The Cream Rises to the Top

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Photo courtesy of psdGraphics.

In my daily practice life as well as my "political" life as AANP President, I am always on the lookout for trends and conditions in my communities, both local and national, that have effects on my practice and my profession. I came across some news recently that caught my eye and has had me thinking about its ramifications.

Along with being licensed as a naturopathic doctor here in California, I have also carried an acupuncture license since 1989 and have been a long time member of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) as well as my state acupuncture association. Recently, the AAAOM published a study of the acupuncture profession that found, among other things, that despite the prevalent use of acupuncture in the United States, the demonstrated cost-savings and effectiveness of acupuncture treatment, and the wide reimbursement by third party payers, many licensed acupuncturists are finding it hard to make ends meet.

In John Week's Integrator Blog, he quotes Lisa Rohleder, LAc and co-founder of the Community Acupuncture Network, who concludes that "Acupuncture education, and the conventional acupuncture business model, ought to come with a warning label, the way cigarettes do: NOT SUSTAINABLE. May take years of your life and leave you with nothing, except huge student loans."

In short, licensed acupuncturists graduate and get licensed, but then struggle for years to pay off student loans and get paid appropriately for their education and skills.  Many encounter barriers in third party reimbursement.  Many fail.

Sound familiar?

As naturopathic physicians, many of us feel that one of the reasons it is hard to make a decent living is that many people out there just don't know what an ND is. But is that truly the case? It seems to me that most if not all people know something about acupuncture -- what it looks like, what it's good for (at least pain, anyway). And yet acupuncturists are dealing with some of the same frustrations and challenges that affect the naturopathic profession.

As I said before, this has given me much to think about, and I've come to some conclusions.

First, the good news: we are not alone. If LAcs are struggling with these issues, you can bet that it's affecting other "CAM" providers. We tend to think we are unique, but maybe not so much.

Next, knowing that these challenges exist, we can and must do better on all levels. Our colleges have to do a better job at preparing our graduates to enter the healthcare marketplace. The AANP has to be more active at developing programs and resources for our member physicians in order to help them excel in the business of naturopathic medicine. Our state organizations must help build awareness of our profession and, together with the AANP, "brand" naturopathic medicine as a desired choice for patients. The AANP and the states must work together better to strengthen laws and policies that allow access to naturopathic care via state and federal programs and remove the unfair barriers to naturopathic physicians in federal and state health programs. For example, did you know that while the Department of Education recognizes ND educational programs as on par with MD and DO training, we are still effectively shut out of loan repayment programs for our ND graduates? If this is not unfair, I don't know what is.

Our graduates (you) have to take the individual initiative to learn the elements of successful practice and focus on the business of our medicine as well as its practice. There are pages devoted to practice growth and success on the AANP website.  Log-in and then visit select "Practice Resource Library" after clicking on "Practice Tools."  There are several courses taught by successful NDs that will help new graduates learn the tools to be successful.  The resources are out there and we must take the responsibility to use them.

When I graduated from Bastyr in 1984, there were few choices for people entering the profession. One could go into a solo practice, perhaps join a small group practice, teach at one of the schools, or maybe work for a supplement company. Now I'm amazed at the choices graduates have, and I am particularly excited to see the increasing opportunities in integrative medical settings for us to take our place alongside our "mainstream" colleagues. I, for one, think our profession could do much more to prepare our graduates to enter these new medical settings.

I can tell you that, both individually and collectively, we are up for these challenges. "The cream rises to the top," it's said, and naturopathic medicine is the gold standard for people seeking new choices and new directions for their healthcare.

Final Convention Thoughts and Planning for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

The next Board meeting will take place this November at Bastyr University in Washington.

It’s hard to believe it’s September already! After a very busy summer leading up to the AANP convention in Portland, it’s been nice to wind down and catch our breaths before moving into Fall.

