SAFM Scientific Review Board

Dr. Robin Berzin, MD
Dr. Jeffrey Gladd, MD
Dr. Frank Lipman, MD
Dr. Millennia Lytle, ND
Dr. Nicole Rivera, DC
Dr. Patricia Pimentel Selassie, ND

We are proud to include a diverse mix of progressive practitioners of functional medicine on our board. In particular, these individuals are passionate about the necessity, wisdom, and synergy of coaching in transforming healthcare, both within medical practices and as an independent modality. Their annual, expert review and approval of the SAFM certification process and exam ensures the scientific integrity of our Applied Functional Medicine Certification (AFMC). Our Scientific Review Board also certifies that SAFM training and the AFMC certification validates substantial expertise in applied functional medicine practiced through the modality of coaching.

Dr. Robin Berzin, MD

Dr. Robin Berzin, MD is the founder and CEO of Parsley Health. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Robin completed medical school at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, and trained in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She has also trained in functional medicine with the Institute for Functional medicine, where she is an advisor on digital technology. In 2011 she co-founded the physician communication app Cureatr and subsequently has advised numerous startups in the health IT space.

Dr. Berzin is a certified yoga instructor and meditation teacher, writes for a number of leading health and wellness sites, and speaks regularly for organizations including Stanford Medicine X, Health 2.0, Rock Health, Summit Series, and Further Future, on how we can reinvent health care. Robin believes that we all deserve a functional, whole-body approach to our health and started Parsley Health in order to make this transformative medicine accessible to everyone through better services and smart technology. When she is not at Parsley you can find her at home in Brooklyn, upstate with her husband, son and two rescue dogs, or at her favorite vinyasa yoga class.

“At Parsley Health, our physicians prescribe nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle modifications to improve your health. Health coaches are critical members of the Parsley Health team because of the importance of education and personal support to the success of patients who would otherwise struggle to implement and maintain lifestyle change. The School of Applied Functional Medicine is an excellent training program, as it teaches Health Coaches how to understand the body from a functional perspective and work as an allied practitioner in the field.”

– Dr. Robin Berzin, MD

Dr. Jeffrey Gladd, MD

Dr. Jeffrey Gladd, MD graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine in 2001. In 2006, he lost 50 pounds, transforming both his personal and professional focus toward true “health” care.

He is a 2009 graduate of the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine Fellowship. While in the fellowship, he served as the medical director of a hospital-based integrative practice in Fort Wayne, IN, and in 2010 spun-off and launched GladdMD Integrative Medicine, a direct pay consultative practice where he blends health-promoting care with high access technology.

He is a regular speaker on physician entrepreneurship, social media, and technology in healthcare.

In 2008, he founded and launched PureHealthMD.com, a website housing professionally-authored health content. In 2010, he and his partners successfully sold the content to the Discovery Channel. In 2011, he created and launched the web’s first nutrient depletion calculator, Mytavin.com. He also currently runs GladdMD.com to promote his practice.

“I have worked with a health coach in my practice directly and find myself encouraging my patients to spend more and more time with them to enhance their health journey. I have also worked directly with Tracy Harrison and find her a dynamic and passionate coach and teacher. I’m honored to be a part of the SAFM team and look forward to learning from the program and its principles as much as I look forward to lending my expertise. The role of the health coach is just starting to be brought into healthcare and the SAFM is blazing the trail for educating this soon-to-be essential member of the healthcare team!”

– Dr. Jeffrey Gladd, MD

Dr. Frank Lipman

A pioneer and internationally recognized expert in the fields of Integrative and Functional Medicine, Dr. Frank Lipman is the founder and director of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City and the creator of Be Well by Dr. Frank Lipman, a proprietary brand of dietary supplements, detoxifying cleanses and health coaching services.

A New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Lipman has written four books about wellness and the power of functional medicine: Total Renewal – 7 Key Steps to Resilience Vitality and Long Term Health; Revive – End Exhaustion and Feel Great Again; The New Health Rules – Simple Changes to Achieve Whole-Body Wellness; and his upcoming book 10 Reasons You Feel Old and Get Fat.

“Functional Medicine is true health care, unlike the disease care model of Conventional Medicine. We now have the knowledge to go beyond the current crisis care model and offer patients a much better approach to their health. However, when it comes to making dietary and lifestyle changes compliance can be a problem. I highly value health coaches in my practice, because compliance goes up when they work with patients, meet for regular sessions, stay in touch via email, and create a relationship. The health coach, to me, is the future of medicine. I strongly recommend the School of Applied Functional Medicine training program as a fantastic way to empower coaches and help them to be a stronger, more effective bridge to healthcare that works.”

– Dr. Frank Lipman, MD

Dr. Millennia Lytle, ND

Dr. Millie is a health and wellness advocate dedicated to empowering conscious choices and helping her patients solve their health puzzles, naturally. She is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who also holds her Masters’ Degree in Public Health. She has studied and practiced in both Canada and Germany and now at Tournesol Wellness in Manhattan.

Dr. Millie is the co-founder of Nat Med Coach, a consortium of independent health coaches and holistic doctors dedicated to delivering the best in integrative care for their patients. She is also a public speaker, published researcher, author and thought leader. Learn more about Dr. Millie at www.natmedcoach.com and www.drmillie.com.

“Health coaches are equipped with passion and unique gifts. When they are trained in functional medicine approaches to nutrition and the evolving role of personal choice as evidenced by science, they are key to the holistic health wave. SAFM provides a crucial continuing education platform for coaches working in the health care arena. I truly believe programs such as those offered by SAFM ought to be mandatory if the field of health coaching is to fulfill a rigorous and credentialed role in changing healthcare.”

– Dr. Millie Lytle, ND

Dr. Nicole Rivera, DC

Dr. Rivera is a functional medicine physician, chiropractor, foodie, and healthcare innovator. She is founder of The Integrative Wellness Group and author of Eat For Your Gut. In addition to helping her patients, Dr. Rivera’s greatest mission is to evolve the healthcare model through educating physicians and clinicians on how to use functional medicine to reverse the epidemic of chronic illness naturally. She lectures widely on the science of functional medicine.

“The collaboration of health coaching and functional medicine provides the best possible outcome for the patient. The science and the labs set the foundation for the diagnosis and plan… but the health coaching provides the implementation of the plan. The food and lifestyle changes are equally as important as the use of supplements or medical therapies for healing.”

– Dr. Nicole Rivera, DC

Dr. Patricia Pimentel Selassie, ND

Dr. Selassie is known by her patients as “a doctor you can talk to.” She blends evidence-based naturopathic medicine with an intuitive coaching style, so her patients can be their healthiest best and live their life’s purpose. Dr. Selassie received her Naturopathic Doctorate degree from Bastyr University. www.doctorselassie.com

Dr. Selassie feels that the best ways to heal the world are (1) to educate through teaching, public speaking and broadcasting and (2) to empower Health Coaches. She has hosted over 450 live call-in radio shows, leads online programs, and is the co-founder of Nat Med Coach, a consortium of independent health coaches and holistic doctors dedicated to delivering the best in integrative care for their patients.

“These days, we are living in the most toxic environment in human history, resulting in epic levels of chronic disease. Education, food and nutrition can turn this situation around. As a naturopathic doctor, I see health coaches as perfectly situated to implement treatment plans in a way that can promote success through encouragement and accountability. With the School of Applied Functional Medicine, health coaches learn to focus their efforts on healing the world.”

– Dr. Patricia Pimentel Selassie, ND