2020 Integrative Dermatology Symposium Lectures

Anne Kennard is an obstetrician/gynecologist, integrative medicine physician, nutrition expert, herbalist and mom to a toddler. She is passionate about women's health in the body, mind, and spirit. She works as an OB/GYN and is the Director of Integrative Medicine and Physician Wellness Officer for Dignity Central Coast. She enjoys speaking and teaching on women's Integrative Medicine, Food as Medicine, and herbal medicine topics around the country, and her first book is expected in July 2019. Find her online at www.drannekennard.com and @dr_anne_kennard (IG) and @drannekennard (FB).

Antía Itzel Gómez is currently a second-year medical student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. She holds a BA in Spanish from Pomona College and a PhD in literature from New York University, where she wrote a dissertation on alcoholism, diabetes, and narco-trafficking in Mexican and Chicana cultural production. Antía’s interest in becoming a physician emerged from her personal experiences as a transgender Latina. As a transgender woman of color with access to the science and practice of medicine, she hopes to provide culturally humble patient education, preventative medicine, and disease treatment for those in her communities.

After finishing Medical School and Dermatology Residency at the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Bodemer completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. She was the first Dermatologist to be board certified in both Dermatology and Integrative Medicine and currently is the only Dermatologist to serve on the Integrative Medicine Board. She has authored academic texts and curriculum and has spoken widely on a variety of topics related to Integrative Dermatology. She has always been drawn to exploring how lifestyle choices impact skin health and disease and feels that the most powerful role a physician can play is as an educator and guide, empowering people to get healthy and stay healthy.

Dr. Ashley Dumont, ND is a Naturopathic Doctor and a graduate from the National University of Natural Medicine.

With a deep-rooted passion for dermatology, she believes in taking an evidence-based, holistic and individualized approach to skin health by addressing the foundational aspects of health as well as incorporating botanical medicine, nutraceuticals, mind-body medicine, and IV therapy. Dr. Dumont understands and values the importance of physical, spiritual, and emotional health and its direct connection to achieving healthy skin and overall wellness. Her goal is to empower her patients to take an active role in their personal and unique path to healing.

Dr. DeJarra K. Sims, known by her patients as Dr. DJ,  is a Naturopathic Doctor, published author, and prolific speaker. She received her Bachelor's in Biology from Prairie View A&M University, in Texas, and she completed her doctorate at Sonoran University of Health Sciences in Phoenix (formerly SCNM). She has served as an Assistant Professor and Core Faculty at Bastyr University California teaching Dermatology and Business Practices and as a former Adjunct Clinical Professor at Sonoran University. 

Dr. DJ established her virtual clinic Superhero SkinCare to remind women of their identity and bring out the adventurous, gorgeous superhero that exists within them. To do this, she provides personalized treatment plans to improve the skin, reset the liver, balance hormones, and support digestion.

Dr. DJ is a well-known keynote speaker, who has given talks at medical conferences and even Comic-Con! Her training in improvisational comedy at The Finest City Improv in San Diego and The Second City in Hollywood has helped her create lively and energetic presentations that keep audiences engaged as they learn. 

Dr. Norton is associate dean of clinical education as well as an assistant professor at Bastyr University California in San Diego. She is a faculty supervisor at Bastyr University Clinic and also teaches several courses including aspects of cardiovascular medicine and dermatology. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of New Hampshire and her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine for the University of Bridgeport. Past experience includes private practice in the northeast as well as 10 years working in various roles for the College of Naturopathic Medicine at the University of Bridgeport.

Dr. Norton is certified in "First Line Therapy," a proven program that incorporates personal lifestyle medicine and supports changes such as healthy nutrition, nutritional protocols, exercise and stress management. She is currently working on her certification in functional medicine, through the Institute of Functional Medicine. Other more specific interests include endocrine disorders (including thyroid disease, diabetes), cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, mental health issues (including depression and anxiety), autoimmune disease, allergies, skin disorders, intestinal disorders and women’s health. Her philosophy revolves around the fact that health is a state of homeostasis, where all systems of the body function optimally and waste is eliminated efficiently. She works with her student clinicians and their patients to uncover the cause of imbalance, enhance elimination of toxins and facilitate restoration of health. Together with the patient they work together to formulate a plan that is realistic and attainable and includes lifestyle recommendations, nutritional supplements, herbs, hydrotherapy and other remedies such as homeopathy.