For those of you who joined us in Portland, it was a fun and busy week. Great presentations, great food, great friends - our 25th convention/celebration met all of our goals as we looked back on what we’ve accomplished and look forward to our future. Some of the highlights spots for me were:

• Hearing Dr. Jim Sensenig, our 1st AANP President, speak to our community at the banquet.
• Learning from Dr. Steve Austin about nutrition updates.
• Laughing with Jacob Schor, ND, and Rena Bloom, ND, in their Gelotology presentation.
• Celebrating with a few hundred of my closest friends and colleagues.
• Reflecting on our history with Dr. Jared Zeff and Dr. Joe Pizzorno.
• Getting a glimpse of the big picture from Josephine Briggs, MD, Director of NCCAM.

There were many moments like these for all of us. As usual, I returned home reinvigorated, refreshed and ready to apply the lessons I learned in my practice.

Results of our elections were announced and I am pleased to welcome Dr. Michael Cronin as our next President-Elect and Dr. Joe Pizzorno, Dr. Holly Lucille, Dr. Keri Marshall, Dr. Cindy Breed, and Carrie Runde, ND (Cand.) as our new Board members. Their terms begin January 1, 2011. I am extremely impressed with the knowledge, professionalism and experience these doctors bring to the AANP Board, and look forward to working with all of them over the next few years.

As you know we had the first competitive elections for President-Elect in the AANP’s history and were fortunate to be able to choose between two well-qualified candidates, Dr. Michael Cronin and Dr. Tim Birdsall. I want to congratulate Mike for his campaign and election and will work closely with him as he takes on a greater leadership role, and I want to acknowledge and thank Tim for his service to the profession and his leadership over the years. We are fortunate to have these doctors representing naturopathic medicine and serving our profession in the many ways they do.

Our outgoing Board members Bill Benda, MD; Tabatha Parker, ND; Michelle Clark, ND; Sara Thyr, ND; and Lise Alschuler, ND, have given so much to the AANP and the naturopathic profession during their time on the Board, their accomplishments are too numerous to mention here. Dr. Benda is a bridge-builder who sees the big picture of where we need to move forward and reminds us of how to live this in our daily lives. He has truly been the soul of our Board. Dr. Parker reminds us of the global impact of our medicine and the opportunities we have to affect true healthcare change; she has been our visionary. Dr. Clark is our expert on state licensing and political trends; she has guided us in politics and policy. Dr. Thyr has organized and guided the educational offerings at our conventions and has thus served as our teacher. And finally, Dr. Lise Alschuler has been the heart of our Board. Through her term as President and all of the various roles she’s played, Lise has been steady, reliable, dedicated, and impassioned to see the naturopathic profession become a credible piece of the health care system. We have been so fortunate to have these people step up for naturopathic medicine. They will be sorely missed and we wish all of them well in their future endeavors. Please thank them for all of their hard work and dedication the next time you see them.

Now that the dust has settled, we get back to work. This Fall, the Board and staff will focus on the AANP work plan and budget for 2011-2012, evaluating and improving internal processes as we prepare for 2012. The work plan and budget are key areas where the Board and staff work together to plan for and prioritize our near-term goals. The Board sets the strategic vision and goals, emphasizing areas to focus our intention upon. The staff takes this input and translates it into action steps with budget allotments. There is much back-and-forth in this process, and it is some of the most important work we do in our annual planning process. Our next Board meeting will be at Bastyr campus on November 13-14th.

Celebrate our New Beginning, Meet and Greet Jud

By Michael Cronin, ND
AANP President

The end of July, beginning of August, is the most exciting time of year. Our Board, volunteers and staff are hard at work making sure all of the “t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted” as we draw closer to the Annual Convention.

Every time we come together, I am reminded of the great things we can accomplish when we work together. I look forward to conquering our next goals. Let’s make Lorilee Schoenbeck’s chant, “50 in 15,” into a reality and bring all citizens’ awareness to what naturopathic medicine is! Every American should know that physicians and patients can work together to facilitate the integration of health and healing. Patients should know that they do not have to settle for only their symptoms being treated. There are doctors who will target the root causes of disease so that a full and healthy life can be lived.

