Health Coaching Blog and News | Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Meet Our March 2017 Leadership in Health Coaching Award Winners!

Written by Integrative Nutrition | Jun 8, 2024 12:45:38 PM

Congratulations to our Leadership in Health Coaching Award recipients for the March 2017 class! Learn more about these successful graduates below.

1. Rosann Cunningham
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
Prior to enrolling at IIN, I was a stay-at-home mom and a writer/blogger at RosannCunningham.com. My original mission through my writing was to inspire hope in others by sharing my journey through some really hard seasons of life my family and I had faced, and how our faith in God strengthened us, encouraged us, and kept us persevering through those tough times. When I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis, I started to share that journey as well, not realizing at the time that my future transformation into a Nutrition Health Coach was just beginning!

How did your life change after enrolling?
The biggest change I’ve noticed in myself is improved confidence. As the student, I was essentially being personally coached by the world’s leading experts in nutrition, health and wellness for a year! Every healthy change I made actually changed me from the inside out. I knew that to be taken seriously as a health coach, I needed to not only walk my talk, but physically look the part as well. So I took what I was learning seriously and applied it to my every day life. I now experience high energy levels on a daily basis. I’m physically fit and love to exercise! I’m filled with passion and joy like never before, and I have such a positive attitude and excitement for life!

2. Marion Terwilliger
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
The five or six years leading up to my enrollment at IIN, I was working in a floral business I co-owned with my brother/partner. I was miserable. I was also in a lonely 22-year marriage. Then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was raising my two teenage boys, working long hours and on my days off, I cleaned and cooked and did homework until I dragged myself to bed to pass out. I've always loved being my boys’ mother and I enjoyed my floral business, but to be honest, I was exhausted. I felt unappreciated at work and at home. I was unfulfilled. On a great note, I have since divorced, own my own floral company, smile every day, and am a certified health coach to boot! 

How did your life change after enrolling?
IIN is completely life changing. Every slice of my Circle of Life has drastically changed since when I began IIN. I'm more confident, aware, awake, engaged, interested, stronger, smarter, happier and healthier. I've completed more than I thought possible. I've helped people; I've dreamed and allowed myself to dream. I believe I can do whatever I want. I'm no longer timid or afraid to speak what I believe to be true. I feel I matter and I feel I can really contribute to someone's health and happiness and vibrancy and that gives me purpose and self worth. IIN helped me grow, helped me notice, and helped me be aware of the world and who and what is in it. It felt great to be with like-minded people every day of the week!

3. Rachana Yemula
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
I am a medical doctor from India. Most of my work was involved with hospitals, clinics and research. I co-authored a medical book in Pediatrics group and am a member of multiple non-profit spiritual organizations, and volunteered at youth empowerment programs. 

How did your life change after enrolling?
My life's health journey started with IIN, when I took the first step to enroll in the Institute. I discovered the person within me. It gave me a purpose and a direction, which was fulfilling and meaningful. Self-care was just another concept in my mind. I learnt the importance of self-care to our health. IIN was a catalyst and has radically changed my life.

4. Zebunniso Solieva

5. Kelly Meister
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
I’m a full time firefighter/paramedic, part time yoga instructor, and full time single mom of two teenage girls. That fills most of my time. 

How did your life change after enrolling?
I have certainly learned so much about helping others (and myself) get and stay healthy. I also learned that I can build a website (which I will be launching in the next week...yay) but I am honestly truly grateful that I found a wonderful new friend and business partner in one of my fellow students who lives just a few miles from me! Talk about synchronicity!! We are the only two students in our class from Michigan and we live five minutes from each other!

6. Maria Strohl
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
Working part time as a Dental Hygienist, navigating life with a newborn, and learning as much as I could on my own about holistic health.

How did your life change after enrolling?
I found myself learning to relax more around food, understanding that primary foods were more important. While I’m even more convicted in my feelings towards eating organic, whole unprocessed foods and avoiding toxic chemicals in everyday products I can tell a difference in the way I act and speak to others who have not had the education that I have. I now take a more neutral or balanced stance on controversial topics and allow others to make their own decisions instead of pushing my personal opinions or preferences.

7. Marnee Horesh
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
When I enrolled at IIN, I was working at an active travel company where I wrote emails to our thousands of clients when worldwide events and emergencies impacted their planned vacations. Before that I had spent many years as an advertising Copywriter where I wrote content for Time Warner Cable's Print and TV campaigns. I also wrote voiceover copy and taglines for film trailer, TV and radio campaigns. I zigzagged all over the place with no inspiration or passion!

How did your life change after enrolling?
For the first time in my life, I felt like I'd found the career I'd always been searching for. I could finally see how I could use my intuition, creativity and passion in my work. This was unheard of before discovering IIN. I left a job that was toxic for me at the time. I met and got to study with like-minded people, I'm building my own business to support people on their own health journeys. It all feels like a dream come true. I'm becoming the person I wish I knew existed when I was suffering through all of my health issues. My life is unrecognizable now and I love it.

8. April Parr 
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
I worked as a circulating RN in the operating room.

How did your life change after enrolling?
Everything changed. I decided to take a leap and I quit my job as an RN. I decided on a business name within a month and applied for a business license, started a blog, and began building my brand. I loved what I was learning and my world totally opened up. I hadn't realized how much of a break from nursing I needed until I enrolled. I have received so much support for what I am doing from former colleagues and I am excited to share my experience with them. I have motivated my entire family to change their lifestyles and everyone is getting healthier.

 9. Alejandra Plaza
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
I work leading workshops for personal development. I am a Life Coach, teacher of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. 

How did your life change after enrolling?
The program has helped me to understand how my body works, to improve my eating habits even more, to have the confidence and certainty that what I teach is the right thing to do.

10. Lillian Guirgis
What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
I studied Finance and Economics at the American University in Cairo then worked at a bank for three years in strategic management and Finance group as an analyst. I took the first level of the CFA certification, then when I got pregnant with my second child I decided to shift my studies to my passion (home cooking) and enrolled at IIN during my maternity leave.

How did your life change after enrolling?
After enrolling; I not only developed healthy habits; but my whole life changed becoming healthier; having healthier relationships, a healthy environment for the soul and seeking happiness.