Co-Chairs

Aurea Gerard, M.MSC is the Director of Philanthropic Services at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, the largest community foundation in the state of Minnesota. In her role, she assists donors to achieve their short and long term philanthropic goals by helping them discover or clarify their values, interest, and charitable vision. She is a 21/64 Certified Advisor which makes her an expert in fundraising, donor engagement, family philanthropy, family dynamics and engaging the next generation. She joined the foundation in 2012.  In addition to her decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, especially in the areas of fundraising, project management and development, Aurea is also a Holistic Energy Healing Practitioner and runs a small practice.  Aurea studied at the University of Saint Thomas and holds an associate and bachelor's degree in business administration and metaphysical science. She also holds a master’s degree in metaphysical science from the University of Metaphysics in Sedona, AZ.  In her free time, she shares her skills as a certified Reiki Master at Pathways. She’s been a committed volunteer since January 2012. Aurea also loves traveling with her spouse Terrance, exploring her creative side and spending time in nature. In addition to being a certified Reiki Master/Teacher, she is also an Integrated Energy Practitioner, VortexHealing® Practitioner and a Metaphysician.

Pam Lampert currently serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Pohlad organization, whom she's been with since April 2008. Prior to that time, Pam served as Vice President of Human Resources for a variety of small high-tech companies including Rimage, CyberOptics, St. Jude Medical and Research Inc, in addition to running her own human resource consulting business. Pam has a B.A. in Psychology from Carleton College and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. She has served as Board Chair for Eureka Recycling, a mentor in the Menttium program, and she is an active volunteer facilitator for Pathways Minneapolis and part of the Firefly Sisterhood organization. Pam has been affiliated with Pathways since 2012 and has a passion for the services and community that it provides to participants and service providers alike. Pam has two young adult children and lives in Minneapolis.

Secretary

Ann L. Thompson is owner of Sage Communication. Founded in 1991, her firm has provided communication and marketing services to a variety of for profit and nonprofit organizations around the Twin Cities. Ann holds an M.A. in communication from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a B.A. in communication from the College of St. Catherine (now St. Catherine University) in St. Paul, MN. In addition to her professional work, she and her registered therapy dog, Leo the sheltie, volunteer (during non-Covid times) at Gillette Children’s Hospital and Minneapolis St. Paul Airport. She is a musician and singer-songwriter hobbyist and a registered ULCA minister.

Other Board Members

Rev. Catherine Duncan, MA, BCC is an Integrative Spiritual Consultant. Catherine is passionate about whole person healing with a focus on emotional and spiritual health. With a reverence for exploring the sacredness and meaning of life, she companions individuals on their journey. She works extensively in chronic illness, life transitions, grief, loss and finding meaning and purpose. Catherine received her Master of Arts in Theology and Spiritual Direction Certificate from St. Catherine University in St Paul, MN. She also holds a Master of Divinity equivalency from United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, MN. Catherine is an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ and a covenant member with Plymouth Congregational Church. She is a board-certified chaplain, spiritual director, energy healer, and tapping (EFT) practitioner and works with mind-body therapies and certified in neuroplasticity training.  Catherine works with MN Personalized Medicine and also has her own private practice. She has served as a spiritual care provider with Fairview Home Care and Hospice, HCMC, and Good Samaritan. Catherine lives in Minneapolis with her husband and they have two adult children. Learn more at her website:www.learningtolive.org.

Jeffery A. Dusek, PhD, is the Director of Research, Connor Integrative Health Network, University Hospitals and an Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Dusek has 20+ years of experience leading innovative integrative health and medicine research at prominent research and healthcare institutions in the United States.  During his tenure as the Director of Research at the Penny George Institute of Health and Healing, Allina Health, Minneapolis MN, Dr. Dusek was the Principal Investigator of a multi-year NIH R01 grant which studied the real-world use of integrative therapies for pain relief in thousands of hospitalized patients. From 2018-2019, Dr. Dusek served as the Chief Research Officer at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.  During that time he and his collaborators conducted numerous clinical research trials on Kripalu’s RISE program of yoga-based mindfulness training.  Dr. Dusek is a leader of the BraveNet Practice Based Research Network – which include 17 well-known US integrative medicine clinics.  Dusek is the Principal Investigator (PI) of BraveNet’s 5,000 person outpatient study entitled Patients Receiving Integrative Medicine Interventions Effectiveness Registry (PRIMIER). Dr. Dusek is also PI of a NCCIH funded U01 grant in which acupuncture is being delivered in 3 Emergency Departments across the US at BraveNet affiliated hospitals. Dr. Dusek’s research has been published in eminent journals such as the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Circulation and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.  His research been featured in such venues as the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, USA Today and National Public Radio.