Heather Zwickey, PhD, earned a Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Zwickey went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship and teach medical school at Yale University. At the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR, Dr. Zwickey is the founder the Helfgott Research Institute and established the School of Graduate Studies, developing programs in research, nutrition, and global health among others. She currently leads an NIH funded clinical research training program. She teaches at many universities and speaks at conferences world-wide. At Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Zwickey applies her immunology expertise to natural medicine,with specific interest in the gut-brain axis in neuroinflammation.

Dr. Hadar Lev-Tov is a board-certified dermatologist with extensive research experience. Throughout his training and in daily practice, he has always believed that the key to achieving health for his patients is grounded in his ability to truly connect to their experiences and perceptions of health and well-being. Maimonides, one of the greatest philosophers of all time realized that human knowledge, often represented as "science," is limited. As a physician, he feels he would be a fool to believe all is known. Maimonides said, "The physician should not treat the disease but the patient who is suffering from it." LearnSkin is his journey to a better understanding of his patients.

Heather Hammerstedt MD MPH is a board certified emergency physician and lifestyle medicine physician, as well as a certified integrative nutrition health coach. As CEO and Founder of Wholist, she creates transformative personalized coaching programs around weight, exercise, food, sleep, mindset, by connecting tech, flexibility and mindfulness to curate health futures. Additionally, she offers telemedicine consults and is a nationally known speaker and author.

Dr. Hawkes is a board-certified dermatologist in the greater Sacramento area. He completed his medical school and residency at the University of Utah. During medical school, he completed a fellowship in translational immunology in the NIH-HHMI Research Scholars Program. He also received a Master’s Degree in Clinical Investigation from Rockefeller University, where he was Chief Clinical Scholar and Principal and sub-Investigator on multiple human research protocols in the Laboratory for Investigative Dermatology. He has held academic appointments in the Departments of Dermatology at the University of Utah, University of California-Davis, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Hawkes is a current Councilor in the International Psoriasis Council and serves on the NPF Medical Board and Scientific Advisory Committee. He also serves as the official delegate of the AAD as a member of the international guidelines and workgroup committee for urticaria. His research has been funded by the NIH, NSF, NPF, and Dermatology Foundation, and he is the recipient of several teaching awards including NPF Outstanding Educator in Psoriatic Disease and Exceptional Teacher of the Year in the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai. His primary clinical and research interests include novel immune therapies for inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, HS, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and urticaria.

Dr. Jennifer Hsiao is an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Southern California (USC). She is dedicated to improving the medical care and quality of life for patients with hidradenitis suppurativa through direct patient interaction as well as research. She is also interested in management of skin conditions in pregnant and breastfeeding patients. In addition to her clinical work, she is also passionate about medical education, and enjoys teaching medical students and residents.

Dr. Jennifer Ornelas is a board-certified dermatologist and pediatric dermatologist. She has conducted translational research investigating botanical extracts as novel treatment options for acne and earned a master’s in clinical and translational research. She is passionate about working with children and adults alike and providing excellent care to all of her patients. She is committed to serving the medically underserved populations of the region and strives to provide culturally competent specialist care in her practice.

Dr. Jennifer Soung is a board certified dermatologist currently practicing at Southern California Dermatology in Santa Ana, CA and a Clinical Instructor at Harbor UCLA Dermatology. Dr. Soung has a strong interest in medical dermatology and clinical research. Dr. Soung is an expert in psoriasis treatment and has extensive experience using phototherapy, systemic medications and biologics in the treatment of psoriasis. From 2010-2015, she was an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and the Director of Dermatology Clinical Research.

Dr. Joseph Alban is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Board Certified Herbalist. He has run a private practice in New York City for seventeen years.

Dr. Alban graduated from Touro College’s Graduate Program in Oriental Medicine, obtaining a Masters of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and completed a Doctor of Acupuncture at Five Branches Univerisity. He completed a Chinese Medicine hospital residency in Hunan, China where he trained in acupuncture, Chinese medicine dermatology, and Tui Na medical massage.

