POWER Lymphatics Speakers

Steven M. Dean, DO, FACP, RPVI, is director of the Vascular Medicine Program, director of Cardiovascular Medicine’s Noninvasive Peripheral Vascular Laboratory and professor of clinical medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

His postgraduate training included a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in vascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Dr. Dean has published many articles and book chapters on topics related to vascular medicine and is a frequent lecturer at national meetings on vascular related diseases. He has co-edited three vascular medicine textbooks including the Color Atlas and Synopsis of Vascular Medicine (winner of the 2014 “highly commended” cardiology textbook award by the British Medical Association).

Dr. Dean is an examination writer for the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine and is a board member of the American Vein and Lymphatic Society.

Dr. Beth DuPree transitioned her primary breast care practice to Sedona, Arizona in September 2017. She brings more than 26 years of expertise and passion to Cancer Centers of Northern Arizona where she serves as Medical Director and is developing a fully-integrative breast cancer program. Sedona has long been her favorite place on the planet since finding it in 2001. She plans to retire there, but not soon!

Dr. DuPree is a breast surgeon who embraces Eastern-healing philosophies as she remains on the cutting edge of Western medical technologies. She has been Vice President of Holy Redeemer Health System overseeing Surgical Services, Women’s Health, Employee Wellness and Integrative and Holistic Medicine. She has an academic appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Surgery at The University of Pennsylvania. She also is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is board certified in Surgery, as well as Integrative Medicine.

Dr. DuPree is the recipient of numerous awards, achievements and serves on the advisory boards for several breast cancer organizations. She was named to Philadelphia Magazine’s 2016 and 2017 TOP DOCS in surgery and Complementary Medicine. She is a graduate of The University of Pittsburgh and Hahnemann University (Drexel) School of Medicine.

Dr. DuPree believes that “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” (Gandhi), and inspires her patients, colleagues and acquaintances to be the change. In 2007, she founded The Healing Consciousness Foundation that provides healing/ integrative services free of charge to women and men on their breast cancer journey. She is the author of The Healing Consciousness: A Doctor’s Journey to Healing, a Reiki Master, national and international physician educator, inspirational speaker, pilot, philanthropist, health and wellness enthusiast, and a loving wife of 30+ years and mother of two amazing sons.

Susan Ellenson is a physical therapist with more than 24 years of experience as a clinician and consultant. In addition to holding a license to practice physical therapy, she is certified as a wound specialist (CWS) through the Academy of Wound Management and is a certified lymphedema therapist (CLT). She is currently a Clinical Specialist at Tactile Medical, providing ongoing clinical education on lymphedema, vascular and wound care.

Dr. Gallagher’s focus has been working with individuals addressing digestive disorders, hormone balance, detoxification therapies and lymphatic disorders through lymphatic decongestive treatments. Most often, patients seek out Dr. Melissa after they have sought traditional medical resources and have felt frustrated, overwhelmed or unheard.

In the last decade, Dr. Melissa has worked with more than 50,000 patients from infants and elders to professional athletes and even Olympians like Serena Williams. She founded Natural Health Resources to offer highly accessible yet personalized naturopathic healthcare to those seeking to resolve the root cause of their illnesses and strengthening their body’s own innate ability to heal.

Dr. Melissa currently operates her NHR Lymphatic Specialty Clinic in the Heal Center of Atlanta. When she is not working with patients, Dr. Melissa can be found in the NHR Studio where she creates, films and produces educational video content for both her growing YouTube Channel (Natural Health Resources) as well as an assortment of virtual courses and educational content for patients, care providers and medical professionals.

Dr. Melissa is also a Vodder trained Certified Lymphatic Drainage Therapist and is certified in treating all aspects of lymphedema including upper extremity, trunk and lower extremity lymphedema in men, women and children. Dr. Melissa was personally trained by the team who created electro lymphatic drainage therapy and maintains a vigorous schedule the involves work with cancer clinical trials, cancer patients in the beginning, middle and end phases of surgery, chemo/radiation and end stage supportive care. She is referred to by many local, regional and national plastic surgeons for her assistance in promoting adequate lymph drainage, lipedema management, surgery recovery and speedy healing of surgical incisions. She is also a trained LSP laser therapist and uses a specialized FDA approved blue light laser for addressing scar tissue reduction, cellulite reduction and tightening of skin around the face, neck and chin.

Joy Hesse began her career in the acute care setting at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines and was instrumental in the development of the modified barium swallow program at the hospital. She then worked at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines in the outpatient rehabilitation department focusing on outpatient voice therapy and dysphagia therapy. In 1998, she joined a group of Otolaryngologists in West Des Moines where she established a thriving voice and swallowing clinic.

Joy is passionate about teaching and is a regular lecturer to the Iowa Chapter of National Teachers of Singing, the Iowa Speech and Hearing Association and Pedagogy Classes at several universities. She also has lectured at the American Speech and Hearing Association on FEES, for Cross Country Education on Voice and Resonance Disorders and consults with SEC Medical Speech Pathology training both FEES and Videostroboscopy, providing in-house training for speech pathologists.

