Crew

Lorna is an herbalist, foot care worker, medicine maker, and teacher dedicated to community empowerment through herbalism.  She completed an herbal residency with Michael Moore at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine; attended clinical programs at both the Blue Ridge School for Herbal Studies and BotanoLogos; and studied as a foot health practitioner at the SMAE Institute in Maidenhead, England.  Through Herbalista, she specializes in building affordable models of care based on mobile medicine and community participation.  Lorna believes that in order to preserve our access to herbs as medicine we have to use them, plant them, eat them, preserve them, dream them, and share them!

Anna is a licensed massage therapist and completed her clinical herbal studies with Colaiste Luibheanna, a cooperative herbal school based in Cork.  Anna believes in empowering people to find their own definition of health and healing and holds space for each person to explore what their body and spirit need at that moment.  She was a member of the wellness team during the Apollo House Occupation and in 2016 she traveled to Calais, offering massage at the Women’s Center in “the Jungle” refugee camp.  Anna is a founding member of the Dublin Herb Bike.

Claire started stewarding the Learning Garden in summer 2024. She has worked on vegetable and flower farms in the south since 2017, and she’s so excited to learn and grow with the Herbalista community. She also currently works with Trees Atlanta, tending native plants in parks around the city.

Keri Tope became the coordinator for the HotLanta Fire Cider Brigade at the end of 2021.  As we became more used to managing COVID as a community, we were able to once again gather together and make our spicy, healing batches as a group.  Keri took the Herbalista Foundations Intensive in 2019 and the Medicine Making Intensive in February of 2020, just in time to join Herbalista in producing thousands of HerbCare Packs to support the community through the start of the pandemic. 

Maggie O’Keeffe is a founding member of the Dublin Herb Bike and a professional clinical herbalist assisting with chronic and acute conditions at her sliding scale clinic in north Dublin. She offers an integrated approach to wellness, combining herbalism, and complementary therapies including reflexology, massage, lifestyle guidance and nutritional advice.  She has been involved with Dublin Central Housing Action since 2015, and worked in Outreach during the Home Sweet Home campaign.

Abbe Findley is an herbalist, medicine maker, wildcrafter, and artist based in Los Angeles, CA.  She is owner/founder of Zizia, a community herbalism project based in Los Angeles that offers a sliding scale herb clinic, creates handmade botanical products, offers free weekly foot care to those living in Skid Row alongside the LA Catholic Workers , and runs a monthly free mobile herb clinic (modeled after the Herbalista Herb Cart) to those living in the Skid Row Community (stationed at the LACW Hippie Kitchen).  Check out her Herbal Medicine Video Database!  For more information visit zizia.land or follow @ziziabotanicals.

Alicia is a Komyo Reiki Do Master and Teacher, as well as a student of Pranic Healing. She provides energy healing during the monthly health fairs, and at the 3rd Sun of Atom Wellness Center in East Atlanta. Alicia recently completed her master’s degree in Social Work at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, and her passion is to bring healing to marginalized communities through compassionate energy work.

Chelsea Haddad apprenticed under Lorna Mauney-Brodek at the Herbalista Free Clinic from 2015-2016, making medicine, working as an apotheker, schlepping things to and fro, and learning what it truly means to be a community herbalist. Her time with the Herbalista Crew was transformational, and she plans to one day open her own practice. Chelsea has a Master’s Degree in Therapeutic Herbalism from Maryland University of Integrative Health, and is currently completing her clinical training at the Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine.

Christina Gibson is a clinical herbalist based in Chattanooga, TN.  Christina has been a part of the Herbalista Family for many years, nurturing our Grow a Row Program,  leading the Herb Cart Program, and serving as a clinician at our community clinic.  She studied medical herbalism and Chinese Five Phase theory at the Botanologos School of Herbal Studies with Patricia Kyritsi Howell and apprenticed at Herbalista in 2015. Coming from a professional background in permaculture design, forest conservation, and urban ecology, Christina is dedicated to the promotion and practice of bioregional herbalism and the conservation of at-risk medicinal plants. 

