Nava Care Team

I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2019 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health in 2014. I was a labor and delivery nurse for three years before transitioning from the acute care setting to NAVA. I love helping people feel their best and witnessing our clients reach their wellness goals!

My hobbies include traveling, going to concerts, experiencing live theatre, and singing karaoke!

Education:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Marymount University

Nour Amri is a Licensed Integrative Nutritionist, Certified Nutrition Specialist, and a Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist. She earned her Master’s degree from the Maryland University of Integrative Health. She also received her certification for mind-body medicine facilitation from Georgetown University School of Medicine. In her approach, Nour applies the principles of Integrative and Functional Nutrition, which emphasize healthy eating personalized to the client’s genetics, environment, lifestyle, and health concerns. She believes that food is not just about calories and energy; it provides information that would contribute to modulating health and disease and is a significant component of the emerging science of Epigenetics. Emerging research confirms that poor dietary habits and lifestyle can initiate various illnesses and autoimmune diseases.

She also works with clients on optimizing gut health, using food as medicine, and recommends therapeutic food plans and appropriate supplements that boost the immune system and nourish the body.

As a member of a multidisciplinary team of medical providers, she helps patients implement dietary and lifestyle changes by designing individualized nutritional plans and assessing their progress.

Jena Salisbury completed her undergraduate degree at Western Michigan University and a master's certificate in holistic health in 2012. She immediately started working in functional medicine and fell in love with food first medicine.

She completed her master's degree from Sonoran University in AZ and received her master's certification as a CNS Clinical Nutrition Specialist in 2022. Jena is also a reiki teacher and Urevia master and enjoys coaching along with understanding the human body's biochemistry. She has a small family with her partner, two kids, and a dog.

She loves cooking, gardening, staying active, and traveling.

Deb holds a Master of Science in Nutrition with Integrative Health and Herbal Medicine and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering. She applies her knowledge of chemistry to the effects of nutrition on the body. She is a board-certified and licensed dietitian/nutritionist. She is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, the gold standard in nutrition care, and requires a Master’s Degree in addition to a 1000-hour internship and national entrance exam.
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Deb likes to share her own personal wellness journey of over 20 years with you.  Her journey has taken her through raising three kids, grief, depression, and a long career as a chemical engineer in corporate America and she feels better than ever!   Nutrition, yoga, and exercise (especially running)  have been essential to her and she loves to show others the possibilities.
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She incorporates herbal medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle into her patient’s care plans.  She deeply empathizes with her patients and seeks to provide the support needed for others to adopt positive lifestyle changes.

Jessica, a licensed Clinical Nutritionist with a Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, stands out with her unique approach to personalized nutrition and lifestyle planning. She tailors her therapies to each patient's unique biochemistry, metabolic profile, health goals, and lifestyle preferences, integrating the latest research for a root-cause, food-first approach.

Jessica specializes in supporting people with conditions that make life tough —including gastrointestinal disorders, mental health conditions, endocrine system and hormone regulation, autoimmune conditions, metabolic health, chronic co-infections, and clients who have experienced chronic dieting and eating disorder challenges.

Jessica is deeply empathetic towards those struggling with their health and desperately wants to feel better but is unsure how to achieve it. She is here to guide and support them on their journey to wellness.

She uses gentle nutrition and a dose of humor to help her clients feel empowered by actively involving them in crafting nutrition and lifestyle plans customized to nourish body, mind, and soul — because that's what you deserve. A cookie-cutter approach works only in the kitchen - with actual cookies.

In her free time, Jessica loves to hike the gorgeous country of southern Appalachia, make kitchenware on her potter's wheel, and hang with her wonderful fiancé and three precious cats.

Education & Credentials

• Licensed Dietician Nutritionist (LDN)
• Licensed Nutritionist (LN)
• Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
• Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine - National University of Natural Medicine
• FBCA Mastery Functional Blood Interpretation Certified — Expected September 2024
• Nutrition Counseling for Eating Disorders by Marci Evans
• Advancing Mental Wellness Through Lifespan | Jill Sheppard Davenport
• GI Map Fundamentals | Diagnostic Solutions
• The Transformative Power of Perimenopause | Camille Freeman
• Women's Health, Aging, and Nutritional Genomics | Sara Gottfried
• Clinical Herbalist Certification | The Herbal Academy
• Ashtanga Yoga Certified Teacher | K. Patthabi Jois

Gina Cushenberry, MS, CNS, LDN, is a Licensed, Board-Certified Nutritionist. She earned her Master’s in Nutrition and Integrative Health at Maryland University of Integrative Health. Before attending MUIH, she studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and earned her certification as a Holistic Health Coach.

