Crossing the Bamboo Bridge
Community Topics of Interest
Facilitators
Please choose one of the following:
Dr. Martha Libster
Dr. Mavis Mulaudzi
Dr. Margaret P. Moss
Dr. Rieko Kishi
Dr. Deborah Sandella
Dr. Beverly J. McElmurry
Dr. Nanthaphan Chinlumprasert
Dr. Martha Libster (Facilitator of Herbal Remedies,Global Health Policy and Education)
Dr. Martha Libster is an educator, clinical nurse specialist, healthcare historian, and Herbal Diplomat® known internationally for her work on the complementarity of nursing practice, technology, and healing traditions, in particular the use of botanical therapies. She is the author of: Demonstrating Care - The Art of Integrative Nursing, The Integrative Herb Guide for Nurses (book and CD-ROM) and Herbal Diplomats a book about nurses’ botanical contributions to 19th century health reform for which she received the American Association for the History of Nursing 2005 Lavinia Dock award for Outstanding Research and Writing. Her new book Enlightened Charity documents the pioneering work of American Sisters of Charity nurses in the 19th century who sustained a centuries-old holistic healing tradition of their French predecessors in caring for the poor, sick, and mentally ill.
Dr. Libster is creative director of Golden Apple Healing Arts, LLC, an online company promoting enlightened self-care and holistic health decision making. She is an educational specialist developing online and tele-health resources, information, and education for the public and health professionals. She has directed the Natural Healthcare Hotline for the Herb Research Foundation, the Rose Medical Center Medical Library in Denver, CO. and created an information and resource center for the University of CO. Cancer Center specializing in integrative care. She began developing her passion for creating caring communities through technology when she trained with Ask-A-Nurse Montana in 1994 and while working in 1997 as a nurse counselor for Health Decisions International under the tutelage of company founder, Dr. Don Vickery, author of the best selling books, Take Care of Yourself and Take Care of Your Child. Dr. Libster is presently the founder of the Bamboo Bridge, an international online community, which promotes global partnership and cultural diplomacy between nurses and traditional community healers.
Dr. Libster has spoken for the World Health Organization, the Royal College of Nursing, the United States Botanic Garden, professional organizations, healthcare providers, and the public on integrative care, botanical therapies, self care, healing traditions, and the history of healthcare and health reform. She is a member of the advisory board of the American Botanical Council and is chair of the Ethics and Advocacy Committee of the American Holistic Nurses Association. She has over 20 years of clinical experience in a wide variety of healthcare settings where she has developed the integration of conventional nursing, technology, and healing traditions. Dr. Libster holds Bachelor degrees in dance education/movement therapy from New York University and in nursing from Mount St. Mary’s College and a Master’s degree in psychiatric nursing with a specialty in infant mental health from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Her doctorate degree is in Humanities – Healthcare History from Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, England. She is presently an Associate Professor of Nursing in the Department of Graduate Nursing Science at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina where she lives in a historic home and herb garden with her husband Harold and her West Highland White Terrier, Sheeva.
Dr. Mavis Mulaudzi (Facilitator of Global Health Policy and Education)
Dr. Mavis Mulaudzi is an Associate Professor at the North West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Prior to this position she worked as a professional nurse, and spent a number of years as a lecturer at the University of South Africa and University of Pretoria. She received her D Litt et Phil in Nursing from the University of South Africa. Her research interests include indigenous knowledge systems, human rights, ethics, HIV/AIDS, and reproductive health. She is a member of the research committee of the Africa Honor Society of Nursing (Tau Lambda) and a board member of the Indigenous Knowledge System of South Africa Trust (IKSSA). She has presented and published papers nationally and internationally.
Contact number: 018 2991686
Email:mavis@BambooBridge.org
Dr. Margaret P. Moss (Facilitator of Spirtuality/Shamanism)
Dr. Margaret Moss is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota who is currently staffing the Senate Special Committee on Aging in Washington DC as a 2008-09 Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Washington State University, a Master in Nursing with a specialization in Management, a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Texas-Houston, Health Sciences Center where she was honored with a distinguished alumni award, and a Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law. Dr. Moss has also completed a 2-year post doctorate fellowship at the University of Colorado: Native Elder Research Center.