One of the main goals at this year’s Conference, in addition to connecting face-to-face, is to gather your feedback on how we can strengthen the AANP to achieve our goals. Additionally, we will celebrate the beginning of a new era with Jud Richland, our new chief executive officer. We would like as many of you as possible to be able to attend. With this in mind, we are extending the early bird registration for the AANP Conference through Friday, July 20, 2012.

I can barely contain my excitement to introduce Jud Richland to you. Here is what he has said so far about our community after only a few days in office, “You have chosen to commit to a profession that is truly transformational. To honor your commitment, your professional association must also commit to being transformational. Thus, for AANP the greatest danger is not that our goals are too lofty and we miss them, but that they are too low and we reach them. The association has a thoughtful and impactful blueprint for action.”

Come and celebrate with us at the AANP conference! Learn about our “thoughtful and impactful blueprint.” Find out how you can be part of the "action." Share in the enthusiasm of the AANP team and become a volunteer for a project that fires your passion.

We have an excellent CE Program and there will be lots of social and fun things to take part in like our opening and exhibit hall receptions, the “all schools” dance, and more. While in Seattle area, I would also recommend you take some time to visit the Bastyr Center for Natural Health. A new study affirms our commitment to patient centeredness. The Puget Sound Health Alliance found the Center at the top of their lists for patient experience with communication, getting timely appointments, care and information, and helpful, courteous office staff. Congratulations to the Bastyr team!

It is time to renew old friendships and to help AANP get off to a fresh start.  Meet us in Bellevue and be part of the discussion on how our community can come together to achieve success. Help us expand the influence and impact of naturopathic physicians. 


See you in August!

Our Path to Integration

Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Dr. Hangee-Bauer with Dr. Mehmet Oz and Lisa Oz.

May was an interesting month for me, and I want to share a few of my recent experiences with you. I’ve found that my role as AANP President has given me many opportunities to be curious about different facets of the naturopathic profession and have experiences which are not so common in my day-to-day practice.

One of my goals during my two-year presidency is to visit each of the naturopathic medical colleges. I want to understand better the questions, dreams, aspirations and fears our naturopathic medical students have as they envision their futures as naturopathic physicians as well as understand the challenges and successes of the naturopathic colleges.

Last week I had the honor of being invited to Bastyr University to attend a celebration where Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa Oz were given honorary doctorates from Bastyr for the work both have done to improve people’s health and educate and empower them to make better health choices. They are a remarkable couple to meet: charming, obviously intelligent and we had a nice conversation around building bridges between naturopathic and conventional medicine. The Bastyr community welcomed the Ozes with open arms and open hearts.

I spent the rest of my time at Bastyr touring the campus and clinic, having a brown bag lunch session with students, and getting a tour of the new LEED Platinum-certified student housing. It was a remarkable experience for me. When I graduated from Bastyr in 1984, we were housed in an old elementary school in North Seattle, and the school had a small clinic in the University district. It had been at least five years since my last Bastyr visit. I am so impressed at the many ways the college and community have grown and matured since my time as a student there. Between the state-of-the-art clinic facilities, the expansive campus, and the great dialogue I had with the students, I came away impressed at how far our profession has grown since my days as a student in the early 1980s.

It’s a funny thing. When I was a student, we knew instinctively we were on to something, even though hardly anyone knew what naturopathic medicine was at the time. I have to say it is truly remarkable how this profession has grown both in size and respectability, and it only makes me wonder how we will continue to evolve and grow in this era of health care change as we continue to expand our presence and the impact of the medicine.

Which brings me to another experience I want to share with you. I was in New York in February at the Integrative Health Symposium where I met a young (to me) ND who had graduated from Bridgeport in 2003. He was in San Francisco a few weeks ago attending a urology conference and we met for lunch. He told me about his journey from naturopathic school to his present position as a naturopathic doctor in a urology practice in New York City. It was fascinating to hear. When I got out of school, opportunities for NDs were fairly limited. Most went into private practice, mostly solo or small groups, or went into teaching or to work for supplement companies. He described to me how it works in his office and how his training and treatment focus meshes with those of the surgeons and urologists with whom he works. It’s a win-win-win situation. He has a good job that keeps him busy in a specialty practice he enjoys and at which he is successful, the medical doctors have an ND to whom they can refer patients, their group practice benefits from the naturopathic services offered, and patients of this practice have more treatment opportunities.

