Speakers Bio

Rachel Arthur
Rachel Arthur qualified as a naturopath from Southern School of Natural Therapies in 1998. She has been actively engaged as a naturopath specialising in nutrition since this time in a variety of capacities, including private clinical practice, lecturing, research, writing and corporate health. Rachel is most well known for her presenting skills, in particular her ability to translate complex nutritional science into easily accessible concepts using colourful analogies, case studies & tangible clinical illustrations. Her capacity to keep attendees engaged, stimulated and inspired, while maximising each learning opportunity is renowned. Rachel possesses a wealth of nutritional knowledge, which has accumulated over the years through conscientious attention to research and her ongoing clinical experience

Eric Bakker
Eric is an experienced integrated medicine practitioner and the technical and clinical services advisor to The Naturopaths, one of NZ’s leading naturopathic clinics, as well as Nutrisearch, NZ’s most innovative supplier of niche practitioner-only products and functional testing services. Eric holds a Bachelor Degree of Science majoring in Complementary Health Care, as well as separate Diploma of Applied Science qualifications in Naturopathy, Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy. Eric has 19 years experience in natural medicine, and received extensive post-graduate natural medicine training in Australia, India, America as well as New Zealand. Eric is passionate about improving people’s lives through proven wellness and lifestyle principles, his natural medicine practice as well as public and practitioner education. He writes extensively for several websites as well as NZ’s leading health magazine, Healthy Options. Eric lectures regularly at natural medicine colleges throughout NZ, and is past Vice President of the New Zealand Natural Medicine Association and is now on their editorial committee.

Dr Alan Barclay
Alan has a PhD from the University of Sydney on the association between glycemic carbohydrate (glycemic index and glycemic load) and the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. The main chapters of his thesis, and associated works, have been published in some of the worlds leading nutrition and diabetes journals, and have been presented at scientific conferences around the globe. Alan is currently the Chief Scientific Officer at Glycemic Index Foundation (Ltd) (part-time). Alan has worked for Diabetes Australia/Australian Diabetes Council in both a full and part-time capacity, since 1998, currently as Head of research (part-time), and prior to that as Research and Development manager (full-time). Alan is an official Media Spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia and has appeared frequently in local newspapers, magazines, radio and television news. Alan is also one of the co-authors of the New Glucose Revolution: Diabetes & Pre-diabetes handbook.

Zac Bobrov
Zac Bobrov has been involved in environmental and nutritional medicine for over twenty years. He is one of Australia’s leading specialists in the field of tissue mineral analysis and is the Technical Director for InterClinical Laboratories.

Dr Karen Bridgman
Karen has been working clinically as a Naturopath for nearly 30 years, the last twenty in a holistic medical practice (Pymble Grove Health Centre), and a private pathology laboratory (Australian Biologics, Sydney). As a part time academic, she lectures at the University of Sydney in the Masters of Herbal Medicine. Prior to this she lectured in Nutrition and Clinical Studies, and in Social Ecology at the University of Western Sydney. Karen is the managing director of Starflower Pty Ltd/Starflower Herbals, a small business selling Australian grown organic dried medicinal herbs, as well as a director of Biological Medicines Australia Pty Ltd. Karen speaks regularly at seminars and conferences and consults for the manufacturing industry. She writes regularly for Wellbeing magazine and has contributed chapters for various Complementary Medicine textbooks. She also contributes to qualitative research performances and writing. She is also a passionate gardener and loves to grow foods and herbal medicines sustainably. Karen was a founder and the Vice President for NHCA (Natural Health Care Alliance), and was on the Health Claims and Consumer Protection Advisory Committee for the Department of Health (NSW). She has been on the Academic Review Committees of the Southern Cross University School of Complementary Medicine (Lismore) and the University of New England (Armidale). She has been on the Board of the International Cancer Association Network and was an executive director and examiner of the National Herbalists Association of Australia. In a previous life she ran Nuclear Medicine Departments for several hospitals around Australia.

Karen Coulson
Karen Coulson IS the Possibility Expert - she understands the ‘power of possibility’ in achieving what we really want in life. Using her unique methodology developed over the past 25 years, Karen allows people to explore the realms of what’s possible in their lives and work with their most empowering beliefs to make it happen. In the business world, she has created three highly successful businesses from ‘start up’, all of which have become market leaders in their field with million dollar plus turnovers. Those attending her keynotes and workshops are not only inspired by what they hear and learn - discovering what’s possible for them creates a fundamental shift. As a result, audience participants report a “flow on effect” that carried over after they leave the conference and allows them to achieve what is possible in all aspects of their lives.