Dr. Moss is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation and is one of only 13 American Indians in the country who hold a doctorate in nursing. Of these nurses, she is the only first and only one to also hold a law degree. Her interests are in aging around long-term care, functional disability, access, and policy with a special focus on America Indians.
In 2004, Governor Pawlenty appointed Dr. Moss to the Minnesota Board on Aging, where she sat on the Diversity and Public Policy committees. She was selected as one of 19 delegates by the National Congress of American Indians to represent Indian elder issues at the 2005 White House Conference on Aging. Dr. Moss has researched, presented extensively, and written on the subject of American Indians, aging, health, and social justice in health.
Dr. Rieko Kishi (Facilitator of the "With Women" Initiative)
Dr. Rieko Kishi has been a Nurse-Midwife in Japan since 1998. She has published and presented internationally on the translation of the doula model of care to Japanese culture. Dr. Kishi’s research interests include midwifery, perinatal care, breastfeeding, preventing child abuse, international nurse migration, and primary health care. Dr. Kishi received her doctorate in nursing science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois in 2009 where she held an American Association of University Women (AAUW) International Doctorate Fellowship from 2007-2008. Her dissertation title was “Japanese translation of the U.S. ‘Listening to Mothers-II’ questionnaire”. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards for her work. Dr. Kishi is an Advisory Board Member for HealthConnect One, a community-based Doula Leadership Institute. She is presently Co-Principle Researcher in the Doula Laboratory at Child Research Net (http://www.crn.or.jp/) in Tokyo, Japan. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Dr. Kishi facilitates the With Women Bamboo Bridge initiative that will seek to promote the sharing of healing traditions, build communication, and explore opportunities for collaboration between nurses and community healers such as doulas and traditional birth attendants. She brings her knowledge of primary health care and maternal health to this initiative in which she will support growing an awareness of the learning methods and health-related content that can be applied across healthcare fields, languages and cultures.
Dr. Deborah Sandella (Facilitator of Visioning/Meditation)
Deborah Sandella has been called a “master healer” by well-known author, Joan Borysenko Ph.D., and visionary physician Larry Dossey describes her work as, “a practical, down-to-earth method of realizing the immense potential that lives within everyone.” Deborah has a Masters degree in Psychiatric Nursing and a Doctorate degree in Human Communication, and has been an assistant professor at the University of Colorado. She has been honored by her peers as “Outstanding Clinical Specialist,” and received the “Research Excellence” Award for her doctoral dissertation funded by the Colorado Hospital Association. Her book and CD, "Releasing the Inner Magician," (RIM) has received an EVVY “Best Personal Growth Book” Award, and her self-discovery curriculums have been employed successfully by thousands of people. He work has been featured on television, radio and in print. Currently, she assists Jack Canfield, the Chicken Soup for the Soul co-author, at his seminars and is co-creating a self-healing audio program.
Synthesizing Ericksonian Hypnosis, Interactive Guided-Imagery, and Somatic Therapy, Deborah has pioneered the RIM process, an unprecedented transformational method that bridges mind and body for rapid insight and sustained emotional and physical healing. Dr. Sandella heads the RIM Institute where students learn how to apply the RIM process and become Registered RIM Facilitators.
Her Inner Magician/RIM books, CDs, seminars, and individual sessions are powerful healing tools that tap the subconscious directly to create effective and groundbreaking physical and emotional recovery. Her latest product is a 6-CD audio program designed as a self-guided course that dissolves anxiety and builds self-confidence. In fact, recent research found that her book and CD when used regularly over 8 weeks significantly reduces hallmark symptoms of stress-related illness. The RIM Institute currently is conducting qualitative research to investigate client outcomes following individual RIM sessions.
