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Faculty
 


Anthony Alonso, Pharm.D., is a graduate of the University of Florida in Pharmacy.  He has done advanced studies in geriatrics, community pharmacy, and international studies in Barcelona, Spain.  He is working as a staff pharmacist in Ocala as well as teaching at DRCOM.
 

Eduardo Alvarez, Ph.D., is a graduate of the University of Florida in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.  He has lead or directed several water, harpy eagle and gopher tortoise conservation projects in the western hemisphere.  He teaches at City College and has taught in the Alachua County Schools.
 
John Byrne, M.A.O.M., A.P., is a graduate of the Florida College of Integrative Health, Orlando.  He has been in private practice since 1998 as a massage therapist and subsequently as a licensed acupuncture practitioner.


 
Laisha Canner, A.P., is a graduate of the Florida School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and Dragon Rises School of Oriental Medicine. She has extensive training in Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and continues to study on an advanced level with Dr. Leon Hammer. Laisha has a private practice, integrating acupuncture, herbology, tui na massage, and different forms of energy work.
 

Jennifer Downey, Diplomate, NCCAOM, AP, holds a BA in music from the University of Florida and a diploma from Dragon Rises College.  She has studied Tai Chi since 1990 and taught Qi Gong since 2006.  She is a member of the Toyo Hari association, and practices community acupuncture in Gainesville.


Clare Fenn, MAOM, AP, is a graduate of Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine.  In addition to teaching, she is a volunteer practitioner at Helping Hands clinic for the medically needy, and is in private practice in Gainesville.
 


Jerrod Fletcher, MAOM, AP, graduated from Dragon Rises College in 2007 and holds a BBA from Harding University, AR.  In addition to teaching and assisting clinic supervision and clinic administration, he is in private practice in Gainesville and Alachua.

 


Al Galvan, MAOM, AP, LMT, graduated from Dragon Rises College in 2007 and continues his studies with Dr. Leon Hammer.  He has been a massage therapist since 1999 and in private acupuncture practice since 2008.  He is an assistant clinic supervisor at Dragon Rises College.


Mary Jo Hayes, Ph.D., M.A.O.M., A.P., is a graduate of Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine and holds a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Georgia, an M.S. in Physiology from the University of South Georgia, and an M.Ed. from the University of Florida.  She has taught and done research at all her alma maters.  She is in private practice in Gainesville, FL.
 
Ruth Hayes-Morrison, M. Ed., L.M.T., graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Counseling, and a concentration in Higher Education Administration.  She was the Director of the Pre-Professional Program at the University of Vermont, and Campus Program Director at New England College.
 
Tom Hayes-Morrison, M.B.A., is a graduate of Harvard Business School and West Point Military Academy.  He has started or directed several enterprises, and teaches at City College in Gainesville.

 

Leon Hammer, M.D., is a graduate of Cornell University, Cornell Medical College, and the William A. White Institute of Psychoanalysis and Psychiatry. In the early 1970's, Dr. Hammer began a study of Chinese Medicine in England and traveled to study in China in 1981. He studied with the internationally acknowledged Chinese master Dr. J.F. Shen over a period of 27 years. Dr. Hammer practiced Chinese medicine for 17 years, before retiring to devote his time to writing and teaching. He is the author of Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies, a study of the relationship of Chinese medicine and Western Psychology. His second book, Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, A Contemporary Approach, is published by Eastland Press. Over the last 21 years, Dr. Hammer has taught workshops in various aspects of Chinese medicine, especially pulse diagnosis, in the United States, Europe, and Australia.
 

Claire Holland, MD, holds a Bachelors degree in music and in biology, as well as a Masters degree in music from Western Michigan University.  She received her MD from Creighton University School of Medicine in 1980.  She has been a physician in a number of hospitals and clinics, founded and directed four choirs, as well as directing three church choirs.  She taught high school and college in Indiana and Florida.  She is in private practice in Gainesville and Jacksonville.
 