Corinne is a community herbalist, a yogi and mindbody integration teacher. Her formal herbal training started at The Botanologos School of Herbal Studies. She continued her botanical studies in wild food foraging, organic farming and eco-homesteading as an apprentice of Natalie Bogwalker at the Wild Abundance School of Permaculture. Corinne has worked with Herbalista since 2014 years, from the Bus to the Cart, managing the dispensary and crew.  She helped facilitate Anti-Oppressive Trainings within Herbalista, helping improve awareness and accessibility of herbal medicine regardless of class, race, gender, sex or sexual orientation. Corinne is a licensed Massage Therapist and Yoga teacher.

Duane is a suburban micro-farmer, permaculture practitioner, teacher, herbalist and all-around gift to the Atlanta area.  He teaches classes at his permaculture homestead, The Funny Farm, on the edge of town.  He has been an incredible supporter of Herbalista since its inception and co-created the Grow a Row project, which brings more affordable medicinals to our clinics while supporting the growth of our local agricultural community.  He was an original crew member of the Herb Cart and played an essential role in the creation of the Herbalista Health Fair.

Emily served with Herbalista in so many ways.  She served as an apprentice, worked on the Herb Cart, worked at the Foot Clinic, and helped lead the Grow A Row Program for a couple of years.  She first began getting to know the herbs while farming and growing in north Georgia, which led her to the Herbalista network in 2015.  Her herbal education has since come from classes offered through the Herbalista network, mentorship from fellow herbalists, and self-study by growing, processing and learning the plants and medicine needed most by her and her loved ones.  Emily is a grower and Master Gardener, passionate about providing access and education to food and resources that are sustainable and create self-sufficiency and resiliency for individuals and within whole communities.  She also serves at the Wylde Center as their Horiculturalist, stewarding the farm plots and plant sale.  Emily is now a part of the Atlanta Herb Collective. 

Heather completed her apprenticeship in 2020 and then went on to steward the Grow A Row Program for two years.  She has studied with Patricia Howell of BotanoLogos.  She developed a deep love for the Earth while exploring the woods as a child, which only grows stronger as she learns more and more about the healing power of its botanical residents. She is passionate about accessible community healthcare and the actualization of personal autonomy for all.  Heather is a member of the Atlanta Herb Collective.

Jeremy is a passionate naturalist, primitive skills enthusiast, forager, budding herbalist, and dog lover.  He grew up in South Florida surfing and training bonsai trees, and also spent lots of time playing the North woods of Michigan. He is combining his love for nature connection, self reliance, herbal health, and community service by volunteering with Herbalista.    

John began working  on the Herb Cart in 2015.  He was motivated to travel down from North Carolina for an Herb Cart training in 2015 with the goals of contributing to the good work of Herbalista in Atlanta and to learn from Herbalista’s vast experience in preparation for the development of a similar model of herbal practice in North Carolina. He has since established the Free Holistic Health Clinic serving low-income individuals and families.  In addition to the managing the free clinic, he runs Browns Creek Herbs, offering herbal products at a number of Asheville area tailgate markets and other clinical setting.  He has formal training in clinical herbalism, therapeutic massage and Tibetan medicine, and is pursuing a degree in acupuncture.

Lateefade is an Atlanta native and grew up seeing much of his family suffer from many chronic diseases. Being the eldest of his siblings in a single parent household, Lateefade spent a lot of time caring for his younger siblings, which included a lot of time in the waiting area of hospitals.  This upbringing seems to be the fuel to the fire that burns inside his heart,  stoking a compassion for those that struggle with life threatening conditions. Lateefade believes in setting an example for those around him, sharing tips on healthy eating and getting active are key to getting back to and maintaining health. Lateefade completed the Herbal Immersion course at the Chestnut School and then completed the Herbalista Apprenticeship Program.  He currently works at Trees Atlanta and is the owner of Greenhouse Botanicals, offering herbal consults and health guidance.

