Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN, Keynote Presenter
Integrative Health: Pathway to True Health Reform

As founder and director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing, Dr. Kreitzer brings more than 20 years of leadership and expertise to the field of integrative health and medicine.  Her investigator experience as either a principal or co-principal includes a $1.6 million National Institutes of Health  (NCCAM) education grant; a Fetzer Institute funded evaluation of the Inner Life of Healers Program; a 5-year $2.1 million NIH (NINR) clinical trial of mindfulness meditation with solid organ transplant patients; a clinical trial on the impact of an integrated residential treatment program on women with eating disorders; an NIH NCCAM R21 grant on mind/body interventions for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients;  a clinical trial comparing mindfulness meditation with pharmacotherapy for people with chronic insomnia; and a newly funded NCCAM R25 grant focused on integrating research in a CAM educational institution.

Jane Buckle, PhD, RN, Keynote Presenter
Keynote: Aromatherapy in Hospitals
Post-Conference Workshop: M-Technique for Hands & Feet

Jane Buckle, PhD, RN is the director of R J Buckle Associates: an educational consultancy in clinical aromatherapy and the M Technique - Dr Buckle’s patented form of touch for the critically ill that has been used in hospices and hospitals in USA since 1994.  
Dr Buckle was an NIH-funded post-doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia until Sept 2005 where she researched the physiologic effects of the M technique and massage on the brain.  In 2005 she relocated back to London to be the Principal Lecturer/Programs Manager: Complementary Medicine at Thames Valley University, London.. She retired from full time academic life in 2010.

Her book Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Practice (Churchill Livingstone 2003) has been reprinted 8 times and has been translated into many languages. It is a core text in aromatherapy courses throughout the world. Dr Buckle has trained over 2000 nurses in clinical aromatherapy and/or the M Technique and advised on over 450 pilot studies – mainly in clinical settings. She is a grant reviewer for NIH in USA and the NHS in UK.

Rhiannon Harris, RGN, MIFPA
Pre-Conference Workshop: Aromatherapy for Skin Integrity: A Clinical Challenge
Conference: Aromatherapy in Cancer and Palliative Care in the U.K.

Rhiannon Harris is a highly experienced clinical aromatherapist, nurse and respected professional educator. Her main goals are to promote the professional and safe use of essential oils and aromatic products through her publications and educational training. She provides, through her company Essential Oil Research Consultants, a valuable resource with her Essential Oil Research Database. She is also the editor of the International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy. She lectures in many countries and in addition, holds classes for individual colleges and essential oil tours in Provence. Her unique approach to teaching combines traditional holistic aromatherapy with French medical doctrines (internal use) and incorporates research-based information within a logical and practitioner-oriented approach.

Rhiannon has worked as a clinical aromatherapist, operating three busy practices in close association with local doctors. Her book, Becoming an Aromatherapist is now in its second edition. She has a long record of writing, journal editing, lecturing and educating in aromatherapy, combined with a detailed knowledge of published research and a close relationship with clinicians. Her knowledge base is remarkable and she continues to travel globally to educate and to share ways to practice clinically at a high level of expertise. 

Mindy Green, MS, AHG, RA
Intuitive Methods of Oil Selection for Chakra Balancing

Mindy Green holds a bachelor's degree in Holistic Health Sciences and a master's in Health and Human Services from Columbia Pacific University. From Purdue University she received extensive training in the advanced uses of essential oils.  She has 35 years of experience in the natural products and health care industries, and has founded and owned several herb and essential oil businesses. She spent seven years working in the botanical research division of R&D for the Aveda Corporation as their clinical aromatherapist.

Mindy now runs her own consulting company, Green Scentsations, LLC, where she empowers others to apply her experience in their own operations and products. Mindy is an ongoing guest speaker for Andrew Weil's integrative medicine program in Arizona where she lectures on the integration of essential oils into a medical practice.  As a Program Specialist at the Integrative Resource Center of Anschutes Cancer Center at the University of Colorado Hospital in 2002 and 2003, she developed specialized education programs and associated resources on complementary therapies.  She is a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild; an associate editor of the American Herb Association Newsletter; and serves on a wide variety of advisory boards and committees including the American Herbal Products Association and the Aromatherapy Registration Council. She is co-author of Aromatherapy, A Complete Guide to the Healing Art; author of Calendula and Natural Perfumes, and has contributed to numerous books on herbal therapies.

