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| Faculty |
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Vasant Lad, M.A.Sc.
Ayurvedic Physician and Executive Director
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Vasant Lad brings a wealth of classroom and practical experience
to the United States. A native of India, he served for three
years as Medical Director of the Ayurveda Hospital in Pune,
India. He was Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Pune University
College of Ayurvedic Medicine for 15 years. He holds a Bachelors
of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree from the University
of Pune and a Masters of Ayurvedic Science (MASc) degree
from Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya. Vasant Lads academic
and practical training include the study of Allopathy (Western
medicine) and surgery as well as traditional Ayurveda.
Beginning in 1979, he has traveled throughout the United
States sharing his knowledge of Ayurveda. In 1984 he came
to Albuquerque as Director, principal instructor and founder
of the Ayurvedic Institute. Vasant Lad is the author of numerous
books and respected throughout the world for his knowledge
of Ayurveda.
Vasant Lad's Biographical Data
A Compendium of Vasant Lad's Published Works
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Sandra Aumiller
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Sandra assists with Level 1 Integrated Lab and co-teaches the Level 2 Integrated Clinic and Grand Rounds. She also assists with other sessions as needed. A graduate of the Ayurvedic Studies Program at the Ayurvedic Institute in 1994, she pursued further studies at the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics and now maintains a private massage practice, integrating Ayurveda.
She has worked in the Panchakarma Department of the Ayurvedic Institute since 1997 and has assisted and conducted training in various Ayurvedic therapies and integration of Ayurvedic knowledge to numerous students that have attended programs at the Ayurvedic Institute. |
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Lisa Costolow

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Lisa assists with the Level 1 Integrated Lab and teaches portions of the Level I Ayurvedic Review course. She co-teaches the Level 2 Integrated Clinic, Grand Rounds, and assists with other Ayurvedic sessions as needed. She completed the Ayurvedic Studies Program Levels 1 and 2. Her enthusiasm, encouragement to others and love for continued personal study of Ayurveda is a real asset to Institute students, staff and her clients.
Currently she provides Ayurvedic consultations with the public and serves as Administrative Assistant to the Education Administrator. |
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Ron Hadsall

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Ron instructs in Level 1 Ayurvedic lifestyle practices. He has personally practiced an Ayurvedic lifestyle since 1992 and has practiced yoga and meditation daily since 1968. In 1992, Ron and his wife started the Center for Spiritual Awareness of North Texas where he taught meditation, yoga and Vedic teachings including Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita.
After 30 years in corporate management and training, Ron brings with him the experience of balancing the spiritual values of life while performing in practical ways to attain positive results in the business world. He attended the Ayurvedic Studies Program at the Ayurvedic Institute and is now on staff full time as the Administrative Projects Coordinator. |
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Sonia Elisa Masocco
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Sonia Elisa Masocco teaches Level 2 Ayurvedic Herbology, and co-teaches Integrated Lab and Grand Rounds. She also facilitates the Ayurvedic Beauty Concepts, Hands-On Ayurvedic practices and the Aromatherapy and Ayurveda intensives here at the Ayurvedic Institute.
An ITEC qualified practitioner in Aromatherapy, Reflexology as well as Massage Therapy, she enhanced her training with the completion of the Ayurvedic Studies Program and participation in the Gurukula program in Pune, India. Having been in private practice in Hong Kong and Albuquerque, she brings her clinical experience as well as her passion for plants and plant medicine as a vibratory vehicle for transformation.
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Donna Papania
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Donna teaches Level 1 and Level 2 AyurYoga and panchakarma client yoga at the Institute and assists with Integrated Lab. She served with the Panchakarma Department as a yoga therapist, and assisted with client support and education.
She began yoga study with Sivananda yoga, continued with AyurYoga and is a graduate of the Ayurvedic Studies Programs Level 1 and 2. With a degree in nutrition, she combines her love of nutrition, yoga and Ayurveda through her teaching and consultation practice.
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Nancy Prottengeier

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Nancy teaches Level 1 Lifestyles and Integrated Lab, and Level 2 Assessment and Management as well as assisting with other courses as needed. She was first a grateful patient, then a student and now a consultant of Ayurvedic practices. She brings a passion from personal experience with this healing art and combines it with her background as a psychologist to offer a multi-faceted perspective. Her teachers, Dr. Kshirsagar and Vasant Lad, have guided her Ayurvedic skills over the past 10 years. A graduate of Ayurvedic Studies Level 1 and 2, she shares her enthusiasm and knowledge with our students, provides guest lectures on Ayurveda and works with private clients. |
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Halle Pryor

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Halle teaches Level 1 and 2 AyurYoga and panchakarma client yoga at the Institute. Her Ayurvedic journey began in 1995 and led to her graduation from the Ayurvedic Studies Level 1. She brings joy and enthusiasm to her teaching combined with a sense of wonder, awe and respect for the human form. Halle is passionate about yoga and its role in life-long wellness/healing.
Along with teaching at the Institute, she has private yoga clients, teaches public yoga classes for ‘boomers’ and is an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Coach. When not on ‘the mat,’ Halle loves to hike, enjoy water sports and to travel, especially road trips. |
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Donald Van Howten,
PIT, VMT, LFT, LMT

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Donald Van Howten has been a practitioner and teacher in
the field of bodywork and personal development for more than
35 years. Associated with the Institute since its founding
in 1984, Van is a graduate of the Rocky Mountain Healing Arts
Institute and the Postural Integration Institute where he
completed the trainer program.
Van has developed a unique form of bodywork called "Life
Impressions," influenced by various therapies, including
Hakomi body-centered psychotherapy, Ayurveda, cranial-sacral
work and Feldenkrais. Van is the founder and current director
of Life Impressions Bodywork Institute in Santa Fe, NM. He
presents a special training class for the ASP 1 students and
Institute staff each year.
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Luscha Weeks
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Luscha teaches the "Emotional Healing from an Ayurveda Perspective" seminar. She graduated from the Ayurvedic Studies Program in 1998.
She has served as a massage therapist in the Panchakarma Department since 1998, and has a Master’s degree in counseling. She combines principles of Ayurveda with western elements of self-healing. Her private practice includes deep emotional healing, abhyanga massage, shirodhara and color therapy. |
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Claudia Welch, DOM
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Claudia Welch facilitates the first quarter Ayurvedic Studies
evening class. Dr. Claudia Welch began her study of Ayurveda
in 1987, under the tutelage of Robert Svoboda, BAMS. She lived
in India for three years, studying Ayurveda and related subjects.
Claudia came to the Ayurvedic Institute in 1991 and continued her education with Vasant Lad while working here. She is also a graduate of
Hart De Fouw's Advanced Jyotish course.
Claudia is on the teaching faculty at Southwest Acupuncture
College in Albuquerque, from which she graduated in 1997.
She has lectured on Eastern Medicine internationally and has
a busy private practice in Albuquerque, incorporating Ayurvedic
and Traditional Chinese Medicine. |
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| Administrators |
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Ellie Hadsall

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Ellie Hadsall is the Education Administrator. She oversees
the operation and development of instruction and curriculum.
As student liaison, she coordinates student activities and
counsels on academic and personal matters.
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Dorothy Seeger

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Dorothy Seeger is the Administrator of the correspondence
course, "Lessons and Lectures on Ayurveda". A graduate
of the Ayurvedic Studies Program, for the past twelve years
she has continued to provide student support and respond to
student inquiries. Dorothy evaluates exams personally and
trains staff for additional evaluations and support as necessary.
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Wynn Werner
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Wynn Werner is the Administrator of the Institute. He is responsible to the Board of Directors for the general operation of the Institute and oversees all of its departments and facilities, assuring that the Institute fulfills its mission, purposes and goals.
Wynn is a founding board member of NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association) and represents the Institute on Ayurvedic matters at the state, national and international levels. A graduate of the Ayurvedic Studies program, he teaches Level 1 and 2 sessions on ethics and legalities. |