I strongly believe that we are entering an era of integration as opposed to separation, where health care providers of different training and skills come together with mutual respect and understanding to improve the health of people and our planet. In his book Nature Cures: A History of Alternative Medicine in America, author James Whorton makes this case quite effectively and succinctly. The old ways are dying, and there are great opportunities for naturopathic medicine in this paradigm shift. There are ever-increasing examples of how our graduates can utilize their skills in a variety of settings. We can continue to emphasize our differences from other health professions or we can seek ways to come together. It is up to us.

My experiences in May have reinforced this for me and have given me much to think about as the naturopathic profession moves forward into the next phase of our evolution.

Inherently Political: Student Leadership and Legislative Success

By Carrie Runde, 2011 ND Candidate
AANP Student Representive for Bastyr University

Drs. Jamey Wallace and Jane Guiltinan (center) with the entire student
contingent from Bastyr University at the 2010 DC FLI.
Photo by Clark Porter.

This May marked my 3^rd year attending the AANP’s DC Federal Legislative Initiative (DC FLI), and I am excited to report that this year’s event was the best by far. I was proud to lead the group of 34 Bastyr ND students, from all years in the program, to Washington, D.C. Our crew had been tirelessly fundraising since last fall, generating over $15,000 to offset the travel and accommodation costs associated with the trip. I am incredibly impressed by the effort all members of the group contributed to our cause. Despite the distance from Seattle and the trip’s proximity to midterm exams, I heard only positive feedback from the Bastyr students who attended. Everyone was so glad to have made the trip, as it was a truly unbelievable learning experience.

When talking to students about participating in the DC FLI, I commonly hear claims that they are uninterested in, or overwhelmed by, general politics. My response to that is simple: the FLI teaches us about specific legislation and political issues pertinent to naturopathic medicine. Once they learn about the politics that directly affect them as students (such as loan repayment programs), as future physicians (like state licensure and scope of practice), and their patients (such as access to supplements), students become interested in the political work of the AANP and our home state affiliates. The first two days of training sessions ignited the students with a curiosity that translated into very effective lobbying on the third day of the DC FLI.

One thing that resounds clearly at each DC FLI is that students have a powerful voice in the legislative process and the future policies of naturopathic medicine. The passion, intelligence, and perspective that we bring to conversations on health care are true mediators for change. The work that we have done in the past is paying off. As AANP President Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer pointed out in a previous post, this year’s FLI was remarkable because healthcare staffers on Capitol Hill now know the AANP. We spent less time educating them about naturopathic medicine, and more time discussing how we can best be utilized in our nation’s healthcare system. I have specifically experienced this over the last three years in meetings with Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s health care staffer, who is encouraged by visits from a positive group of people so dedicated to health and wellness.

The student presence at the FLI is, in my slightly biased estimation, the most important. This year, 100 of the 171 participants were ND students representing four U.S. naturopathic schools! We need to continue to increase our numbers at the event each year. The FLI has a greater political impact because students represent many home states, thus allowing us to deliver our message to as many representatives as possible. The FLI helps students as well. It allows us get outside of our medical school bubbles and into the real environment in which we will someday practice our medicine. Despite the challenges associated with missing class and clinic rotations, the FLI gives a new perspective on naturopathic medicine and recharges students when they return to the daily grind of medical school. The FLI also acts as a catalyst for involvement with the AANP, setting students up to be leaders at our respective schools and to become involved in state legislative work early in their careers.

