Other Contibutors

Caroline is a nationally recognized healthy home expert with over 15 years of experience. She is a council-certified Mold Remediator (CMR) and Indoor Environmentalist (CIE), with graduate Sustainable Design educational background from Boston Architectural College. She is also credentialed through the National Environmental Health Association as a Healthy Homes Specialist (HHS). Caroline is a member of the ACAC, NEHA, IAQA, as well as serving on the national IAQA Green Committee. She is President of My Healthy Home, LLC, a company specializing in indoor air quality products and services. Consult with her on testing for contaminants in the home, mold, reducing allergens and chemicals, improving indoor air and water quality, and using environmentally-friendly building materials and products.

Heather is a clinical herbalist, licensed clinical nutritionist and fitness consultant. She has special interest in supporting overall health, weight loss, hormone balance and stress management. She is deeply rooted in the development of preventive wellness models that are health focused. Heather is a strong believer in functional wellness and uses nutrition and plants to support good sleep, improved energy, better concentration, low stress levels and balanced hormone production. Heather attained a Master of Science in Plant Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). She has worked as an herbal medicine compounder and quality control educator in the herb dispensary at MUIH. She is a certified nutrition specialist in the state of Maryland through the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She is a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild, which represents the voices of people specializing in the use of plants as medicine, and is fascinated with the synergistic relationship between plants and people when used to influence genetic expression. Heather currently works as a representative for SpectraCell Laboratories.

Molly is a nurse practitioner and herbalist with a background in practical nutrition. She enjoys working with patients who are interested in a holistic approach to their health issues. Molly specializes in the areas of lifestyle change, weight loss, diabetes, as well as inflammatory and pain conditions. She is also very passionate about supporting patients who are interested in approaching their health issues by going through a gentle yet very effective detox protocol, as outlined in the book "The Toxin Solution" by Dr. Joe Pizzorno. In his book, Dr. Pizzorno, an internationally recognized naturopath, describes how the chemicals we are exposed to disrupt our enzyme systems and result in conditions such as obesity and diabetes plus many other serious health conditions. Molly accepts Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicare.

Jared completed his Masters of Science in nutrition at Bastyr University in 2009. He is a Registered Dietitian (RD) licensed in the state of Maryland and a certified Health and Fitness Specialist (HFS) with the American College of Sports Medicine. With his duel background in holistic nutrition and exercise Jared takes a comprehensive and integrative approach to wellness, seeking equilibrium between diet, exercise, rest, emotional health and professional life. He works full time as Chief Wellness Coach and Health Content Manager for Wellness Corporate Solutions in Cabin John, MD, speaks regularly on various health topics and sees clients privately in Bethesda. In his free time Jared enjoys working toward his own optimal level of health – eating and cooking new foods, hiking, biking, skiing, traveling and spending time with close friends and family.

Ellen received her training as Nutrition and Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition/Columbia University. Having grown up on an organic family farm in rural Massachusetts, Ellen learned early-on about the value of eating locally grown, organic food and has long been an advocate of such practices. Post-college, she worked for a national non-profit, the Center for Food Safety, and as Outreach Director was responsible for educating the public about health and environmental harms caused by conventional agriculture, factory farming, genetically modified organisms and irradiation. She left that position to more directly pursue her passion for good health and nutrition by working as Clinical Assistant for Dr. Bruce Rind, a holistic physician in Washington, DC, and from there went on to get her degree in Nutrition and Health Counseling. Ellen currently has her own thriving Nutrition Counseling practice in Annapolis, MD, is on staff at Village Green Apothecary as a Nutrition and Supplement Adviser, and is expanding her practice to the Bethesda area and offering private nutrition appointments at the Village Green Apothecary.

Naz graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Public and Community Health. She is a certified Nutritional Counselor through the American Association of Nutritional Consultants (AANC). Most recently, she was trained in FirstLine Therapy, a clinically proven lifestyle change program that is recommended by leading health organizations. As a lifestyle educator, she helps clients discover the underlying causes of chronic disease by incorporating customized eating plans, exercise, nutritional supplementation and stress management techniques. Naz has been a familiar face at Village Green for the past 7 years and her extensive knowledge in natural medicine, hormonal balance and dietary supplements makes her a great candidate to offer preventative and therapeutic nutritional services.

Carmen graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition through Columbia University’s Teachers College and is certified by the American Association for Drugless Practitioners. She has worked closely with prominent integrative medical practitioners in the Washington, DC, area and has been trained in FirstLine Therapy, a clinically proven lifestyle program recommended by leading health organizations. Carmen guides her clients to discover the underlying causes of their ailments, assess nutritional deficiencies, understand how food affects wellbeing, become more physically fit, deepen relationships, and wisely manage time and stress so that they can ultimately thrive. Carmen successfully manages her rheumatoid arthritis and her daughter’s ADHD by incorporating a therapeutic lifestyle with food as medicine and the use of nutritional supplements.

Steve has a Ph.D. in chemistry, so you could call him Dr. Stillwater. As a result, his ideas about living a greener lifestyle typically have a strong scientific basis behind them. He believes that once the rationale that explains why a certain action will reduce waste, conserve energy, or save money is understood, people will be more willing to commit to making a permanent change in behavior. Steve has taught chemistry and biochemistry at the college level and worked as a scientist, developing ways to use natural materials like enzymes to replace toxic chemicals. His strong interest in greener and more sustainable living is a natural progression of this work. He also has a strong interest in natural ingredients and environmentally-friendly products. If you’d like more ideas on how to live a greener lifestyle and save money without disrupting your current lifestyle, go to Steve Stillwater’s website at www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com. Steve is committed to greener living and offers to easy-to-implement green living tips and ideas that allow you to live green and save money. You can also sign up for his free newsletter and receive regular updates on green news and information you can use.

Dr. Farzin Farid graduated from Howard University School of Pharmacy in Washington, DC, in 2009. In addition to his extensive knowledge of prescription drugs, Dr. Farid has a wide knowledge base regarding vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplementation. Dr. Farid believes that while supplements have an adjunct role to medical treatment, many ailments can be healed naturally without the use of drugs. He especially understands the intricate relationship between vitamins and minerals, so his approach to healing is highly individualized based on the patient’s chemistry. Dr. Farid has specialty knowledge in the areas of headaches, arthritis, allergies, hypertension, and hormonal imbalances.

Joe Ailts is the Director of Medical Education at NeuroScience, Inc. Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and a master’s degree in nutrition. Having gained experience at the laboratory benchtop for 3 years and an additional 5 years of clinical service at NeuroScience, Inc., Joe currently provides scientific and clinical education regarding the application of clinical neuro-endo-immunology. Joe takes a special interest in understanding the neurochemistry of the sleep/wake cycle.

Scott’s experience with Strength and Conditioning started when he was a college football player at William Jewell College. From there he went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in Sports Science from the University of Central Missouri and also served as an intern with the Kansas State University football team. Scott then accepted a position as a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at San Jose State University (SJSU), where he also got his Master of Arts in Kinesiology. The next stop was the University of California, Berkeley (CAL), where he went on to become the Associate Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Throughout his collegiate coaching career, Scott has obtained a track record of success that includes: 4 National Football League 1 st round draft picks, All-Americans in various sports, and contribution to national rankings with teams of various sports. Scott has also worked in the private industry as a Personal Trainer and Sports Performance Coach at Emerson Fitness in Oakland, CA. A respected contributor to the Strength and Conditioning profession, Scott has been a conference speaker for the National Strength and Conditioning Association in the areas of plyometrics, speed development, sprinting technique, agility, strength development and technique; has spoken overseas on fitness, strength and conditioning; is on the Advisory Board for Power Revolution; and has also been featured in STACK Magazine for athletes. Scott is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a United States of America Weightlifting Club Coach and United States of America Track and Field Coach.

Dr. James Brodsky graduated from Syracuse University in 1970 and from the Upstate Medical Center/Syracuse in 1974. Educational honors included The Faigle Award for Outstanding Senior (1970) and The Gurman Award for Outstanding Senior (1974). He was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha, National Medical Honorary Society. In 1977, Dr. Brodsky completed his training in Internal Medicine at the Washington Hospital Center and was certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. In 1987, he was recognized for Advanced Achievement in Internal Medicine. Since 1977, Dr. Brodsky has been a member of the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, and the Montgomery County Medical Society. He served on the clinical faculty at Georgetown from 1983 through 1996. Since 2005, he has been on the clinical faculty at George Washington University. He also serves on the staff at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda. Dr. Brodsky currently practices in Chevy Chase, MD, where he has been since 1977. His focus includes preventive aspects of health care utilizing the holistic model, complementary and alternative methods, integrative concepts of health care, functional medicine, and nutritional healing.

As an Integrative Pharmacist, Christine’s intention is to bridge the gap between conventional and alternative medicine. She earned her B.A. in biology from Rutgers University, her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of California at San Francisco, trained to be a Certified Holistic Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and is currently studying Western herbology. She draws from her own healing experiences that come from embracing Eastern traditions, and is honored to share this with others while supporting them on their journeys. Christine works part-time for Uptown Pharmacy in Los Angeles, does community education and outreach (presentations and free-lance writing), and works with private clients. She finds nourishing, balanced energy in her own life through a dedicated yoga practice, running, and bike riding along the beach in Southern California, where she resides.

Beth is a ‘green expert’ who consults to individuals and companies who want to reduce their carbon footprint while boosting their bottom line. She advises clients on ecological project planning, recycling, eco-friendly cleaning and composting, green product sourcing, and sustainability planning. For 8 years, Beth worked on the front lines of conservation in Latin America, helping build partnerships between local environmental groups and international funders. Beth is the author of three environmental books, including the forthcoming “Build Green Without Going in the Red.” She volunteers with a local land trust to help preserve the Scotts Run tributary of the Potomac, and teaches environmental science/stewardship to elementary school students. She resides in suburban Virginia in a green home she designed with her husband and two daughters.