Dr Peter Dingle
Dr Peter Dingle is an Associate Professor and leading researcher in Health and the Environment at Murdoch University. Dr Dingle has spent the past twenty years as a researcher, educator and communicator, has more than 100 scientifically reviewed papers, written 7 books which have sold over 25000 copies each, and a team of researchers breaking new ground and hundreds of students collecting data each year. He conducts ongoing research into diet and nutrition, lifestyle and environmental impacts on health, well being and productivity. Dr Dingle is one of the rare speakers who conducts and presents his own professional research. He is internationally recognised and often quoted by other speakers. Dr Dingle is currently developing 2 more community programs with his PhD students (Seniors Smart and Eat Smart) and maintains his own website dedicated to his business of health and environmental promotion.

Michael Fenech
Professor Michael Fenech is renowned internationally for his research in nutrition and genetic toxicology and for developing the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay which is a gold standard method used internationally to measure DNA damage in human cells. His key goal is to determine the nutritional requirements for DNA damage prevention using in vitro systems, epidemiology and placebo-controlled human dietary trials. In 2003-05, Dr Fenech proposed a novel disease prevention strategy based on personalised diagnosis and prevention of DNA damage by appropriate diet/life-style intervention, which has led to the Genome Health Clinic concept which has been translated into practice via Reach100 (www.reach100.com.au). In 2000-2009 his laboratory further developed the CBMN assay into a ‘cytome’ assay consisting of six complementary biomarkers of DNA damage and cytotoxicity and in 2009 together with Nathan O’Callaghan developed an improved method to measure absolute telomere length, a molecular biomarker of accelerated ageing. He was awarded the Flinders University’s Convocation Medal in 2007, the Alexander Hollaender Award (USA) in 2008 and the honorary titles of Adjunct Professor (University of South Australia in 2009) and Visiting Professor (Taipei Medical University, Taiwan, in 2010) for his leadership/contributions to environmental/public health sciences internationally. His publications have been cited 7,400 times (917 times in 2008, 890 times in 2009) and his H-index is 44.

Juliet George
Juliet George is a Specialist Remedial Massage Therapist who practices and teaches the Casley-smith Method of Complex Physical (Lymphatic) Therapy (CPT). For the past 10 years Juliet has run a specialist Lymphoedema Clinic in Lansvale NSW. Juliet holds Diplomas in Remedial Massage, Complex Physical (Lymphatic) Therapy, Beauty Therapy and Laser Safety.

Kahla Gerard
Kahla Gerard has over 30 years experience in business management, finance, marketing and communications, gaining her experience primarily from the fields of integrative medicine and finance. As Executive Director of Omnicare Medical Centres Limited she developed the first business model on Australia for an integrative medical centre. After successfully growing this business into a turnkey public unlisted company, it was sold to a Singapore conglomerate who rolled out five medical centres (a well recognized brand name) using her systems. Over the past 10 years she’s worked as a business development consultant to small, medium and public companies while running her company Visionworks Finance. In 2010 she sold her finance company to focus primarily on writing as well as developing her consulting business Your Visionworks. Kahla has the kind of experience that’s evolved into a sixth sense enabling her to identify how best position a company for success.

Adam Gibson
Adam Gibson is professional speaker, specialist natural therapies business strategist, success coach, and founder of Lifestyle Practitioner Academy, a business mentoring and wealth mindset coaching organization specifically geared to supporting passionate health practitioners in private practice. Adam’s clients practice in modalities such as naturopathy, physiotherapy, traditional chinese medicine, chiropractic, integrative general practice, exercise physiology, massage and more. The commonality amongst all Lifestyle Practitioner Academy clients is that they are committed to creating the lifestyle, income and business foundation they know they deserve as health practitioners. This in turn allows them the opportunity to contribute back to the health of our society as a whole as leaders, spokespeople and agents of change.

Dr Craig Hassed
Dr Craig Hassed is a General Practitioner and Deputy Head of Department at the Monash University Department of General Practice. His teaching, research and clinical interests include mindfulness-based stress management, mind-body medicine, meditation, holistic healthcare, health promotion, complementary therapies and medical ethics. Craig is regularly invited to speak and run courses in Australia and overseas and is a regular media commentator on these issues. He also writes regularly for medical journals and has published four books; “New Frontiers in Medicine” (Volumes 1 and 2), a third book on mindfulness-based stress management entitled “Know Thyself a fourth on an holistic lifestyle approach to healthcare, “The Essence of Health” and most recently a textbook co authored with Kerryn Phelps, “General Practice: the integrative approach”.

Leah Hechtman
Leah has qualifications in Reproductive Endocrinology, Infertility; Genetics; Naturopathy; Western Herbal Medicine; Clinical Nutrition and Environmental Medicine. Her primary passion is her clinical practice where she is regularly inspired and humbled by her patients. Her clinical specialisations include fertility, male and female reproductive health, endocrinology and mental health. In addition, she is Vice President of NHAA; Lecturer at the University of Western Sydney to both the undergraduate and postgraduate Naturopathy students; Author and Editor of ‘Clinical Naturopathic Medicine’ recently published by Elsevier; regularly contributes to texts and journals; and regularly presents at conferences and seminars throughout the country and overseas. She is also a regular media spokesperson for the industry and stays grounded by maintaining her own further studies.

Dr Eric Llewellyn
Eric Llewellyn has had a lifelong interest in the association of nutrition and good health. He has a particular interest in helping persons to have access to the information regarding crops and the soil they grow in. The need for some nutritional supplements (particularly the micro minerals and anti-oxidants). Eric has been involved in establishing many clinical trials (published and unpublished) in terms of clinical outcomes and the comparison of different forms of dietary supplements. His concerns are associated with the decline of nutrients in crops over the past 60 years. Internationally published data shows that during this time span crops have alarmingly declined in many important nutrients necessary for the maintenance of good health. With regard to nutrition he has a passion for what can be referred to as “living foods and Living water”.

Brad McEwen
Brad McEwen is a naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist who is currently in his third year of his PhD researching the effects of omega-3 on cardiovascular risk. He lectures in nutrition and regularly presents at conferences throughout Australia and presented in the UK in 2010.

Greg Morling
Greg has over 25 years experience as a remedial therapist. He is past President of the Australian Association of Massage Therapy and has delivered his popular courses and papers in Australia, New Zealand and Internationally for many years. His workshops offer many new evidence – based techniques that you can use in your clinic. He is a published author and is preparing to publish his book on “Understanding the Iliopsoas.

Dr Rama Prasad
Rama is one of Australasia’s most qualified and experienced Ayurvedic practitioners. Over his 15 years in Australia, Rama has gained a reputation as a gifted and sensitive healer with a warm and compassionate nature. Along with consulting and teaching at Ayurveda Elements Centre in Sydney Rama is a principle lecturer for Nature Care College’s Ayurveda Course and and is the founder of The Australian Sanskrit Institute. Rama’s enthusiasm for Ayurveda is contagious as he believes ‘the more you give, the more you gain.’ His dynamic presentation skills make learning a memorable and enlivening experience. Rama’s clinical expertise introduces you to Ayurveda in a way that’s easy to understand and implement as a tool for healing and happiness.

Samantha Sample
Samantha Sample is an advocate for holistic health and wellbeing. She is the founder of Be Genki, the animal-, environment-, everything-friendly brand, that advocates a holistic approach to beauty and self-care; the author of Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be Genki.; and is regularly interviewed for her advice to be featured in the health and beauty pages of Vogue, InStyle, Madison, Marie Claire, Russh, Famous, Better Health, EcoLuxe and Real Living magazines to name just a few. What makes Sam’s approach unique is her holistic approach in helping to improve the health and happiness in her customers, clients and readers’ day-to-day lives, by addressing all aspects of life: relationships, work, nutrition, ‘you’ time, exercise, education, inspiration and relaxation; by drawing down on her diverse background of Holistic Nutrition, Make-Up Artistry, Skin Care and Image Training, Physical Education (Fitness), Aromatherapy, Vipassana Meditation and Access Energy Transformation. Sam enjoys inspiring holistic health and happiness not only via Be Genki, but through personalized consultations and as a writer and blogger providing tips on how to incorporate daily self-caring rituals that promote inner health and harmony in the face of life’s little pressures

Bruce Stark
Bruce C Stark, BMus, BA, ROBP, CMT Bruce has over 20 years experience in the field of therapeutic bodywork and as a Practitioner and Advanced Instructor of Ortho-Bionomy. Bruce Stark is an Advanced Instructor and Practitioner of Ortho-Bionomy® a gentle, non-invasive system of bodywork which uses positioning and movement to facilitate the body’s own self-correcting and self-regulating mechanisms. He teaches extensively throughout Australia and New Zealand and has conducted trainings throughout the US, Canada and Europe. Bruce served on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin Medical School for 12 years and has also been qualified as a group fitness instructor. His specialties include injury prevention and rehabilitation, physical balance through structural alignment, and the physical integration of emotional and trauma issues. In addition, Bruce was a trainer with the Somatics College of Body-Centered Psychotherapy in Sydney and currently conducts trainings with other somatic psychotherapy organisations in Australia. He resides in Sydney where he maintains a full-time practice.