Meet Tieraona.
A mother, wife, herbalist, educator, author, researcher, and medical doctor, Tieraona has trained hundreds of medical professionals as the Fellowship Director at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, chaired dietary supplement expert panels for the United States Pharmacopeia, and has been appointed to numerous scientific advisory boards. In addition, she has authored best-selling books (including 4 published by National Geographic) and written over 50 peer-reviewed articles and 25 book chapters. Tieraona was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on a White House policy commission, has received many awards from academia, public health, and industry, and has lectured at over 600 conferences. You can see her extensive bio here.
While Tieraona’s professional bio outlines her many accomplishments and accolades, below is a deeper glimpse into who she is and the special way she views and interacts with her world.
Connection is the best possible medicine.
Tieraona has a deep respect for natural healing modalities and modern medicine. Yet, in the past four decades of her career, she has repeatedly seen how life itself can offer what we need when it comes to healing. Our relationships, the experiences that challenge us, even the plants and animals around us offer more dynamic solutions than what could ever fit inside a pill or herbal tea. Whether through her clinical work, teachings, writing, lectures, or products she develops, Tieraona ultimately seeks to connect people to the medicine and magic already present in their bodies and lives.
Filled with unquenchable curiosity, Tieraona never assumes that the way things are is automatically the best. Instead, she stands up for what she believes, even when it goes against popular opinion, industry standards, or accepted norms. She perpetually challenges the status quo because she believes questioning conventional thinking is how we get to the truly holistic solutions we need. Caring deeply for the health of humanity, Tieraona is always looking toward how things can be more aligned with the wisdom of our inner nature so people can access a healthier, more connected way of living.
If there isn’t a path, she makes one.
Tieraona has developed a strong set of skills to support her drive for disruptive innovation. She includes multiple angles and traditions when researching a topic to gain a dynamic perspective and map a supportive solution. She gets at the root of problems, then gathers up the people, resources, plants, and anything else needed to craft an answer and get to work. This process has grown from Tieraona’s eclectic approach to education. She studied plants as medicine and food, massage therapy, midwifery, meditation, earned her 3rd-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and attended medical school to better understand the issues she wishes to impact. As a result, Tieraona has a unique way of viewing roadblocks as opportunities for growth and reimagination.
Tieraona is guided by the wisdom gained from her life experiences.
When she was young, Tieraona’s grandmother taught her that what comes into our lives makes us who we are meant to become. Regardless of whether they feel like gifts or challenges, she holds a deep curiosity about the people and experiences she encounters. This orientation towards life allows her to greet challenges as great teachers. Cancer treatment, the care and loss of loved ones, and at times being spurned by her community for speaking her truth are a just a few of the teachers that have contributed to her soul’s education. Tieraona’s guiding light is the wisdom gained by her life experiences, making her highly adept at helping others connect to the wisdom gained by theirs.
Tieraona spends most of her time tending to work, feeding the chickens, gardening, riding her horse, or naming the wild animals that visit her ranch in New Mexico. She also loves hunting down ancient medical texts, devouring research on botanicals, visiting her children, having deep conversations with friends, and hiking or traveling with her husband—especially to their beloved Kenya.
Tieraona is passionate about connecting with people and sharing stories. If you’ve read something here that resonates with you, or if you’ve benefited from a product she’s made or information she’s shared, she’d love to hear from you. You can share your experience with Tieraona here.