Gina has an unwavering passion for nutrition and helping others develop healthy lifestyle

changes. While she specializes in weight loss and management, she is skilled and trained to help her clients improve any medical diagnosis, such as diabetes, GI issues, food allergies/sensitivities, PMS, menopause, and hormonal imbalances. 

Her life experiences fuel Gina’s desire to improve others’ dietary habits. That determination is passed on to her clients to stay motivated and successfully reach their health goals.

Gina enjoys playing tennis, gardening, traveling to tropical islands, and spending quality time with friends and family in her free time. 

Training and Education 

Maryland University of Integrative Health

MS Nutrition and Integrative Health

 The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, New York City

Holistic Health Coaching Professional Training and Certification Program

New York University, New York City

BA Journalism

Certification and Accreditation

Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)

Licensed Dietician Nutritionist (LDN)

American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP)

Board Certified and Accredited Member

Punk Rope Instructor

ACE Certified Instructor

Colleen DeSimone, MS, CNS, LDN, CDN, is a highly qualified professional with a Master of Science in Functional Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport and a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition from Huntington University of Health Sciences. In addition, she holds a Clinical Botanical Medicine Practitioner certification from the East-West School of Planetary Herbology and brings three decades of experience as a practicing herbalist.

Colleen employs science-based therapies to support your health and wellbeing, providing personalized nutrition considering the complexities and interconnectedness of each individual's unique biochemistry, metabolic profile, health objectives, and lifestyle preferences. In addition to these considerations, she incorporates the latest research findings. She continually adapts her approach to align with emerging scientific advancements, ensuring a holistic and cutting-edge approach to enhancing overall health.

With a focus on gastrointestinal disorders, mental health conditions, endocrine system and hormone regulation, autoimmune conditions, chronic EBV, chronic Lyme disease, mold toxicity, SIBO/IMO, detoxification, and Long Covid, Colleen brings her expertise to uncover root causes and develop personalized treatment plans.

Recognized for her strong communication skills, humor, and empathy, Colleen fosters trust and actively involves clients in crafting nutrition and lifestyle plans uniquely tailored to their needs, promoting a collaborative and empowering journey towards wellbeing. Her commitment lies in prioritizing each individual's unique needs and challenges, fostering a holistic approach to comprehensive wellbeing beyond symptom management.

Embark on a transformative health journey with Colleen and experience a vibrant, energetic, and thriving new you. Nourish your body, mind, and soul with her comprehensive wellbeing approach.

Education, Credentials, & Memberships 

- Institute of Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner (IFMCP - expected completion in 2024)

- Certified Dietician Nutritionist (CDN)

- Licensed Dietician Nutritionist (LDN)

- Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)

- Master of Science in Functional Nutrition, University of Bridgeport

- FBCA Mastery Functional Blood Interpretation Certified

- Bachelor of Science in Functional Nutrition, Huntington University of Health Sciences

- Clinical Botanical Medicine Practitioner with 30 years of experience, specializing in Western, Chinese, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments and Formularies

- Integral Yoga International Certification, Wellbeing International Inc., Maui HI

- Kriya Yoga Meditation Instructor certified by Self-Realization Fellowship

- Reiki Master & Teacher, lineage tracing back to Dr. Mika Usui

- Institute of Functional Medicine Member

- American Nutrition Association Member

- American Herbalist Guild Member

As an Integrative Clinical Nutritionist, Mary Kate works with you in a holistically focused manner to find the deep-rooted reasoning behind symptoms and illness. She utilizes natural healing methods, including food as medicine, quality supplements, movement, and stress reduction techniques to help support healing from the source.
With the varied nutritional information out there today, what to do with the foods you consume can get confusing. It isn’t very clear because true healing is never one size fits all, and every individual is unique. Nutrition is a science; it is medicine, and it is deeply personal – therefore, Mary Kate spends time with you to create a completely personalized plan to bring balance back to the body and mind. When we utilize essential nutrition, the body has the building blocks needed to function optimally, balance and heal.