The work that the AANP does for our profession is invaluable, and my personal goal is to increase student involvement in the organization. The more students that have the opportunity to attend the DC FLI and get involved with the AANP, the stronger the AANP will be in the future. The success of our professional organization has a huge impact on our future as naturopathic physicians, and students are a vital part of the equation. I hope that political work, like that done at the DC FLI, will become part of the naturopathic curricula at all schools because, as Dr. Bastyr was known to say, being a naturopathic physician is inherently political. Each year the FLI leaves me with the oft-quoted Margaret Mead adage in my head: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Carrie is a 3^rd year ND student at Bastyr University and is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Carrie is the Bastyr student representative to the AANP and can be contacted at AANPrep@bastyr.edu.

Reflections from the Board of Directors

By Sara Thyr, ND

Bastyr University. Copyright © 2010. All Rights Reserved.

I was in Seattle in November for my last meeting with the Board of Directors of the AANP. It was an unusual mix of emotion for me. I have felt ready to be free of the substantial time commitment for some time now, but felt the melancholy creep in well before the end of the meeting.

The largest change in the years that I have been on the Board is moving from a reactionary board to a visioning board. Rather than putting out fires and throwing money at the crisis du jour, we are looking into the future and planning in a way that can only benefit the growth of our profession.

All of the governance documents are available for your perusal on the AANP website (you must be logged-in to view). If you haven’t already seen what we’ve been up to for the last few years, it will be worth your time to take a look. Your voice and involvement in your national association makes it all work. It should be evident from the ends and measures that we have set forth that we do this work for everyone in the profession (actually, everyone in need of healthcare in our country).

Looking at the future and where the Board sees the profession down the road is quite exciting. Everyone in the United States will know what a naturopathic physician is and have the opportunity to utilize naturopathic medicine for their healthcare. Can you see it?

I went to school at Bastyr University and graduated over 10 years ago. Being back on campus and seeing how it has grown in the years I have been gone was incredible. We stayed in the “village” – the LEED-platinum certified dorms on campus. They are beautifully designed and a much-needed advancement over previous dorm life. The herb garden has emerged to be a fixture on campus that is quite a bit more than the little circle of plants that was started when I was there. The students have more tools to study anatomy and other topics. Even though we were just there on a weekend, it was evident that much has improved. And with that growth and change will come great leaders in the profession. Not only do we have a student Board member, but we also had the President of the NMSA (Naturopathic Medical Students Association) present. With their input we can move towards better tools for graduates and our profession. The AANP Board will continue to grow, visioning and leading the profession with the best, most adapted tools that we and our staff can conjure.

The level of reporting on processes, the work plan, the budget and how well we are meeting our goals has substantially improved with changes and additions to the AANP staff over the years. The involvement in state licensing has increased and the connections for all legislative efforts have improved since my earliest days on the Board, largely thanks to the work of Executive Director Karen Howard, lobbyist Jan Lipson, outgoing Board member Michelle Clark, and now, our new legislative liaison, Gene McGill. Let’s not forget the countless volunteers in every state who work exceptionally long hours in order to make it all happen and improve our profession.

What will I miss the most about the being on the AANP Board? Well, I have had the great pleasure of serving with some truly remarkable people in our profession. In my experience from working at the state level from New Hampshire to California, I know of no other profession who has so many brilliant, caring and committed leaders. So I will miss being around these great minds, working arm-in-arm with them, and seeing that powerful impact we can have on the future of naturopathic medicine when we roll our sleeves up and move towards our goals.

I know that I leave the Board in capable hands. It is an exciting time to be involved and to see our profession expand its reach, just as the Bastyr’s herb garden expanded its reach. But as the last minutes of the meeting rolled by, I found myself just a little bit glum that it will be my last one for some time.

The Future of the AANP

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Fall has been a busy time for the AANP Board. After the dust settled from the convention and things relaxed for a bit, attention turned to identifying goals and priorities for the 2011-2012 work plan and budget.

Sounds exciting, huh? Actually, it’s some of the most important work that the AANP Board does. It requires that Board members think strategically, surveying the landscape for political and social trends, considering the future of healthcare reform, understanding readiness in states close to licensure, listening to feedback and the experience of our naturopathic physician members, and bringing that back to the table as we discuss and deliberate.

