outline the traditional uses, constituents we care about and plough through new research on fungi brain allies such as lion’s mane, reishi, cordyceps, psilocybe, maitake, wood ear and poria. Medicinal mushrooms can restore balance via impacting the immune system, lipid ratios, blood sugar, hormones, neurotransmitters and oxidative damage. They have the power to revitalize neural pathways, fatigued tissues and entire ecosystems. And unlike any other, they have the capacity to reconnect us to the planet, humanity and ourselves.

Non-Alcohol Herbal Extractions: Vinegar, Honey, Glycerin and Oils
Teresa Boardwine, RH (AHG)
This presentation will explore effective non-alcoholic herbal extraction methods—using vinegar, honey, glycerin, and oils—as alternatives to traditional tinctures. These preparations offer versatile options for patients with alcohol sensitivities, pediatric populations, and those seeking more accessible or culturally appropriate remedies. The session will include formulation strategies, dosing guidelines, and demonstrations of key preparation techniques. Emphasis will be placed on safety, efficacy, and integration into family medicine and community health settings.

The Foot–The Natural History of an Appendage
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
Topical application of botanical medicines, from teas, washes and baths to foot powders, creams and salves–The legacy of Cinderella and foot binding, modern AFO’s and bracing in children–foot fungus and other acquired issues of feet–keeping feet strong–modern footwear and the adaptive potential of the human foot. We will address medications and herb-drug interactions related to foot conditions, including antifungal agents like ketoconazole, fluconazole and itraconazole, anti-inflammatory agents including diclofenac, piroxicam and ketorolac, wound-care agents like silver-hydrogels, pentoxifylline, and therapeutic peptides, as well as diabetic medications like insulin, glucophage and GLP-1 agonists. We will address some of the specialized equipment that is related to foot care, including orthotics, braces and sensible shoes while we talk strategy, rationale and the judicious use of botanical agents, exercises and nutritional approaches to common foot problems.

Sunday Herb Walk
Doug Elliott and Todd Elliott, PhD
Refresh yourself in the gardens of Lake Junaluska Conference Center with Doug and Todd Elliott, the consummate storytellers, entertainers and musicians. Scientific medicinal plant information and folklore are combined in a seamless whole in this walk on the wild side! Join them finding botanical treasures at every turn.

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Matters of the Heart: Herbal Support for Grief and Loss
Tesia Love, Clinical Ayurvedic Practitioner
This lecture explores the clinical application of herbs traditionally used to support patients experiencing grief, emotional trauma, and loss. Drawing from both Western and Ayurvedic herbal traditions, Tesia Love will examine botanicals that address the physiological and psychological manifestations of grief—including anxiety, depression, fatigue, and somatic distress. Gain insight into the selection and formulation of herbal therapies for nervous system regulation, emotional resilience, and heart-centered support, and explore safe integration into integrative settings, with consideration for individual constitution and coexisting conditions.

Cooling Remedies in Climate Change
Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
With the increasing prevalence of heat-related illnesses due to climate change, clinicians must be prepared to support vulnerable populations through both preventive and therapeutic strategies. Kat Maier will provide an overview of the epidemiology of heat-related illness and the emerging health risks associated with rising global temperatures. Drawing from herbal energetics and traditional systems of medicine, the presentation will highlight botanicals and food-based therapies that support thermoregulation, cardiovascular function, and systemic resilience. Formulation strategies for daily tonic use during periods of prolonged heat stress will be shared, along with clinical guidance for integrating cooling herbs into patient care plans to reduce risk and improve outcomes.

Swinging the Pendulum-Acid-Base Chemistry for Herbalists (Demonstration)
Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
This workshop explores the fundamental principles of acid-base chemistry as they relate to herbal medicine preparation and clinical application. Participants will examine the natural origins and traditional uses of acids and bases in botanical extraction, including historical methods of isolating active constituents. Key topics include the influence of pH on alkaloid expression, comparative uses of vinegar and bicarbonate in extractions, nixtamalization, and the preparation of acetracts and spagyric tinctures. The session will also touch on culinary ash, traditional plant dye practices, and pH manipulation in herbal pharmacy. Emphasis will be placed on practical applications in medicine-making and the clinical significance of extraction methods for potency and therapeutic outcomes.

An Energetic Plant Walk
jim mcdonald, Herbalist
“Energetic” is not just the way jim feels when talking about plants, it’s also a qualitative language through which we can better understand the actions and indications of the herbs we use, and is discernible to the senses through the way a plant smells, tastes, feels, and, well: is.  Understanding a plant’s energetic virtues can help us find the best “fit” for a person’s unique constitution or presentation, and on this walk we’ll consider how a plant’s energetics impact its specific indications and therapeutic use.

