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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• 

  Elroy Vojdani, MD
  

  Elroy Vojdani, MD

  Dr. Elroy Vojdani is the founder of Regenera Medical, a boutique Functional Medicine practice in Los Angeles, California.

  Upon graduating medical school from the University of Southern California and completing his residency at USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. V began his career as an Interventional Radiologist, diagnosing and treating complex, late-stage cancers and other extremely debilitating diseases. While this experience gave him unique insights into hospital based medicine, his desire to stop disease before it reached the point of becoming a chronic illness remained at the core of his desire to practice medicine. Today, he continues in his father’s footsteps – pioneering to find answers to medical conditions that go undiagnosed and untreated.

  Dr. Vojdani has co-authored over 20 articles in the Scientific literature and continues an integral role in research related to Autoimmune, Neurodegenerative, and Autoinflammatory conditions.  He is also the co-Author a medical textbook entitled “Food Associated Autoimmunity”.

• 

  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

• 

  Austin Perlmutter, MD
  

  Austin Perlmutter, MD

  Dr Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, published researcher and international educator. His mission is to help people improve their health by targeting the biological basis of “stuckness” in our brains and bodies. His writing, presentations, podcasts, and online educational programs explore how environmental factors influence our cognitive and mental state and have reached millions. Dr. Perlmutter currently serves as the managing director at Big Bold Health, a food-as-medicine company focused on helping people rejuvenate health through better immune function, where he is running a first-of-its kind study exploring the effects of plant nutrients on human aging through epigenetics.

• 

  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.