He has received the Traditional Chinese Medicine Dermatology Diploma from world-renowned expert Mazin Al-Khafaji. Dr. Alban sits on the board of the International Traditional Chinese Medicine Dermatology Association (ITCMDA). He is also the Traditional Chinese Medicine editor for Learn Skin and on the board for the Integrative Dermatology Symposium. He is the head editor and a contributing author of the ebook An Introduction to Chinese Medicine Dermatology which resulted from a collaboration of the ITCMDA and Learn Skin.

Dr. Julie Greenberg is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and Registered Herbalist RH(AHG) who specializes in integrative dermatology. She is the founder of the Center for Integrative Dermatology, a holistic clinic that approaches skin and hair problems by finding and treating the root cause. Dr. Greenberg holds degrees from Northwestern University (BA), Stanford University (MBA) and Bastyr University (ND). Her research on the gut microbiome of acne patients has been published in a leading peer-reviewed clinical dermatology journal. While at naturopathic medical school, Dr. Greenberg received training with leading experts in dermatology at the University of Washington Medical School Dermatology Clinic and Seattle Children’s Hospital Pediatric Dermatology Clinic. She lectures at naturopathic medical schools and speaks at conferences across the U.S. on the topics of hair, skin and nails.

Dr. Judith Hong is a board-certified dermatologist at a private practice in Santa Rosa, California. After completing medical school and residency training at UCSF, she moved to Sonoma County and developed an interest in meditation, qigong, and reiki practices. She is a certified reiki-teacher master and enjoys doing reiki for friends, colleagues, and patients.

Prior to serving the health non-profit sector, Kelly Barta worked as a contract musician; a live performing and studio artist in vocals and piano. After a health crisis that left her bedridden for over 1 1/2 years due to an adverse outcome from long-term topical steroid use to treat eczema called Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome (TSW), Kelly joined ITSAN as a member of the Board of Directors in 2016. ITSAN is an international nonprofit organization that supports over 10,000 individuals around the world who are going through TSW and serves as a resource for both patients and physicians. She went on to become the Executive Director in 2017 and then ITSAN’s President in 2018. The unspeakable suffering, isolation, and lack of medical awareness and support for those going through TSW drove Kelly into the world of advocacy. This led her to also work with the National Eczema Association and to her current role as State Lead of Advocacy and Special Projects Manager for Allergy and Asthma Network (AAN), a national nonprofit that serves over 24 million people with asthma and 50 million with allergies and related conditions like eczema. In addition to her work with AAN, she serves as President of the Coalition of Skin Diseases, a group of over 20 US based, skin-related patient organizations and affiliates that exists to elevate awareness of skin diseases and promote research, advocacy and education around skin disease and health. She also serves on the Atopic Dermatitis Advocacy Advisory board for Globalskin (IADPO), an international group of 160 patient organizations from 50 countries.

Kelly is impassioned to be a voice for the voiceless and has had the opportunity to bring awareness to the great needs of individuals with skin disease in both academic and political arenas, speaking in universities and on state and federal levels. Her hope is that through collaboration between patients, physicians, industry, and policy makers, the understanding of skin disease and advancements in treatment would help alleviate the suffering of those living with skin conditions and create a better tomorrow for all in healthcare. Kelly currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her two sons and cat, Silverbell.

Dr. Keira is a dual-board certified integrative dermatologist, certified in Somatic Stress Release, Mind-Body Medicine and as a trauma informed life coach. She is the founder of the Resilient Health Institute and best selling author of, “The Skin Whisperer.” As a former Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Davis in the departments of dermatology and pathology, editorial reviewer of multiple leading medical journals, medical advisor within the personal care and tech communities, Dr Barr is dedicated to providing the most-cutting edge and innovative solutions by helping people reconnect with their bodies and find comfort in their skin. Through workshops, coaching and her book, Dr. Barr has taught people around the globe tools and strategies to inspire and empower them to live confidently and change the world. Her work has been featured in MindBodyGreen, Better Homes and Gardens’, Reader’s Digest, Glamour, SELF, Shape and more.

Dr. Lauren Vreeland is a California licensed naturopathic doctor specializing in family medicine, women’s health, and naturopathic dermatology.  She is passionate about natural skin care and treating difficult dermatologic cases. Dr. Vreeland is also an expert in diagnosing and treating food sensitivities and allergies.