True nutrition should not be seen as a ‘diet’ in the way of restriction, guilt, or deprivation. Instead, it should be seen as the ultimate act of self-love. It’s a way of listening to your body, being mindful of one’s needs, and intentionally nourishing your body and mind daily.

Mary Kate received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Temple University and her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist, and Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.

Over the last 11 years, Mary Kate has been dedicated to working in the Integrative Health and Functional Nutrition field. She enjoys connecting with her clients, truly getting to know them and their stories while working with them throughout their health journey.

Dr. Hall brings a food-first approach to his work with patients. His expertise ranges from the myriad manifestations of metabolic dysfunction, gut health, cancer, autoimmunity, mental health, and human development and optimization. In addition to a food-first approach, Dr. Hall utilizes focused nutraceutical supplementation as needed and an array of supportive lifestyle interventions to facilitate positive environment/gene interactions.

Dr. Hall has spent over a decade practicing and teaching meditation and yoga.

Dr. Hall believes the relational dynamic established in the healing container is as much of a part of the therapeutic unfolding as other more tangible aspects. As such, he takes the time to listen, guide and ask questions that support deep embodied insight, a reduction of resistance, and accelerated behavior change.

These skills come together as you work collaboratively to build a care plan that meets the needs of your unique circumstance.

When he isn’t lovingly in service to his patients, Dr. Hall is running trails and mountain biking, sitting in cold pools of water, swinging kettlebells, dancing with Spirit in his yoga practice, and trekking through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia, his two savage children and most beloved partner.

Jess graduated with her master’s from Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). She completed the requirements to become a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and is a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN) in Maryland. She has also completed a post-graduate certification as a RECODE Certified Practitioner via the IFM Cognitive Health Training.

Before MUIH, she received a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in Holistic Health Coaching (CHHC) and is a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Jess also holds bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sport Studies from Towson University.

 Jess uses science-based diet and nutrition therapies to support your health and well-being. She believes in an integrative personalized approach to health and healing that considers the whole person — body, mind, and spirit. Jess has worked with hundreds of clients in various settings to support many issues, including blood sugar, weight management, metabolic imbalances, mood, inflammation, digestion, food sensitivities, cognitive problems, and environmental toxicity. She will work with you in a collaborative effort to tailor an individualized nutrition care plan to support the root cause of your unique needs and concerns.

She enjoys cooking, traveling, and doing anything on or near the water in her spare time.

Yesenia Buyan is a Bachelor’s-educated registered nurse with nearly five years of nursing experience. She began her journey in aesthetics in 2021 and, after acquiring valuable experience in women’s health and the operating room, she is thrilled to return to her true passion at Nava Health.

As a provider, Yesenia focuses on educating patients about skin health and crafting personalized treatment plans to help them look and feel their best.

Outside of her professional life, Yesenia enjoys attending fitness classes, exploring new restaurants with friends, and visiting her local farmers market.

She looks forward to meeting new patients and helping them shine inside and out. Let's get glowing together!

Juliet is an injector at the Plantation office of NAVA Health.

With over a decade of experience, Juliet has been a dedicated Family Nurse Practitioner since 2012, providing primary care to a diverse range of individuals, from young adults to the elderly.

In 2017, Juliet pursued her passion for health and beauty by stepping into the field of aesthetics. She firmly believes in the connection between health and beauty, emphasizing the importance of feeling one’s best both inside and out. She received her aesthetic training from the Esthetic Skin Institute in 2017 and has over five years of experience with injectables. Her aesthetic approach prioritizes facial balancing to maintain natural beauty while achieving youthful, rejuvenated results.

Juliet also integrates advanced treatments for collagen stimulation and Sculptra, which offer enhancements beyond fillers and neurotoxins to elevate overall appearance.

She looks forward to collaborating with patients to create custom treatment plans that let their natural beauty shine.

Erica graduated from James Madison University and became a Registered Nurse in 2018. She completed her Master’s degree at George Mason University, becoming a Nurse Practitioner in 2022, and is board certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Erica’s passion is in facial aesthetics, where she enjoys building lasting relationships with her clients to help them achieve their aesthetic goals, feel confident in their skin, and age gracefully. She is dedicated to continuous learning to stay current with the latest advancements and provide natural-looking results.

