We're honored to present our faculty.
Maria Abbas, B.A., CMT, is a massage therapist who is dedicated to assisting individuals in integrating the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of human life by providing alternatives that bridge the gap between western and eastern healing modalities. Maria holds certifications in a number of healing practices including reiki, hypnotherapy and Primordial Sound Meditation from the Chopra Center, La Jolla California. In addition, Maria is able to guide and instruct individuals in a variety of meditation practices from a variety of ancient wisdom traditions.
Karl Ardo, M.F.A., Certified Five Element Medical Qi Gong Instructor, a Zero Balancer and ZB Advisory Board member. He teaches Qi Gong, Meditation and has a private practice. He began his studies in 1974 and is currently developing Qi Gong programs for developmentally disabled children at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Tom Balles, M.Ac., L.Ac., a practicing acupuncturist since 1985, teaches in all three of Tai Sophia Institute’s master’s degree programs. He also facilitates one-on-one and group business workshops in team building, communication skills, improving work habits, conflict resolution, and leadership development. Mr. Balles is the author of Dancing with the Ten Thousand Things: Ways to Become a Powerful Healing Presence and “Cultivating Healing Presence Chart,” a guide.
Zoe Brenner, L.Ac., M.Ac.(UK) graduated from The College of Traditional Acupuncture in 1977. She teaches many different programs at Tai Sophia including history and Classics and Chinese Herbal Medicine. She has lectured in many places in the U.S. and Europe and contributed to a number of textbooks. She started her study of Japanese acupuncture in 1989 and has been to Japan eight times she has studied with Japanese teachers in the U.S. and Europe and is a certified teacher of Toyohari Acupuncture.
Liz Brinson, LMT, NCTMB is an advanced practitioner of Craniosacral Therapy (CST), a gentle manual therapy that encourages health in the central nervous system. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland and the Baltimore School of Massage, and is a licensed massage therapist who is nationally certified in therapeutic massage. She also has received training in myofascial work and pregnancy/postpartum massage. Liz employs a practical, comfortable approach, some humor, and a good dose of compassion in her work.
Rosalyn L. Bruyere, a world-renowned energy healer, is involved with ongoing research at many major medical and healing institutions throughout the country. Locally she is a consultant on a research project involving children with traumatic brain injury and children with lead poisoning at Baltimore’s Kennedy Krieger Institute. Bruyere is the author of Wheels of Light: A Study of the Chakras.
Bevin Clare, M.S., AHG, is a faculty member and clinical herbalist at Tai Sophia Institute. She received her undergraduate degree in Ethnobotany from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, and her master of science degree in Infectious Disease from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Clare serves on the governing council of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) and on the board of directors of United Plant Savers.
Dianne M. Connelly, Ph.D., M.Ac.(UK), Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM), Chancellor and Co-Founder of Tai Sophia Institute, and a practitioner of traditional acupuncture since 1973, Dr. Connelly received her master's qualification from the College of Traditional Acupuncture(UK) in 1979. She earned a doctorate in crosscultural medicine from Union Graduate School in 1975, a master's degree from New York University School of Education in 1970, and her bachelor's degree from Le Moyne College in 1967. An international lecturer (she lectures regularly in Italy and Germany), Connelly is the author of Traditional Acupuncture: The Law of the Five Elements (1975), All Sickness is Homesickness (1986), Medicine Words: Language of Love for the Treatment Room of Life (2009), and with Katherine Hancock Porter, Alive and Awake: Wisdom for Kids (2003). She is the mother of Blaize, Jade, and Caeli, as well as grandmother to Tamar, Lennox, Rianna, Roman, and Maxim.
