Faculty: North American Institute of Medical Herbalism

Paul Bergner, Medical Herbalist, Clinical Nutritionist
Paul Bergner has studied and practiced natural medicine since 1973, with formal studies in naturopathy, medical herbalism, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, flower essences, yoga therapy, and bodywork, including undergraduate studies in pre-medicine and psychology, and 50 semester hours of doctoral level medical studies at National College of Naturopathic Medicine. He has edited the Medical Herbalism journal since its founding in 1989, and has written seven books on medical herbalism, nutrition, Chinese medicine, ethnobotany, and naturopathic medicine. He has also edited periodicals on clinical nutrition and naturopathic medicine.
Paul directed the clinical herbalism programs at Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies and the NAIMH for sixteen years, training more than 220 certified clinical herbalists in an 1100 or more hour education that culminates in an eight-month internship program. He has been adjunct faculty in nutrition at Naropa University, visiting faculty in nutrition and pathophysiology at the Tai Sophia Institute, and nutrition faculty at the Seven Bowls school of nutrition. In addition to directing the NAIMH, he teaches herbal materia medica and therapeutics, clinical nutrition, basic medical sciences, clinical skills, medical history and philosophy, and nature studies.

Teresa Koby, Certified Clinical Herbalist/Certified Clinical Nutritionist

Teresa is a graduate of the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies. She was on the faculty at the center from 2001 through 2003. Teresa has been a faculty member of NAIMH since the school was founded in 2004, and is the Assistant Director of the school. She is an instructor in the Fundamentals, Advanced, Nutrition and Clinical programs at NAIMH. She is Director of the Clinical Herbalism, Clinical Nutrition Programs and Flower Essence Programs. Teresa has more than 20 years of experience in education as a teacher and administrator. She is also the Director of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder Colorado and has had a clinical practice since the year 2000.

Tania Neubauer, N.D. Clinical Herbalist, LMT
Tania has studied and practiced herbalism since 1994. She completed programs of study with Michael Moore, Karyn Sanders, and the Pacific School of Herbal Medicine. She worked in the Berkeley Free Clinic for four years as a community health worker, counselor and medical coordinator. She completed her N.D. degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2006. After graduation she practiced primary care medicine in a small rural Nicaraguan hospital through a collaboration with Natural Doctors International, a nonprofit that works to bring natural medicine to global health. Here conventional treatments were mixed with naturopathic treatments including indigenous and North American herbs. Subsequently she practiced primary care naturopathic medicine for two years in a community clinic for Spanish-speaking patients in Salem, OR. She has traveled throughout Central America and Mexico connecting with natural medicine practitioners in every country.

Mary W. Barnes RH(AHG), CN

Mary W. Barnes has practiced clinical herbalism since the year 2000, working as a wellness provider and teacher. She is a member of the teaching staff at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in Boulder, Colorado. She is responsible for teaching classes in therapeutics, formulation, pharmacy practice, case studies, clinical skills and nutrition. She works with students at NAIMH in each stage of their education, and is the she is the faculty contact for most distance learning students. Mary is a graduate of the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies receiving a certificate in clinical herbalism. She also earned a certificate in clinical nutrition from the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism. She is a graduate of the American Health Sciences University, completing a course of study in clinical nutrition. She is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild and a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists. An accomplished writer, she has published journal articles in Medical Herbalism and writes a bi weekly health column for the Herald Democrat, a local newspaper. She is a life long student of the human spirit and its relationship with the natural world. Mary lives and practices medical herbalism in Leadville, Colorado. She is the owner of Silver Spirit Herbs and Nutrition LLC.

Anne Theissen, Registered Dietician, Certified Clinical Herbalist
Anne is a registered dietitian, nutrition therapist, and certified clinical herbalist with a private practice in Boulder. She combines nutrition therapy and herbal medicine utilizing an integrative approach to encourage healing in her clients. She attended the University of California, Davis, and interned at Yale’s teaching Hospital in New Haven Connecticut and prior to graduating from the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies in Boulder Colorado as a certified clinical herbalist. Anne has worked in the field of nutrition since 1986 and has incorporated herbal medicine into her work since 1997.
She teaches and guest lectures at a number of schools in the Boulder area, bringing her enthusiasm into the classroom for a variety of populations. Anne teaches clinical nutrition at NAIMH

Lisa Ganora

Lisa began studying herbs in the Wise Woman Tradition back in 1986 and fell profoundly in love with medicinal plants and natural healing. While studying with traditional herbalists in New England and the Appalachian mountains for ten years, she began creating herbal products and travelling the festival circuit with an herb booth and her wild-child daughter. In 1997 Lisa decided to study botany, chemistry, and health sciences at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and graduated with highest honors and several awards. Lisa combines a deep understanding of traditional, Vitalist herbalism with a knowlege of herbal constituents and pharmacognosy for a truly holistic approach to herbal medicine. Lisa is a professor of pharmacognosy at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, and has lectured and taught classes at numerous schools and conferences around the U.S. She is the author of Herbal Constituents, the standard textbook of pharmacognosy for herbalists

Matthew Becker, Clinical Herbalist
Matthew Becker has practiced herbalism for more than twenty years. He apprenticed with herbalist William LeSassier in New York in the 1980s, and taught at the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies from 1998 through 2003. He is currently a staff herbalist at the Pharmaca, an integrative pharmacy in Boulder, CO. He has developed formulas for North American Chinese herbal companies. He is on the regular and clinical faculties at the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism