14th Annual Thought Leaders Consortium

Speakers

• 

  Jeff Bland, PhD
  

  Jeff Bland, PhD

  Dr. Jeffrey Bland is a personable and highly respected thought leader who has spent more than four decades focused on the improvement of human health.
  
  He is known worldwide as the founder of the Functional Medicine movement, which represents his vision for a care model that is grounded in systems biology and informed by research that he has a unique ability to synthesize. His pioneering work has created the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI), as well as the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), the global leader in Functional Medicine education. Since 1991, hundreds of thousands of healthcare practitioners have participated in PLMI and IFM programs, and this collective knowledge has positively impacted the lives of patients all over the world.

• 

  Carrie Jones, ND, FABNE, MPH
  

  Carrie Jones, ND, FABNE, MPH

  Carrie Jones, ND, FABNE, MPH is an internationally recognized speaker, consultant, and educator on the topic of women’s health and hormones with over 20 years in the industry. Dr. Jones graduated from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon where she also completed a 2-year residency in women’s health, hormones, and endocrinology. She went on to get her Master of Public Health and was one of the first to became board certified through the American Board of Naturopathic Endocrinology for which she served on for several years. She was the first Medical Director for Precision Analytical, creators of the DUTCH Test and the first Head of Medical Education at Rupa Health and host of the Root Cause Medicine Podcast. She serves as the Clinical Expert for the Lifestyle Matrix Resource Center is on Under Armour’s Human Performance Council. Currently she is the Chief Medical Officer at NuEthix and Head of Medical Education at Metabolic Mentor University.

• 

  Chris Magryta, MD
  

  Chris Magryta, MD

  Chris Magryta, MD, “Dr. M”, is a pediatrician with over 25 years of experience, practicing and managing Salisbury Pediatric Associates (18 provider independent group) in North Carolina since 1999. He is a graduate of Emory University School of Medicine, The University of Virginia Pediatric Residency and The Arizona Center for Integrative medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil at the University of Arizona. He is as self styled onion peeler looking for the roots of pediatric allergoimmunometabolic disease. He specializes in atopic diseases, immunology, nutrition with a special interest in maternal child health. As Chairman of Children First of North Carolina, a clinically integrated network caring for 52000 children, Dr. M, is tasked with bringing a new delivery model to the medicaid ecosystem. Using a data heavy predictive model CFNC is testing new boundaries in healthcare for a child’s benefit. He is also the host of the Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast, where he bridges cutting-edge science with practical health strategies, emphasizing maternal and child wellness through an upstream, root-cause lens. Finally, he is currently working on a book about the root causes of childhood disease from the maternal lens.

• 

  Christian Drapeau, MSc
  

  Christian Drapeau, MSc

  Christian Drapeau is a scientist, author, medicinal plant expert, and pioneer in the field of stem cell research. He holds a graduate degree in Neurophysiology and has been involved in medical research for 30+ years, with the last 20 specifically dedicated to stem cells. He pioneered the understanding that stem cells constitute the body’s natural healing and repair system, and has traveled the world in search of the most powerful plants that support stem cell function and enhance the body’s regenerative potential. Having lectured in 50+ countries and written 5 books – including the best-selling Cracking the Stem Cell Code – as well as dozens of published scientific papers on brain research and Endogenous Stem Cell Mobilization, Drapeau is known by scientists, physicians, and biohackers alike as an expert and pioneer of his field. A scientific advisor to many companies, he is currently the Founder and Chief Science Officer at STEMREGEN, where he developed the most potent stem cell supplement.

• 

  Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, IFMCP
  

  Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, IFMCP

  Dr. Deanna Minich is a nutrition scientist, functional medicine educator, and author with more than two decades of experience exploring how hormones, metabolism, nutrition, and lifestyle intersect to shape human health. Her work integrates endocrinology, phytonutrient science, circadian biology, and systems medicine to help clinicians understand hormonal physiology within the broader context of metabolic function and daily living. In addition to her role as Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health, she is the 2025 recipient of the Linus and Ava Helen Pauling Award in Functional Medicine and serves on the Board of Directors for the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute. Dr. Minich has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and several books and has been a longtime faculty member for the Institute for Functional Medicine and other professional training programs. Her teaching emphasizes the foundational role of nutrition, phytonutrients, stress physiology, sleep, circadian alignment, and environmental inputs in shaping hormonal expression across the lifespan. She is particularly known for her work in environmental health and metabolic detoxification, illuminating how toxicants, metabolic load, and detoxification pathways influence endocrine function and overall hormonal resilience. Dr. Minich’s current work focuses on the metabolic and environmental drivers of endocrine imbalance, the hormone–mitochondria connection, and the ways food, lifestyle, and daily rhythms can support long-term hormonal vitality and well-being.

• 

  Devan Szczepanski, MD, MA
  

  Devan Szczepanski, MD, MA

  Dr. Devan Szczepanski is a board-certified Family Medicine physician, founder of Reformative Medicine®, and CEO of NuWell Medicine™ with clinics in Florida and Louisiana. With advanced training in genomics, nutrition, and neuropsychology, Dr. Szczepanski has developed a precision clinical framework known as the “Triangle of Health,” integrating DNA (structure), labs (function), and gut (connection) to personalize care.

  This work focuses on transforming fragmented healthcare into a unified, data-driven system that improves clinical outcomes while restoring trust between provider and patient. Dr. Szczepanski is actively collaborating on AI-assisted clinical modeling and longitudinal care systems designed to scale Reformative Medicine globally.

  A sought-after speaker and educator, Dr. Szczepanski teaches clinicians how to translate complex biological data into actionable, patient-centered care.

• 

  Elroy Vojdani, MD
  

  Elroy Vojdani, MD

  Dr. Elroy Vojdani, MD is the founder of Regenera Medical, a boutique functional and immune medicine practice in Los Angeles focused on the intersection of immunology, metabolism, and environmental health. After graduating from the University of Southern California School of Medicine and completing his residency at the USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Vojdani began his career as an interventional radiologist, diagnosing and treating complex late-stage cancers and other severe diseases.

  While this experience provided deep insight into hospital-based medicine, his passion for preventing disease before it progresses into chronic illness led him to pursue a root-cause, systems-based approach to care. Today, he focuses on identifying the biological drivers of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions and continues in his father’s footsteps, seeking answers to medical conditions that often go undiagnosed or untreated.

  Dr. Vojdani has co-authored more than 35 scientific publications and remains actively involved in research related to autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and autoinflammatory diseases. He is also the co-author of the medical textbook Food Associated Autoimmunity and the author of When Food Bites Back, with a forthcoming book, The Immunometabolic Code, exploring the relationship between immune regulation, metabolism, and chronic disease.

• 

  Erik Lundquist, MD
  

  Erik Lundquist, MD

  Erik Lundquist, MD is the founder and medical director of the Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Lundquist is the Medical Director of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Center and a paid consultant for Metagenics, Inc. He is a member of the American Holistic Medical Association as well as the Institute for Functional Medicine. He specializes in thyroid disorders, chronic and adrenal fatigue, women’s health, digestive disorders, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

  Dr. Lundquist attended Occidental College in LA, where he graduated with a BA in Kinesiology and Biology. He received his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed his Family Medicine residency at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Lundquist spent eight years in active military duty in Iraq as a battalion surgeon with the Marine Corps, as well as at the Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy. Dr. Lundquist is board-certified with the American Board of Family Medicine, as well as with the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine.

