Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

Dr. Neal Barnard is an American doctor, author, clinical researcher, and founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). As of 2015, he is an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He is well known for advocating healthy eating, placing emphasis on a plant-based whole foods diet. His most recent book, published just this year, is: The Cheese Trap: How Breaking a Surprising Addiction Will Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Get Healthy.

Neil Nedley, MD

Neil Nedley, M.D. is founder and medical director of the Nedley Depression and Anxiety Recovery Programs, and “Optimize Your Brain” program designed to enhance emotional intelligence. Dr. Nedley is an award winning practicing physician who also serves as President of Weimar Institute, a higher education college that houses the world famous NEWSTART program and the residential and outpatient Depression and Anxiety Recovery Program. He has presented and published numerous scientific studies in the medical/scientific literature and is well known as a public speaker and teacher throughout the world. He is author of Proof Positive, Depression—the Way Out, The Lost Art of Thinking, and Optimize Your Brain. Dr. Nedley pioneered the comprehensive Depression and Anxiety Recovery Programs, with options for home based versions, community facilitator coached programs, and the ten day live in residential therapeutic program.

Thomas Harman, MD

Thomas Harman is a certified member of the of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), is an established family and primary care physician who has been teaching and practicing medicine in the Rochester community for over 30 years. He received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his residency at South Bend Memorial Hospital. He spent most of his career with Mayo Clinic where he served as Program Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care Committee. He was also the assistant professor of family medicine at Mayo Medical School.

Jeng Lai, DPM

Jengyu Lai is a certified wound specialist of the Council for Medical Education and Training is the Chief Manager of Rochester Clinic and has been providing podiatric and wound care for almost two decades.

Originally from Taichung, Taiwan, where he earned his college degree in Microbiology, Dr. Lai earned his Doctorate of Podiatric (DPM) at the College of Podiatric Medicine of Des Moines University in Iowa, where he received a fellowship in Biomechanics Research.

Malia Ray, MD

Malia moved to Rochester in 2015 from Cincinnati, where she was a pulmonary/critical care physician. She did her undergraduate training at the University of Louisville, and graduate training at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She completed an internal medicine/ pediatrics residency and pulmonary/critical care fellowship at the University of Cincinnati. Days filled with treating illness and chronic conditions, with their associated complications, resulted in an interest in preventative medicine. This path of learning resulted in implementation of a whole food plant based diet, along with a desire to share knowledge regarding lifestyle choices and their relationship to disease.

Purna Kashyap, MBBS

Purna C. Kashyap, MBBS, studies the complex interactions between gut bacteria and dietary carbohydrates and their influence on host physiological function, such as gastrointestinal motility. The long-term goal of Dr. Kashyap’s research is to develop new biomarkers and microbiota-targeted therapies for treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome associated with altered gastrointestinal motility.

Carole Jenson, DNP

Dr. Carole E. Jenson is an advanced practice nurse who has taught and cared for patients and families in hospital and community settings for many decades.

Dr. Carole E. Jenson is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist. She earned her graduate and doctorate degrees from Winona State University (WSU). She is a professor at WSU in the Graduate Programs in Nursing.

Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick

As an accomplished landscape designer and educator, nothing inspires Kelly more than to impact positive and sustainable change. She intertwines design and ethics, teaching that well-thought-out action can positively affect our wellbeing, altering the legacy we leave behind for future generations. Kelly is the architect of “Plant a seed” which explores our food system and its effects on soil, water and air quality, and ultimately our health. Her most recent initiative is the creation of The Seed Library at the Rochester Public Library, in Rochester, MN, opening March 2, 2019. Kelly enjoys teaching about soil biology, nutritional science, and whole-food plant-based cooking. Her real passion is teaching others about growing food and increasing their access to healthy food options by digging in the dirt and cooking what grows in it.

Lori Banks

Lori received her Associate of Applied Science in the Physical Therapy Assistant program from Lake Area Technical Institute in 2000. For more than 16 years now, she has been practicing physical therapy in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, private practices, and industry settings.

In 2008, Lori was awarded the Recognition of Advanced Proficiency in Musculoskeletal for Physical Therapist Assistant by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Letticia Callies

Letticia Callies is a Certified Aromatherapist at Rochester Clinic where she supports CHIP participants with stress therapy using essential oils, stress management techniques, and positive lifestyle changes. She also leads group classes that focus on enhancing the physical, emotional, and mental health of the individual through the safe and effective application of aromatherapy methods including the French method. Letticia focuses on identifying the nature of the issue in the context of the whole person and creates an essential oil therapy plan based on individual needs and preferences. She has worked closely with clients ranging from newborns to seniors. Letticia is NAHA level 1 certified and also serves as a Professional for the SE Minnesota Childbirth Network.

Natalie Gentile, MD

Dr. Natalie Gentile is a board certified Family Medicine physician and is also certified in Lifestyle Medicine. She is passionate about educating patients on the role of lifestyle in their health, and aims to empower them with ways to improve their quality of life through lifestyle change.

Her presentation will be an overview of the role that a physician can play in a team setting to help patients adopt sustainable lifestyle changes.

Robert Bonacci, MD

Bob Bonacci has been practicing and teaching Family Medicine for the last 16 years. A consultant in the Mayo Clinic Department of Family Medicine since 2000, he has been Program Director for the Family Medicine Residency, since 2010. He earned his medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. Bob spends a lot of his time developing the next generation of family physicians. While nutrition has always been an interest, his recent introduction to the Lifestyle Medicine group left him feeling that he has found his “peeps”.

Mei Liu

Mei Liu, founder of Lotus Health Foundation and Chief Financial Officer of Rochester Clinic, earned her master’s degree in Health Care Administration and MBA from Des Moines University and Drake University. Within her current role, Mei works to promote lifestyle medicine as the most effective solution for health care crises in finance, human health and the environment.