Elephant Pharmacy

A graduate of The College of William and Mary with a degree in business administration, Kathi is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Mason School of Business and has been influential in the repositioning of its programs and curriculum. As a former competitive athlete, she enjoys cycling throughout the Bay Area and is a big fan of natural remedies for sore muscles.

Driven by her passion for great brands, Kelly Kennedy joined Elephant Pharm in June 2007 as chief financial officer. Kelly brings more than 15 years of experience in management and finance, working for some of the country's premier retail and consumer products companies. Prior to joining Elephant Pharm, Kelly was vice president & treasurer at William-Sonoma, Inc. During her nearly seven year tenure, she was given increasing levels of responsibility and most recently oversaw all treasury, payroll, banking relationships, and risk management operations for the $3.5 billion San Francisco-based specialty retailer. Prior to Williams-Sonoma, she held various finance positions at Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, including finance manager for the Starbucks and M&M/Mars joint ventures. Kelly received her B.A. from Middlebury College, her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and attended the London School of Economics. A dog lover and outdoor enthusiast, Kelly spends much of her free time hiking, camping, and diving in Northern California and abroad.

Lauren infuses all of Elephant's marketing strategies with this diverse experience. She's passionate about seizing this "once in a lifetime opportunity" to change the category and help people enjoy taking charge of their health. When not changing the world of retail as we know it, Lauren hangs out with her husband and two young daughters, does yoga, and is a recent convert to Billy Blanks' Tae Bo workout.

The daughter of a independent business owner, Sandy grew up in retail and has spent her entire career building retail and online businesses from the ground up. She joined Reel.com on day one and was involved with virtually every detail of the business: hiring the entire staff, negotiating leases, purchasing insurance and everything in between. Once the physical store was up-and-running, she turned her sights to the web and e-commerce side of the business, hiring almost 100 movie reviewers to create original content, and then managing the website until the company was purchased by Hollywood Video. Her experience at HungryMinds.com was similar in its broad, yet detail-oriented, scope. Her ability to figure out what needs to be done and how to do it efficiently, cost-effectively, and cheerfully was what enabled the business to grow until it was purchased by IDG Books. Her tenure at Elephant also started long before the doors opened. In fact, Sandy was the one who picked out the doors ... and employees, and products, and everything else related to starting the brand new pharmacy concept. Her past experience helped get the store designed and opened in record time and with great success from the get-go. Sandy continues to make store operations look easy, and she thrives on meeting the challenges that come with opening stores in new communities--and with keeping current stores running like well-oiled machines. Her goal is to make the store experience spectacular for everyone--customers and employees alike. When not overseeing the installation of a bamboo floor in an Elephant store, Sandy enjoys playing with her two Bernese Mountain Dogs and making an amazing ginger cake.

Tim Millen joined Elephant Pharm to revolutionize the wellness industry after 20 years of groundbreaking systems development and management in the women's fashion world. A renowned leader in the area of "chain growth," he started his career with Contempo Casuals, where he oversaw the product development department, and created systems that helped them grow from 75 stores to 330. Tim followed his work there with a three-year stint of consulting, working with companies such as Nike, Adidas, Mossimo, Hanna Andersson, and Warnaco. He was lured back to the corporate world as Vice President of Information Technology at Francine Browner, the third-largest apparel manufacturer in Los Angeles, which was subsequently purchased by BCBG. There, he retooled every system available, taking the company from 6 stores to 75 stores. From there, he went to the women's clothing company bebe, where he not only helped the company grow from 80 stores to 175, he also created their e-commerce website, the first in the women's apparel industry, completely from scratch. Since his arrival at Elephant four years ago, he's worked tirelessly to make every system runs flawlessly in the present--and is set for the future, too: he's structured our systems so that technology will never stand in the way of our growth. In fact, a retail industry magazine profiled him for his work on Elephant Pharm's WAN system, a network unheard of for a company of our size, but one that allows us huge cost savings and enhanced customer service. He has also overseen the switch to the Aldata, a world leader in point-of-sale systems.

Her background in retail human relations is vast. After helping launch a successful baby superstore, Buy Buy Baby, Cindi went to work at The Limited Corporation, where she oversaw all human resources and training for about 250 stores (representing $250 million in revenue) and developed store-level training programs to help each retail outlet function seamlessly. After four years with The Limited, Cindi joined Aquent, the world's largest marketing staffing firm, working with national accounts--Raytheon, Gillette--as well as 100 other key accounts where she help assess and fulfill companies' staffing needs from top to bottom. After relocating to California , Cindi teamed up with REI as their Senior Human Resource manager for the northwest region, their largest, and then was lured to Apple. There she worked in Talent Acquisition, hiring and training staff and management for Apple's new retail store business, which, at the time, was opening a store a week. The opportunity to get in at the start of something completely new and different was what attracted Cindi to Elephant. And since she joined the team in 2005, she's been instrumental in creating a company culture that values integrity, collaboration, and an entrepreneurial spirit. She's helped grow the staff from 125 to over 300, and create and streamline all processes related to human resources in both the home office and at each retail location. She's also been a change agent for company benefits--her first year at Elephant, she found a way to create packages for all employees that exceed industry standards while reducing costs. She's in charge of the fun stuff at Elephant, too: river rafting trips, office yoga, and the annual Easter Bonnet contest. Cindi's fun and competitive outside of work as well. In college, she played Division 1 women's basketball and still is an occasional "secret weapon" on teams around the Bay Area. At home, if she's not reading, she's playing with her schnauzer, Brando.

As Director of Pharmacy and Compounding, Dr. Koshland oversees the operation and compliance of all Elephant Pharm pharmacies, including the direction of all pharmacist recruiting and training. He also is responsible for ensuring that all of our pharmacies embody Elephant's commitment to the highest level of patient care and community education and that all of our licensed pharmacists are well-versed in alternative and complementary medicines.

Leon is a Licensed Acupuncturist with a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from Berkeley's Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College. He has a BA from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs, and a second major in Latin American Studies. Leon has practiced martial arts since childhood and teaches Judo at the Berkeley YMCA. He grew up in Berkeley.

Al Briscoe started his retail career at the legendary specialty grocer Jim Jamail & Sons in Houston --a $50 million-plus a year business. With a passion for store operations and delivering unsurpassed customer service, he further boosted his skills working as manager of the Real Foods stores in San Francisco for five years. He then went on to become Director of Operations for A.G. Ferarri & Sons, an 80-year-old specialty chain that specializes in Italian artisanal foods and wines. During his five-year tenure there, he oversaw the growth of the company from 3 stores to 15. Al joined Elephant in 2002 to oversee store operations and was immediately put in charge of the Berkeley location (the only store at the time). During his two years at the store, he was able to increase the average daily sales figures by 500%. He was also instrumental in helping create and refine the store's unique environment and helping Elephant build a strong relationship with the Berkeley community, a relationship that has been key to Elephant's successful entry into new markets. After his time at the Berkeley store, Al came to the home office to lead the buying group, which now includes eight people. He oversees the buying for all stores and all departments, with a special--and natural--affinity for natural body care, cosmetics, and lifestyle products.

Barbara Reyes' background includes European and Ayervedic skin care. She is passionate natural and organic skin care and helping consumers become aware of product ingredients. Her background in holistic healing modalities include certifications as master hypnotherapist and reiki master.

Brenda Dunn, C.A.S., P.K.S. is a graduate of California College of Ayurveda with a certification in Ayurvedic medicine and massage. Brenda has been studying herbs and nutrition for more than 15 years and specializes in helping people make healthy diet and lifestyle changes.

Chris Gentry, L.Ac., is a recent graduate of the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, where he practices in the professional clinic. His work focuses on helping people cope with insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression, and seasonal battles against colds, flu, and allergies. He also enjoys working with people on the spiritual aspects of chronic illnesses such as cancer. He maintains his health by practicing tai chi and qi gong regularly.

Christy Mahoney, L.Ac.,M.S., is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist with a master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. Her practice, Sage Wellness Center, is located in San Mateo.

Cindy Macasaet, Pharm.D., is a graduate of the University of the Pacific. Before coming to elephant, she managed largest volume prescription pharmacy in California (over 2000 prescriptions a day).

Daria Anzaldua, L.Ac., received a master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches Institute and is a licensed acupuncturist. Daria is especially interested in promoting healthy digestion, physical and emotional well being, and women's health.

Dawn Zaft has two certifications in Western herbal medicine. She has worked in the vitamin and supplement industry for over seven years and studied with Gail Julian in Sonoma County for two years.

Ellen Lennon has worked in spas in California and Hawaii since 1996, and a licensed aesthetician since 2000. In addition, she is also a licensed massage therapist and Reiki practitioner. Ellen has a sincere passion for organic skin care and an interest in all areas of alternative healing.

Emily Rubis has been involved in the field of alternative health and healing for eight years. Her background includes certification in Nutripuncture, Tai chi instruction (by Sifu Wumeiling, Konstanz, Germany) and acupressure, as well as over four years of experience in selling herbs and nutritional supplements. She also holds a bachelora s degree in biology and is an intern of Rosen Method Bodywork.

Vice President, Consumer Group, Tudor Investment Corp. Eric Olander heads the Consumer Group for Tudor Investment Corporation's Raptor Funds and is based out of the company's Boston office. While he oversees all consumer-related areas, his primary focus for the past several years has been on the retail sector, including drug stores and non-traditional grocery stores such as Whole Foods Markets and Wild Oats Markets. After graduating first in his class from Boston University's School of Management in 1995, he spent three years at Putnam Investments as an analyst, during which time he also earned his CFA designation. He later went on to earn his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Mr. Olander is also a Chartered Market Technician.

Frank Griffo, L.Ac., M.S., is a board certified Acupuncturist and Herbalist. He has a private practice in Berkeley and is an Assistant Instructor at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine where he earned his mastera s. Beyond his schooling, he has undergone more traditional training as an apprentice of several masters of the art. Frank also holds a B.A. in Comparative Religion from UC Berkeley, and for over a decade, he has studied Tai Qi Quan - an art that lends sensitivity and patience to his practice.

Frederic Thouvenin, L.Ac., is a certified licensed acupuncturist and a faculty member of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine where he obtained his Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Frederic previously obtained a Master of Science from the University of Joseph Fourier, France in the field of Physics and its applications to Western Medicine. Frederic also practices Chinese Internal Martial Arts and Meditation and he has a private practice located in Berkeley. For more information, please visit www.3treasurescenter.com.

Jacqueline Sohn, M.S., L.Ac., holds a master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has more than 13 years of clinical and private practice experience with Chinese herbs.

Joel Leu, R.P.H., has been a pharmacist for over 10 years, starting at an independent pharmacy in Wisconsin that specialized in home care and compounding. Outside of the pharmacy he offered seminars to nurses and appeared on the local TV news answering questions on everything from sunburns to allergies. He moved to the Bay Area in 1999 and joined Elephant as lead pharmacist in August 2006. He brings to Elephant his skills as a manager and educator and his desire to provide compassionate customer care. He looks forward to serving the Berkeley community.

Juliet Tatsumi, L.Ac., is the daughter of a pharmacist and a neurosurgeon and after discovering Chinese medical theory, she decided to become an acupuncturist. She is now also a diplomate in Oriental medicine with a focus in pain management and fertility.

Kim Cotton, C.N.E., is a certified nutritional educator. She has been studying holistic nutrition and alternative medicine for 10 years and guiding Elephant customers and staff since 2002. She uses a caring, nonjudgmental approach to food to help clients prevent illness and improve wellness through diet and lifestyle.

Kim Finley, M.Ac., Dipl. Ac., is a graduate of Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. She has studied nutrition for almost 30 years and has been in the field of natural and preventative medicine for 20 years. Kim guides people in simplifying their diets and choosing the right supportive medicine to prevent disease and enhance overall wellness.

Laura Schlarb specializes in individualized wholistic lifestyle coaching. Certified in classical Feng Shui, interior design, herbology, and holistic health counseling, she incorporates the finer principles of these to help you live a more vibrant life.

Linda Solis graduated from San Jose City College's Esthetician program in 1999. She has extensive experience with makeup artistry including work in: TV, film, high fashion, and weddings. She has a distinct eye for color application. Linda taught at San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology, and enjoys teaching women how to enhance their natural beauty.

Lisette Narragon, CCHH, BRCP graduated from the Institute of Classical Homeopathy in San Francisco in June, 2000, and taught there for several years afterward. She now gives lectures on homeopathy and healing in the Bay Area and has a homeopathic practice in Palo Alto.

Lynette Hirabayashi, L.Ac., is a licensed acupuncturist with private practices in San Rafael and San Francisco. Her specialities include women's health and fertility, anxiety and depression, and facial rejuvenation. She is also trained as a Receive Your Life coach.

Melissa Margolis, MSTCM, L.Ac., is an acupuncturist and traditional Chinese herbalist practicing in San Francisco. She also trained in Western Medicine at UCSF Medical School. She specializes in women's care, stress reduction/emotional balancing, pain management, and allergy support. She loves preparing custom-blended herbal formulas from scratch and providing clients a direct connection to the plants.

Mike Morgan, L.Ac. is a graduate of the American College of TCM in San Francisco where he focused his training in Herbal Medicine, Dermatology, Allergy & Epidemic Diseases. In addition, Mike has studied Acupuncture Orthopedics with Fred Lerner at Cedars Sinai Hospital assisting patients with Integrating between Western Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Wholistic Medicines. Mike practices Medical Qi Gong as well as Tai Ji Quan. Visit his website at www.Qigate.Com.

Myra Nissen, C.Hom., M.A. (http://www.myranissen.com) is a Classical Homeopath. She is a graduate of Pacific Academy of Homeopathy, has a practice in Benicia and a community clinic in Oakland. Myra has training in crystal healing and magnetic therapy and has given workshops on the east coast. She has an undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology and archaeology and a master's in environmental studies. She enjoys helping people achieve optimal health in body, mind, and spirit.

Nadia Olmedo, L.Ac is a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist specializing in women's health and wellness, fertility, women's reproductive issues, and menstrual disorders. Her training includes a master's degree from Five Branches Institute as well as a certificate of study at Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hangzhou, China. She practices in Berkeley where she sees patients mainly for fertility, pregnancy and postpartum concerns, and menopausal conditions. www.lunaacupuncture.com

Nataliya Connolly is a licensed aesthetician who graduated from the Paris Beauty School in Concord, CA. She takes a holistic approach to skin care and believes in the healing, stimulating power of natural ingredients for maintaining a lifetime of radiant skin. She also believes in the use of herbalism, naturopathy, aromatherapy, shiatsu, lymphatic drainage massage and reflexology for beauty and overall well-being.

Pheakdey Bun is a licensed cosmetologist who has completed the full course of study at Alameda Beauty College, CA. She specializes in keeping skin healthy and flawless using organic and natural-based products. She has a background in working with makeup application for special occasions such as proms, weddings and tradeshows.

Rhoda Climenhaga, M.S., L.Ac. received her master's in traditional Chinese medicine and a bachelor's in biochemistry. She has 10 years of experience prescribing herbs and specializes in Ob/Gyn, depression, back pain and nutrition in her private practice in Oakland.

Ruben Rocha, CMT, has provided on-site chair massage for corporate clients throughout Marin County for many years and currently manages the Chair Massage booth at Elephant Pharmacy and maintains a private massage practice.. He runs the student and professional massage clinics at BodyWise Massage, in addition to being part of their professional massage team and mentoring students in our clinic at Bodywise.

Sally Chang, L.Ac., DNBAO , is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who specializes in pain management, digestive disorders, women's health, insomnia, stress, colds & flu. Her family originates from Taiwan and has been practicing medicine for five generations.

Samia McCully, N.D. (www.wellnessarchitecture.com), is a licensed naturopathic primary care doctor with a private practice in Menlo Park. She sees patients of all ages for a wide range of conditions and specializes in hormonal imbalances and digestive disorders. She is a graduate of Bastyr University, the world's leading school for natural medicine.

Sean Flood is a certified Holistic Nutrition Educator and has studied disciplines including biology, chemistry and environmental science. He plans to integrate his various science backgrounds to educate the public about healthcare and help them bring balance back to their lives.

Sean Michael Hall, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M., is a licensed acupuncturist and clinical herbalist. After earning a master's in Chinese medicine, he completed advanced coursework in Hangzhou, China. He also spent years apprenticing with world-renowned herbalists Michael Tierra and Christopher Hobbs, giving him extensive training in the use of Chinese, Western and Ayurvedic herbs. Sean's clinic, On Point Acupuncture, is located in Berkeley: www.onpointacu.com.

Sophie Burda-Clark, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac., received her master's in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences in Oakland. She is a California-licensed acupuncturist and has been in private practice in Fairfax, California, since 2002.

Suzanne Snyder, L.Ac., licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. She received her master's degree from American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco and currently has a private practice in the Bay Area. She also volunteers her services at the Charlotte Maxwell Complimentary Clinic where she works with women with cancer and has practiced community medicine in India.

Ted Ray, L.Ac., is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in private practice in Mountain View. He is also board certified in acupuncture orthopedics and has advanced training in Chinese herbalism. He is a graduate of American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. Rachel Schneyer, L.Ac.,DOM, has a master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine that encompasses acupuncture, herbal medicine, and nutrition. She also studied medicine at two Chinese Universities and completed a two-year apprenticeship using nutritional treatment for chronic disease.

Mr. Ginsberg is the Managing Director of the Special Opportunities Group at Tudor Investment Corp. Previously he served as Special Advisor to the Chairman and as a Director at John W. Henry & Company ("JWH"), a hedge fund specializing in managed futures, from 1999 until 2002. Before joining JWH, he was a private investor and consultant. At Global Asset Management ("GAM") in London, Mr. Ginsberg started and served as the Managing Director of the Multi-Manager Group from its inception in 1989 until 1995, during that period and presently one of the largest fund of hedge funds groups. Prior to joining GAM, he was the Vice President in charge of the Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory Group at the National Westminster Bank USA. Mr. Ginsberg is also Vice Chairman of the Boston Red Sox and New England Sports Ventures, the holding company which owns the Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network (NESN) and a 50% interest in Roush Fenway Racing. He was previously Vice Chairman of the Florida Marlins . Mr. Ginsberg is also on the Board of Directors of The Adelphi Europe Fund, the Adelphi European Small Cap Fund and The Adelphi Emerging Europe Fund. Mr. Ginsberg received a B.A. from Kenyon College in 1977. In 1981 he received an MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from the Boston University Graduate School of Management.

Jack Murphy is a former managing director of McCown De Leeuw & Co., a $1.2 billion private equity fund, where he was a key member of the team responsible for the growth, evolution, and successful sale of 24 Hour Fitness. He was also a co-founder of Fresh Fields, an East Coast-based natural grocery store chain with 22 stores and $300 million in sales at the time it was sold to Whole Foods Markets.