Stephen Cowan, M.D., FAAP, C.Ac., is a board certified pediatrician with 25 years of clinical experience working with children experiencing a host of acute and chronic medical and psychological challenges. He has found Chinese medicine to be an excellent approach that is at once gentle and powerful. Stephen has a sub-specialty in Developmental Pediatrics and is certified in Medical Acupuncture. This background has led him to a deeper study of the classics and its applicability to his work with children. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and holds memberships with the AAP Committee on Children with Disabilities, the Autism Research Institute, and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. He is a co-founder and advisory board member of the Holistic Pediatric Association. He is also a co-founder of Riverside Pediatrics, in Croton, New York, where he incorporates alternative therapies in the treatment of childhood disorders. He has lectured internationally on the holistic management of these problems. Understanding the child as an inter-related part of family and environment is the central focus of his practice. This approach respects the inseparability of mind, body, and spirit and promotes a deeper understanding of what it means to be healthy.
Arlene Dalcin, RD, LD, is a Research Program Manager at Johns Hopkins ProHealth, a clinical research center for the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has participated in clinical trial research at Johns Hopkins University for over 15 years. As a registered dietitian, Arlene’s focus is assisting groups and individuals to make healthy lifestyle changes and reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. Her research experience includes designing, implementing and evaluating dietary and exercise interventions for a variety of populations. These projects incorporate health education and cognitive behavioral therapy and rely on the use of motivational interviewing by providers. Arlene is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.
Georganne “Geo” Derick, M.S., received her Master of Science in Herbal Medicine from Tai Sophia Institute. Through her practice as a clinical herbalist, nutrition and wellness counselor, she brings her passion for plants and people to clients, students, and associates nationwide. She also is president of Merchandising East, an interior architecture and design firm specializing in healing spaces; in that role she is a national speaker, educator, and widely published writer. At her farm in Berryville, VA, she enjoys wildcrafting and gardening. Derick holds a bachelor's degree in Cultural Anthropology and English Literature.
Robert Duggan, M.A., M.Ac.(UK), Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) is co-founder and president of Tai Sophia Institute and has practiced traditional acupuncture since 1973. He has served as chair of the Maryland State Board of Acupuncture, a commissioner of the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and is an active member of the National Alliance for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. In February 2009, Duggan testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and in November 2009, he was among 20 leading thinkers, innovators, artists, philosophers, and entertainers selected to present at the first TEDx MidAtlantic Conference. He is the author of the recently released book, Common Sense for the Healing Arts.
Marnae C. Ergil, M.A., M.S., L.Ac., is a professor at the Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine of NYCC. She began studying the Chinese language in 1981. She received her master’s degree in Anthropology in 1989 and was funded by the National Academy of Sciences to study Chinese Medicine in China for her doctoral fieldwork. She received her master’s degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in 1997. Ms. Ergil has spent extensive time studying Chinese medicine in China. She is an author and co-editor of the Pocket Atlas of Chinese Medicine, the translator of Practical Diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and co-translator of Jiao Shu-De’s Ten Lectures on the Use of Chinese Medicinals. Ms. Ergil has received advanced clinical training in acupuncture with labor and delivery, the treatment of infertility, and dermatology.
Martin Feldman, L.Ac., is Chair and Faculty Member of the Japanese Acupuncture Department at the New England School of Acupuncture (NESA). A 1992 graduate of NESA, Feldman has studied with renowned masters such as Dr. Yoshio Manaka and Mr. Kodo Fukushima. A founding member of the Boston AIDS Care Project, he belongs to the Boston branch of the Toyo Hari Association and maintains a private practice in Watertown, MA.
Camille Freeman, M.S., CNS, LDN, RH(AHG), received her bachelor’s degree from Rice University and completed an apprenticeship in herbal studies with Desert Woman Botanicals in Gila, New Mexico. She received her Master of Science in Herbal Medicine from Tai Sophia Institute and is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild (AHG). She is certified as a nutrition specialist through the American College of Nutrition, and is a licensed nutritionist in the State of Maryland. In 2007, Ms Freeman earned a master of science degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. Her primary clinical focus lies in reproductive health and endocrinology. She is passionate about promoting sustainability in healthcare and helping women of all ages deepen their understanding of the body’s many cycles.
Heiner Fruehauf, Ph.D., L.Ac., has researched East Asian civilizations and Chinese medicine for 30 years. After studying comparative literature, philosophy, sinology, and Chinese medicine at universities in Germany, China, Japan, and the United States, he received a doctorate from the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. During five years in China, he researched Chinese medicine both within the institutionalized TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) model at the Chengdu University of TCM and the traditional lineage system that continues to function outside government schools. Dr. Fruehauf presently serves as the Founding Professor of the School of Classical Chinese Medicine at National College of Natural Medicine, where he has taught and practiced since 1992. He also has an active private practice.
Bob Gordon, M.S., M.A., has over 25 years of professional experience in adult learning and is a professional coach, couples counselor, and certified Imago® Relationship Educator. Mr Gordon received his master of science degree from American University and the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science. He is a graduate of Tai Sophia’s Master of Arts in Applied Healing Arts program.
Jeremy Harlow, LPN, LMT, holds a black belt in Hap Ki Do from the U.S. Korean Martial Arts Federation and a second degree black sash from the World Kuoshu Federation. He is a 65th generation disciple of Grandmaster Huang, Chien-Liang and is a certified Taiji Quan instructor through the U.S. Kuoshu Federation and the Wu Kui Tang Headquarters. Harlow has presented Qi Gong training at The Johns Hopkins Medical Center, U.S. National Security Agency, University of Maryland School of Social Work, and Anne Arundel Community College.
Celeste Homan, M.S., M.Ac., L.Ac. received her acupuncture degree from Tai Sophia Institute, in 1998 where she has been teaching for the past 8 years. She has continued her studies in advanced acupuncture and Chinese medical aromatherapy with Jeffrey Yuen in New York. Celeste holds a certificate in advanced massage and bodywork from the Baltimore School of Massage and is certified in Zero Balancing. Prior to studying acupuncture, Celeste worked as an electrical engineer designing computer systems and holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University. She teaches the following classes at Tai Sophia: Touching Energy and Structure, Sensory Skills, Pulse Skill Development, Small Group Observation and Advanced Diagnosis and Treatment Planning. She has a private practice in southern Howard County, Maryland.
Lonny S. Jarrett, M.Ac., M.S., FNAAOM, has been active in the field of Chinese medicine since 1980, teaching and publishing in leading professional journals. He holds master'ss degrees in both acupuncture and neurobiology. A founding board member of the Acupuncture Society of Massachusetts, in 1993 he was elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. He is a graduate of the Traditional Acupuncture Institute and studied pulse diagnosis intensively with Dr. Leon Hammer from 1987 through 1995. Additionally, Jarrethas achieved the rank of fourth degree black belt in the Korean martial art Tae Kwon Do. Currently, he teaches seminars on inner traditions of Chinese medicine as well as Chinese pulse diagnosis. His work in the field of neurobiology and cellular biology has been published in leading scientific journals and in 1993 one of his electron micrographs of DNA was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Jarrettmaintains his full-time practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine in Stockbridge, MA..
Noreen Javornik, M.Ac., is the Co-Director for the Animal Acupuncture Program. Ms. Javornik is a core faculty member of the Tai Sophia acupuncture program. She maintains a full-time practice since 1997 and Ms. Javornik has been treating animals since 1998.
Arlyn Kline, R.N., is certified by UCLA as a health consultant in Integral Nursing and has practiced as a Registered Nursesince 1975, specializing in psychiatric and holistic modalities. Kline has been a teacher of Energy Balancing since 1983. She has taught the theory and practice of Chakra energy work inseminars sponsored by the State of Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration, and the Schools of Nursing at University of Maryland, The Johns Hopkins University, and UCLA.
Kaiya Larson, M.Ac., L.Ac., is a graduate of the Traditional Acupuncture Institute (now Tai Sophia Institute) and has been practicing acupuncture since 1998. Ms. Larson is core faculty in Tai Sophia's Master of Acupuncture program, a supervisor in the Faculty-Supervised Student Clinic, and is an acupuncture practitioner at Tai Sophia's Natural Care Center. Much of her practice focuses on women where she supports both the physical and emotional aspects of women's gynecological and reproductive health. Due to years of her own fertility issues, she gained a deep understanding of the struggle that many women experience. Having found acupuncture to be an excellent support (resulting in two beautiful children), she was naturally drawn to treating women with their own fertility issues.