Raphael d'Angelo, M.D.
Essential Oils and the Human Body

Raphael J. d'Angelo, M.D. is a Board certified holistic family physician and naturopath who integrates essential oil therapy in the care of his patients and serves as the Director of Integrative Medicine at Clinix Healing Center in Centennial, Colorado. He completed his aromatherapy training from the Australian College of Health Sciences, studied with the Emerson College of Herbology in Canada, and is trained as a Native American Medicine Practitioner. Dr. d'Angelo has taught medical aromatherapy to medical doctor candidates for the American Board of Holistic Medicine of which he is a charter diplomat. He has lectured on various aromatherapy topics all over the country and teaches a basic and advanced course in aromatic medicine. Dr. d'Angelo is also the author of many of the Alternative Therapy articles. Dr. d'Angelo has done research on the effects of essential oils on pathogenic bacteria and is the creator of the AromaTab™. 

Kris Wrede, Aromatherapist & Natural Perfumer
Aromatherapy Trends in Spa & Skin Care

Kris Wrede has been practicing aromatic alchemy and perfumery since 1990 and is a dedicated teacher and researcher. Constant research and practical application of aromatherapy and perfumery in product development and training has given Kris the background to teach the secrets of this ancient and potent art and science. Kris has worked in the cosmetics field and fashion industry for over 30 years, bringing that expertise into corporate product development. By keeping a watchful eye on the current trends and by continually researching products, retailers and consumers, Kris can assess future market needs. She has developed aromatic product lines and custom fragrances for clients such as W Magazine, Jones New York, Epicuren Discovery, Treasure Island Hotel Las Vegas, La Posada Resort and Spa, Sanjevani Health & Lifestyle Center. 

Kris is currently working with plastic surgeon, Daniel Ronel MD in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, in order to take wound healing and recovery to a higher level.  Kris is the creator behind the Espresso Limon essential oil blend by Epicuren Discovery featured in the May 2010 issue of Marie Claire magazine. Espresso Limon is a new slimming wrap featured in major spas across the world.

Debbie Freund, RN, CCAP
Demystifying Essential Oil Chemistry

Debbie Freund has been using essential oils for over 20 years in private practice and is the owner and founder of Scents & Scentsibility, Ltd. She is certified in clinical aromatherapy with Dr. Jane Buckle and is a member of the AMTA. She has used essential oils the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the US World Cup and the Goodwill Games in 1992 in Seattle. Debbie is an experienced aromatherapy educator and has lectured extensively on the subject in the US and abroad.  Debbie has helped many students get a grasp on aromatic chemistry with the help of her husband, Dr. Howard Freund. 

Howard Freund, PhD
Demystifying Essential Oil Chemistry

Dr. Freund received a BS in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University and in 1974 earned his PhD in chemistry from Cornell University. Dr. Freund has had a long, professional career as a chemist, and has been teaching aromatic chemistry with his wife for more than 10 years. Both of these speakers endeavor to take the fear out of the subject and make it approachable.

Linda Halcón, PhD, MPH, RN, RATC
Essential Oil Research: Strategies and Pitfalls

Dr. Halcón is an associate professor in the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing, where she is chair of the Integrative, Global & Public Health Co-operative. She is director of Graduate Studies at the Center for Spirituality & Healing and teaches Clinical Aromatherapy as part of the Center’s graduate minor in Complementary Therapies and Healing Practices. Dr. Halcón is also an adjunct faculty member in the School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology. Her wide-ranging professional experiences include public health administration and international emergency relief programs.  She is an educator in Clinical Aromatherapy and a researcher at the University of Minnesota.  Her research interests include antimicrobial applications of botanical medicines and promoting sustainable and healthy communities.

Sharon Tessier, MA, MS and Tanya Holtz
Healing Transformation & Creative Expression

Sharon Tessier, MA, MS is the founder of Guided Wellness and co-founder of S Scents Arts LLC. and has been involved with holistic health and integrated therapeutic practices for over 15 years.  Her work includes a variety of healing modalities. She obtained her Master of Arts in Holistic Health Education in 1997 and her Master of Science in Transpersonal Studies in 2010 and is currently working toward her PhD in Transpersonal Psychology.  She is a visiting professor at Metropolitan State College of Denver where she has worked in the Holistic Health and Wellness Program for nine years.

Tanya Holtz is a geologist and professional map maker.  In the late 1990's she worked as a cartographer for the United States Geological Survey Woods Hole Field Center.  After spending nearly 2 years mapping the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, she moved to Colorado to avoid ever working on boats again.  Mrs. Holtz has since dedicated more than the last decade of her professional life to the study, clean up, protection, and restoration of the waters of the western and southeastern United States.  After the birth of her daughter in 2006, she turned her attention to raising a child while maintaining a rigorous career in software programming. As an over-extended, working mother she fell ill and broke her foot.  It was Ms. Tessier's suggestion to begin an aromatherapy related art project which she credits for saving her life, her marriage, and her career. Three years and more than twenty paintings later, Mrs. Holtz considers herself to be successful mother, wife, and owner of an independent software development firm doing freelance work in the fields of human and environmental health.  By night, she takes off the cape and mask, dons her headphones and becomes: Holtzart, a painter and sculptor.

Sharon and Tanya have worked collaboratively in developing a tool for transformational healing and creative expression.  They will share Tanya’s art, their process and experience, as well as how essential oils affect emotions, thoughts and behaviors.  Participants will become familiar with Jung’s model of intuition; participate in a guided imagery exercise; discover or review how essential oils impact us emotionally, physically and spiritually; and gain practical knowledge as to apply the principles of intuition, self transformation or self awareness, and creative expression into their daily lives.

Pam Conrad, RN, BSN, PGd, CCAP
A Clinical Study: Reducing Anxiety and Depression in High Risk Post Partum Mothers

Pam Conrad completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Purdue University, a familiar place of study for many aromatherapists. Her twenty year nursing experience is exclusively from large metropolitan and medical center teaching hospitals.  Texas Heart Institute is where her career began and includes Emergency/Trauma, Surgery, Psychiatric and Women’s Health nursing predominately in Indianapolis.

She completed Jane Buckle’s Clinical Aromatherapy course for Healthcare Professionals in 2000. In 2001, her family moved to England for two years where she studied advanced aromatherapy with nurses and midwives, focusing on women’s health, pregnancy and oncology.  She completed her Masters Diploma (PGd) in Complementary Therapy Studies at University of Westminster Graduate School of Integrated Health London, England.

In 2004 she returned to the US and founded Aromas for Healing™ focused on educating women and healthcare professionals about aromatherapy as a choice for healthcare conditions. She is adjunct faculty at Indiana Purdue University.  She has developed several hospital nursing programs (Hospice, oncology, med-surg and OB) and an integrative pharmacy program. Her OB program is approved by the American Holistic Nurses Association. Her Aromatic Childbirth™ program is the 1st in the US formal evidenced based OB nursing aromatherapy hospital program. In 2010, she received an AIA grant and is currently conducting clinical research of clinical aromatherapy for postpartum anxiety and depression through Wellspring pharmacy at Community Hospital.

Currently as the Complementary Therapy Nurse Aromatherapist with Wellspring pharmacy in Indianapolis, she compounds clinical aromatherapy products, educates nursing staff and the public and is a professional international speaker on various aromatherapy and complementary therapy topics. She has published articles in Positive Health UK, IFPA in essence, Beginnings: American Holistic Nurses Association and the International Journal of Clinical Aromatherapy.

She is married, has two athletic children and in addition to aromatherapy is passionate about traveling, running and women’s issues!

Cindy Black, L.Ac
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI): The Anatomy of the Body-Mind Connection
Bonus Lecture: Applying the Eight Principles of Chinese Medicine to Essential Oils

I trust the natural, wordless wisdom of the human body to live as a harmonious community of trillions of cells. Together, these cells offer their material form to the Spirit. We are each a unique combination of Material and Spirit, Yin and Yang, Earth and Sky.

In addition to teaching Chinese Medical theory to alternative health practitioners at Meridian Massage Institute, I teach the Anatomy and Physiology classes at Aromahead Institute.

Nancy Cullen Graves, BS, MBA, CA
Aromatic Kundalini Yoga

Nancy has been studying various lineages of Kundalini yoga for over 12 years. Recently training in Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, this is her primary presentation style. Her knowledge of the other lineages, Kundalini energy, and the energetic systems of the body, enables her to prove a well-rounded base of knowledge for her students. It is her objective to guide her students to live a higher standard of wakefulness.  Nancy is a member of the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association (IKYTA) and International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). In addition to her work as a yoga instructor, Nancy is a gifted Intuitive Counselor, Energetic Healer, and Certified Clinical Aromatherapist. Throughout the Conference, Nancy will be sharing her combined skills in aromatherapy and Kundalini yoga through Aromatic Kundalini Yoga instruction and lectures on the science behind Kundalini Yoga.

