Support Ayurveda in California

Mary Thompson is an experienced Ayurvedic educator, practitioner, and consultant who shares ancient wisdom with warmth, insight, and humor. Her ability to break complicated principles down into easy to assimilate parts has been perfected over the three decades that she has spent teaching Ayurveda.

Often described as inspirational, her passion for supporting improvements in both physical and mental health using dietary and lifestyle modifications is contagious. She is excited to share her insights in supporting people to take charge of their choices, health and lives.

Although she has her eye on retirement, she continues to support the spread of Ayurvedic wisdom by serving as guest faculty when her time permits and developing projects that will continue to support Ayurvedic health counselors and practitioners, and their clients, including books, podcasts, workshops, and online education.

Vaidya Anupama Kizhakkeveettil is a professor, researcher, and founding Program Director of the Ayurvedic Medicine program at Southern California University of Health Sciences. She is also a Licensed Acupuncturist and certified yoga therapist with a PhD in Public Health and a Fellowship in Integrative Health and Medicine. She is the co-founder of Athreya Herbs, a U.S.-based Ayurvedic herb company, and the Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center.

Her contributions to complementary and alternative medicine include more than a hundred presentations at national and international conferences, more than 35 research articles in peer-reviewed journals, and service as Co-Principal Investigator and advisor for NIH-funded studies. She also serves on the editorial board of a scientific journal dedicated to Ayurvedic medicine, has been invited to international expert consultation meetings organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), and participated in WHO benchmark development for Training of Ayurveda. She has received several awards for her work in alternative medicine.

Dr. Anu has represented Ayurveda in over fifteen countries. She currently serves on the boards of the CAAM Foundation and the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), and is chair of the American Public Health Association's (APHA) Integrative, Complementary, and Traditional Health Practices (ICTHP) Section.

Elizabeth (Liz) Swamy blends her background in nonprofit leadership, medical research, and education with her deep commitment to women's health and Ayurveda. She holds a Master's in Nonprofit Business from NYU, conducted clinical research trials on Vitamin D insufficiency and breast cancer treatments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Hospital, and led operations for a Montessori preschool in New York City.

For more than seven years, Liz has been practicing Ayurveda, studying closely under Dr. Anusha Sehgal. Liz lives in San Jose with her husband, Tushar, their daughter, Maya, and their French bulldog, Pali.