Ashley Litecky, M.S., RYT, is a graduate of the Tai Sophia Master of Science degree in Herbal Medicine and has been practicing yoga for over 10 years and has studied with world renowned teachers Ravi Singh and Roger Cole. Combining her passion of world travel, plants and yoga, Litecky has studied and taught yoga in Australia and Costa Rica while studying native plants of those regions.
Pamela Miles has over 30 years experience as a clinician, educator, and lecturer in natural healing. Ms. Miles began practicing Reiki in 1986 and was initiated as a Reiki Master in 1990. She has developed complementary treatment programs for major New York City hospitals to address a wide variety of medical and surgical problems in adults and children using traditional healing techniques, especially Reiki, meditation, and yoga. As a content expert, she has participated in the design and implementation of several clinical trials on Reiki including an NIH-funded study of Reiki in the treatment of stroke patients and a study on the use of Reiki in the management of HIV/AIDS.
Heidi Most, M.Ac., is a graduate of Tai Sophia Institute and serves on the faculty teaching Basic Acupuncture Theory and Point Location. An acupuncture practitioner, Most developed the Tai Sophia Institute's NCCAOM Review course in 2002.
Robert Notter, B.S. , CHHC, AADP, Robert is founder and president of Robert Notter Business Coaching, a company devoted to empowering health and wellness entrepreneurs to build successful and fulfilling businesses. Based in New York City, he works with clients all over the world. His practice is focused on helping individuals attract clients, increase income, and enjoy long-term personal and professional success. He has worked with and taught over 9,000 people nationally. As a faculty member at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, he leads the Marketing Education Program.
Deidre O’Brien, P.T., M.P.H., is been physical therapist since 1983. She holds a master’s degree in public health from The Johns Hopkins University. Deidre hold a certificate in Feldenkrais®: Awareness through Movement® since 1996.
Rose Payne, CHHC, AADP, is founder of High Level Wellness, a holistic health and nutrition center in Cherry Hill, NJ. In private practice, she offers assistance to people throughout the country. She is also the Director of the Immersion Graduate Program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Her passion is helping clients to transform their lives through the power of nutrition. Her sense of humor combines with a kindhearted, intelligent and practical approach to guiding people to vital healthy lives. Rose is also the original author of the Food & Mood column for Cuizine Magazine.
Michael Phillips, M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM),is a graduate of Pomona College and the Traditional Acupuncture Institute (now Tai Sophia Institute). Affiliated with the Institute since 1985, he is a distinguished lecturer on the faculty, where he has served as dean of students and faculty chairman. Phillips also teaches workshops using concepts in theater arts and traditional acupuncture to enhance sensory skills and insights into five element philosophy.
Molly Punzo, M.D., is an internist and homeopathic doctor. After completing her residency at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, CT, she founded and directed the Center for Integrative Medicine at the hospital and practiced homeopathy and other holistic approaches to treat and support the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of her patients. Currently, she is Medical Director of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety at Shore Health System in Easton, MD.
Evan Rabinowitz, M.Ac., L.Ac., is a graduate of the Tai Sophia Institute with a Master in Acupuncture and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Chinese Herbs. Evan has spent 15 years studying Perennial Philosophy with Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr, George Washington University. After completing his initial herbal training, he apprenticed with Thea Elijah and has continued to teach with and work closely with her for many years. He has studied with Jeffrey Yuen for the last six years, most recently completing a graduate certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Sharon Sirkis, B.S.N., became an accredited Tai Chi Chih (TCC) teacher in 1997. Since 1998, she has been teaching TCC at Senior Living Community, Univeristy of Maryland, Balitmore County (UMBC), and most recently, to the MS Day Group at Kernan Hospital. Sirkis is also a Reiki Master, a chakra energy healing practitioner, a black belt in karate, and a firekeeper for Native American sweat lodge ceremonies.
