Leadership & Staff

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Jashar Rentz

My background is actually not in medicine at all but in school leadership. I graduated from the prestigious University of Washington Danforth School for Educational Leadership, wide-eyed and ready to bring my knowledge of systems and process to public education. Unfortunately what I found when I got there was a system that was badly damaged from the top down, and one in which I had much less control over things than I had hoped.

As luck would have it, my partner, Dr. Brooke Azie-Rentz, was growing her practice from her individual scope to a broader, multi-disciplinary practice, and needed someone to manage the business to allow her to focus on patient care. I began learning about the world of Naturopathic Medicine, and five years later, Alpine Integrated Medicine is successful and growing strongly and sustainably. It was my chance to bypass the bureaucracy of education and to truly create a first-class organization.

When I came to Alpine Integrated Medicine, we were a clinic with skilled providers and strong revenue, but the financial projections were not looking great. Each month, we prayed for that Premera check to arrive so we could cover Rent, and Payroll, etc. Contrast that with now, where we have a surplus each month, sustainable growth, and more providers on salary than ever before. Our clinic has become a model for multi-disciplinary practices, and for concierge practices.

I learned quickly that the work I had done in schools translated directly to the medical business, and I also learned that the business of medicine is something that alluded many, if not most, providers in our field. I started hearing the frustrations of new NDs who couldn’t make a business work, and the frustrations of established docs who despite their skill were not as financially successful as they ought to be. I also saw people who had never really practiced trying to sell practice management gimmicks and reaffirmed my belief that there are no shortcuts to true success.

I realized that the field of education was drawing me back in, but now with the renewed focus of educating the business sensibilities of Naturopathic Providers. That’s why I’m so passionate about the work we are doing at INM, and why I reached out to Dr. Simon to become involved. While it is true that we need excellent physicians guiding the field of Naturopathic Medicine, it is also true that we need shrewd business-minded people guiding the development of the business of Naturopathic Medicine. I’m blessed to be part of an organization like INM and surrounded by others who, like me, want to see the best for our entire profession.

At the end of the day, I think that the fact that I came from outside of medicine is what has allowed me to work on creative solutions that may not have been apparent to someone who has made this their life’s focus from day one. It also allows me to put myself in the mind of the patient when I consider decisions and outcomes, which ultimately aids the business itself. I’m a master of systems theory, and my position is that as a consultant and team member, my goal is to present a framework and to ask the right questions of a business or organization so that they can manifest their own positive change. I’m especially excited to be co-leading the Naturopathic Residency Consortium with Dr. Simon, as we are developing a sustainable residency program with a business focus that will be a benchmark for success in our field in the coming years.

Pamela Snider, ND

Pamela Snider, ND, is Executive and Senior Editor for the Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine Project, producing a first of its kind international textbook of Naturopathic medicine through a series of international retreats and symposia. A nationally recognized integrative health and policy leader, she is active in both national and regional integrative health initiatives. Dr. Snider serves on the Board of Directors, was founding Executive Director and co-founder of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Health (ACIH/ACCAHC) a consortium of the councils of schools, accrediting agencies and certifying bodies of the licensed, traditional and emerging integrative health professions, and is currently Vice Chair and co-founder of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC). Dr. Snider served as a founding Board Member of the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine from 2014-2016. Her public policy work includes completing a two year appointment to the DHHS Center For Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee (MCAC); serving as a Steering Committee Member for the HRSA funded American College of Preventive Medicine NCCIM Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Residency program, co-directing in USPHS Region X the Building Bridges Between Provider Communities Group, an exploration of interdisciplinary collaboration and common ground between public health and CAM; serving for 22 years on Washington State’s Health Professional Loan Repayment and Scholarship Program Advisory Committee (HPLRSP); providing technical assistance to and developing key language for the enabling legislation for NIH Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCIH/NCCAM); and staffing Joseph Pizzorno ND during his appointment as Commissioner on the White House Commission on CAM Policy.