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Panel: From Routine to Resilience: Harnessing Herbs and Nutrition for Daily Wellness
Panelists: Kat Maier, RH (AHG); jim mcdonald, Herbalist; and TBD
Everyday health habits can either lay the groundwork for resilience or leave patients vulnerable to chronic stress and illness. This panel brings together seasoned herbalists to explore how herbs and nutrition can be seamlessly woven into daily routines to promote long-term wellness. Panelists will share their clinical approaches to building foundational vitality, discuss accessible herbal strategies for nervous system support, digestion, and immune health, and reflect on the role of ritual and rhythm in sustaining behavior change. Expect a blend of science, tradition, and practical insights to enhance patient care through simple, sustainable interventions.

Continuing Education Information

Sam Coffman, L.Ac, W-EMT, RH(AHG), Best-selling Author
A former army special forces medic, Sam Coffman is the founder and director of The Human Path, where he teaches botanical medicine, western pathophysiology, physiology, integrative medicine, austere and post-disaster medicine. He has taught herbalism for over 25 years, and has been a clinical herbalist for over 15 years. He is also the co-founder of Herbal Medics, which brings medicine for indigenous, local residents in remote areas. This organization has assisted with first aid and herbal first aid support at numerous gatherings and protests, as well as post-disaster medical and botanical medicine clinics along the Texas coastline and in Houston during hurricane Harvey. Sam is also the training director for Taos Search and Rescue (TSAR), where he serves on the canine team with his dog, Lucy. More about Sam Coffman.

Presentations:
1. Disaster Herbalism
2. Advanced Wound and Infection Management Concepts (Demonstration)

Doug Elliott and Todd Elliott, PhD

For many years Doug Elliott earned his living as a traveling herbalist collecting and selling herbs, teas and old-time remedies. Along with healing plants, Doug searches out old-timers and elders from various cultures. From these bearers of tradition, he has assembled an extensive body of knowledge of the botanical aspects of plants, their history, legends, and lore, their uses in various cultures, medicinal properties, food value, as well as other practical ways we can use wild plants every day. More about Doug Elliott.

Not surprisingly, Doug’s son Todd Elliott has had a passion for the natural world since childhood, which led him to co-author his first peer-reviewed scientific publication by age 14. His ongoing studies of global biodiversity and interrelationships in nature have taken him to remote corners of the world on six continents. Todd has collaborated on many publications covering this research, and his book Mushrooms of the Southeast (USA) was released in 2018. He received his PhD from the University of New England (Australia) on the role of macrofungi in vertebrate diets.
More about Todd Elliott.

Presentations:
1. Saturday Herb Walk
2. Sunday Herb Walk

Tesia Love, Clinical Ayurvedic Practitioner
Tesia Love is an Ayurvedic Practitioner from Charlotte, NC where she practices as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Clinical Herbalist, 500-hr Registered Yoga Teacher and Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist. She first started studying Ayurveda over 20 years ago, and has spent the past 12 years professionally helping her clients transform their health through this profound science. Tesia is a graduate of the California College of Ayurveda (CCA), Duke Integrative Medicine’s Integrative Health Coach training, and various other continuing education / mentorship programs with teachers of Ayurveda, herbalism and bodywork. More about Tesia Love.

Presentations:
1. Matters of the Heart: Herbal Support for Grief and Loss

Kat Maier, RH (AHG)
A practicing herbalist for over twenty years, Kat Maier is currently director of Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, Virginia where she offers a three-year clinical/community herbalist training program, and runs an herbal free clinic. She began studying plants in the Peace Corps in Chile. More about Kat Maier.

Presentations:
1. Cooling Remedies in Climate Change
2. Plant Walk: Establishing Plant Relations
3. Sunday Panel: From Routine to Resilience: Harnessing Herbs and Nutrition for Daily Wellness

jim mcdonald, Herbalist
In 1994, jim mcdonald drank a strange tea from a wild plant he harvested. From there, his life in the woods and meadows of southeast Michigan has been centered on the plants & ecosystems of that land, and how he might share their virtues to restore wellness with those around him. jim’s approach to herbcraft blends traditional european folk influences with 19th century Eclectic and Physiomedical vitalism, which he conveys with story, experience, humour, common sense and lore. He’s taught classes throughout North America, is one of the organizers of the Great Lakes Herb Faire, and is currently alternately writing “Foundational Herbcraft” and the “A Great Lakes Herbal”.  jim is a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft…the plants themselves.

