About Us
Gigi Stafne
Gigi Stafne MH, ND, is a national educator, clinician, and writer within ecological, health justice and natural medicine fields. She is Director of Green Wisdom School of Natural & Botanical Medicine in the Upper Midwest United States, and former long time Executive Director of Herbalists Without Borders International, addressing issues of health and social justice globally, and remains a national-international trauma trainer to date. Earth ethics, ecology, sustainability, and environmental health are woven into every aspect of Gigi's teaching and organizing.
Bob King
Bob King, author and educator, fell in love with the night sky and astronomy when he was a kid and loves to share his passion with people of all ages through teaching and public observing. He's a long-time member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO), a community educator and writes for Sky & Telescope's magazine and website. Bob also pens the long-time blog Astro Bob he started in 2008 and shares news of current sky events on WTIP-FM (Grand Marais) and The North 103.3 FM (Duluth).
Lynn Carlson
Lynn Carlson, the instructor who will lead the class, began her studies of qi gong and t’ai chi chu’an in 2006 and has been leading class at the Winona YMCA since 2009. She has also been independently studying comparative religion, Taoism and Buddhism for sixteen years, adding to her degree is in Environmental Science.
During this time, she has also taught at Z Studio and Winona Yoga Studio (now Dharma River) for five years. Currently she also teaches at Infinity (seven years now) and also offers community classes - formerly at Watkins Manor, Faith Church, Windom Park and currently summers at Lake Park in Winona.
Jeannette Mueller
Jeannette is an integrative wellness coach, astrologer, chef and educator in land stewardship. Her mission is to help conscious creatives to live in accordance with nature and their own unique mind-body ecosystem. Through bioindividual nutrition, astrological guidance, somatics, psychedelic integration and ecological therapy, she guides her community and clients to transform planetary/personal well-being.
Mel Schneider
Through her work as an Environmental Educator, Mel has observed both the healing and restorative power of nature, as well as evidence that many people feel disconnected from the natural environment around them. As a Forest Therapy Guide trained through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, she hopes to not only connect people with the health benefits of spending intentional, undistracted time in nature, but also guide people to forming deeper relationships with themselves, others, and the more-than-human world.
Courtney Cochran
Courtney Cochran (she/they) is a queer, gender nonconforming, herbalist living on 16 acres of occupied Anishinaabe land near Knife River, Minnesota. Courtney comes from a white, Celtic, mixed European ancestry and always works to bring in ancestral plants into their practice. Courtney is a passionate gardener, forager, food preservation enthusiast, and chicken caretaker. With a background in social work and queer liberation organizing work, they come to herbalism with a specific emphasis on mental health and LGBTQIA2S+ wellness. Courtney and their partner run Alseth Acres Apothecary and focus on 1-1 clinical herbalism services and creating bioregional herb products. Courtney has been listening to and learning from plants their entire life, but she has been intentionally studying herbs since 2018. Courtney has studied herbalism via Wild Ginger Community Herbal Center, Green Wisdom School of Natural & Botanical Medicine, and Twin Star Herbal Center. Courtney is a certified Clinical Herbalist and Flower Essence Practitioner.
Teresa Hershey
Teresa is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200). Her yoga style is primarily Hatha and Vinyasa yoga, and her passion lies in learning and teaching yoga history and philosophy.
Teresa is also a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and is trained in Wilderness First Aid Basics. She loves introducing participants to the more-than-human world and believes whole heartedly that nature has the ability to heal and bring peace.