Staff
THE SCHOOL CURRENTLY HAS A CORE STAFF OF 6 PEOPLE, in addition to Guest Teachers we welcome in to present special topics.
We also offer a Teacher Training option for our students, leading to integration into our staff for one or more topics. This can be a wonderful way to build your career and balance your practice.
Mary Light, ND MH LMT
Mary is a Traditional Naturopath, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Clinical Medicinal Herbalist. She founded this school and also founded Gaia Center for Herbal Studies, a community learning center. She trained extensively from 1991 through 1999 in both fields, in Massachusetts, Maryland. Colorado, Florida, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Belize, Italy, and Scotland, earning certifications, diplomas (ND, LMT) and various continuing education series in Polarity Therapy, hatha yoga, medicinal herbs.
Carole Florence, ND MH LMT
Carole is a Traditional Naturopath, Licensed Massage Therapist, Medicinal Herbalist, Reiki Teacher, and Certified Kinesiologist. She began focusing her studies in these fields over ten years ago, after a corporate career in the healthcare industry wherein she utilized her two BS degrees in Mathemetics and Computer Science. ( U of Mich) . An avid international traveler, Carole is also a beekeeper, and a valued practitioner for the Indiana Amish Community. Based in Plymouth and on her organic farm in Ann Arbor, she facilitates a range of topics within both the ND and LMT programs.
Daniella Lopez
Daniella is a senior traditional naturopath intern, an EMT, a student in the paramedic field, and has completed a massage therapy program from Flint School of Massage. Born and raised in Mexico, she has a degree in Communications Science from Instituto Technologica y de Estudio Superiores de Monterrey, with studies in journalism and photojournalism. About our school, she says " After I met Mary I fell in love with the school immediately because i felt connected to my roots in many ways". She is currently working on completion of her Master Thesis project within the School, which is a book about the interface between food medicine and herbs. Daniela lives with her two young children and husband in southeast Michigan.
Greg Gaugler, LMT
Greg is a LIcensed Massage Therapist with a successful 20 year practice out of Brighton, Michigan. He is a 1997 Graduate of the Ann Arbor Institute of Massage, which operated until 2014. He shares: "... I originally became interested in massage therapy while studying physical therapy. It was then I realized how valuable massage therapy could be for prevention and recovery from injury, and general physical and mental health, but it was underutilized. After completing the 600 hour program at the Ann Arbor Institute of Massage Therapy in 1997 I went on my own, became certified by A.C.E. as a personal trainer, by Body Balance for golf health and fitness, and by Aaron Mattes for active isolated stretching, among many others. Seventeen years into it, here I am performing proven manual therapies that truly work and make perfect sense. As a direct result of massage therapy, my interests expanded into many other areas of natural health, diet, and fitness." Greg will fascilitate several segments in the MassageTherapy program. Check back for some continuing education he will offer, as well.
Chrissy Cushard , GUEST PRESENTER, is a licensed Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) - guest lecturing in our program to give our students insights into orthopedic approaches in the physical therapy field of health care.
As a soon- to be LMT, she will take a larger staff role in the future.
Additional Presenters in the past and in our future plans have included and may include: Yoga Teachers, counselors, Feldenkrais Practitioners leading an Awareness Through Movement, Naturopaths, Herbalists, and other professionals with adjunct teachings to offer as Guest Presentations.