Marc Debay, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. is a Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Family Medicine for the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.

Debay received his M.D. from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté de Médecine (Free University of Brussels), Belgium and a master’s and a Ph.D. in public health from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He completed residencies in family medicine at the Glendale Adventist Medical Center and in preventive medicine at Loma Linda University. He is board certified in both family medicine and preventive medicine.

Debay was previously an associate professor in the School of Medicine and in the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University and director of the Primary Care Physicians Services Project, a partnership between the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health and the Loma Linda Faculty Medical Group. He served as an attending physician in the departments of preventive medicine and family medicine and as a physician in the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System. He also focused on training physicians and other health professionals for primary care research and global health service.

His extensive international public health expertise includes reproductive, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, behavior change communication, and health systems strengthening. He has broad experience in program design, implementation, and evaluation at the community, district, national and international levels with a variety of government, academic and private organizations. He has served in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Among his many volunteer activities, he served as faculty advisor and supervisor to the Loma Linda University Street Medicine Outreach, a student-run volunteer medical group providing transitional care to the homeless of San Bernardino. He has also worked with a multitude of international aid organizations such as World Vision International and Doctors Without Borders.

He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Preventive Medicine and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

He is fluent in both English and French and also speaks Spanish.

His interests include comprehensive patient-centered primary care, program evaluation and quality improvement, and global health education of physicians and other health professionals.

My name is Dr. Joseph Thomas and I am a trained family medicine and lifestyle medicine physician. I grew up health conscious as a vegetarian but after starting residency I learned of the healing power a plant-based diet possessed. I was able to lead a reversing diabetes course during residency and saw several people go from limited mobility to walking around the room. I was able to see peoples weight go down, happiness increase and true healing occur. This set me on a path to find other ways to heal people. After residency I started working in the hospital where I tried to help those in need obtain better help; realizing that the majority of chronic diseases started with the diet. I have since left the hospital and started up my own company (Simpliwell LLC) with my wife (nutrition counsellor in training) so that we could work with people earlier in the disease process to keep them out of the hospital and in a better state of health. It has been a pleasure joining up with the Plantrician Project to help the world achieve better health. 

Dr. Gretchen M. Potschka is an internal medicine/pediatric specialist in Longview, Washington and is affiliated with PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center. She received her medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

Dr. Olsen graduated from ISU Family Medicine Residency in 2012 and has been practicing with InterMountain Medical Clinic since then. He attended medical school at Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in the Phoenix area. He enjoys camping, traveling, running, woodworking and backpacking. Dr. Olsen is currently accepting new, qualified patients.

Dr. Crymes is a faculty physician with Cox Family Medicine Residency Program in Springfield, Missouri. She is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and served in the US Air Force for eight years. She earned her DO degree at ATSU-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency at Cox. Over the past five years, Dr. Crymes has become extremely interested in the concept of mindfulness. She has attended courses and obtained certification to teach mindfulness. She currently teaches mindfulness classes to patients for treatment of pain and stress-related illness and has worked to incorporate mindfulness in the medicine curriculum for physicians at the Cox Residency Program as of this spring.

Samantha Salmon is the founder of RawFoodMealPlanner.com, a health coaching and training service that specializes in brain health, weight loss, type 2 diabetes, menstrual health, raw foods, and energy. As a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Brain Health Licensed Trainer, Samantha educates her clients on natural healing modalities such as nutrition and lifestyle to support their overall health and well-being. With a background in raw foods and plant-based nutrition, and a personal connection to diabetes through her grandmother’s death, Samantha is passionate about helping her clients achieve optimal health through dietary and lifestyle changes. She is also the former owner of Earth’s Healing Café in Chicago, Illinois, who has fed celebrities like Zoe Kravitz, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and fitness star Koya Webb. She is the creator of the Raw Food Health Empowerment Podcast and author of the book, “You Can Afford to Be Healthy”.
After getting a degree in economics from New York University and opening a raw vegan organic restaurant in Chicago, she went on to receive her health coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she learned about more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. 
Samantha is active in the health equity space in an effort to achieve her mission of eradicating type 2 diabetes in this country. She is a member of the Good Food Economy and Good Food Purchasing Policy Working Groups for LA Food Policy Council, one of the largest food policy councils in the country.

As a Lifestyle Medicine physician, I have a deep commitment to helping my patients lead healthier lives through nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, and stress management. I also have my Culinary Medicine certificate through the American College of Culinary Medicine, which allows me to combine my passion for cooking with my knowledge of plant-based nutrition. I believe that food can be both nourishing and delicious, and I love sharing recipes, cooking tips, and hacks to make meal prep easy and enjoyable. Whether you’re just starting your plant-based journey or have already adopted this lifestyle, I am here to provide guidance, support, and personalized care. Together, we can explore the incredible benefits of a plant-based diet and work towards achieving optimal health and well-being. I am excited to be a part of your plant-based journey and look forward to helping you thrive on this path. Let’s embark on this transformative journey together!

