Dr. Sydney (she/her) is a doctor of acupuncture and integrative medicine and licensed acupuncturist who specializes in autoimmunity and dermatology. She came to East-Asian medicine through her personal struggle with psoriasis and seeks to bring the same relief, transformation, and advocacy to her patients that she has received from her practitioners throughout her journey. Her training is focused in Traditional Japanese Acupuncture, classical Chineses herbal medicine, medical herbalism, and integrative functional medicine. She is a member of the International TCM Dermatology Association founded by Dr. Mazin Al-Khafaji, the go-to expert for herbal medicine approach to dermatological, allergic, and autoimmune diseases. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Sydney is also a lecturer in both the master's and doctorate programs at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College (AIMC) at Berkeley and the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences (ACCHS), where she teaches classes on Japanese acupuncture and integrative clinical lab testing. In addition to East-Asian medicine, Dr. Sydney is currently training in functional medicine approaches to complex autoimmune conditions through Dr. Aviva Romm's Functional & Integrative Medicine Professional Training Program. To learn more about Dr. Sydney's offerings for East-Asian medicine practitioners and resources for students, click here.

As someone who has been managing autoimmunity for most of her life, Dr. Sydney has a special interest in helping those struggling with autoimmune conditions. Her doctoral work focused on approaching complex, chronic inflammatory issues using East-Asian medicine and conventional lab testing in the diagnosis, treatment, and progress management of such complex conditions. She integrates learnings from this original research into her patient care.

Credentials & Training

• Doctorate of Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine - AIMC Berkeley
• Master of Science in Traditional Asian Medicine - AIMC Berkeley
• Bachelor of Science, Design & Environmental Analysis, Human Factors/Ergonomics - Cornell University
• TCM Diploma in Practical Dermatology - International TCM Dermatology Association (ITCMDA)
• Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) Certified Coach
• Functional Medicine Practitioner (candidate) - New Medicine Institute for Women

Stephanie (she/her) is a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in internal medicine. Prior to her studies of East-Asian Medicine, Stephanie worked as a Critical Care Technician in a Children’s ER in San Antonio, TX. She had aspirations of becoming a Physician Assistant until during her time working in the hospital she realized that allopathic medicine's approach was limited in supporting people holistically, which ultimately led her to East Asian Medicine. Her training is focused in Traditional Japanese Acupuncture and integrative medicine.

Credentials & Training

• Master of Science in Traditional Asian Medicine - AIMC Berkeley
• Bachelor of Science, Integrative Physiology - UC Boulder

Bio coming soon

Credentials & Training

• Master of Science in Traditional Asian Medicine - AIMC Berkeley

Melena (she/her) is a licensed acupuncturist specializing in internal medicine and mental-emotional health. She originally worked in western medicine and biomedical science and was drawn to the integrative wisdom of East Asian medicine. Her training is focused in Japanese Acupuncture and Five-Element Constitutional Acupuncture as taught by Lonny Jarrett.

Credentials & Training

• Doctorate of Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine (In Progress) - AIMC Berkeley

• Master of Science in Traditional Asian Medicine - AIMC Berkeley

• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Science, Pre-Medicine - Auburn University

Sam Lai (she/her) is a licensed acupuncturist specializing in general practice and sports medicine. She is focused on providing care to folks who are experiencing challenging physical and emotional transitions. Her training is focused in Japanese acupuncture and sports medicine acupuncture as taught by Whitfield Reaves. Sam graduated from the Master's program at the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College at Berkeley, where she interned at UC Berkeley treating Cal student-athletes and at Charlotte Maxwell Clinic serving low-income, underserved, and immigrant women with cancer. She was also a student fellow for Influential Point, a social venture organization working towards advancing health justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the East Asian medical community. As someone who is a queer, mixed-race Chinese American, Sam's mission to serve and care for underserved communities is what motivated her to become a practitioner.

Credentials & Training

• Master of Science in Traditional Asian Medicine - AIMC Berkeley

• Master of Business Administration, Design Strategy - California College of the Arts

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, Photography - San Francisco Art Institute

• Bachelor of Arts, Interdisciplinary Visual Art - University of Washington

Ari (they/he/she) is a clinic assistant at Tendervine Health currently pursuing their Master’s in East-Asian Medicine at the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College (AIMC) in Berkeley. Prior to starting their master’s, Ari worked in a patient-facing communication role with UCSF during the height of the pandemic. After working within a Western hospital setting for almost three years, Ari realized they wanted to continue having a direct relationship with patients and become a practitioner of effective, accessible medicine. Their motivation to pursue a career as a practitioner is providing health access and paths to care. Ari aims to bring drive and compassion to care delivery whenever possible.

Credentials & Training

• Master of Science in East-Asian Medicine (In Progress) - AIMC Berkeley

• Bachelor of Arts, Sociology - UC Berkeley