Bev Day, MBA, CFE, RA
Business Stuff: It's Not That Hard!

Bev Day, a speaker, national trainer, and award-winning business writer, has earned a reputation for straight talk, sincerity and gumption. She blends 34 years of auditing and business experiences into helping individuals and business owners boost their business performance and profits through focused planning, entity structuring, marketing and operational leadership.

Bev draws practical know-how from her career with the Colorado Division of Insurance as Chief of Financial Affairs where she managed the regulation of troubled companies, served on a national insurance solvency surveillance working group in Washington, DC, as well as her current position as President and CEO of Dallas and Associates, Inc., a business coaching firm in Littleton, CO. In addition to her credits as a financial expert, Bev is the President of the Rocky Mountain Aromatherapy Institute where she is an educator in aromatherapy and offers a certification program in Aromatic Medicine developed by Dr. Raphael d’Angelo. Bev Day is the author of two books: Quick Reference Guide for Essential Oils and A Trader’s Guide to Analyzing Stocks.

Katharine Koeppen, RA, LMT, NCTMB
Transforming Terrain: Essential Oils for Uncovering Your Client's True Nature

Katherine Koeppen is passionate about plants and has been practicing clinical aromatherapy for nearly fifteen years and is nationally certified in therapeutic bodywork. Katharine is a popular instructor and speaker on the subject of aromatics and healing, and her audiences have included community support groups, nurses, psychotherapists, massage therapists and naturopathic physicians.  Her background also includes extensive studies in somato-emotional integration, craniosacral therapy, lymphatic drainage, flower essences and the culinary arts.  As the founder of Aromaceuticals, her private practice in aromatherapy, Katherine specializes in somato-emotional integration, cancer support and women’s issues.

Lora Cantele, RA, CMAIA, CSRT
The Future of AIA, Aromatherapy and You

Lora Cantele is a Registered Clinical Aromatherapist, Swiss Reflex Therapist, and aromatherapy educator. As a speaker and writer in the field of aromatherapy; Lora conducts specialty aromatherapy workshops for a variety of hospital support groups, health and wellness fairs and is featured writer for Aromatherapy Thymes Magazine.  Lora is a consultant in clinical aromatherapy. She received her certification from the Australasian College of Health Sciences and has completed additional studies with many international leaders in the field including Shirley, Len and Penny Price in the U.K. and France. In 2009-2010, Lora brought her expertise to a pilot program conducted in a Palliative Care Home for children with life-limiting illnesses.  Using aromatherapy, the children experienced remarkable positive changes in their quality of life.

Her mission is to empower her clients by teaching her them how to achieve and sustain good health and well-being through the use essential oils, herbs, relaxation, simple exercises and good nutrition. She views herself as an educator first and foremost.  Lora has served on the AIA Board of Directors since 2007 and as its president since 2009.  “What I have learned from my journey is that there is a NEED for aromatherapy and other natural health practices to become more integrated into mainstream medical and CAM healthcare. As professionals dedicated to our industry, it is up to all of us to do what we can to move aromatherapy forward in the healthcare industry.”  At this year’s conference, Lora will be addressing the role of AIA and its members as they relate to the future of aromatherapy in integrative healthcare.

Bill McGilvray
Essential Oils of Australia

Bill is a well-known identity in the Australian tea tree industry. With a background in chemistry and many years of ‘hands-on" experience with essential oils, he brings a wealth of knowledge to all areas of the company’s research and development, distillation and production.  In the past 14 years, Bill has been deeply involved in all facets of the industry, from distillation through to plantation development and management (both conventional and organic), as well as research and marketing.

In the past 12 months, his companies have been responsible for the export of approximately one-quarter of Australia’s Tea Tree Oil to more than 20 countries around the world.  Bill had nine years’ close involvement in the Australian Tea Tree Industry Organisation, first as a director, then deputy chairman, finally serving as Chairman of the Association from 1993 – 1996. His significant work in the industry is recognised in a biographical profile in the RIRDC publication, ‘Industry Profiles’, released in the year 2000. Bill is the President of The Australian Essential Oil Company Pty Ltd in New South Wales and the director of Plant Extracts International Inc. in Hopkins, MN.