While the Board discusses these topics throughout the year, the formal start to our planning began at the August Board meeting. We examined programs that are currently underway and ranked programs such as marketing and public relations, state and federal affairs, fundraising, and others in order of importance to the ends and the goals of the AANP. The staff, led by Karen Howard, took this preliminary feedback and constructed the first draft of our next 2-year work plan and budget, getting further feedback from a Board survey that took a closer look at these initial ranking and programs.

This past weekend the Board held its Fall meeting on the beautiful campus of Bastyr University. Most of our time was spent discussing and debating the various details of the proposed 2011-2012 work plan. All of this, by the way, is done with keen attention to how to best serve our membership.

Let me give you some insights of the Board approved work plan.

Far and away the biggest priority is directed toward membership issues such as member benefits and professional success, programs such as the convention and membership services, and tools and resources for membership support including the AANP website.

State and Federal Affairs are a very big piece of the work plan. Facilitation of licensing in more states, inclusion in federal programs for the naturopathic profession under healthcare reform, engaging in strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations to effect change, and training our physicians and naturopathic students at the DC FLI – all are pieces in this very complex work.

Next, our Executive Director will take the work plan and assign budget categories to each area of emphasis for Board review and approval. This will be a very challenging step. While the AANP has weathered the economic downturn quite well compared with other associations, the economy has nonetheless impacted us. The budget will be very tight, and it will be a challenge to meet all of our goals. It is likely that choices will have to be made based on the key goals, priorities and programs we’ve identified.

I tell you all of this so you can understand some of the work that goes on behind the scenes and see why it is so important to be a member of your national association. The AANP is a member-driven organization that represents you in the halls of Congress and to the American people. It supports state licensing efforts and facilitates communication amongst various organizations within the naturopathic profession. It supports research and data collection to better inform others of our work. It provides top-notch continuing education with many of the thought leaders of our profession. It brings unity to our community of doctors and students in every state in the US and other countries.

Please join us as we move into the future by joining or renewing your AANP membership and letting your voice be heard.

President's Message: Science and Naturopathic Medicine

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Photo by CIAT - International Center for Tropical Agriculture via Flickr, used under the Creative Commons License.

When I was a teenager, my first career choice was marine biology. Growing up along the coast in Florida, I spent much of my spare time in nature and in the water, enjoying the marvels of life and the natural world around me, and I still spend most of my vacations in natural settings and in the water. In school, I was a science geek and took every course in biology, chemistry, physics, etc., I could. When I went to college at Florida State University, my major was Biology, with dual minors in Chemistry and Physics. It was during my four-year stint in the United States Army that my attention was redirected to the medical field (I was a Medical Service Corps Officer), which eventually led me to naturopathic medicine and my true life career.

I tell you this to let you know that I am no stranger to science. I still find it fascinating and appreciate the many ways it helps us understand the workings of nature and the world, helping us separate what appears to be the truth of things from reality. Studying naturopathic medicine, and especially acupuncture, presented me with many challenges, and I learned along the way that our medicine, as well as all other systems of medicine, are really a combination of science and art. When we work with our patients, we draw from both in order to stimulate the vis and provide well-rounded care to our patients.

Thus it has become an increasing concern to me when I read articles and blogs on the Internet blasting naturopathic medicine for being “unscientific.” These frequently polemic articles, while professing to come from scientific logic, to my eye are biased misrepresentations of the truth. They often lambast our profession and philosophy as unscientific, yet I have yet to see any one of them provide a critical analysis of research done by naturopathic physicians and researchers. It is sad that science can be used in these political ways.

This is important. As a student at Bastyr University, I remember Dr. Joe Pizzorno saying that if our profession is to be taken seriously by the larger world of medicine, we must speak in a language that everyone can understand and appreciate. That language is the language of science, and few have done more over the past 25 years than Dr. Pizzorno to increase the credibility of the naturopathic profession using this approach. While I think we all can agree that we draw both from science as well as traditional practices and experiences when evaluating the efficacy of our therapies and approaches to practicing medicine, advancing the research and science agenda remains an important step for our profession to move forward, especially with the continued interest in evidence-based approaches to health care.