• 

  Jamela Urban, PharmD, BCPS
  

  Jamela Urban, PharmD, BCPS

  Doctor Jamela is the founder and lead practitioner at ThriveRX. Her passion for holistic healing is deeply personal, rooted in her own experiences and a profound desire to help others search for the answers they have been searching for. Doctor Jamela is a certified yoga instructor and can be often found teaching at various conferences, athletic events, and local happenings in her Denver, CO community.
  Doctor Jamela combines rigorous scientific knowledge with a compassionate, patient and student-centered philosophy. Her qualifications include:

  Doctorate of Pharmacy, University of Colorado-Anschutz
  Post-Graduate Year 1 Residency, The Nebraska Medical Center
  Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular and Cellular Developmental Biology, University of Colorado-Boulder
  Institute for Functional Medicine trained
  200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification
  Functional Medicine Pharmacist’s Alliance, Colorado State Lead

  Doctor Jamela loves to spend time with her husband outdoors hiking, climbing, biking, skiing, all alongside their 85 lb sweetest blind dog Buckley and this year she celebrated her 5000th yoga class at her home yoga studio. She just climbed Alpamayo, a nearly 6000 m mountain in Peru, and she certainly has plans to climb big mountains near and afar in the future. Jamela has so much love, compassion and energy for not only her close family and friends, but also for her clients and students.

• 

  Jon D. Kaiser, M.D.
  

  Jon D. Kaiser, M.D.

  Functional Medicine Practitioner
  Clinical Faculty
  University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco

  Dr. Jon Kaiser began his medical career in 1987 at the height of the AIDS pandemic. As a primary care provider to hundreds of HIV/AIDS patients, he became an early pioneer of an integrative treatment approach–one that combined the best of natural and conventional medical therapies.

  Over the past four decades, Dr. Kaiser has expanded this work to focus on complex chronic conditions, including fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), gastrointestinal disorders, and neuroinflammatory illnesses. His
  clinical approach emphasizes underlying mechanisms of disease rather than symptom suppression alone.

  An expert in mitochondrial biology, Dr. Kaiser has published multiple research papers examining the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic disease. He serves on the clinical faculty of the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco and is the author of two books on the integrative treatment of HIV/AIDS.

  His forthcoming book, Full Spectrum Healing: How to Build Health and Recover from Chronic Illness, integrates decades of clinical experience with current research to provide patients and practitioners with a practical framework for treating complex chronic conditions, including Long Covid, ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune disease. The book is scheduled for publication by Johns Hopkins University Press in early 2027.

• 

  Martin Picard, PhD
  

  Martin Picard, PhD

  Martin’s life is dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve their full health potential. Through his research at Columbia University, he has bridged mitochondrial biology, bioenergetics, and aging science with psychosocial sciences, contemplative practices, and mitochondrial medicine, crafting a rigorous interdisciplinary research program. Building on the field of mitochondrial psychobiology he has pioneered, Martin now leads the emerging discipline of Healing Science. He is the author of the forthcoming book ENERGY (2027). Partnering with visionary leaders and domain experts, he develops large-scale, socio-scientific initiatives that drive cultural and scientific transformation toward a healthier, more compassionate, sustainable world. www.martinpicard.emergy

• 

  Matthew Dawson, MD
  

  Matthew Dawson, MD

  Dr. Matthew Dawson, a leading innovator in the field of epigenetics, is dedicated to bridging cutting-edge genomic science with practical healthcare applications. After earning his medical degree from the University of Kentucky and completing an emergency medicine residency at the University of Utah, where he served as chief resident, Dr. Dawson practiced and taught at the University of Kentucky as an associate professor for seven years. His interest in genomics and epigenetics deepened as he recognized their potential to revolutionize how we understand aging, disease prevention, and human health.
   
   
  As CEO of TruDiagnostic, Dr. Dawson oversees a groundbreaking mission to unlock the potential of epigenetic data, empowering individuals and researchers alike to make informed decisions about healthspan and longevity. Under his leadership, TruDiagnostic has become a leader in epigenetic testing and biological aging research, leveraging advanced DNA methylation technology to provide actionable insights into personal health and disease risk.
    
   
  A passionate advocate for health optimization, Dr. Dawson’s expertise extends beyond traditional medicine, encompassing fitness, nutrition, and biohacking. He is a sought-after speaker, recently contributing to prestigious platforms such as the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI), where he is spearheading the integration of Epigenetic Biomarkers (EBPs) and Methylation Risk Scores (MRS) into preventive healthcare strategies. Dr. Dawson’s vision for TruDiagnostic focuses on making this emerging science accessible to both clinicians and the general public, driving a future where personalized health interventions are guided by precise epigenetic data.