Shahla Holland, A.P., is a graduate of the Florida School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  She completed a postgraduate course in Chinese Herbal Medicine there, and traveled to China for advanced studies at Huberi Traditional Chinese Medical College in Wuhan.  She studied Advanced Chinese Pulse Diagnosis with Dr. Leon Hammer in Gainesville and provided clinical supervision at FSAOM and DRSOM.  She is a clinic supervisor at Dragon Rises College, and has a private practice in Gainesville.
 

Kim Holton, MS, studied Ecology at the University of Georgia and received a Masters degree in Zoology at the University of Wisconsin.  She taught yoga at the Kripalu Center, and the Omega Institute.  She was program coordinator and department head at Kripalu and Omega before moving to Gainesville in 2005.  She teaches biology at Santa Fe College, and yoga privately and for the UF Medical School.
 


Kathleen Leavy, M.A.O.M., R.N., A.P., is a graduate of Dragon Rises College,  She practiced nursing for 12 years in critical care and dialysis treatment before beginning her career in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Kathleen is NCCAOM  certified in herbology, and continues advanced studies with Dr. Leon Hammer and Dr. Tran Viet Dzung.
 


Allyson Lange, MAOM, AP, RRT, is a graduate of Dragon Rises College.  She has practiced medicine as a Respiratory Therapist since 1992 in emergency care, ICU, pediatrics, cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation and sleep disorders.  She continues collaboration and advanced studies with Dr. Leon Hammer and has a private practice in Gainesville.


Bi Tao Lian, L.Ac., M.D. (China), is a graduate of Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Guangdong, China.  She also studied traditional Chinese medicine at the Australasian College of Natural Therapies before coming to the U.S., where she has worked at the Veterans Medical Center in Gainesville and her private practice.
 


Andrew Nichols, Psy.D., Ph.D., received a Doctor of Psychology degree from the Florida School of Professional Psychology, a Ph. D., in Psychology from LaSalle University, and certification in psychoanalysis from the Topeka Institute of Psychoanalysis. Dr. Nichols has taught psychology at several colleges and universities since 1994, and lectures extensively in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.  From 1987-2006 he has maintained a private psychotherapy practice, specializing in hypnosis and Jungian analysis.
 


Sandra Pecinovsky, MAOM, RN, AP, holds a BSN in Nursing from Wright State University in Ohio and her MAOM from Dragon Rises College in Gainesville.  She has 28 years of clinic experience in OB/GYN and critical care nursing.  She studied at the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, and Tui Na in Beijing China and continues advanced studies with Dr. Leon Hammer and Classical Chinese Acupuncture with Dr. Tran Viet Drzung.  She is in private practice in Ocala, FL.


Jamin Nichols, A.P., M.S., is a graduate of Dragon Rises College.  He has studied extensively with Dr. Leon Hammer since 1998, and has completed the Master Course in Advanced Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis.  In addition to teaching at DRCOM, he is in private practice in Melbourne, FL.


Hamilton Rott, M.S.T.C.M., A.P., is a graduate of American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine with a Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He is NCCAOM certified in herbal medicine. He studied in Hangzhou, China and completed post-graduate work in Chendgdu, specializing in Internal Medicine, Diabetes and Gynecology. He has studied Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis since 1998, and continues advanced studies with Leon Hammer, M.D.


Vasanthi Vanniasingham, MAOM, Ph.D, AP is a graduate from London University and Dragon Rises College, and holds a Ph.D from the University of Cambridge, UK.  She is Nationally Board Certified in both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology.  She started studying Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis in 2001 and continues at an advanced level with Dr. Leon Hammer.  She currently has a private practice in Gainesville and Chiefland, FL.

Marcy Wilson, M.A.O.M., A.P.,  is a graduate of Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine.  She continues her study of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and has a private practice in Gainesville.


Xuguang Yang, M.D. (China), was trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Hunan Academy of TCM and Materia Medica in Changsha, and at Yunnan College of TCM in Kunming. He graduated with the equivalent of an MD in the United States. He has done research and teaching since 1987 at the Hunan Academy, the Hunan Qianjin Medicine School, and the Changsha Department of Hunan TCM School. He was Vice-chief Physician and Attending Physician at the hospital affiliated with Hunan Academy, where he did extensive research in the department of gerontology and internal medicine. He participated in numerous research projects and received many awards for his work on aging in China.