Fortunately there is now a great effort within the profession to advance our understanding of how science informs naturopathic practice, especially in the realm of whole practice approaches to health issues. Dr. Michael Cronin, the AANP’s President-Elect, has been a strong advocate on the AANP Board for promoting scientific affairs. The Naturopathic Physicians Research Institute (NPRI), headed by Dr. Carlo Calabrese, is a group of academic and community clinicians, clinical researchers and other health scientists whose aim is to increase the amount of original data and analysis on the practice of naturopathic medicine for the purposes of its documentation and improvement, the discovery of potentially generalizable health applications, and to inform policy. And, of course, there is active research going on presently at all of our naturopathic colleges by well-trained and experienced researchers who are testing the theories and practices of naturopathic medicine. Much of the discussion I’ve heard lately focuses on studies of whole practice approaches to health care versus single agent actions.

On August 16, 2011, the Tuesday before the start of the 2011 AANP Convention, the AANP will be sponsoring a scientific summit. While only in the early stages of planning, it promises to be a gathering for the different players in the naturopathic profession to connect and define how the AANP mission, naturopathic research, and evidence-informed health policy can join and result in healthier patients, a more effective health-care system, and a flourishing naturopathic profession. Core discussion points will include articulating policy and practice issues driving our research agenda, where the profession is now and what future possibilities exist, and defining the core research questions relating to safety, effectiveness, and costs.

The AANP Board and many in our profession agree that where possible providing a scientific basis for our therapies and for the naturopathic approach is an important step in growing our professions credibility and inclusion in the greater health care system. How we prioritize this and communicate to the public is of vital importance.

I hope to see many of you there.

President's Message: Thanking and Honoring Karen Howard

By Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc
AANP President

Exiting Executive Director Karen Howard poses with AANP President Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc (left),
and Bill Benda, MD, FACEP, FAAEM (right), at the 2010 AANP Convention.

It is a time of great change for the AANP and perhaps the most significant is that Karen Howard, our Executive Director for the past nine years, will be moving on at the end of November. Karen has left a huge mark on the AANP and the naturopathic profession and she will be missed. As I pondered what fitting words to say to mark this occasion, I turned to other AANP Past-Presidents to ask them what they would like for us to remember about Karen as we thank her and honor her work. So, without further ado...

From Michael Traub, ND, DHANP, FABNO (AANP President 2002-03):
Today I was telling a new Bastyr grad the story of how the AANP moved its headquarters across the country shortly before I became AANP President. We left all our staff behind in Seattle and put ourselves in the hands of a professional association management firm outside of Washington, D.C. Although initially we made some improvements in the professionalism of the AANP, in less than a year, the executive director (ED) that the management firm had hired for us resigned. Little by little, the remainder of the staff they had assigned to us dwindled and we found ourselves in debt by half a million dollars. It was in this context that the AANP decided to break our contract with the management firm and return to being a self-managed organization.

After several months of essentially serving both as President and de facto ED, I needed to hire a new ED and I hired Karen Howard. It was a complicated operation to extricate the heart, soul, membership and financial records and bank accounts from this cancerous relationship that had developed between the AANP and the management firm, and it was Karen’s first task as ED. It took several months, but the operation was successful, we rebuilt the AANP from the ashes, and in a year's time of severe financial austerity, we turned around our $500K deficit to a $250K net profit.

Karen Howard deserves most of the credit for saving the AANP in its darkest hour. She also deserves most of the credit for all the progress the AANP has made since that time.

From Nancy Dunne, ND, MA (AANP President 2004-05):
Karen Howard came to us a powerful and skillful woman. From Day One, we have challenged her, and she has challenged us. And she has lead us throughout the single most fruitful and effective era of achievement and maturity our profession has yet known.