Presentations:
1. A Number of Nervines
2. An Energetic Plant Walk
3. Sunday Panel: From Routine to Resilience: Harnessing Herbs and Nutrition for Daily Wellness

Kenneth Proefrock, NMD
A naturopathic physician practicing in Sun City, Arizona, Kenneth Proefrock specializes in difficult-to-treat conditions in his clinic, Total Wellness. He is the vice-president of the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners and chair of the biochemistry portion of the naturopathic physician’s licensing exam. His lectures combine a detailed understanding of biochemistry and physiology with a passion for plant medicine. More about Kenneth Proefrock.

Presentations:
1. Surface Eruptions: A Primer on Skin Rashes and Botanical Medicine Approaches to their Treatment
2. Swinging the Pendulum-Acid-Base Chemistry for Herbalists (Demonstration)
3. The Foot–The Natural History of an Appendage

Kiva Rose, Herbalist and Author
Kiva Rose is an herbalist, mythologist, and author with twenty years experience working with medicinal plants in a clinical and folkloric context. Her vision for healing and a sacred connection to the numinous green was the catalyst for the creation of Plant Healer events and publications, and also expressed through her botanical perfumes. She is co-director of the Good Medicine Confluence and co-publisher of Plant Healer Publications. She writes, teaches, and consults from the wilderness of New Mexico. More about Kiva Rose.

Presentations:
1. Keynote: Entering The Mysterium: Healing Through Wonder and the Living World

CoreyPine Shane, RH (AHG)
CoreyPine Shane, founder and Director of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine near Asheville, NC, has spent over 25 years helping clients and teaching people by artfully blending Chinese and Western herbal traditions with a focus on local plants. His new book “Southeast Medicinal Plants” covers how to identify, ethically harvest, and use the wild plants of the Southeast. CoreyPine has taught across the United States and in Europe, at many national herb conferences, and is a Professional Member of the American Herbalists Guild.. More about CoreyPine Shane.

Presentations:
1. Plant Walk: Seeing Medicinal Plants through the Eyes of a Wildcrafter and a Clinician
2. Herb Walk: Plant Personalities of Appalachian Botanicals

Katie Stage, ND, RH (AHG), FABNG
Katie Stage is a naturopathic physician and registered herbalist of the American Herbalists Guild. Her lectures are full of clinical information based on experience in her practice in family medicine at the Sonoran University Medical Center in Tempe, AZ, where she practices family medicine focusing on optimizing women’s/men’s health, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health. Her lectures combine clinical information with a deep respect for indigenous healing and the ability to heal oneself through connection with nature and simple lifestyle practices. She is also a member of the Ric Scalzo Botanical Research Institute. More about Katie Stage.

Presentations:
1. Botanical Support for HPV and Cervical Dysplasia
2. Intestinal Permeability: Symptoms, Controversy, and Treatment Approaches

Wendy Warner, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP
Dr. Wendy Warner is a board-certified gynecologist and expert in functional medicine and hormone health. After spending 14 years in conventional OB/GYN practice, she transitioned to a holistic, integrative approach, founding a collaborative medical practice in suburban Philadelphia. There, she worked alongside diverse healthcare practitioners to offer a wide range of therapeutic options. In 2022, she shifted exclusively to telemedicine, allowing her to provide care virtually.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Warner is an IFM Certified Practitioner, an herbalist, and a mesa carrier. She is a nationally recognized speaker and educator, serving on the faculty of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies. She also contributed a chapter to the latest edition of Rakel’s Integrative Medicine textbook and previously served as president of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.

Presentations:
1. Pre-Conference Intensive: Menopause as a Neuroinflammatory and Hormonal Event
2. Natural Approaches to Fertility
3. Saturday Panel: Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes: How to Motivate Patients to Make Meaningful and Impactful Dietary and Lifestyle Changes

David Winston, RH (AHG)
David Winston is an Herbalist and Ethnobotanist with 54 years of training in Chinese, Western/Eclectic and Southeastern herbal traditions. He has been in clinical practice for 47 years and is an herbal consultant to physicians, herbalists and researchers throughout the USA, Europe and Canada. David is the founder/director of the Herbal Therapeutics Research Library and the dean of David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies, a two-year training program in clinical herbal medicine. He is an internationally known lecturer and frequently teaches at medical schools, professional symposia and herb conferences. He is the president of Herbalist & Alchemist, Inc. a manufacturer that produces herbal products that blend the art and science of the world’s great herbal traditions. More about David Winston can be located at Herbal Studies.

Presentations:
1. Friday Ethnobotanical and Native Plant Field Study
2. Last Butt not Least – Herbal/Nutritional Proctology