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FACULTY & REGENTS
Heidi L. Hoke, PhDHH, ND, CHt.
President, Instructor

Dr. Heidi L. Hoke is founding owner and practitioner of Vitae Pondera Institute of Natural Health and President of Vitae Pondera College of Natural Medicine. She has earned dual-doctorate degrees in natural medicine: Doctorate of Philosophy in Holistic Health (PhDHH) and a Doctorate of Naturopathy (N.D.) at Kingdom College of Natural Health. She completed her Master of Science degree in Holistic Health, specializing in Homeopathy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Holistic Health as a Nutritional Consultant, Master Herbalist, and Holistic Health Practitioner. She has achieved the 12th-Level Reiki Grand Mastership and Mastership in Chios Energy Healing.

 

Dr. Heidi L. Hoke is Board Certified by both the American Association of Drugless Practitioners Commission, Cert. No. 90313412 and The American Council of Holistic Medicine, Diplomat Member.    

 

She provides educational seminars as a Master Trainer in Chronic Disease, Chronic Pain, and Diabetes by the Self-Management Resource Center (SMRC) of A&M University, originally founded by Stanford University. Additionally, is a health coach for pre-diabetic, self-management for the CNC.

 

Heidi has received her certification in Advanced Hypnotherapy by the Hypnotherapists Union Local 472-2011, from the nationally accredited college, Hypnosis Motivation Institute (HMI) in Tarzana, California.  She offers medical hypnotherapy as an adjunct modality in holistic health protocols.​

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Heidi is an Alzheimer's Healthcare Specialist and public speaker promoting the advocacy of natural therapy for neuro-immunology.

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Pamela Bombyk, BS, Natural Health
Director of Holistic Health for Domestic Animal
Board of Regents, Instructor

Pamela Bombyk was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, lived in Lake Orion, Michigan and moved to Tyler, Texas on January 1, 2004. Pam comes to us as Director of the Holistic Health for Domestic Animals Department of VPCNM. She brings diverse talents and expertise in business development, natural medicine, martial arts, yoga, and animal health advocacy. She earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Natural Health from Clayton College in 2007. Most recently, she owned and operated Life With Pets, a retail pet supply and natural health consulting practice for companion animals. As an accomplished writer and publisher, she has worked as Midwest Region Marketing Manager for Animal Wellness magazine,  Natural Awakenings natural health magazine (Publisher) and Natural Awakenings Pet magazine (Publisher). Additionally, she has earned a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Choi Kwang Do Martial Art.

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Previous experience includes founding and operating a temporary staffing company,  real estate investor, insurance representative for Life, Health and Property/Casualty; Distributor for Unicity nutritional products, and a variety of administrative positions.

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Her business & civic Involvements include that of 

  • Volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA for Children), 

  • Board of Directors: Michigan State Chamber of Commerce, Oakland County Chamber of Commerce, Lake Orion Chamber of Commerce,

  • Greater Detroit Chapter National Assn of Women Business Owners

  • Michigan Chapter Natl Federation of Independent Business

  • Greater Pontiac Area Consortium Private Industry Council 

  • Co-Founder Oakland Business Owners Assn. and NAWBOgdc satellites

  • Leadership Oakland IV, Oakland County Executive’s Roundtable of Advisors

  • NAWBO National Public Policy Representative

  • Village of Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Lake

  • Orion Chair for Economic Development

  • Committee Chair: NAWBOgdc Government Affairs for three years

  • 1998 White House Conference on Small Business delegate

  • Lifetime member  of the Girl Scouts of America: 1993 Women of Distinction award

David F. Crook, PhD
Board of Regents
Dee McCaffrey,  CDC
Board of Regents, Instructor

Dr. David F. Crook studied in both England and the United States, working as a consulting engineer and designer of advanced medical implants for orthopedic and spinal applications. Previous to forty years of engineering practice, his Post Graduate Certificate of Education was earned from Leicester University School of Education in 1979 with sequential degrees including Bachelor of Arts (Honors.) Humanities: Hertfordshire University; Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia Pacific University, San Rafael, California; a Master of Arts in Education: Leicester University; and Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship from Mander College, Bedford, U.K., and Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship: Weatherly-Cincinnati Inc. / U.K. Govt. Training Center (GTC) and Day-Release to Mander College, Bedford, U.K. 

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David has taught for the Dallas Community Colleges and as adjunct Professor of Engineering for University of Texas in Tyler. He continues to be involved in all aspects of design, prototyping, and production, ranging from medical devices, implants, and medical products through to flight control systems for unmanned and extra-terrestrial aircraft. His engineering companies are geared towards rapid prototyping and short-run-to-production projects. David also pioneered the concept of Bio-modeling; taking Computed Tomography data and converting it into physical replications of anatomy. 

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As a writer for the  Dallas Independent School District, his textbooks included, An Introduction to Computer Aided Design: Level I; An Introduction to Computer Aided Design: Level II; Entering the Third Dimension: An Introduction to Computer Aided Design Using Computervision's Personal Designer As a writer of science fiction, these included published books, Philosophy:Triad Galactica; The Warrior

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Dee McCaffrey is an organic chemist, Certified Nutrition Consultant and weight loss expert. As a  published writer and an inspirational speaker, she is the author of The Science of Skinny and The Science of Skinny Cookbook.  She has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows throughout the U.S. including National Public Radio (WNPR), The Doctors, Better TV, The List, and The Dr. Steve Show and has also been a featured speaker at the annual American Diabetes Association Expo/Phoenix, one of the largest diabetes programs in the country, at the Arizona Children’s Obesity Conference, the National Library of Traditional Medicine Conference, and AIDS Connecticut.

 

Dee and her husband Michael McCaffrey are the founders of Processed-Free America, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a global awareness of the effect processed foods have on our health, and the healing properties of natural whole foods. Dee has developed an award-winning nutrition curriculum for children, and a certification program for adults who want to teach the Processed-Free lifestyle to people in their communities. 

 

Dee is an adjunct faculty member in the nutrition department at The Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, Arizona, and a professional member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals and the American Association of Nutritional Consultants. To learn more, please visit www.processedfreeamerica.org.

Nancy Oaks, BA Psychology
Board of Regents, Instructor

Nancy Oakes is founder and CEO of the Sacred Lifestyle Wellness Center, a supportive group of Light Workers, dedicated to the evolution of our consciousness. The Sacred LifeStyle Center is an effort dedicated to wholeness of mind, body and spiritual reconnection to the “intention of life.”

 

Nancy’s educational background includes a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Cultural Anthropology from Ashford University.  She graduated as a Barbara Marx Hubbard, Agent of Conscious Evolution, James O’Dea, Peace Ambassador Guide, and Barbara Marx Hubbard/Shift Network-(Guides and Mentors Program) Life Coaching for healthy living based on “Remembering Who You Are, and Reconnecting-A Life Free of Addiction.”

 

She is a published author and formerly a columnist for OM Times Magazine.  OM Times Magazine is a free holistic green eZine international renowned magazine with a spiritual, self-growth perspective for the conscious community.  She is author of, Return of Sophia, Mother of the Universe, available on amazon, which describes a seal of secrecy that has hidden humankind’s creation and the identity of the Supreme Creatress.

 

Nancy has taught in women’s shelters, mental health clinics, and for the Department of Justice a program she created as an empowerment tool. She is an activist for numerous social interests including Free Tibet, PLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and is a member of the Free Cherokee/United Lenape Band & Adopted Tribal Peoples.  Her Medicine Wheel, which is the bases for her empowerment program “Heart Art” received a sacred blessing at the Dallas Art Museum by the monks from the Dungkar Monastery representing His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama.

Lori Vick
BS Functional Medicine
Board of Regents, Instructor

Lori Vick joins VPCNM as an instructor in Functional Medicine. Lori began study bodybuilding in 1987 while studying Marketing and Communications at Texas Women’s University. In continuation of athletics, she began her career as a fitness trainer at the US Airforce Base and at New Mexico State University and in the DFW area for several corporate gyms in Las Colinas, TX (Nokia and the Dallas Anatole hotel). 

 

Presently, she directs the marketing and training for Snap Fitness and marketing/sales/networking events for “TrueStep”, in Mineola, Texas. (A subsidiary company at Vitae Pondera Institute of Natural Medicine.)

 

Additional interest in fitness and natural health, includes the study of Ayurvedic herbs and nutrition, focusing on micro-nutrition and plant-based diets for athletic performance, and natural muscle growth and recovery. She is an advanced gardener in organic vegetables and medicinal herbs and has studied making tinctures, decoctions, salves, poultices, food canning. Her nutritional focus is on the meal planning for anti-inflammation to manage autoimmune symptoms; supplements and naturopathic remedies to treat symptoms of autoimmune, balance hormones and grow muscle naturally; conditioning program includes run training at 20-30 miles weekly; weight training to grow muscle, increase strength, aesthetics, balance. Her continued studies in holistic health practices recently granted her with a Bachleor of Science in Functional Medicine from VPCNM.

 

 Through the years, Lori have become a top-rated nutritional and fitness expert having achieved the following certifications and awards:

  • Certified personal trainer NDEITA

  • ISSA CFT; 25 years experience;

  • Nationally-Qualified TEXAS NPC Figure Competitor;

  • Certified group fitness instructor 

  • Certified pre-natal fitness

  • Certified water aerobics

  • Certified weight loss nutrition

  • Certified special populations including kids, seniors , post-rehab

  • Marathon running (26.2) including exercise and nutrition guidelines

  • Completed 6 more full marathons and 10 half marathons

  • Specialize in competitive bodybuilding by working with a top Texas coach; 

  • Competed in bodybuilding competition; 2 First-Place finishes out of 3 divisions 

  • Competed in National Competition

  • Competed in 2 competitions one week apart; 3 first place, 5 second place out of 9 divisions entered

  • Ten years of published workouts for ALL of specialties including run training, various divisions of bodybuilding, post-rehab, pre-natal, water aerobics, children, post-stroke, cancer survivors and for seniors

Ja'Na Zabaneh,
BA, Education
MS, Holistic Health
Board of Regents, Instructor

Ja'na Zabaneh is founder and holistic practitioner of Love and Light Healing Center in Gilmer, Texas. As a native of Hallsville, Texas, she continues to love the richness of nature that is provided by the rural atmosphere of her home and healing center, where nature continues to be her teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Texas A&M, specializing in Education Psychology. She continued studies at Natural Healing College in Herbal Mastery at Stockton, CA., receiving her Masters of Science Degree from Vitae Pondera College of Natural Medicine.

 

For the next twenty five years, she taught Special Education (Life Skills) to student between the levels of Preschool to High School She worked with special needs students in the Autistic and Severe and Profound Handicapped educational programs.

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She testifies..."A severe, near-fatal car accident sent my life spiraling into years of pain and drug addiction. The miracle came in the darkest moment, in the form of alternative medicine. Twenty-nine days after I began the herb program, I had a huge shift and to this day continue to provide my body, mind and spirit with the best and highest natural products. For the next 25 years I have been gathering these modalities for Love and Light Healing Center. Through all these I have developed a wonderful approach to finding the cause of distress and finding the highest and best to heal you to your ultimate state.              

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