Board of Directors

BETH LAMBERT is a former healthcare consultant and teacher. As a consultant, she worked with pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic and other health care companies to evaluate industry trends.  She is the author of A Compromised Generation:  The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in America’s Children (Sentient Publications, 2010).  In 2009, Beth founded Epidemic Answers and currently serves as Executive Director.  Beth attended Oxford University and graduated from Williams College and holds a Masters Degree in American Studies from Fairfield University. She is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society.  Beth is also the mother of three young children.

MICHELLE TORTORA recieved a B.S. in Communications from Boston University. She spent many years in financial marketing, most recently working as an associate in marketing operations for JPMorgan Chase. When Michelle’s son was diagnosed at 18 months old with autism spectrum disorder, she began a journey of discovery into the root causes of his condition. Using a combination of the gluten free/casein free diet, supplements, developmental and occupational therapies her son is recovered. Michelle also has a neurotypical daughter who has recovered from chronic Lyme disease,  food allergies, inflammation and chronic ear infections. Armed with the knowledge that her son’s autism symptoms stemmed from gut dysbiosis and immune dysregulation, Michelle was able to apply similar healing protocols to her daughter with great results. Michelle is now a Vibrational Therapy practitioner and Certified Reiki Master.

VICKI KOBLINER, MS RD, CD-N, is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition (www.holcarenutrition.com).  She practices using a functional nutrition approach to help the body heal itself has extensive experience using various diet modalities to help children with autism and related disorders.  Vicki works with infants through adults with chronic illnesses, digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD and autism and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling.  She is a contributing author to A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in Americas Children.  She can be reached at vicki@holcarenutrition.com

NANCY O’HARA, MD, MPH is a board certified pediatrician. Until January 2010, she was the Assistant Medical Director for Defeat Autism Now!® Physican Training and the Physican Mentoring Director for Defeat Autism Now!® in Europe. Prior to her medical career, Dr. O’Hara taught children with autism. She graduated magna cum laude from Bryn Mawr College and as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society from the University of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine. She earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh. After residency, chief residency and general pediatric fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. O’ Hara was in private practice for 7 years. Dr. O’Hara has worked with Dr. Sidney Baker and other practitioners in the research and care of children with autistic spectrum disorder for many years. Since 1999 she has dedicated her practice to the integrative and holistic care of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

GAIL SZAKACS, MD is board certified in Internal Medicine.  She graduated from Hamilton College in 1995 with honors.  After three years of working in the healthcare field and doing medical research, she attended St. George’s University School of Medicine where she was a member of the Iota Epsilon Alpha International Medical Honor Society.  After completing her Internal Medicine residency at St. Michael’s Medical Center (a Seton Hall University program) in Newark, NJ, Dr. Szakacs worked as a Hospitalist in CT.  Through personal involvement with Autism, she met Dr. O’Hara and in September 2006, Dr. Szakacs began a mentor program with Dr. O’Hara and subsequently joined her practice in January 2007. In July 2008, Dr. Szakacs and Dr. O’Hara became partners and opened Optimal Health Initiatives, LLC.

COLLEEN FOGARTY DRAPER, MS RD is a Registered Dietitian with Food and Nutrition Science degrees from Tufts University and Florida State University; and training at the New England Medical Center, Frances Stern Nutrition Center, and Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. Additionally, she is trained in Functional Medicine by the Institute for Functional Medicine, and has a strong background in nutritional genomics. Colleen has extensive nutrition practice, product development, clinical research, and business consulting experience. Colleen founded Nugenso Nutrition, a private practice built from her training and experience in dietetics, functional medicine and genetics. She, also, founded The Nugenso Company, an innovative strategic planning, product development and communications consulting company, focused on providing next generation, nutritional genomics solutions for industry, practitioners, and individuals interested in its’ translation and integration into product portfolio planning, design; and clinical practice. Colleen recently joined the Optimal Health and Prevention Research Foundation to research and design their Personalized Nutrition Programs and nutrigenetic testing. Prior to starting her own businesses, Colleen spent six years in biotechnology directing nutritional genomics clinical research and product design. As Program Director of Nutrigenomics at Interleukin Genetics, her responsibilities ranged from clinical research management to program leadership and planning/forecasting, test design and translating the science into written technical communications.  Colleen is an alumni member of the Functional Medicine Nutritionist Advisory Board for the Institute for Functional Medicine, the American Dietetic Association; and the Nutritional Genomics Chair for the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietetic Practice Group.

LAUREN LEE STONE, PHD, MS, HHP is a nutritionist and holistic health practitioner who uses BioEnergetic Medicine as a healing modality.  Lauren came to BioEnergetic Medicine in the search to heal her own children, and chose to make it her career after experiencing its success first hand. In addition to a B.A. from Yale University and a PhD from Cornell University, Lauren has a Masters in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport. She also holds an advanced certificate in BioSET, Quantum Reflex Analysis, and is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.

ANNALISA BEHLING, ND received her Bachelors in Psychology at Duke University in Durham, NC and Doctorate degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, OR. NCNM is the premier institution of the five accredited Naturopathic medical schools in the country. With her doctorate she practices general family medicine with emphasis on natural and complementary therapeutics.  Dr. Behling is clinically trained and experienced in nutritional medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, oriental medicine, naturopathic manipulation, Low Level Laser Therapy, physical medicine, botanical medicine, as well as psychological and lifestyle counseling.  Dr. Behling also trained in Leuven, Belgium for Homeopathy and in Stockholm, Sweden for Medical Laser Therapy and has experience working with musculoskeletal pain management and women’s health concerns including PCOS, Endometriosis, Fertility, and Fibroids. She also has clinical experience with cancer, HIV/AIDS, anxiety and depression, ADHD, dermatitis, back pain, and other conditions.  Dr. Behling is also the Vice-President of the Michigan Association of Naturopathic Physicians (MANP); Practitioner member of American Holistic Health Association (AHHA) and American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), and NAET

MARIA RICKERT HONG is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  She specializes in helping parents with special diets for children with autism, ADHD, allergies, asthma, autoimmune and more.  She also helps tired mothers of special-needs children reclaim their energy.  Maria has mostly recovered her sons from sensory processing disorder, allergies, asthma and acid reflux as well as mostly recovered herself from heavy-metal poisoning, adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism, pancreatic insufficiency, insomnia, systemic Candida and immune dysregulation.  Most of these recoveries were done with food — the types of food chosen as well as the kinds of food avoided.  She is a frequent blogger about these issues for Epidemic Answers.  Maria is a former equity research analyst covering the oil services sector at Salomon Smith Barney and Lehman Brothers.  Later, she covered the gaming, lodging & leisure sector at Jefferies & Co. and Calyon Securities.  She quit working on Wall Street when her first son was born.  Prior to working on Wall Street, she was a marketing specialist for Halliburton in New Olreans, where she also received her MBA in Finance & Strategy from Tulane University.