Dr. Beverly J. McElmurry (Facilitator of Global Health Policy)
Beverly J. McElmurry, EdD, RN, FAAN, is Professor, Public Health Nursing and Associate Dean, Global Health Leadership Office (GHLO). She will co-direct the program and also provide specific direction for the nursing program. She has served as Director of the UIC College of Nursing WHO Collaborating Center since its designation in 1987. She is active in professional organizations and serves as a trustee for the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). As a result of her service to the nursing profession locally and internationally and her work with international students who have become nursing leaders in their own countries, Dr. McElmurry has developed ties to a strong network of international nurse-researchers all dedicated to promoting a leadership role for nursing in PHC and to nursing research toward the goal of Health for All.
Dr. McElmurry pioneered the College's implementation of PHC in urban communities through nurse-led collaborative teams of trained community residents called health advocates. This initial work combined her focus on women's health and development with improved health delivery systems. Current funded demonstration projects include: 1) development of comprehensive health programs in an inner city school (grades 6-12); 2) the AmeriCorps (Chicago Health Corps) Project that links young volunteers (both lay persons and health professionals) with community organizations throughout the city to address health issues such as asthma monitoring in schools; 3) an Active Living by Design program in a Latino community designed to increase nutrition knowledge, improve food habits, and encourage exercise for school children and the families who are at risk for obesity. Most recently, the GHLO was awarded funding to provide HIV/AIDS risk reduction and home health care training to heath professionals in China in partnership with the Catholic Medical Mission Board/NYC, the Maryknoll Foundation, WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, and several Chinese HIV/AIDS relevant governmental organizations. This effort is being accomplished in collaboration with Dr. Carol Christianson and other colleagues at UIC who have been conducting pilot trainings in HIV/AIDS risk reduction.
Dr. McElmurry has many years of experience in mentoring nurse researchers. She has mentored many graduate students who have gone on to become nursing leaders. Dr. McElmurry also has substantial experience in developing new graduate concentrations and courses, graduate student mentoring, and administering training programs.
Interdepartmental work at the campus level include participation in the NIH funded Center for Excellence in Women’s Health with special attention to community outreach and participation in the UIC Collaboration on Catastrophes and Global Change. Dr. McElmurry is also working with colleagues across the UIC campus in the development of global collaborations and to establish a campus interdepartmental concentration in women’s health.
Dr. Nanthaphan Chinlumprasert (Facilitator of Education,Asian Community Members)
Dr. Nanthaphan Chinlumprasert, is Assistant Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Nursing Science at Assumption University of Thailand in Bangkok. Her work centers on her interest in international wisdom and collaboration. Dr. Chinlumprasert has served as an elected board committee member and Chair of International Affairs for the Nurses’ Association of Thailand for several years where she has had the opportunity to initiate collaboration and networking with nursing communities in other countries. She is passionate about complementary therapies and has had formal education in healing touch, aromatic massage, meditation, and Doa De Xin Xi. She shares her knowledge and talents with her colleagues and nursing students in the development of nursing curricula that include complementary therapies.
Dr. Chinlumprasert also specializes in disaster nursing and preventing violence against women. She used her special training in EMDR to serve survivors during the 2004-2005 tsunami disaster in Thailand. Dr. Chinlumprasert has pioneered a research study of date rape issues with college students in Thailand. She works with adolescent girls to prevent sexual violence in dating relationships and empower the young women to be assertive and knowledgeable about the issues of violence against women. She uses her background in psychiatric nursing education and public health nursing to work with families and communities to implement culturally sound strategies that prevent violence. She was awarded an international postdoctoral fellowship from the American Association of University Women for 2006-2007 to support the development of a violence prevention project in which she explores the psychological and social consequences that impact the lives of women survivors. For three years, Dr. Chinlumprasert has also served as a women’s health research mentor for American nursing students as part of the Minority International Research Training (MIRT) initiative of the University of Illinois at Chicago.