Ayurveda Summit: A More Personalized Approach to Health

Ajay Patel founded Verdure Sciences, Inc. (a plant-based ingredient company) nearly 25 years ago, in which he has been a huge advocate for ingredient identity controls to deliver much needed traceability and transparency. In addition, Patel has found success in substantiating traditional herbals with clinical research, which Verdure began investigating nearly 20 years ago. Patel brings immense botanical industry insight having worked directly with farmers, contract manufacturers, and finished product marketing companies on a global scale. Patel has established several branded ingredients and has been intimately involved in all aspects of the process from the agronomy to the capsule. Inspired by challenges, Patel capitalizes on opportunities by implementing and optimizing reliable processes to exceed expectations.

Ajay S Patel, Founder & President, Verdure Sciences, Inc.

BS Chemical Engineering, Purdue University

Amanda Ree is a Chopra Certified Meditation, Ayurveda, and 500hr Yoga Instructor, and the founder of Sama Dog: Wellbeing for Dogs + Their Humans. Amanda combines decades of experience and passion for natural, spiritual living, alongside her especially deep soul-connection to canines, through live and online talks, courses, and working with clients privately.

Professor Jayagopal Parla is an internationally known speaker, educator, and practitioner of Ayurveda, with extensive clinical, teaching, and research experience. He is a Professor of Ayurveda at the American University of Complementary Medicine where he also serves as the Chair of the Department of Ayurveda. He is founder director of Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center, Long Beach and vice president of Letsallbehealthy.com.

In addition, he is a visiting faculty member at various Ayurvedic schools including Japan Ayurveda School, Tokyo and Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCUHS), Whittier, CA. Jayagopal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery from Bangalore University, India, and Master’s degree (Ayurveda) from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India. He also has a Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from SCUHS. In addition, he is a certified yoga therapist. Jayagopal has presented and published several scientific papers in national and international publications.

Jayarajan Kodikannath is a renowned Ayurvedic scholar, clinician and educator with over two decades of clinical expertise in India and the U.S. He represents a lineage of traditional Ayurvedic Practitioners (Vaidyas) in Kerala, India with extensive knowledge in the ancient root texts of Ayurveda. He is currently the Academy Director and Chief Ayurveda consultant of Kerala Ayurveda USA. He serves on the Board of Directors for the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM) and also served as a member of the Expert Curriculum Committee for Masters in Ayurveda at Bastyr University, Seattle. “Dr. J,” as his students call him for short, is a compassionate healer and educator, devoted to the mission of imparting the traditional teachings of Kerala’s Ayurveda.

SUSAN WEIS-BOHLEN is a full-time Ayurvedic consultant, cooking teacher, meditation teacher, and leader of sacred site tours. Susan’s personal journey into the Ayurvedic lifestyle began when she came across the Ayurvedic cleansing technique of panchakarma. What began as the release of damaging toxins and personal difficulties eventually grew into an impassioned vocation. She has since studied with the best teachers of Ayurveda, both in the US and in India. Susan knows exactly how challenging it can be to come to Ayurveda as a beginner and has dedicated her life to sharing the fruits of her studies with students all over the world.

In 2004 Susan opened Breathe Books, a metaphysical bookstore, in Baltimore, and in 2012 she added an Ayurvedic/vegetarian café.

In 2008 Susan received her first certification in Ayurveda from the Chopra Center in California. In subsequent years she studied with Dr. Vasant Lad in New Mexico and India. In addition, Susan is certified in Ayurvedic cooking from Amadea Morningstar, the author of the world renowned Ayurvedic Cookbook, and Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners. After 10 years of running the business, Susan decided in 2014 to close the shop and café and concentrate fully on her Ayurvedic practice. She is now a full-time Ayurvedic consultant, meditation teacher, Ayurvedic cooking teacher, and speaker.

Susan also leads meditation, yoga and Ayurveda tours to sacred sites in India. In February 2018, Susan published her first book, which became an instant Amazon best-seller, Ayurveda Beginner’s Guide: Essential Ayurvedic Principles & Practices to Balance and Heal Naturally.

Susan lives with her husband Larry and their three dogs, Ella, Shadow and Joonie (a rescue from Pune, India), in the woods in Reisterstown, Maryland just outside of Baltimore City.

Dr. Khalsa has had a life-long interest in mindful living as the basis for long term vitality of mind, body and spirit. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at The Mayo Clinic in 2005 and is board certified in Internal Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Hospice/Palliative Medicine. Dr. Khalsa has deepened her studies on health and healing by becoming a Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master, and participating in a 2-year full-time program on Ayurveda at The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque and India. Serving as an Integrative Medicine PCP, instructor at the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine fellowship for physicians and consultant to other medical practices, she has dedicated her career to promoting an increased understanding in clinical medicine of the link between long term vitality and the daily choices we make. She is currently focusing her energy to support physicians who want to expand their personal understanding of new ways of healing through an experiential process utilizing techniques in Ayurveda, yoga, mindfulness, and plant-based nutrition. She is also creating a plant-based lifestyle course in the fall that will be available for everyone.

Dr. Raja Sivamani is a board-certified dermatologist and practices as an integrative dermatologist at Pacific Skin Institute. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology at the University of California, Davis and Director of Clinical Research and the Clinical Trials Unit.He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the California State University, Sacramento and an Associate Professor of Dermatology at California Northstate University, College of Medicine.He engages in clinical practice as well as both clinical and translational research that integrates bioengineering, nutrition, cosmetics, and skin biology. With training in both Allopathic and Ayurvedic medicine, he takes an integrative approach to his patients and in his research.He has published over 100 peer-reviewed research manuscripts, 10 textbook chapters, and a textbook entitled Cosmeceuticals and Active Cosmetics, 3rd Edition with a passion for expanding the evidence and boundaries of integrative medicine for skin care.