Meet Our Educators - Functional Medicine Coaching Academy

World-Class Educators • Excellence in Education

Learn from the leading experts in Functional Medicine, Functional Nutrition and the Psychology of Eating, Positive Psychology, Mind-Body Medicine, the Art and Science of Coaching, and the Business of Coaching.

FMCA Health Coach Certification™ Educators

Michael Arloski

Michael Arloski

PhD

Michael Arloski, Ph.D., PCC, NBC-HWC is CEO and Founder of Real Balance Global Wellness Services, Inc. His company has trained over 10,000 health & wellness coaches worldwide.

Kara Fitzgerald ND

Kara Fitzgerald

ND

Kara Fitzgerald, ND is an educator at IFM and is an IFM Certified Practitioner. She received her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon.

David Haase, MD

David Haase

MD

David Haase, MD is a doctor, teacher, and innovator who is deeply committed to maximizing wellness one unique person at a time. He is an Institute for Functional Medicine faculty member and founder and medical director of the MaxWell Clinic, a Collaborative-Care, Functional Medicine Clinic.

Jim Kwik

Andre Norman

Andre Norman's childhood prepared him for nothing less than a life of crime and violence and eventually led him to be sentenced to over 100 years in prison.

Shilap Saxena, MD

Shilpa Saxena

MD

A board-certified Family Practice physician, Shilpa Saxena, MD graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine and completed her Family Practice residency at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida.

Terry Wahls, MD

Terry Wahls

MD

For four years, Terry Wahls, MD was confined to a tilt-recline wheelchair with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Using a diet and lifestyle program she designed specifically for her brain, she restored her health and has made it her mission to spread the word about her inspirational story of recovery (now she rides her bike to work everyday!).

Lesli Bitel

MBA

Lesli Bitel, MBA, RDN, LDN is a business strategist and mentor specializing in helping Functional Nutrition Professionals to overcome the confusion and sense of overwhelm associated with the business side of creating a profitable practice.

BJ Fogg

PhD

Patrick Hanaway

Patrick Hanaway

MD

Liz Lipski, PhD

Liz Lipski

PhD, CNS, BCHN, IMFCP, LDN

Dr. Lipski has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of Integrative and Functional Medicine, Liz Lipski, PhD, CNS, BCHN, IMFCP, LDN holds a doctorate in Clinical Nutrition, three board certifications in clinical nutrition, and one in Functional Medicine.

Thomas O’Byran

DC, CCN, DABCN, CIFM

Dr. Tom O’Bryan is a recognized world expert on gluten and its impact on health. He is an internationally recognized speaker and workshop leader specializing in the complications of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, Celiac Disease, and the development of Autoimmune Diseases, as they occur inside and outside of the intestines.

Sandra Scheinbaum

Sandra Scheinbaum

PhD, FMCA Founder & CEO

A self-professed lifelong learner, Dr. Sandi’s life’s work has been centered around education innovation since the very beginning.

FMCA Health Coaching Program Educator

Krisstina Wise

Krisstina Wise is a real estate mogul, Millionaire Coach, and creator of several multi-million dollar businesses including Goodlife Luxury, The Paperless Agent and most recently, WealthyWellthy.

FMCA Health Coaching Program Educator

Joan Borysenko

PhD

Lisa Fraley

JD

Lyra Heller, MA

Lyra Heller

MA

Lyra Heller, MA is an anthropologist who explores how different belief systems shape both the patient-healer relationship and our innate capacity to heal.

Dan Lukaczer, ND

Dan Lukaczer

ND

Dan Lukaczer, ND received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University in 1991. He is past Director of Clinical Research at Metagenics’ Functional Medicine Research Center where he was the principal investigator on various clinical trials.

Sachin Patel

MD

Sachin Patel founded The Living Proof Institute as part of his own personal transformation. When he couldn’t find answers through conventional medicine he began to explore functional and lifestyle medicine and it dramatically changed his life.

