AWB Executive Director, Founder and Member of the Board
Diana Fried, M.Ac., L.Ac., M.A. Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)
With AWB, Diana has worked in disasters and under served communities doing community acupuncture in Louisiana (hurricanes), Haiti (earthquake), Nepal and Ecuador, and has supervised disaster relief work in California (wildfires) and Iowa (floods) and in community Military Stress Recovery clinics. Diana Fried has many years of experience and training in emotional/trauma healing work, along with years of work in international grassroots community development (Oxfam America, Grassroots International), including travel and work in Mexico, Central America and Africa. She graduated from the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture with an M.Ac. (1999), had a private practice in Maine, and is a certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist trained by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) and a certified Qigong Instructor. She was on the staff of Spring Hill in Massachusetts and is trained in Critical Incident Stress Management, Plant Spirit Medicine, and Acutonics. She is also a video producer, writer, meditation practitioner, and has worked as a media consultant. Diana received her B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) from Bowdoin College and her MA from the University of Texas at Austin/ Institute of Latin American Studies where she did her thesis on economic development strategies among the Huichol Indians to fight the deforestation of their land.
AWB Board of Directors
John Ross, DOM, Dip. Ac., EMT - Chair of Board
Dr Ross is Vice-President of the Longevity Institute, and President of East West Medical Arts. He has devoted his professional career to integrating Asian and Western Medicine, serving as Chair of the NM Board of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and as President of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medical Association of NM. Dr. Ross was a Professor and Clinical Supervisor, and Tai Chi and Qi Gong Instructor, at Southwest Acupuncture College Santa Fe. He is National Board Certified in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and is also a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic level. He holds Rx2 certification in NM, allowing him the broadest scope of practice of Asian medicine available anywhere in the US, including injection and IV therapies. He was one of the founding members of the hospital–based Mind/Body Institute of Jupiter Medical Center, and the first Acupuncturist on staff, at Jupiter Hospital in Jupiter, Florida. His years of hospital-based experience provide a special expertise in Geriatric and Longevity medicine. Traditionally trained in a Master/Student Tutorial, he holds the rank of First Degree Black Belt in Ka-Ju Kenpo and Third Degree Black Belt, Instructor, in Shunyata-Kai. He is an expert Tai Chi, Yoga, and Qi Gong practitioner, and has taught classes in these subjects both in Florida and New Mexico. A lifelong student of both medicine and the martial arts, he is currently a candidate for the degree Master of Science in Oriental medicine, and a registered online student at Functional Medicine University. He is pursuing advanced Qi Gong studies under Master Li Jun Feng of Austin, Texas.
Stephanie Georgieff, MS, L.Ac. - Vice President
Stephanie Georgieff resides and practices in Southern California. She received her Masters of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. In addition to her Acupuncture Practice, she teaches natural medicine, herbs and nutrition at local community colleges and nursing programs. Active in the Peace, Justice and Environmental movement for years, Stephanie incorporates these concepts into her public speaking and writing endeavours. She hosted a call in radio talk show, entitled Green Medicine, and continues to write in local and national publications, as well as her personal Blog at www.GreenRx.org, on practicing medicine in harmony with nature and with justice to the human community as a whole.
Jeya Aerenson, O.M.D., L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) - Secretary
Jeya received her Masters in Oriental Medicine from the International Institute in Chinese Medicine in Santa Fe, NM in 1993 and her Oriental Medical Doctorate from the North American Academy of Advanced Asian Medicine in Austin TX in 1996. She has a BA in Social Work from Antioch College. She is certified in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Chi Lel Qi Gong and Alchemical Healing. In her private practice at The Circle of Life Center for Integrative Therapies she incorporates a variety of healing modalities in accordance with each individual’s needs. She teaches classes in acupressure, Alchemical Healing and Qi Gong. Jeya lived and practiced in Arizona for 12 years before moving to Eugene Oregon in 2005. She has lectured at Canyon Ranch Resort and Spa, University of Oregon, University of Arizona, and taught classes in Qi Gong and acupressure to acupuncture and shiatsu students, adults and teenagers. With her backround in Social Work, volunteering has been an important element in Jeya’s carreer. She has used her acupuncture skills to donate her services to projects for the homeless, free clinics for low income clients, teen summer camps, and Acupuncturists Without Borders in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.
John D. Convey, L.Ac., Founder, Evolve Wellness Center
John Drew Convey has gained a distinguished reputation as one of the leading wellness practitioners in Los Angeles as the founder of Evolve Wellness Center in West Hollywood. As a licensed acupuncturist, John specializes in preventive medicine, stress management, cosmetic rejuvenation in addition to the treatment of muscular-skeletal and stress-related imbalances. His client list is composed of high functioning members of the Southern California community, including executives, celebrities and athletes. John received his Masters of Science from Samra University and was licensed to practice acupuncture in the state of California. He has traveled the world seeking to enhance his healing practices by additionally studying with Japanese Acupuncture Master Kiiko Matsumoto and Daoist Master/Acupuncturist Jeffrey C. Yuen as well as studying with Japanese monks in the art of Buddhist meditation. An avid surfer, John uses a holistic approach in his healing therapies, combining Traditional Chinese Medicine, Japanese-style Acupuncture, Reiki, nutritional counseling and wellness coaching to help his patients maintain optimal health.