Dr. Marianela Lavena is a seasoned medical professional with over two decades of experience, dedicated to bridging the gap between traditional and integrative medicine. Graduating from medical school 20 years ago, she embarked on a journey of exploration and discovery to unearth the most effective ways to guide her patients towards holistic healing. Driven by her belief in nurturing the interconnectedness of mental, spiritual, and physical well-being, she has cultivated a unique approach that harmoniously blends ancient practices with her extensive knowledge in Allopathic, Functional, and Mind-Body medicine.
Dr. Lavena is committed to providing a sanctuary for healing, community, and growth, and her adoption of a membership model at Inner Healing Medical ensures that each patient receives personalized care and attention. With a strong conviction that food is medicine and that true healing originates from within, Dr. Lavena emphasizes the importance of removing toxins and chronic infections while also fostering the body’s innate healing potential. Her holistic approach extends beyond the physical realm, advocating self-kindness, self-compassion, and the pursuit of purpose. Dr. Lavena’s mission is not only to guide patients on a path to optimal health but also to empower them to discover their inner motivation, embrace their unique life purpose, and lead lives imbued with happiness, strength, and resilience.

I am a Maine Based Family medicine who is committed to bettering her community through using food as medicine. What we put into our bodies has such an affect on our health and should be a priority in the medical field. 

In 2013, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition called relapsing polychondritis.  On the basis of extensive research, I rejected my doctor’s orders and eschewed the perils of corticosteroid treatment, instead choosing a path of changing my diet and lifestyle.  
 
I switched to a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet that not only reversed my autoimmune condition, but also improved my health in countless other ways.   Based on the statistics, I was supposed to be either bedridden or dead by now, but instead I am alive and well — and medication-free!  
 
These positive changes inspired me to study nutrition-based health further, to the point where it has become an obsession of mine.  
 
For a complete list of certificates and courses and to see if I am qualified to work with you, go to  www.nutritionandhealtheducator.com.

Sandra has been a physician for over 25 years, now specializing in Food as Medicine, dedicated to preserving health and reversing lifestyle-related chronic disease through whole, plant-based nutrition. Sandy co-founded and runs the nonprofit Plant Docs as an avenue for adults to learn about the power of plant-based nutrition to improve health. Sandy studied Nutritional Sciences in college then earned her MD degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Sandy worked in a primary care practice, taught residents at the medical school at Brown University, and started an Obesity Clinic. Though she has witnessed the healing power of conventional medicine, she has also seen its limitations, especially with regard to disease prevention through healthy nutrition. She obtained the following additional training: a Culinary Coaching certificate from Harvard’s CHEF Coaching program, a certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell, and a Health Coaching certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sandy is board certified in Pediatrics, Obesity Medicine, and is in the process of becoming board certified in Lifestyle Medicine.  

I am a board certified family nurse practitioner in family and lifestyle medicine in Georgetown, TX. Over the course of my 23-year career in medicine I have worked in both adult cardiac and pulmonary focused intensive care units, home health, hospice and inpatient rehab, as well as assisted living and memory care.  My career has allowed me to practice the full spectrum of adult medicine.  While I believe pharmaceuticals have their place in medicine, my passion is to show my patients how to live a life without them In 2016, my career took an unexpected turn following a health crisis and an eventual autoimmune disease diagnosis.  While researching and reading everything I could get my hands on about autoimmune diseases, I discovered the connection between diet and disease.  Three years after my diagnosis I had reversed my autoimmune illness, was off all my medication, and had almost undetectable antibodies.  I had a new vision for the way I wanted to practice medicine.  I returned to The University of Texas at Austin and completed my Doctorate in Nursing Practice focusing on Lifestyle medicine.

Dr. Rob McNab is a practicing Internist in Joplin, MO. He is double-boarded in Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. He has a passion for medical education and Lifestyle Medicine interventions. Dr. McNab is a 2002 graduate of the Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience. He holds fellowships from both the ACOI and the ACP. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.
 
Dr. McNab created McNab Wellness – a Foundational Care clinic in 2022.  With a firmly held belief that healthy lifestyles are the foundations of good health, this practice collaborates with clients to optimize their health habits to attain their maximal health span and lifespan!

Dedicated in my service to Mankind, my entire 31-year nursing career has been specialized in Pediatrics, and I have worked in the PICU since 2000 with much float experience in the NICU. After having done extensive personal research since 1994 to find the best wholistic approaches to patient care and education of both my patients and their families, it wasn’t until late 2020 after diving head first into – and experiencing for myself – the whole-food plant-based lifestyle that I felt confident that I had found a truly viable and evidence-based approach: Back to the Basics.

Dr. Dhingsa is committed to practicing what she preaches – using a natural, holistic approach to supporting a healthy and active lifestyle. She has over a decade of experience in patient care. After working in “big box” medicine, Dr. Dhingsa has seen firsthand the shortfalls of “band-aids” and “quick fix” treatments. Her dissatisfaction with the status quo of medicine and her strong desire to see her patients not only function better, but also live a life of optimal health, drove her to found Four Oaks Medicine.