From 1994-2003, Dr. Snider served as Associate Dean for Public and Professional Affairs and Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University, dividing her work between academic and public affairs activities, including chairing the Naturopathic Medicine Program Curriculum Review Committee. Dr. Snider has been teaching, publishing and lecturing widely on Naturopathic philosophy, theory integrative health, public policy, and other topics for over 30 years. Currently, an Associate Professor at National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, OR, Dr. Snider also continues at Bastyr University in her 22nd year as a faculty member teaching naturopathic medicine history, clinical theory, and global context. Among her Naturopathic medicine professional roles she serves on the Institute for Natural Medicine’s Leadership Council. In 1989, she co-led the naturopathic profession with Dr. Jared Zeff, in developing a unifying definition of naturopathic medicine and its principles of practice adopted unanimously by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) House of Delegates. She was a co-investigator in the 2004 NIH NCCAM research study, the North American Naturopathic Medical Research Agenda and CAM Advisor in NIHCCAM’s Financing Integrative Health Care (University of Washington). Her areas of experience include healthcare education; naturopathic and interdisciplinary clinical theory, curriculum development; clinical practice; government and legislative affairs, public policy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community organizing. Dr. Snider has received the Ontario Naturopathic Physician of the Year Award, the Physician of the Year Award from the AANP, the President’s Outstanding Vision Award and Distinguished Alumnus Award at Bastyr University, AANP’s President’s Award, an honorary Doctorate of Naturopathic Philosophy from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), the William A Mitchell Vis Award from the AANP and The Gathering – NMSA’s Beacon Award. She received her ND degree in 1982 from Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences and is a licensed naturopathic physician in the State of Washington. She lives with her husband and children at their homestead in North Bend Washington, in the beautiful mountain to sea landscape and home of The Revival – Restore the Vis, an annual student-led community gathering.

Bruce Barlean

Bruce Barlean is an owner and founder of Barlean’s, a global dietary supplement manufacturer located in the Pacific Northwest in Ferndale, WA. Bruce has been actively involved in the Natural Products industry since 1989 and is passionate about making a difference in the world and positively impacting the lives of others.

Bruce believes that people can make a difference in the world through ordinary purchases. He is committed to improving the quality of life for every person on the planet by making the best products and by using the profits to support outreach programs. Bruce summarizes it simply, “We make good stuff to do good stuff”.

In the late 1980’s Bruce became passionate about how health could be dramatically improved with Flax Oil Supplementation. Bruce along with his entrepreneurial parents saw the potential to improve the lives of many people and in 1989 they began selling Flax Oil under the Barlean’s name. From 1989 – 2000 the business grew an average of 40% year over year. While most companies saw a decline in business in the 2001 recession, Barlean’s continued to grow and soon became America’s #1 selling flaxseed oil and continues to be to the present. The brand has since expanded to include additional oils, green food concentrates and other premium supplements. Bruce continues to drive innovation and over the years his products and company have won countless awards including: Eight consecutive Vity Awards for #1 EFA, Six consecutive Vity Awards for #1 Greens Food Supplement, Natural Choice Award for Best Specialty Supplement, Best Product of the Year, Best New Product, Gold Medal Taster’s Choice Award, Gold Medal American Masters of Taste Award, #1 Health Food Store Brand for Consumer Satisfaction by Consumer Lab, and Manufacturer of the Year.

In 2013 as the company was on the eve of celebrating the 25th year in business Bruce and his parents decided to take their desire to help people to a new level that they call Pathway to a Better Life – which is now seen in the Barlean’s logo. Bruce and his parents had always been generous in their giving and support of charities, but as part of the Pathway to a Better Life they decided to increased partnership with charitable organizations such as: Vitamin Angels, Compassion International, KidsTown International, Autism Hope Alliance, Engedi Refuge, Project 92, and others. And because so many people are unable to meet basic nutritional needs, Bruce created a comprehensive Omega-3 and multivitamin formula that he distributes free-of-charge to local food banks. In addition, Bruce decided the company would supply food banks with organic coconut oil to provide people with a health alternative to standard cooking oils.

Always generous with his time Bruce has served as a youth leader for his local church for several years and continues to mentor youth. He has been on several not for profit boards including; Whatcom County Pregnancy Center (2003-2006), Natural Products Association (dates?), and the Institute for Natural Medicine Leadership Council (presently).

The Barlean family have been avid supporters of Bastyr University since the 1990’s and in 2013 were given Bastyr’s most prestigious honor, the Mission Award, which recognizes their leadership over time in improving the health and well-being of the human community.

Bruce currently resides in Ferndale, WA with his wife Lisa and their two dogs: Heinz & Shadow. When he’s not helping others he can be found fishing (catch & release).

Team

Wyn Delano

Board of Directors

Preeti Kulkarni, ND

Rich Colburn

Leadership Council

Lisa Shank

Rick Cox

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Michelle Simon, PHD, ND

President & CEO

Kevin Dobrzynski, DN

IRC Program Director

Griffin McMath, ND

Executive Editor

Hannah Gordon, ND, FNP, RN

Chair, INM Primary Care Task Force

Adam Sadowski, ND, MS

Primary Care Task Force Co-Chair

Andrew d'Ablaing, ND

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Joe Pizzorno, ND

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Lisa Price, ND, CBMRA

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Ex-Officio, AANP President

Stephanie Berg, JD, ND

Alex Keller, ND

Bill Shaddle

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Frank Lampe

Jaclyn (Chasse) Smeaton, ND

Jashar Rentz

Pamela Snider, ND

Susan Cayleff, PhD

Bruce Barlean

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