Dr. Vreeland earned her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego. She completed her doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. Bastyr, renowned for its cutting-edge research programs, is globally recognized for its rigorous curriculum in science-based natural medicine. Dr. Vreeland pursued advanced clinical training with leading experts in dermatology, women’s health, environmental medicine, and allergies.

Dr. Vreeland’s priority is to determine the underlying cause of her patients’ health conditions, and equip patients with the knowledge and treatments that allow them to take charge of their healing.

Lela Altman ND MSA LAc began working in the medical field in 1998, first as a nursing assistant, then as a medical assistant. This experience inspired her to pursue an education in the natural health sciences. Dr. Altman earned her Bachelor’s in Science from The Evergreen State College where she focused on ethnobotany, biology and chemistry. She then earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and Master of Science in Acupuncture at Bastyr University in 2011. She went on to complete a 3-year residency at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health. While working as a chief resident she completed additional training in evidence-based medicine and carried out diabetes research. She created the Digestive Wellness clinic at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health which she currently supervises. Additionally, she teaches full-time at Bastyr University, has a private practice at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health and sees patients at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Virginia Mason Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Dr. Altman also is considered an expert in the field of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). She has written articles, given continuing medical education lectures and performed interviews in several venues on this topic.

Dr. Lawrence Eichenfield is chief of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, as well as vice chair of the Department of Dermatology and a professor of dermatology and pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Dr. Eichenfield earned his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, was a pediatric resident and chief resident at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and completed dermatology training at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in pediatrics, dermatology and pediatric dermatology.

Dr. Michael Traub's father was a dermatologist, and this inspired him to become the leading expert in skin in the naturopathic profession. He has taught dermatology at five of the seven accredited naturopathic medical schools in North America and is the author of “Essentials of Dermatologic Diagnosis and Integrative Therapeutics.” He has been medical director of Lokahi Health Center in Kailua Kona, Hawaii for the past 32 years. He has been actively engaged in clinical research throughout most of his career. His most recent investigation is “Efficacy and Safety of Kamedis Eczema Treatment in Children and Adults with Atopic Dermatitis.”

Dr. Olivia Hsu Friedman holds a Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, completed an additional diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine Dermatology and is a NCCAOM board licensed Illinois acupuncturist. She is the owner of Amethyst Holistic Skin Solutions and treats dermatology patients in office and via video conference using only herbal medicine. Outside of the office, Olivia serves as a Board Member for the American Society of Acupuncturists and as faculty for the Chicago Eczema Support Center.

Dr. Paradi Mirmirani completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Dermatology and a clinical hair research fellowship at the University of California San Francisco. She is practicing at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Vallejo, California where she serves as the assistant chief of dermatology, the regional director for hair disorders and the local research chair. In addition to having faculty appointments at the University of California, San Francisco and Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Mirmirani has over 50 peer review publications and regularly lectures at national and international conferences on various hair disorders topics. Dr. Mirmirani co-authored “Cicatricial Alopecia: An Approach to Diagnosis and Management”, the first book dedicated to the topic. Her awards include the UCSF Outstanding Clinical Teacher, and the San Francisco Dermatologic Society’s Key Dermatology Leader for hair. Along with her clinical and research activities, she serves on the scientific advisory board of the Cicatricial Alopecia Research Foundation, is on the clinical research advisory board for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, and is a past member of the Board of Directors for the North American Hair Research Society

Dr. Peter Lio is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School, completed his internship in Pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital, and his Dermatology training at Harvard where he served as Chief Resident in Dermatology. Dr. Lio is the founding director of the Chicago Integrative Eczema Center and has spoken nationally and internationally about atopic dermatitis, as well as alternative medicine.

Dr. Raja Sivamani is a board-certified dermatologist and practices as an integrative dermatologist at Pacific Skin Institute. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology at the University of California, Davis and Director of Clinical Research and the Clinical Trials Unit.He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the California State University, Sacramento and an Associate Professor of Dermatology at California Northstate University, College of Medicine.He engages in clinical practice as well as both clinical and translational research that integrates bioengineering, nutrition, cosmetics, and skin biology. With training in both Allopathic and Ayurvedic medicine, he takes an integrative approach to his patients and in his research.He has published over 100 peer-reviewed research manuscripts, 10 textbook chapters, and a textbook entitled Cosmeceuticals and Active Cosmetics, 3rd Edition with a passion for expanding the evidence and boundaries of integrative medicine for skin care.