Fritz Smith, M.D., D.O., M.Ac.(UK), is the co-founder and international teacher of Zero Balancing. He is the author of Inner Bridges: A Guide to Energy Movement and Structure. Smith has taught at Tai Sophia Institute for many years.
Michael O. Smith, M.D., D.Ac., is an internationally recognized teacher in the addiction field. He has pioneered the use of acupuncture at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx for the past 30 years. The auricular acupuncture method is now used in more than 200 addiction treatment settings in the New York area and in 2000 locations worldwide. Lincoln Hospital is also known for its successful women’s program and as the model clinic for the drug court movement. Dr. Smith combines the wisdom of Chinese philosophy and the Twelve-Step movement in his approach to addiction and wellness.
Rebecca Snow, M.S., RH(AHG), CNS, is a clinical herbalist and licensed nutritionist at Tai Sophia Institute's Natural Care Center. She also serves as Program Director of Tai Sophia's new herbal graduate certificate programs. After acquiring her Master of Science in Herbal Medicine from Tai Sophia Institute, Rebecca practiced for 4 ½ years in an integrative medical office where she gained a wealth of clinical experience with complex health concerns. Since 2004, Rebecca has delivered a host of community course offerings that combine her wealth of clinical experience and her passion for sharing the gifts of herbs and healing foods. Rebecca’s herbal program offerings are always fun, blending great coursework with practical applications in wellness.
Randi Sobel, M.Ac., is a graduate of Tai Sophia Institute's acupuncture and animal acupuncture programs. Ms. Sobel maintains a full-time practice in Baltimore, Maryland.
Anne Strozier Adams, L.Ac., M.Ac., M.A., is an acupuncturist who graduated in 1984 from Tai Sophia Institute. She also earned her Master of Arts in Applied Healing Arts from the Institute in 2004. Twice she was noted in Washingtonian Magazine as one of the “Top Acupuncturists” in the DC area. For more than a decade, Anne led week-long Anchoring in Stillness Retreats in the New Mexico wilderness, during which participants were able to experience life-altering changes in self-awareness and health. Anne was a student of Dainin Katagiri Roshi, abbot of the Zen Center in Minneapolis, MN, for many years. In Silver Spring, MD Anne owned The Spectrum Center for Natural Medicine. Currently, she lives in Lewisburg, WV.
John G. Sullivan, Ph.D., is Powell Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Elon University and is the principal designer of Tai Sophia’s Transformative Leadership and Social Change master's degree program. He is the author of To Come to Life More Fully, Living Large: Transformative Work at the Intersection of Ethics and Spirituality, and The Spiral of the Seasons: Welcoming the Gifts of Later Life.
Cheryl Walker, M.L., MCCC, is Program Manager for Tai Sophia Institute’s Health and Wellness Coaching graduate certificate programs, a faculty member in the Master of Arts in Transformative Leadership and Social Change program, and an independent leadership development consultant. Ms. Walker has a Master of Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and holds a Master Certified Coach (MCC) certification from the International Coach Federation.
Stephen Wegener, Ph.D., ABPP is Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is a clinical psychologist and focuses on providing psychological services to persons with chronic illness or traumatic injuries. His research focuses on developing interventions to improve function and reduce disability for those with chronic health conditions. Wegner’s work emphasizes the importance of patient-centered care models, patient self-management, and the use of motivational interviewing by providers. He has lectured nationally and internationally on effective health behavior change and positive psychology. Dr. Wegener is a fellow of the American Board of Professional Psychologists and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.
Chan Zhang trained in her native China. After her doctor advised her to learn Qi Gong to treat a heart condition, Zhang mastered this ancient art. She has conducted Qi Gong classes in Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. Zhang is also a lecturer in the Master of Acupuncture program at Tai Sophia Institute.