• 

  Michelle Leary, ND, IFMCP
  

  Michelle Leary, ND, IFMCP

  Dr. Michelle Leary, ND, IFMCP is a recognized leader in functional and personalized lifestyle medicine, serving as Director of Functional Medicine at Vida Integrated Health, where she oversees a regional network of physicians and nutrition professionals. She established and has directed a collaborative residency program with the Institute for Functional Medicine for over five years, cultivating the next generation of physician leaders. A clinical investigator on the LIFE-HOUSE trial, she has also contributed to peer-reviewed research and lectures internationally on systems medicine and precision health. Beyond her clinical and leadership roles, Dr. Leary advises on the strategic adoption of AI technologies in integrative medicine, helping physicians implement innovative tools to enhance decision-making and patient care.

• 

  Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD
  

  Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD

  Professor of Genetics
  Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Pathology
  University of California, San Diego School of Medicine

  Dr. Naviaux is a Professor of Genetics in the departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Pathology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He is the founder and codirector of the Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center (MMDC) at UCSD, and the co-founder and former President of the Mitochondrial Medicine Society (MMS). He is a founding associate editor of the journal Mitochondrion. Dr. Naviaux is the discoverer of the first POLG1 mutations that cause Alpers syndrome—the oldest Mendelian form of mitochondrial disease. He directed the first FDA-approved clinical trial to study the safety and efficacy of the antipurinergic drug suramin as a new treatment for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dr. Naviaux’s lab characterized the metabolic features of the cell danger response (CDR). He coined the word salugenesis to create new scientific focus on the choreographed sequence of molecular and cellular steps needed to heal after any stress or injury. Information about Naviaux Lab research can be found on the web at: https://naviauxlab.ucsd.edu.

• 

  Sundeep Dugar, PhD
  

  Sundeep Dugar, PhD

  Dr. Sundeep Dugar, PhD, is a pharmaceutical chemist and co-founder of BlueOakNX, a public benefit corporation applying pharmaceutical-grade science to nutraceutical development. With nearly 40 years in drug discovery, he is co-inventor of Zetia and Vytorin and a recipient of the 2005 National Inventor of the Year Award. He leads team A New Dimension, a Top 40 Milestone Award winner and semifinalist in the $101 Million XPRIZE Healthspan competition. At BlueOakNX, his work focuses on Mitokatlyst, a plant-derived compound backed by peer-reviewed research into mitochondrial biogenesis, cellular energy, and metabolic function, manufactured to precise dose and purity standards in a US FDA-registered cGMP facility.

• 

  Thomas G. Guilliams, PhD
  

  Thomas G. Guilliams, PhD

  Molecular Immunology Expert

  Tom earned his Ph.D. in 1996 from the Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), where he studied molecular biology/immunology. After his graduate studies, he joined Ortho Molecular Products- a premier physician channel dietary supplement manufacturer- establishing the roles of both science and regulatory affairs. Since that time, he has become an expert in the mechanisms, actions and therapeutic uses of nutritional and non-pharmacological agents, as well as the complex regulatory and quality issues related to dietary supplement manufacturing and marketing. This expertise allowed him to begin writing and teaching, and in 2014 he began writing a series of teaching manuals (Road maps) that outline and evaluate the evidence for the principles and protocols that are fundamental to the functional and integrative medical community. These textbooks explore the root cause pathophysiology of complex chronic diseases, along with the evidence and mechanisms for non-pharmacological therapeutic solutions. Tom teaches at the University of Wisconsin- Madison School of Pharmacy, where he holds an appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor, and lectures widely to a range of healthcare professionals interested in leveraging lifestyle and natural agents as first-line therapies. Today, Tom serves as a consultant to organizations within the natural products, integrative and functional medicine space where he endeavors to make a real difference in the health and lives of millions. He lives (and works) off the beaten path outside of Stevens Point, Wisconsin with his family; where he has too many hobbies to list here.