FMCA Community Impact Scholarship Recipients For March 2027 Announced

Functional Medicine Coaching Academy is proud to introduce the recipients of our FMCA Community Impact Scholarships for March 2027.

Out of more than 600 remarkable applicants, three dedicated changemakers have been selected to receive full-tuition scholarships for our March 2027 Health Coach Certification Program.

These awards are made possible through a generous grant from VoLo Foundation, whose support helps turn our shared vision of accessible wellness into reality.

Narrowing down the pool was no small task. Every submission showed incredible heart, but these three individuals stood out for their clear vision and boots-on-the-ground commitment to closing wellness gaps in underserved communities. Through their upcoming FMCA training in functional health, nutrition, mind-body medicine, and behavior change, they’ll gain the tools to amplify the vital work they’re already doing.

Real healing happens when care meets people where they are. We’re thrilled to welcome these inspiring future coaches to the FMCA family and can’t wait to see the lasting impact they create.

Meet our scholarship recipients below.

Olena Halakhova

Olena is a Pennsylvania-licensed esthetician, a health coach trained in Ukraine, and a consultant in the Recovery and Longevity Room at a wellness center in Newtown. With a background in medical education and a passion for helping women care for themselves, she connects skincare with everyday habits that support health and well-being.

Olena works with women from diverse backgrounds and offer free coaching consultations and charitable self-care workshops for Ukrainian women, including those facing financial and language barriers or lacking health insurance. She had to leave Ukraine and start over, so she firsthand understand the challenges of rebuilding a life while working and caring for a family.

Olena’s Community Impact:

Through FMCA’s training, Olena hopes to expand her community work and develop an accessible program that helps immigrant women and women without health insurance turn their personal goals into lasting healthy habits.

Casey Halle

Casey Halle, M.Ed., CHES, ACSM-PT, is the Wellness Supervisor for the Concord and Mt. Pleasant Active Living Centers with Cabarrus County Active Living and Parks in North Carolina. She holds a Master of Education in Health Education from Cambridge College and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Simmons College.

Her background spans EMT experience, curriculum development, instructional design, and community program coordination. At the beginning of her career, Casey started a health class at UP Academy Boston as a middle school PE teacher, where she brought her passion for health education directly to learners. Today, she designs and leads programming that makes strength training and healthy living approachable, with a special focus on women’s health and helping women over 30 build confidence and lasting habits in the gym and beyond. Her approach to coaching is person-centered and research-based.

Casey’s Community Impact:

Casey is pursuing functional medicine coaching training to deepen her ability to partner with clients on root-cause, individualized health and lifestyle change and to improve access to healthy living in the more rural areas of Cabarrus County.

Michelle Mendoza

Michelle is a multidisciplinary communicator, radio host, and media producer dedicated to empowering immigrant communities through accessible, vital information. Spanning a career between Mexico City and California, she has worked as an independent translator, photographer, and designer, and has collaborated with organizations such as the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and American Community Media (AComMedia, formerly Ethnic Media Services) as an English–Spanish interpreter, translator, and Latino media liaison.

A trusted voice on Northern California airwaves, Michelle has served as a host and producer for Información Es Poder on KIQI 1010 AM since March 2010, recently celebrating a milestone 16 years on the air. She is also the co-host and co-producer of Voces del Pueblo / La Onda Bajita alongside Miguel Perez on KPFA 94.1 FM (Pacifica Radio) in Berkeley.

Driven by the belief that knowledge is power, Michelle leverages independent and ethnic media to bridge critical resource gaps. Through strategic partnerships with community-based organizations, public officials, and professionals, she regularly covers essential issues including healthcare access, financial literacy, workers’ compensation, civil rights, immigration policy, and updates from the Sacramento legislature and the Mexican Consulate. Her mission centers on delivering the tools and education individuals, families, and communities need to thrive.

Michelle’s Community Impact:

Diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS), Michelle turned to integrative lifestyle approaches that fundamentally transformed her health. That experience sparked her decision to train as a Functional Medicine Health Coach. Today, she is passionate about helping others implement meaningful lifestyle changes to elevate their well-being alongside conventional and complementary care.

Our Community Is Growing

We are thrilled to welcome Olena, Casey, and Michelle to FMCA’s growing student body. As they complete our Health Coach Certification Program and become FMCA Alumni, their impact on the health and wellness of their communities will only increase.

If you’re wondering if now’s the time to start making an impact with functional medicine and health coaching, let this be your invitation to join us. Let’s break down barriers to accessible functional medicine health coaching together. Who knows, you might even see one of our three scholarship recipients in your Live Coaching Labs each week…

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