AWB Advisory Board
Nancy Ann Miller, B.S., M.B.A., M.Ac., L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM) - Fundraising Chair
Nancy Ann Miller is a Licensed Acupuncturist who practices in Arlington, Virginia. Prior to completing the Masters of Acupuncture program at the Tai Sophia Institute, Nancy earned her B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies at Cornell University 1971 and her M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Rochester in 1981. Nancy has served on the Board of the Acupuncture Society of Virginia. She has received special training and certification for using acupuncture to treat addictions. She has over 20 years’ experience in the business and non-profit arenas, including positions in finance at Xerox and Citicorp. She has held senior fundraising positions at Co-op America, The Wilderness Society, The African Wildlife Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Tai Sophia Institute. She studied Zen meditation at the Zen Center of Rochester, NY and awareness meditation at the Springwater Center in Springwater, NY, and currently is studying Tibetan Buddhism and non-violence in action with Pema Chodron.
Cynthia Neipris, L.Ac - Clinical Policy Advisor
Cynthia Neipris is licensed as an acupuncturist in New York and California, with certification from the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association as an Acu-Detox Specialist. She is the Director of Community Education and Outreach for the New York campus of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, one of the largest and most well respected Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Colleges in the nation. She previously served as Assistant Academic Dean at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ms. Neipris has also managed educational programs at University of Washington and at Boston University. Prior to her work in Traditional Chinese Medicine education, Ms. Neipris worked in film and theatre in Boston, Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles, with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, and Home Box Office, among others.
Military Stress Recovery (formerly Veterans) Project Advisory Board
Daniel Bruce is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine. He graduated from SAMRA University of Oriental Medicine in 1982 and became a Charter member of the New Mexico Acupuncture Association. For the past 25 years he has participated in promoting the profession by serving as a board member from 1990 – 1998 and eventually as the association president. From 1990 - `93 he served as a faculty member at the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In April of 1999 he was part of the Acupuncture Brigade that traveled to Honduras to work with survivors of Hurricane Mitch. Due to that life changing experience he decided to seek out opportunities to serve in under served and post disaster settings. In January of 2000, he and fellow acupuncturist Michael Zucker began training Traditional Medicine practitioners as part of the MettaDana project in Burma, returning again in 1/02 and 1/03. His work abroad has taken him to Tanzania in 4/04, to southern Thailand, India and Indonesia in the aftermath of the Tsunami in 2005 - 06. As a Vietnam combat veteran, serving in the Marine Corps from 1966 - 69, Daniel can well appreciate the challenges returning veterans face. As a trauma survivor he understands the need for early intervention that acupuncture and related therapies can offer returning veterans and their families.
Daniel Craig is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine. He graduated from Southwest Acupuncture College in 2001 and gained his license in New Mexico in 2003. He works in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Santa Fe Recovery Center as an Addiction’s Counselor and also uses acupuncture with patients in the 28-day residential program. He uses the 5-Needle Ear Protocol regularly with patients in the program. He also has a private practice in Santa Fe. Daniel is a 12-year veteran serving in the Regular Army for 7 years both as an enlisted soldier and as an officer. He served in the New Mexico National Guard and as an ROTC Cadet at New Mexico State University while attaining his B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. Daniel fought in the 1991 Gulf War as a Lieutenant of Field Artillery with the 1st Infantry Division. He is a member of Veterans For Peace since 2003 and is currently serving as the Chapter President. Daniel is also a native New Mexican born and raised in Springer, New Mexico.
Megan Kingsley Gale, L.Ac. (MSAOM), Dipl. OM (NCCAOM), L/CMT (NCBTMB)
Megan Kingsley Gale graduated with a Master’s of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MSAOM) from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA, in 2006 and holds a Diplomate in Oriental Medicine from the NCCAOM. She received her undergraduate degrees in Biology (B.S., premed) and English (B.A.) from the University of Minnesota. She is licensed to practice Acupuncture (L.Ac.) and Massage Therapy (L/CMT) in the state of Washington and the Commonwealth of Virginia. From Brenneke School of Massage, she was trained in Western bodywork. She received extra training in Asian bodywork, Chinese herbal medicine, Acutonics, and integrated medicine through Bastyr University. She completed clinic shifts in the Seattle metro area at the integrated medicine school clinic (Bastyr Center for Natural Health), Harborview Hospital, Puget Sound neighborhood clinics, and Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. Her husband is in the Navy, and brother is in the Army. She is currently stationed in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Her passion is to help bring acupuncture and oriental medicine to all members of military service and their families. She sees a great need for it in this population, especially recently with Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF and OIF). Even without war, deployments are a unique challenge for active duty, reservists, national guard, and their families. Acupuncture is a great complement to the standard available resources for service-members and their families to help ease these transitions and emotional roller coasters (deployments, work-ups, field trainings, etc). Currently working as a full-time instructor at a local college teaching in the massage and medical assisting programs, she volunteers her acupuncture skills part-time.