Joy graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1989 with her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

John Jordi has been a therapist for 26 years. For the past 20 years he has specialized in the treatment of lymphedema. His background also includes treatment of strokes, brain injuries, and wound care. Currently, he is the Clinic Director at the North Chattanooga branch of Benchmark Physical Therapy, specializing in treating lymphedema, venous disease swelling and custom garment fittings.

John also is an adjunct instructor for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he teaches the lymphedema portion of the doctorate program. He is a senior instructor for Academy of Lymphatic Studies (ACOLS) and has been with them since 2008.

John has been published three times and provides the clinical expertise for the research publications with Vanderbilt University and Western Carolina University. These articles have appeared in Radiology, Journal of Lymphoedema, and Lymphatic Research and Biology. John also consults with other universities and businesses in continued research related to lymphedema. John also offers no-charge seminars to therapists in his area on topics such as: difficult garment fittings, billing issues and wrapping techniques for therapists.

John received training as a Physical Therapist Assistant from St. Catherine University, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1993. In 2007, he earned a B.S. in Business Administration (summa cum laude) from Bryan College, Dayton, Tennessee.

Guenter Klose received his initial Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) and Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) training in 1984 at the Foeldi Clinic in Hinterzarten, Germany. Specializing in the treatment of Lymphedema, he became certified in 1987 as an instructor for MLD/CDT by the German Massage Therapy and Physical Therapy Association and continued working as instructor at the Foeldi Schools in Freiburg and Munich, Germany.

In 1990, Guenter came to the United States to assist Dr. Robert Lerner in establishing the first CDT treatment center for lymphedema patients located in New York City. Guenter’s work was instrumental in establishing the field of lymphedema therapy and training in the U.S. He assisted in opening numerous lymphedema treatment centers on the East Coast.

In 2003, Guenter established his own lymphedema training and consulting company, an organization dedicated to providing the highest quality lymphedema therapy training available. Guenter has facilitated the training of hundreds of lymphedema therapists from across the country and abroad.

Guenter has lectured extensively in the United States, Europe, and South America. His activities include presentations at the National Lymphedema Network Conferences, lecturing at physicians’ meetings in a large number of hospitals, as well as numerous lymphedema support groups across the country. He is the Program Director of the biannual Klose Training & Consulting Lymphedema Conference. Here in the U.S., Guenter actively treats lymphedema patients and teaches classes for MLD/CDT several times a year.

Guenter was a founding member of the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) and served on the LANA Board of Directors from 1999-2004.

With more than 25 years of experience, Dr. Melin specializes in varicose veins, vascular malformations, deep vein thrombosis, aneurysm and diabetes complications. He has been published more than five times and provides expertise in areas such as wound care. Dr. Melin graduated from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Murphy is a medical oncologist who specializes in head and neck cancer as well as in pain and symptom management control. She is the director of the Head and Neck Oncology Program, which has achieved national recognition for its expertise in combined modality therapy. Her clinical interests for head and neck cancer include identifying new and more effective treatments. Dr. Murphy studies patients who have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer that has either spread throughout the body or has returned after initial treatment with surgery or radiation. Although several chemotherapy drugs are effective in the treatment of metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer, these agents are unable to provide a cure and are associated with side effects.

Dr. Murphy recently developed a new Pain & Symptom Management Program, which is dedicated to providing our patients with a comprehensive and integrative approach to their health care. She serves as the program director and works with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to address specific problems facing cancer patients and their families and to ensure a coordinated plan of care. The program is committed to improving the quality of life of patients and families by helping to identify and resolve physical, emotional and spiritual issues.

Cheri Raimonde is a physical therapist with a clinical doctorate in physical therapy in Verde Valley Medical Center’s EntireCare Rehab and Sports Medicine Experts department. She is located at the west Sedona outpatient location.

Cheri enjoys learning from working with patients with a variety of diagnoses. She has a special interest in neurological rehabilitation, and finds working with that particular patient population both challenging and rewarding. Cheri was a leader in the creation of EntireCare’s Neuro Boot Camp, an intensive treatment program for neurological diagnoses.

Cheri completed specialized training to work with Parkinson’s disease patients, and is also trained in the use of the Bioness assistive walking device. She is skilled in the use of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or PNF techniques, a set of stretching methods used to enhance active and passive range of motion with the goal of optimizing motor performance and rehabilitation.

Cheri’s interest in physical therapy began after her father fell off a roof, fracturing his left elbow and hip. She knew she would enjoy working in a field that encompassed exercise, healing and a close relationship with patients. Cheri appreciates the holistic aspect of treatment and having the knowledge to treat not just the affected body part, but the whole patient.

Cheri received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Arizona, Tucson. She then completed physical therapy prerequisite classes and was an adjunct professor in biology concepts and anatomy and physiology classes at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix. Cheri earned a master’s of physical therapy and a clinical doctorate in physical therapy at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff. She is also a credentialed clinical instructor for students completing physical therapy internships.

Cheri’s philosophy is to keep moving because exercise and mobility are the best medicine. One month after turning 50 years old, she ran a 50-mile race through the Bryce Canyon area, winning her age group. She lives in Sedona, Arizona with her husband, Ron, son, Zane, and goldendoodle, Boomer.