Her goal is to help clients look and feel refreshed, maintaining an undetectable transformation—"it's our secret." Erica’s preferred approach includes a combination of Botox and fillers to soften fine lines, restore volume, and enhance facial features, followed by Sculptra to promote collagen production, tighten the skin, and maintain results over time.

Christine is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of experience in healthcare. Her passion is using the art of aesthetics to help each client become the best version of themselves. She has over 3 years of experience with injectables, skin tightening, biostimulation, laser hair removal, and body sculpting treatments.

Christine has a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Chemistry from Frostburg State University and a Bachelor of Nursing from Coppin State University. She also graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in family practice. As a registered nurse, she spent 8 years working in neurosciences at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. During her time at Hopkins, she specialized in caring for patients with stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, post-operative thoracic procedures, brain tumors, neurotrauma, and other complex neurological diagnoses.

Christine loves all things beauty but is a huge skincare and makeup enthusiast. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and painting in her spare time. Her mission for her clients is to create a space where they can feel comfortable expressing concerns and meeting their aesthetic goals.

Ed Figueroa is an aesthetic nurse at NAVA Health in Columbia, MD, with 2 years of experience in Aesthetics. He is passionate about making people feel good and helping them achieve the best version of themselves by enhancing their natural beauty through refined and refreshed looks. He values his client's relationship by tailoring a personalized treatment plan to achieve optimal results and outcomes. He keeps himself up to date with new injectable techniques, focuses on safety protocols, and takes his time in providing one-on-one education, making his clients come up with an informed decision that meets their goals while staying fit within their budget.

Ed specializes in treatments like PRX Derm Perfection, Emsculpt Neo, Emface, Hydrafacial, and Botox.

After graduating from Trinity University of Asia, Ed gained 18+ years of combined nursing experience in various settings, including ICU, Telemetry RN, University Clinical Instructor, Home Health Nurse, Senior Assisted Living, Vaccination Clinic, and Aesthetics. He was one of the few nurses who worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccinated thousands of people living on the East Coast. Ed is presently pursuing his MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program.

In his free time, he loves to travel and eat well. Fun fact: Ed moonlights as the highly accomplished drag artist Bombalicious Eklaver part-time.

Oriental Medicine is a holistic approach that focuses on treating the person as a whole - physical, emotional, and spiritual - to achieve complete healing. As a dedicated Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Doctor, I aim to provide individualized treatments and patient-centered care that utilizes high-quality needle techniques and knowledge of Oriental Medicine.

My passion for Oriental Medicine was sparked by my father's stroke and my health journey, which led me to realize that this was my true calling.

I take great pleasure in meeting and communicating with each patient to understand their unique situation and needs so that I can provide the best possible care.

My goal is to promote overall well-being and restore mental and physical harmony by empowering holistic wellness. To achieve this, I use a range of modalities, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, Moxa, E-stem, and lifestyle modifications.

I love spending time with my family and our two dogs. We enjoy taking walks around our neighborhood and exploring new places. We also love rearranging our home and making it a cozy and inviting space. On rainy or snowy days, we take the opportunity to nurture our plants, listen to music, or watch movies.

My Education in Acupuncture

• Doctor of Oriental Medicine at the Virginia University of Integrative Medicine, Vienna, VA
• Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine internship at Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
• Master of Oriental Medicine at Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
• Master of Acupuncture at Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
• OM NCCAOM
• Certificate of Clean Needle Technique

Being a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine, I see a person in a holistic way; a person who is in harmony with nature and people.  I enjoy that each person I see has a unique history and background which apply to the diagnosis of the disease, along with symptomatic presentation he/she brings.  The practice of acupuncture is based on this diagnosis to find specific meridians and treatment points.  I strive to have mindful listening to help patients express their life, which for me is an honor to serve.

I enjoy the outdoors with my husband, walking around the neighborhood and finding new routes all the time. We try new recipes from all corners of the world, and drink various inexpensive wines with good reviews together with the meal.