Marie-Lies managed the Herbalista Atlanta projects for several years. She has been a part of the Herbalista Crew for many moons and worn many fabulous hats.  A lifelong learner, she has studied with Rosemary Gladstar, Leslie Williams, Patricia Howell, Cathy Skipper, and many others.  In the spring of 2022 she launched her own free clinic, Fleur + Forage Free Clinic and became the new steward of the Herb Cart project.  We are so thrilled that the Herb Cart is in such good hands.  Marie-Lies makes skincare products using local plants she forages around the city and in her backyard. Her most current passion has been to distill her yard and use the hydrosols in her face creams and face toners.  You can learn more about her work at the Fleur + Forage website.

Maria Borghoff (BFA, 500-RYT) is an artist and Tantra Yoga teacher who practices Energy Medicine. She teaches alignment-based movement, meditation, art-making and nutrition to help curious and courageous people live in harmony.  She taught Yoga and offered personalized health coaching at the Herbalista Health Fair. 

Nicole is a traditional Usui Reiki Master with Blue Crystal Hand Healing. She offers energy healing at our monthly health fair and around the city in what she’s coined “Renegade Reiki,” which is a free energy healing pop up for those in need. Nicole’s greatest passions are spiritual health and connecting with nature and she loves getting lost in the forest, and foraging for medicinal herbs and mushrooms.

Orion facilities Herbalista’s Monthly Community Dialogue.  Orion Psychotherapy’s Studio Office, located in the West End of Atlanta, holds space for adolescents and adults who are seeking to engage in a therapeutic-relationship-ritual with a Licensed Professional Counselor. Grounded in a Humanistic foundation from the University of West Georgia, they often encounters the lived struggles of trauma, gender, sexuality, and loss with compassion, an ear for metaphors, and an interest in experiential Expressive Therapies. At the intersection where art meets therapy Orion founded and runs the Therapeutic Artists Residency, that offers four Atlanta artists free individual and group counseling for a year and ends in a showcase of their work.

Pam Gould is an Atlanta Herbalist passionate about teaching people how to integrate herbs into their everyday to support good health.  Her focus is primarily chronic conditions involving gastro-intestinal and digestive concerns, hormone fluctuations and related issues, Lyme disease as well as how to support aging gracefully. She integrates Western, Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs and philosophies of healing when working one-on-one with clients. Pam served for years on the Herb Cart at the monthly Herbalista Community Health Fairs.  You can find out more about her work at Earth Mama Remedies.

After having volunteered for the Grow a Row Program, we were thrilled when Sam stepped up to become the steward of the Grow a Row Program and the Learning Garden at the start of 2022.  Sam is also a habitat restoration specialist at Trees Atlanta, with a focus on the BeltLine Arboretum wildflowers.

Sam Cramer is an environmental, health and food advocate in Atlanta, GA. She completed her apprenticeship with Herbalista in 2020 and stewarded the Grow A Row Program from 2020 – 2022.  She serves at the Harriet Tubman Foot Clinic and on the Herb Cart. Originally from Upstate NY, the lush greenery of the American South has awakened her love for plants, herbs and biocultural restoration.  Practicing community herbalism blends Sam’s passions for people and the environment, as we seek a more symbiotic relationship between the two. Sam is a member of the Atlanta Herb Collective. 

Sara is a former apprentice with the Herbalista Free Clinic. She is a nurse and lactation consultant with a continuously growing love of plants, nature and food as medicine. She has gardened and has been passionate about health for years- naturally the two have come together in her love for herbal medicine and she’s excited to expand her knowledge and work toward healthcare accessibility for all. 

Susan Stone has nurtured the health of the Atlanta community for many years.  After serving as a registered nurse at Emory Hospital for many years she began offering holistic care on the streets.  She has  volunteered for the Harriet Tubman Foot Car Clinic for 8 years and has served on the Herb Cart for 3. Her hobbies are singing, dancing, gardening, preparing healthy foods, and using natural remedies on myself, friends, family and my cat.  While working in the clinics she enjoys getting to know so many wonderful people and am grateful for that opportunity.  The photo is of her with her Mom, her inspiration to do no harm.

Tim is a former apprentice with the Herbalista Free Clinic and a co-facilitator of the Grow a Row Program.  Tim has been growing medicinal herbs in the Atlanta area for many years at Hearthfire Farms, whose mission it is to help people grow their medicine.