Jenna Hobbs, PsyD, LP (she/her) is a psychologist currently serving as clinical director for the Minnesota Clinic for Health and Wellness, an integrative clinic that she and her family launched in 2016. She is also the executive director of Health and Wellness Collaborative, a nonprofit clinic that will provide integrative care to address the mental and physical health needs of under served members of the community including those who have experienced trauma. Jenna and her husband, Donny, live near Minneapolis with their daughter and two pups and they love exploring together.

Mary Johnson, RN, PhD is a Professor Emeritus from St. Olaf College where she taught in the nursing program for twenty-six years and served as an adjunct faculty at the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota for 9 years. Additionally, she is a council member of the Minnesota Holistic Nurses Association and a provider of Healing Touch at Pathways. Mary and her husband Paul have three children and eight grandchildren, two cats, Twerpo and Pandora, and a wonderful horse named Pachelbel.

Valerie Ohanian, RS Hom, CCH is a Co-Founder and Senior Faculty of the Northwestern Academy of Homeopathy. She has practiced classical homeopathy in Minneapolis for more than 35 years and has served on professional and non-profit boards including the International Council of Classical Homeopathy.  Additionally, she has completed advanced training programs in shamanic practice and offers classes and programs in shamanism at Pathways.

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP, ABOIM is the Chair of Internal Medicine at Hennepin Health System (HHS), Minnesota’s premier level 1 trauma center and the largest county hospital. There she holds the Scott F. Davies Endowed Chair of Medicine position. Dr. Prasad is also a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Prasad came to Minnesota from the University of New Mexico (UNM) where she was a Professor of Internal Medicine and the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Integrative Medicine. Her interest in integrative and inter-culture health, inter-professional education, community engagement, and physician well-being led her to develop the UNM Center for Life, a center for patient care, learning, an community education.  Dr. Prasad is working on growing and supporting integrative, interdisciplinary, and culturally inspired integrative health throughout the health system in partnership with the state, county, and community organizations to reduce health disparities and improve health equity in Minnesota.

Christa Rymal, RN MSN is the Founder, Co-Owner and CEO of The Point Retreats with over 20 years of experience in emergency medicine, cardiac care, orthopedics, primary care, diabetes education and endocrinology. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, a Master’s Degree in HealthCare Leadership, Advanced training from the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Institute of Functional Medicine, and American Academy of Functional Medicine. During her time working as a diabetes nurse educator and being the Director of Diabetes Care and Endocrinology, she was motivated to be a change agent in the way chronic disease is managed and treated. She was inspired by those patients who became partners in their care and with the right support, education, and coaching were empowered to make lifestyle changes that resulted in improved health and happiness. She and her team at The Point passionately share their expertise in integrative medicine and lifestyle, as well as pursuing adventure, sharing laughter, providing support, encouraging greatness, and helping others achieve their personal goals.

Carolyn Torkelson, MD, Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota. An integrative women's health physician who retired from clinical practice in December 2019. She writes and consults on mature women's health and published her first book "Beyond Menopause: New Pathways to Holistic Health" in the fall of 2022. She continues as Co-chair of the Minnesota Holistic Medicine Group, a group of 900 holistic practitioners from various disciplines.

Integrative Health Advisory Committee

Paul Erickson, MD

Courtney Baechler, MD, MS

Laurie Drill-Mellum, MD, MPH

Megan Ellingson, MHA

Henry Emmons, MD

Gregory A. Plotnikoff, MD, MTS

Carol Schoenecker, RN, CHTP

Sue Towey, APRN, CNS, MS, LP