Education:

• Doctor of Oriental Medicine, South Baylo University, Anaheim, CA
• Residency: Internship at Anaheim campus, South Baylo University
• Board certification: NCCAOM, California Acupuncture Board

As an acupuncturist, it is my privilege to show clients the amazing power of their body to heal, self-regulate, and restore balance. I work with patients to help them listen and understand their symptoms as the way in which the body communicates its wisdom. With acupuncture, I help people heal their body, mind, and spirit. I enable clients to live pain free, recover from physical and emotional trauma, reduce stress, improve digestion and energy, sleep better, learn to express emotions properly and approach life with balance, perspective, and ease.

I stay healthy and happy through my twice-daily Transcendental Meditation practice, frequent dance breaks with my daughters, exploring the outdoors with my dog, eating a mostly plant-based diet, and laughing as much as possible.

Education:

• BA Economics Grinnell College
• Ma Acupuncture Tai Sophia Institute (Maryland University of Integrative Health) L.Ac Maryland Board of Acupuncture.

My style of massage therapy is a Swedish massage with a blend of dance and kung fu. This combination allows me to flow very well over sore muscles as well as keep my hands conditioned for deep tissue massage. I also specialize in sports massage, Swedish table gymnastics, and hot stone massage.

How I stay healthy and happy:

I watch comedies & thrillers, practice king fu, exercise, explore museums and go on long walks. I also like to read and cook whatever dish piques my interest.

Education:

• Majored in Business Marketing
• Minored in Health and Fitness

Graduate:

• Regents Bachelor’s Of Arts from Shepherd University 2013
• Graduated from National Massage Therapy Institute in Falls Church, Va 2012

Board certification:

• NCBTMB Certification
• Maryland State Licensed
• Virginia State Licensed

I have been a massage therapist for 10 years. I am trained in structural integration, trigger point, sports massage, cupping, and a few other modalities. I integrate all the modalities to personalize your session to your needs. My approach is targeted to bring muscular balance, improve range of motion and identify areas that may be contributing to your current discomfort or work to prevent an injury.

I have trained in AIS and DNS. Both of which prolong the results of massage and educate clients in continued self-care. I have worked alongside physical therapists and osteopaths. I continue to build and share my knowledge with my clients so they may build a solid understanding of what their body needs to move and feel better.

I like to stay active. I believe the more stationary your life is the more pain you will be in. Breathing and meditation is key to decrease stress and help your body’s ability to heal its self.  I like to keep a good relationship with family and God for my mental clarity and happy life.

Education:

I received my massage training at the Arizona School of Massage Therapy. I continue to train in different areas of massage and bodywork.

• National Certification for massage therapy.

About Me:

Before I started my Licensed Massage Therapist career, I enjoyed 20 years as a Teacher in Early Childhood, Adaptive Special Education, and a High School Track & Volleyball Coach for Baltimore and Howard County.  My experience in sports and fitness as well as having an open minded approach to holistic health practices and self-care led me to discover the multiple benefits of therapeutic massage and how it help others do the same and improve their own quality of life.

As a Licensed Massage Therapist for the last 4 years, I believe it is important to take an integrated therapeutic whole body approach and understanding of the physical and neurological well-being of an individual’s needs.   By practicing focused hands on techniques and using a combination of modalities, my approach to holistic health provides structural and muscular tissue balance as well as other physical and mental health benefits.  My therapeutic massage can include but is not limited to reducing tension and stress, improving circulation, relieving muscular pain by identifying referral, receptor and active/inactive muscle functions, improving joint discomfort and mobility, reducing myofascial restrictions, promote injury recovery and prevention, increase range of motion, flexibility and overall physical movement.  It is my goal to provide the most effective practices to promote the importance of self-care through tissue and joint manipulation as well as overall relaxation for a healthy and happier lifestyle.

I specialize in Swedish/deep tissue, body and structure, trigger point therapy, myofascial, Neuromuscular, Positional release, sports massage, injury recovery/prevention, Acupressure, Total body Stretch therapy,  Light and Hydrotherapy.

How I stay healthy and happy:

I like to meditate, run competitively, and play volleyball. I coach High School and Club Volleyball, and I enjoy spending time with my friends and family.

Education: 

• Graduated Licensed Massage Therapist from Steiner Institute of Massage Therapy
• Undergrad: University of MD Baltimore Co.

Certified in Early Childhood Education

Minor in Health Science and Policy

• Graduate:
• Board certification: The Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy