Dr. Keren Dolan is a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN) in Maryland, a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS®), a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition (FACN), a Registered Herbalist (RH) through the American Herbalists Guild, and a Regional Director of the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy. She has published several peer-reviewed articles and has the privilege of serving as adjunct faculty in the Nutrition and Herbal Medicine Department at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). Keren has been in clinical practice in Northern Virginia since 2007, specializing in functional nutrition with an emphasis on western clinical herbalism and holistic aromatherapy. She lives, plants and plays in Northern Virginia with her husband and three children.
Keren holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia, a certificate in Holistic Aromatherapy from the West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy, an M.S. in Therapeutic Herbalism, a PMC in Clinical Herbalism, and a DCN from MUIH.
AHG Board of Directors
AHG Leadership
Officers
Samuel Perry RH (AHG) is a clinical herbalist, medicine maker and herbal educator in Upstate New York. Practicing in the Vitalist and eclectic tradition of American Herbalism, Sam offers compassionate attention and support in all manner of health concerns. An instructor and core team member at Arbor Vitae School of Traditional Herbalism, Sam teaches herbal energetics and Materia Medica, helps supervise the 3rd year clinic, leads plant walks, and offers medicine making demonstrations. A long-time practitioner of Zen Buddhism, Sam also leads meditation retreats.
Tenby lives in Hawthorne, Wisconsin. She has been a professional Guild member since 1999. She trained in Chinese herbal medicine and pulse diagnosis at the Leon Hammer Dragon Rises Institute in Florida and studied western herbs with Peter Holmes. Tenby had a clinical practice for humans from 1994 - 2004 including work at the St. Luke’s Hospital Holistic Clinic in Duluth, Minnesota. She started Ariel Botanical Company in 1996 (arielbotanical.com) making herb formulations for companion animals and ruminants. Tenby enjoys gardening and wildcrafting. She lives with her partner of 12 years and seven rescue four-leggeds.
Sophia is firstly a non-profit medical advocate and secondly a clinical herbalist. In cooperation with physicians at Stanford, UCSF, USC, MD Andersen, UT Southwestern, et al. -- she leverages her background in computer science and ethnobotany to create big data clustering algorithms that help inform plant medicine-inclusive treatment pathways for rare disease patients. The medical technologist-herbalist's deep-seated belief in ethnobotany's value to the public good stems from that as a teenager, she fell gravely ill with lupus, scleroderma and epilepsy. Over the next decade, Sophia embraced the breadth of Karuk, Tlingit, Javanese, TCM and Ayurvedic healing traditions -- ultimately regaining her health.
Board of Directors
Bevin is a Professor and Program Director of the Master of Science in Clinical Herbal Medicine at the Maryland University of Integrative Health. She holds a MSc in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, serves on as an adjunct Assistant Professor at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the New York Chiropractic College. Bevin has studied herbal medicine around the world and blends her knowledge of traditional uses of plants with modern science and contemporary healthcare strategies. She is founder of the Herbal Clinic for All program, providing cost-free herbal medicine healthcare since 2007. She is a board member of the United Plant Savers, a group working to protect at-risk medicinal plants in North America. When she isn't world wandering she resides in Maryland with her husband and two little ones. Bevin is the author of Spice Apothecary (Storey Book 2020) which explores the therapeutic use of spice as accessible and delicious herbal medicine.
I started on my herbal path when my Greek grandmother, taught me about gathering medicine in her garden, along with divination using dried tea leaves. In 1964, when I fell off a horse, and was told I would need surgery. I went to the library and was amazed to find in the card catalogue a vast array of information about natural healing for broken bones-including horsetail grass, knitbone (Comfrey), and parsley. When I returned to the surgeon, he was surprised by my quick recovery, but stated that my methods were just ‘old wives tales.’ That was a defining moment! I knew my life path would be to track down all the medicinal folklore I could, and share the information with everyone. My focus is multi-cultural. I set off to find traditional healers, and record their ancient knowledge. I lived in Mexico in a palapa (grass shack, dirt floor) for years studying with curanderos, and started an off the grid farm in Bisbee Arizona with my African-American mate, where my children (in their 40’s now) were born. I was thrilled to discover the American Herbalist Guild at its inception, and presented at the first conference, at a hot springs in California, which included lots of plant knowledge and skinny dipping as well! My herbal path continues and includes radio shows (Herbally Yours), many books, (The Natural Medicine Chest), and teaching Botanical Pharmacognosy at a medical school. I pursued advanced degrees in teaching and nursing specifically to validate the herbal knowledge that I have been honored to accumulate. I am currently the Vice President of the Long Island Chapter of AHG.
Essex currently resides in Auburn,GA with his family of six. He is a proponent of African Herbalism and was a student of the late, world renowned ethnobotanist Dr. Anthony Kweku Andoh. Essex hopes to share his knowledge and promote a herb centric lifestyle to all. He is a software engineer with just as much of a passion for the natural as well as the technical and mechanical. Essex launched www.fleekofnature.com to help showcase the beauty of nature in creative ways and through his publishing company made his mentor's book, The Science and Romance of Herbs Used in Traditional and Medicinal Ceremony, available to the herbal community. Essex is a member of the AHG DEI committee and continues to learn more about being inclusive and execute those learnings in a way that inspires people to be their best selves and be accepted as they are without compromise.
Christina Lynch is a community herbalist in Tallahassee, Florida and a first generation American of Barbadian descent. Christina is a graduate of the Florida School of Holistic Living (FSHL), studying under Emily Ruff and Maggie O’Halloran. She is a teacher at FSHL, focusing on the planning and operating of holistic businesses. In addition, she is the founding co-coordinator of Herbalists Without Borders – North Florida Chapter and the herbal & tea educator for Young Engineers Tallahassee. She serves her community primarily through education opportunities at local nurseries, children’s camps, farmers markets and at her herbal studio. Christina is the founder The Ginger Tea Company, a business focused on creating herbal products and services, and Trydent Consulting, a small firm focused on bridging business support and holistic practices to her clients and the community. Her background in herbalism and business has led to great impact to businesses, entrepreneurs and peers.
Owner of Omaroti Salud y Bienestar, an apothecary and wellness space located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Olatokunboh Obasi has been working in the wellness field for over 15 years. A yoga and dance instructor, clinical herbalist, nutritionist and birth doula. Committed to community holistic health, social justice, and education, she works heavily in community service and Afro Indigenous Medicine on the island. As a member of the American Herbalist Guild, she was the 2019 award recipient for her notable work in supporting, diversity and equity and justice in herbalism. Presently, coordinates Herbalists without Borders International on the island of Boriken providing community service to people in need. Also training local and online students in clinical herbalism and healing arts through her school Well of Indigenous Wisdom School. A guest presenter and teacher of many conferences she’s originally from Africa, her travels around the world are extensive as she integrates traditional knowledge of herbs, with her western education. She received her Master’s of Science from Maryland University of Integrative Health. Olatokunboh is a mother of 3 young adults. She continues to learn from her children through challenge and tribulation as she shares her journey of life with them and the human family.
Jocelyn Perez-Blanco, Founder of Herban Garden, is an educator, herbalist, urban naturalist, Flower Essence Therapist, conservationist, and avid gardener with a background in biology, animal husbandry and agriculture. Her work infuses the values of community-building, accessible learning, and the betterment of the environment through educational services, namely, providing consultations for everything from incorporating herbs into your life to tending to your houseplants. Via free or low-cost interactive webinars and outdoor activities, she helps students explore the many facets of plant identification, horticulture, herbalism, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and ecosystem management.
Jocelyn is a member of the Student Support Team at The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, an educator with NYCH20, organizer for the Herbalists MeetUp Group, as well as a Board member and NYC Queens Chapter Coordinator for Herbalists Without Borders. She is currently compiling research for a book and interactive app. Her classes have been recommended by The New York Times.
Dr. Kourtney Sims (aka Dr. Kourtney) is a Georgia native who has become a Texas transplant. She received her undergraduate training from Xavier University of Louisiana and stayed in New Orleans for medical school training at Tulane Medical School. After deciding on a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology she and her family moved to Houston, Texas. Dr. Sims completed her OB/Gyn training at University of Texas Houston and has been in private practice since graduation. She is currently board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). She was also the FIRST female physician in Houston outside of the medical center who was certified by the North American Menopause Society. Currently Dr. Sims is a member of several professional groups including the Harris County Medical Society, ACOG, the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Texas Medical Association in addition to her membership in AHG.
I am the director of CommonWealth Holistic Herbalism, an herb school that offers online herbal education at all levels. My husband and I are the creators of the Holistic Herbalism Podcast, which is one of the ways that we are working to make high quality herbal education accessible for free to all people. I’ve been a member of the AHG Membership Committee for the last two years and the chapter leader of the AHG Business Chapter - I'm excited to increase my involvement and find new ways for us to grow together!
The Board of Directors is comprised of 10-12 elected representatives of the membership. Their duty is to act on behalf of the members to see that the mission of the organization, as stated in the by-laws, is carried out and that the organization is financially sound. The AHG has a working Board. All members of the Board serve on one or two committees and provide leadership for various projects. The Board works closely with the Executive Director who manages the AHG Staff and the day to day operations of the AHG.
A friendly reminder: The views and opinions expressed by AHG contractors, employees, and board members on their personal blogs, publications, websites, and social media are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the American Herbalists Guild as an entity.