Dr. Pedram Shojai

Pedram Shojai

MD

Dr. Pedram Shojai is a man with many titles. He is the founder of bpossible.com, the NYT Best Selling author of The Urban Monk, Rise and Shine, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus and Inner Alchemy.

Monique Class

MS, APRN-BC

Senior Content Developer & Lead Faculty
Monique Class, MS, APRN, BC is FMCA’s Senior Content Developer & Lead Faculty, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, and a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Holistic Health at The Center for Women’s Health in Stamford, CT.

Beth Frates

MD

Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Pegg Frates, is a physician and certified health and wellness coach. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, with a double major in psychology and biology.

Kristi Hughes, ND

Kristi Hughes

ND

Kristi Hughes, ND founded the Center of Natural Healing Arts over a decade ago with a vision of providing integrated healthcare solutions for the public, as well as healthcare providers both locally in Minnesota and internationally.

Deanna Minich, PhD

Deanna Minich

PhD, FACN, CNS, RYT

Deanna Minich, PhD, FACN, CNS, RYT is an internationally-recognized lifestyle medicine expert, creative visionary, and author of five books.

Robert Rountree, MD

Robert Rountree

MD

Robert Rountree, MD received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill in 1980. He subsequently completed a three-year residency in Family and Community Medicine at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, after which he was certified by the American Board of Family Practice.

Margarita Tarragona, PhD

Margarita Tarragona

PhD

Margarita Tarragona, PhD is a psychologist who specializes in personal and relational transformation. As a clinician, coach, and organizational consultant, she incorporates scientific findings on flourishing from positive psychology with collaborative and narrative ways of working with clients to generate dialogue and expand their life stories.

Joel M. Evans

MD

Director of Curriculum Development
Director of Curriculum Development Joel M. Evans, MD is Founder and Director of The Center for Women’s Health, where he practices Integrative Obstetrics and Gynecology. His book on the holistic approach to pregnancy,

James Gordon

MD

Dr. James (Jim) S. Gordon, a Harvard-educated psychiatrist, is a world-renowned expert in using mind-body medicine to heal depression, anxiety, and psychological trauma.

Megan Jordan, PhD

Megan Jordan

PhD, RN, CWP

Meg Jordan, PhD, RN, CWP is Department Chair of Integrative Health Studies and Somatic Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Her focus there is preparing graduate students as catalysts for positive change in health care, wellness, and health promotion.

Ryan Niemiec

PsyD

Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D. is a leading international figure in the education, research, and practice of character strengths that are found in all human beings.

Cheng Ruan

MD

Cheng Ruan, M.D. is a board certified internal medicine physician. He is the founder and serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Texas Center for Lifestyle Medicine, a novel approach to primary care focused on coaching, collaboration, and integrative health.

Laura Taylor

MAPP

After a successful career as a musical theatre performer and arts educator, Laura completed her Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania in 2014.

Industry Expert Guest Speakers

In addition to our educators, our curriculum is supported by a variety of guest speakers who present on relevant specialty topics.
Hear from industry experts covering new developments, tools, and approaches that you can use in your coaching practice.

Learn From The Experts: Explore FMCA Health Coach Certification™

EXPLORE the FMCA Health Coach Certification™ Program

DEI Commitment Statement

Diversity is a core value of FMCA. We believe the power of diversity enriches all of us by exposing us to a range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all students, staff, and faculty.

FMCA is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff and student body. FMCA will honor your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming. We believe diversity benefits and enriches the development of all of our students, staff, and faculty.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not just a phrase; each word speaks to distinct values. In having conversations with candidates, it is helpful to purposefully provide definitions for diversity, equity, and inclusion allowing for a thoughtful conversation.

Diversity: The representation of different and unique identities, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives.
Equity: Giving everyone what they need to succeed by increasing access, resources, and opportunities for all; especially for those who are underrepresented and have been historically disadvantaged.
Inclusion: A welcoming culture in which differences are celebrated and everyone is valued, respected, and able to reach their full potential.