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Faculty
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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.
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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.
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Laisha Canner-Ward,
AP, MAOM, began her studies with Dr. Leon Hammer when she was a student in
acupuncture school in 1998. He has since molded Laisha as a practitioner
and a teacher. She has dedicated much of her life to teaching and learning
Contemporary Oriental Medicine at Dragon Rises College and is excited to be a
part of the future of Chinese Medicine as it grows. Laisha received her
Master's of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree from Dragon Rises College
of Oriental Medicine in 2005 and has continued in her private practice since
2000.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. |
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Allyson
Lange, 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. Allyson
maintains private practices in both Gainesville, FL and Tallahassee, FL.
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.
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.

Jamin Nichols, AP, MAOM
is a graduate of Florida School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and Dragon
Rises College of Oriental Medicine (DRCOM) with a Master of Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine. Since 1998, he has studied extensively with Dr. Leon Hammer
in the arts of Contemporary Oriental Medicine and Contemporary Chinese Pulse
Diagnosis (CCPD). In 2003, he began training in Toyohari, a gentle Japanese
style of acupuncture. He has attended national and international trainings with
some of the top teachers from Japan. Since 2002 (with a 1 year hiatus), he has
been teaching and supervising at DRCOM, where he essentially designed the
curriculum for CCPD. Jamin is currently the Clinic Director for the DRCOM
student clinic.
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.
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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.
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.
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