Karen's fiscal acumen, political savvy and extensive, beyond-the-fold relationships have embedded in our institutions, as well as in our expectations, a level of sophistication and professionalism that is precisely what we have needed and had not heretofore owned. She has not become everyone’s friend—that’s normal. She has sown many seeds and not all have taken—that’s natural. She has stabilized and massively enhanced our economic position; she has established naturopathic physicians as a presence on Capitol Hill with consistency and wit; she has created leadership training and opportunities for inclusion and advancement that honor and engage each successive generation of new doctors. She has stabilized our rocky foundations and given us a resilient ground from which we can continue to grow. She has changed us, for so much the better, and she has allowed herself to be changed and grow as well. Karen Howard exemplifies passion and mature discernment, unflinching self-assessment and integrity. We are so much better for what she has done.

From Jane Guiltinan, ND (AANP President 2006-07)
I’d like to thank Karen for her outstanding stewardship of the AANP over the last nine years. What did Karen accomplish? Here are a few achievements:

• When she was hired, we were on the verge of bankruptcy; now we’re financially solvent with a solid revenue base and reserves in the bank.
• Membership has grown significantly and the vast majority of members are very satisfied with the direction the AANP has taken during Karen’s tenure.
• Six states and territories have gained legal recognition for naturopathic doctors.
• The DC FLI has become a signature event on Capitol Hill, with many important impacts.
• The convention continues to be brilliant.  Our smaller state associations are stronger and more organized.
• Partnerships and collaborations with external groups have flourished and resulted in increased awareness of naturopathic medicine.

All these things are great accomplishments and deserve appreciation and thanks. Most of all though I thank and honor Karen for her passion and dedication to help us achieve our dreams. She believed in us, embraced our vision, and worked tirelessly on our behalf every single day. She did this because she believes with all her heart and soul that naturopathic medicine can improve the health of families, communities and the planet. She believes that the principles of naturopathic medicine can help create a better world for her own children, grandchildren and their children.

Thank you Karen for walking with us these last years. Your legacy is stellar. Namaste, dear friend. I bow to the divine in you, with great love, appreciation, gratitude and best wishes for your next journey.

From Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO (AANP President 2008-09):
The AANP will be forever indebted to Karen Howard. Karen’s passionate embrace of naturopathic medicine motivated an incredible stewardship of the AANP at a critical time in the organization’s history.

From the outset, Karen saw how the principles of naturopathic medicine could be used to guide the organization from the brink of disaster to tremendous success. She identified the root causes of the financial challenges, she rallied the innate healing powers of the organization by mobilizing and organizing members into political action. Karen removed obstacles to our success by creating collaborative relationships with like-minded organizations. She used the healing powers of Nature to set recurrent inspirational themes for our increasingly successful conferences. All of this resulted in AANP stability and growth during a time period in which most other non-profit associations were struggling and even collapsing.

Karen is leaving the AANP in much, much better shape than she found it in. Over the past several years, the AANP has become a strong, vital force in health care and a resource and source of inspiration for its members.

I consider myself blessed to have had the opportunity to have worked so closely with Karen throughout her tenure at the AANP. She is a strong woman, a visionary, highly intelligent and someone who leaves her heart on the table in every endeavor that matters. I have learned much from Karen and I am personally grateful for her amazing dedication to the AANP and to naturopathic medicine. The world is in desperate need of visionary leaders. The AANP benefited from one such leader, in the person of Karen Howard, and we are so much better for it.

From Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc (Current AANP President 2010-11):
What more can I add? I  have worked closely with Karen for the past four years as a board member, President-Elect and as President. I will be departing on her heels once my term ends December 31st. Over this period I have worked closely with and have gotten to know Karen quite well.

I continue to be amazed at how much she can hold in her head as she does the work of three people. She has worked not only with the AANP but with the Naturopathic Coordinating Counsel, Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges, and has been our link to such organizations at the Coalition for Patient Rights and National Foundation of Women Legislators to name just a few.

Under her leadership and guidance, we have grown from a small, new presence in Washington, D.C., to a known organization and profession who's footprint appears much larger than we truly are. She has helped us grow up, and we are forever in her debt.

So, Karen, thank you so much for everything you have done and for your many accomplishments, and personally for all of the guidance and support you have given me. We will miss you and wish you much happiness and success in whatever the future holds for you. You will always be a part of the naturopathic community.