Dr. Reena Rupani earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from Harvard University, followed by an MD from Yale. She completed her internship at NYU and went on to serve as Chief Resident in Dermatology at Brown University. After several years of academic medical practice, she completed the University of Arizona's Fellowship in Integrative Medicine, and co-authored the volume on Integrative Dermatology as part of Dr Andrew Weil's textbook series through Oxford University Press. She practices traditional and integrative dermatology on faculty at the ICAHN School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York City.

Ms. Goldstein has been featured on ABC Good Morning America, NBC Telemundo, MARTHA, Bravo.com and Sirius radio. She is the author of her book Your Best Face Now: Look Younger in 20 Days With The Do-It-Yourself Acupressure Facelift and the Touch+Glow®: Beauty-Enhancing Acupressure Facelift Kit. She is an instructor at Tri State College of Acupuncture (TSCA) in Manhattan, NY teaching advanced cosmetic acupuncture and writes distance learning courses in cosmetic acupuncture for acupuncturists around the country.

Trevor Erikson is a Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the province of British Columbia, Canada, where he has been practicing for the past 14 years (2005). He has focused the majority of his post-graduate training on dermatology, allergy and inflammatory disease, which includes observing in the busy dermatology department in Hunan’s #1 TCM Hospital in Chengsha, China (2005), as well as completing Mazin Al-Khafaji’s prestigious Chinese medicine dermatology diploma program in London, England (2007). For more than a decade, Trevor has been using herbal medicines to help patients overcome a wide range of complicated skin diseases, allergic rhinitis and asthma, as well as other inflammatory disorders such as Colitis. Trevor currently practices out of his own private clinic in South Surrey, BC.

Dr. Vivian Shi, MD is an Associate Professor of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where she directs the Eczema Clinic and Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinic.

Dr. Shi received her undergraduate degree in physiological sciences from UCLA, and
subsequently spent a year performing research on gene regulation in pathogenic bacteria in the department of microbiology at UCLA. She learned her medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. During that time, she also completed a fellowship in the Skin Immunology Laboratory. She was an integral part of the team characterizing the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis. She then completed her internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Chicago – NorthShore Health System, followed by a dermatology residency at the University of California, Davis, where she also served as chief resident.

Dr. Shi’s research and clinical interests are in complex inflammatory skin conditions (such atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and psoriasis), skin barrier repair, transepidermal drug delivery, and integrative dermatology. She has served as the principal investigator for numerous industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical and translational studies. She has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and is the editor for two reference dermatology textbooks on atopic dermatitis and hidradenitis suppurativa. She is on the Board of Directors for the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, advisory board of the National Eczema Association, and is a member of the International Eczema Council.

Dr. Sophia Kogan, M.D. is the co-founder and Chief Medical Advisor of Nutrafol, the first clinically effective hair wellness supplement to use medical-grade, bio-optimized ingredients to multi-target the root causes of hair thinning.

Dr. Kogan earned her medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. She did residency training at Tufts New England Medical Center and at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, where she completed a research fellowship in pediatric dermatology.

In search for answers on issues of her own health and hair thinning during stressful times of medical school and residency, Dr. Kogan discovered the benefits of an integrative approach with botanicals. She has dedicated years of study on the effects of herbs, nutrition, and stress management on overall wellness, and particularly how they manifest in the health of hair.

In 2015, she partnered with Giorgos Tsetis and Roland Peralta to co-found Nutrafol, a multi-targeted nutraceutical patented formulation that uses a blend of bio-optimized botanicals to address key underlying factors of hair issues - including stress, hormones and gut health.

Dr. Kogan has spent the past decade researching hair loss and has been coined by her peers as an expert in integrative hair health. She has published and co-authored numerous publications on the topic of integrative approaches to hair and clinically effective botanical medicine. She speaks frequently as an expert on this topic at meetings and conferences.

In her free time, Dr. Kogan actively practices self-care through dance, yoga, meditation, and clean eating. She is also a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher.