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 I began my studies of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in the mid 1970's with Martha Benedict, a student of Miriam Lee [whose arrest for practicing medicine without a license in the early 1970's led to California implementing licensing for acupuncturists] and one of the first caucasians to be licensed to practice acupuncture in California. 
   I continued studying acupuncture and Chinese Medicine with teachers in the Bay Area.  I also went to Oakland's Merritt College and obtained my degree and licensure in nursing as an RN in 1980.  I then attended the first class of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco,  completing the program in early 1983.  Martha Benedict was one of the founders of the college, along with Yat K Lai and C S Cheung.  Dr Lai was involved in the initial development of acupuncture licensure in California.  Dr Cheung is a well known translator of Chinese Medical materials into English, and only retired from translating and teaching in his 80's and is now in his mid 90's!.  My first serious tai ji quan and qi gong teacher, Fong Ha was also involved as a translator at the American College of TCM.
    I worked for many years part time as a Registered Nurse, in burn and critical care areas primarily.  I also maintained a private practice in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.  I stopped nursing practice entirely in the early 2000's.  As an acupuncturist I  worked in a variety of settings:  at a senior clinic in Oakland, in a large group practice in San Francisco, for both adult and juvenile drug court programs, and 2006- 2019 as an acupuncturist for Enloe Medical Center in Chico, Ca.  This included working with cardiac surgery and other inpatients, as well as developing and working in a weekly, low cost community style clinic, the first in Chico, at the Enloe Cancer Center's infusion center.  From 1998-2000 I was a contributing writer on alternative and complementary therapies for two nursing textbooks.  I continue helping clients with herbal medicine for a variety of conditions.
I began studying and practicing tai ji and qi gong seriously in the 1970's.  My primary teachers have been Hong Fa, Sam Tam, and my fellow student and colleague Jan Diepersloot.