Please join us in welcoming our newest board members of 2023!
We want to introduce you to some incredible herbalists, writers, researchers, farmers and all around amazing human beings that have jumped on board the Lilium Initiative boat. We couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the team. Please read their bios to get a sense of the wonderful people representing your interests and this movement. We are sure this will be a generative and inspiring year with their added knowledge and skills.
Andi Houston
Andi Houston is the Clinic Manager for Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Gainesville, Florida and owner of Three Treasures Medicinal Herb Farm. She has worked for the Academy since 2008 and has managed the herbal dispensary since 2014. She has been a passionate gardener for her entire adult life and dabbled in Western herbs since the mid 90's. Her interest in growing Chinese medicinal herbs was sparked in 2012 by reading an article by Jean Giblette of High Falls Garden and the book "Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West" by Steven Foster. She began seeking herbs to test in her humid 9A climate and purchased a small piece of property just a few years later when her herb garden outgrew her small yard, focusing on forest-grown medicinal herbs for the humid subtropics. Since then, she has traveled to Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, and all over Florida connecting with other herb growers and teachers. This led to the formation of the Florida Herbal Cooperative in 2018, which is currently on hiatus. Andi has been volunteering with the Lilium Initiative since finding an LI postcard in a Spring Wind Herbs shipment in late 2019.
Colleen Hayes
Colleen Hayes has over 20 years experience working with ornamental, edible and medicinal plants in various settings. Her academic background in environmental health gave her an understanding of the American health care industry and fueled her desire for something different. Her appreciation and ongoing casual study of traditional Chinese medicine led her to focus on growing herbs for medicinal use. Though she no longer operates an herb farm, she still wants to see an increase in the cultivation and processing of herbs in the United States. She currently works for an organic certifier, reviewing farms' compliance with the organic regulations. She loves to cook, tend plants, listen to music and read non-fiction.
Erin Wilkins
Erin Masako Wilkins is an Asian American herbalist and acupuncturist. Her clinical work is rooted in Eastern energetic theory - tapping into her own ancestral healing traditions to empower others to restore health and prevent illness. She has been a practicing herbalist for over a decade specializing in Asian folk remedies and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is passionate about applying Eastern energetics to domestically grown herbs and herbal medicine.
A seasoned educator, her classes include Asian American herbalism and folk traditions, TCM theory, seasonal wellness, and community care workshops. Erin has a master’s degree from the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, CA. Her book, “Asian American Herbalism: Traditional and Modern Wellness Practices for Everyday Wellness” is set for publication in Fall 2023. To learn more about her work visit HerbFolkShop.com
Pam Sherman
Pam Sherman researches and writes about food and medicine crop plants in regenerative agriculture, gardening, and landscaping and is particularly interested in the integration of Chinese Medicinal plants in these areas.
Robyn Klein, M.S.
Robyn’s herbal education includes Dominion Herbal College (1982) and Southwest School of Botanical Medicine(1995). After completing a MSc degree in plant sciences (2004), and as an adjunct instructor at Montana State University, she’s been teaching plant identification and ethnobotany to K-12 teachers. Her gardens are a mix of native, Chinese, and European medicinal species, and the odd carrot. Her favorite hobby is diving into rabbit holes, a.k.a., phytosleuthing medicinal plants.