Speaker Bios
40th Annual Conference, 10 - 14 June 2015
Chapel Hill / Durham, North Carolina, USA
The Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies, Inc.



Academy Staff
President
Rev. Karen Herrick, Ph.D.
Vice President & Counsel
William Wilson, J.D.
Secretary
Kathy Devito, B.S.
Treasurer & Webmaster
Karin Nemri, A.S., C.S.C.
Asst. Treasurer
Lee S. Lawrence, CPA
Editor-In-Chief
Michael E. Tymn, B.A., CPCU
ARED Director
R. Craig Hogan, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
Roberta Grimes, J.D.
Librarian
Miles Edward Allen, B.S.
President Emeritus
 Rev. Harry L. Serio, D.Min.
Executive Administrator
 Paul Hauser, J.D.
ASCS Board
of Directors
Chair
♦ Rev.Karen E. Herrick, Ph.D.
Members
♦ Miles Edward Allen, B.S.
♦ Boyce Batey, B.A.
♦ Stafford Betty, Ph.D.
♦ Kathy J. DeVito, B.S.
♦ Roberta A. Grimes, J.D.
♦ Stephen H. Hall, B.GS.
♦ R. Craig Hogan, Ph.D.
♦ Lee E. Lawrence, CPA
♦ John Franklin Miller III, Ph.D.
♦ Karin Nemri, A.S., C.S.C.
♦ Rev. Harry L. Serio, D.Min.
♦ Michael E. Tymn, B.A., CPCU
♦ William E. Wilson, J.D.
♦ Nancy Zingrone, Ph.D.
  
Listed in alphabetical order by presenter's last name
Miles Edward Allen wrote The Survival Files: The Most Convincing Evidence Yet Compiled for the Survival of Your Soul, a book which prompted his creation of the Evidence Scoring System (ESS), the first objective process for determining which cases most convincingly demonstrate the continuing existence of the human personality beyond the demise of the physical body. Using this system he has developed a list — The Survival Top 40 — of the 20 most convincing spirit-contact cases and the 20 most impressive reincarnation cases. Allen is also the author of The Afterlife Confirmed: Even More Convincing Evdence from the Survival Files; Defending Bridey's Honor: The Reality of Reincarnation; and Astral Intimacy: Fifty Spirits Speak About Life, Love, and Sex After Death. Allen is a member of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) and serves on the Board of Directors of the Academy and as its Librarian. He received his B.S. from the Journalism School at the University of Maryland, and worked as a writer, editor, and manager for various private and federal offices over three decades.
Carlos Alvarado, PhD, has enjoyed a career in parapsychology since the late 1970s and has been associated with many of the most prestigious institutions in the field. He received his doctorate in psychology from the University of Edinburgh and his work has centered on survey research on out of body experiences and other psychic experiences. His resume includes positions at the Rhine Research Center, the Koestler Parapsychology Unit in the Dept of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, The Parapsychology Foundation, Sofia University, and The Division of Perceptual Studies in the Dept of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. Over the years he has taught parapsychology classes at universities and colleges and is widely recognized as a scholar of the history of parapsychology. His scientific and scholarly work has been published in psychology, psychiatry and parapsychology journals. Website - theazire.org
PMH Atwater is one of the original researchers in the field of near-death studies, having begun her work in 1978, and is a pioneer in subjects like near-death experiences, the after effects of spiritual experiences, transformations of consciousness, reality shifts, future memory, and modern generations of children and how they differ from previous generations. Atwater did free-lance assignments for many periodicals nationwide, including Sunset magazine. She wrote the column "Coming Back" for the Vital Signs magazine 1981 - 1985. She earned her Letters of the Humanities (L.H.D.) doctorate from the International College of Spiritual and Psychic Studies in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 19, 1992; and was awarded an honorary Ph.D. in Therapeutic Counseling in March 2005, from Medicina Alternativa Institute, The Open International University for Complementary Medicines, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Also in 2005, the International Association for Near-death Studies (IANDS) presented her with an Outstanding Service Award and the National Association of Transpersonal Hypnotherapists awarded her a Lifetime Achievement Award.[2] She has been a Prayer Chaplain since 2004.
Steve Barrell, MA, CHt, is a practicing transpersonal hypnotherapist in Durham, trained by the International Association for Regression Research and Therapy in San Diego, and specializing in Past Life Regression Therapy (PLRT) and Spirit Releasement Therapy (SRT). He is president of Haunted North Carolina, Inc.; he is a seminarian at the United Metaphysical Churches of Roanoke, VA, and an associate of the Rhine Research Center, where he consults on hauntings and leads the Dreams Study Group. Steve says if consciousness functions independently of the physical body (and there is considerable evidence to suggest that this is so), then it stands to reason that our own consciousness is only temporarily attached to our own body. What prevents another consciousness, one that currently lacks a body, from attaching to our body at the same time that we are attached to it? What can be done to prevent it, and if it should happen, what can be done about it? Spirit Releasement Therapy (SRT) addresses these questions.
Dr. Larry Burk, member of Oriental Health Solutions, LLC, is a musculoskeletal radiologist and integrative physician specializing in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and hypnosis. He was previously Associate Professor of Radiology at Duke University Medical Center as well as Director of Education and Co-Founder of the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine. Dr. Burk left Duke after 11 years in 2004 to start his own consulting business, Healing Imager. He is co-author of “Physicians ethical obligations regarding alternative medicine” published in JAMA in 1998. He completed the UCLA Medical Acupuncture for Physicians Course in 1998 and practiced acupuncture at Duke in the Pain Clinic, Student Health and the Diet and Fitness Center. Dr. Burk’s book Let Magic Happen: Adventures in Healing with a Holistic Radiologist was published in July 2012 describing his journey from conventional radiology into holistic medicine. It includes how-to-do-it instructions for his top ten self-healing mind-body-spirit techniques. Please visit his website “Let Magic Happen.”
Donna Eden, a pioneer in the field of holistic healing, is among the world’s most sought after, most joyous, and most authoritative spokespeople for energy medicine. Her abilities as a healer are legendary and her invigorating presentations are rich with audience participation and stunning demonstrations. Since childhood, Eden has been able to see the flow of the body’s energies, and from this clairvoyant ability, she developed a system for teaching others to productively work with their own body’s energies. Eden has taught some 50,000 people worldwide how to methodically and precisely direct energy for health and happiness, using methods akin to acupressure, therapeutic touch, and qigong.
David Feinstein, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and international leader in the field of energy psychology. He has served on the faculties of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Antioch College, and the California School of Professional Psychology. Author of eight books and more than 80 professional papers, he is coauthor of The Promise of Energy Psychology (with his wife, Donna Eden, and Gary Craig), The Mythic Path (with Stanley Krippner, PhD), and Rituals for Living and Dying (with Peg Elliot Mayo). His books addressing consciousness and healing energy have won nine national awards, including the U.S. Book News’ Best Psychology/Mental Health Book of 2007.
Suzanne Giesemann is an evidential medium, spiritual teacher,and the author of ten books, including: Messages of Hope: The Metaphysical Memoir of a Most Unexpected Medium; The Priest and the Medium; and Wolf's Message. She captivates audiences as she brings hope, healing, and comfort. Her work has been recognized as highly credible by afterlife researcher Dr. Gary Schwartz, Ph.D., and best-selling author Dr. Wayne Dyer. She serves on the executive council of Eternea, where she is the chairman of the Spirituality Leadership Council. An avid sailor and U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain, Giesemann is a former U.S. Navy Commander who served as a Commanding Officer and was Aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on September 11, 2001 (9-11). , For more information about Suzanne, visit www.LoveAtTheCenter.com.
Dale E. Graff, M.S., is an internationally recognized lecturer, writer and researcher in psi topics. He is a former director of project Stargate, the government program for research and applications of remote viewing. His books, Tracks in the Psychic Wilderness and River Dreams discuss remote viewing, psi dreaming/precognition and synchronicities. Graff reviews the findings of the Princeton, NJ based Global Conscious Project (GCP) that examines the effects of intentions or emotions on the output of quantum physics components in Random Event Generators (REGs). Other topics include: (1) Independent research with REGs at haunted house locations, with healers and in other environments; (2) the consciousness field concept link with precognitive dreams as informational time travel and holographic resonance, and (3) the 11th dimension theme link with precognitive dreams 11 years ago prior to 9/11. He suggest that events and discoveries over the past 10 years have expanded our “field” concepts of reality and dreamtime connections.
Larry Green has been involved in holistic health for over 20 years. He began training in Touch For Health in 1990, and became a certified instructor in 1995. He has served on the board and been president of the National Touch For Health Kinesiology Association. Larry has completed the full Professional Kinesiology Practice training, and has taken the Professional Kinesiology Basic Instructor training. His background includes a degree in Transpersonal Psychology, yoga teacher training and he helped begin the Commonweal Cancer Help Program in Bolinas, CA and worked on staff there for four years. He currently teaches classes in Kinesiology, works with a local cancer support center, and is president of a state wide coalition of complementary and alternative practices.
Dr. Joan (Shivaripta) Harrigan, a licensed psychologist practicing in Knoxville, Tennessee, runs the U.S. branch of the spiritual direction service, Patanjali Kundalini Yoga Care. Dr. Harrigan is the designated successor of H.H. Sri Swami Chandrasekharanand Saraswati, Kundalini master and ordained monk in the Adi Shankaracharya order. As the sole apprentice to the living holder of this specialized lineage of Traditional Kundalini Science, Shivarpita assists individuals along the path of spiritual development by helping them understand how best to cooperate with their indwelling spiritual power.
Rev. Karen E. Herrick, PhD, LCSW, LMSW, CADC, has shared clinical expertise for twenty plus years in her private practice by lecturing throughout the United States on dysfunctional and addictive homes, dissociation, grief, and loss. Herrick was ordained in New York City in The Cathedral of St. John The Divine in 1995. Her ministry is to be actively involved in Spiritual Psychology. Her PhD thesis was entitled "Naming Spiritual Experiences." Herrick is the author of the book You're Not Finished Yet. She is currently the president of The Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies, Inc.
R. Craig Hogan, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Spiritual Understanding, devoted to helping people develop their spiritual understanding through afterlife connections. He is the author of Your Eternal Self, presenting the scientific evidence that the mind is not confined to the brain, the afterlife is a reality, people's minds are linked, and the mind affects the physical world. Hogan co-authored Induced After-Death Communication: A New Therapy for Healing Grief and Trauma with Allan Botkin, Psy.D. and Guided Afterlife Connections: They Come to Change Lives with Rochelle Wright. He is on the boards of the Academy and the American Society for Standards in Mediumship and Psychical Investigation.
Charles T. Krebs began his professional career with a Ph.D. in Biology & Physiology from Boston University. After teaching marine biology and neuroanatomy for a number of years at St. Mary's College in Maryland, in 1983 he moved to Australia as a Marine Research Scientist at the Marine Sciences Laboratory in Queenscliff, Victoria. Shortly after his move, a near fatal scuba diving accident left him paralyzed from the waist down and opened the door to a new chapter in his life. Through his knowledge of anatomy and physiology and his ability to move Ch’i with his mind from years of martial arts training, he learned to walk again. He went on to be Principal Research Scientist, Head of Water Quality Laboratory Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria from 1985 to 1988. Starting in 1985, Charles began working with clinical psychologists, speech pathologists, neurologists and other health professionals to develop the Learning Enhancement Acupressure Program (LEAP), a program for the correction of most learning problems. He researches, teaches and lectures internationally on LEAP, kinesiology, anatomy and physiology, and neurology. Charles is the author of two books in English, A Revolutionary Way of Thinking: From a Near Fatal Accident to a new Science of Healing, and Nutrition for the Brain:Feeding your Brain for Optimum Performance.
Magical Blend's Publisher, Michael Peter Langevin, offers a rarely seen glimpse into the rites and rituals of the ancient, sacred, and beautiful Inca people in his book, Secrets of the Ancient Incas. It reaches from Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, from the distant past into the far future and reveals eternal truths about the human condition and what it means to live as a true Incan warrior.
Lee Lawrence is often referred to as the “Man Who Reads Souls.” He has developed techniques that not only demonstrate beyond any doubt that the human soul or spirit exists, but also explain the mechanics of the soul’s structure and its operational functions. This is not about mind control, power of suggestion, or positive thinking, it’s about hard science that can be repeatedly demonstrated in a controlled scientific setting. Lee explains and demonstrates a technique that reads the components of the human soul, much the way x-rays do to bones. It bypasses the critical mind and shows the foundational experiences stored in the soul that generate personality development patterns and cognitive processing. It opens the door to reveal the emotional subconscious mind. His explanations on how and where memories are stored, processed and retrieved are beyond modern science’s understanding. These theories are proven by his profound demonstrations.
Robert and Suzanne Mays have studied the phenomena related to near-death experiences (NDEs) together for over 30 years, although neither has had a NDE. Robert G. Mays received a B.S. degree in chemistry from MIT and worked in software development at Eastman Kodak Company and later at IBM for more than 20 years. At IBM he specialized in software development process, software quality and software defect prevention. He was a co-recipient of IBM's first Corporate Quality Award in 1991. Suzanne B. Mays received an A.A. degree in medical secretarial science from Alfred State College (SUNY), and is a Certified Music Practitioner with training through the Music for Healing and Transition Program. As a Certified Music Practitioner, she provides palliative care to patients at UNC Hospitals and Duke University Medical Center.
Prior to her role of Executive Director and President at The Monroe Institute, Nancy “Scooter” McMoneagle provided astrological services out of the Astrological Services Division of Intuitive Intelligence Applications, a company she co-owns and operates with her husband of remote viewing fame, Joseph McMoneagle. In her earlier career days, Nancy helped Bob Monroe to pioneer and create The Monroe Institute (TMI) for consciousness research and education. She later served as its Director from 1983 - 1991. Nancy’s main focus and intent is to help individuals achieve a greater overview of their lives and to inspire within them a sense of enthusiasm about who they are and what they have to offer. Now, as the Executive Director and President of TMI, she will continue both personally and professionally to focus on exploring, understanding, and expanding greater levels of personal development, that, in turn, can lead each of us toward a growing awareness, realization, and utilization of our untapped talents and skills.
Ginette Nachman M.D. Ph.D. holds doctorates in medicine and clinical psychology. Dr. Nachman has a longstanding interest in helping to educate health care and mental health professionals regarding non-local aspects of consciousness and clinical approaches to exceptional experiences. She contributed a paper to the May 2009 issue of Psychiatric Annals dealing with clinical aspects of psi and synchronicity experiences. She has served as a Board Member and Director of Education for the Rhine Research Center, where she is currently a Research Associate. She is also Director of Research for the International Association for Near Death Studies.
Dr. Frank Pasciuti is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified hypnotherapist in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia. Throughout his 37 years of providing psychotherapy, he has worked with a number of individuals presenting clinical issues related to exceptional and anomalous experiences. Many of these clients have been referred to his practice by the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies which investigates NDEs, mediumship, survival, and other paranormal anomalies. In addition to the unique phenomena these clients present, Dr. Pasciuti has had a number of his own exceptional experiences. His attempt to understand these experiences has provided the ongoing motivation for his research. This work has enabled him to achieve a more knowledgeable perspective on how one might explain these experiences, and how to counsel others who undergo these phenomena. The primary objective of his research and clinical work is to help individuals delineate and discern these experiences so they may be optimally integrated and employed to facilitate any psychological or spiritual transformative potential they may offer.
Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology, medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and surgery at the University of Arizona and the Director of its Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health. Schwartz is also an author and the Corporate Director of Development of Energy Healing for the Canyon Ranch Resorts. Schwartz is known for his controversial experiments with mediums and energy healing. Schwartz received his PhD from Harvard University and was a professor of psychiatry and psychology at Yale University as well as Director of the Yale Psychophysiology Center and co-director of the Yale Behavioral Medicine Clinic from 1976-1988. He is the Director of the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health in the Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona. In his early career, Schwartz wrote on biofeedback research and health psychology. Schwartz's books include The Afterlife Experiments:Breakthrough Scientific Evidence of Life After Death; The Sacred Promise: How Science Is Discovering Spirit's Collaboration with Us in Our Daily Lives; and The G.O.D. Experiments: How Science Is Discovering God In Everything, Including Us.
In 2008, a life crisis lead to Yvonne Sneeden having a near-death like experience. During her experience, Yvonne entered a heavenly realm and encountered Jesus and various angelic beings. Yvonne is the creator of ThinkHeavenNow (THENOW), a member of both IANDS (International Association for Near Death Studies) and ACISTE (American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences). She is currently working in collaboration with Sabine Van Den Bulke, psychotherapist and movement therapist with expertise in NDE Experiencers, in bringing spiritual and emotional support to help near-death experiencers cope with NDE after-effects.
Matthew Thie collaborated directly with his father, John Thie, from 1996 until John's death in August of 2005. Matt worked with John developing healing protocol, writing articles, teaching seminars around the world and working with students. Matthew has taught the Chinese 5 Element Metaphors to over 1,000 students worldwide, and trained over 100 Instructors. He is now the director of Touch for Health education and an instructor trainer.
Kevin J. Todeschi is the Executive Director and CEO of Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E. and Atlantic University, as well as a popular author and speaker. As both student and teacher of the Cayce material for more than thirty years, he has lectured on five continents. A prolific writer, he is the author of twenty books including best-sellers Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records; Edgar Cayce on Soul Mates, and Edgar Cayce on Vibrations. His latest book, Edgar Cayce on Auras & Colors was written with professional psychic Carol Ann Liaros and explores tools for seeing the human aura and for understanding the interpretation of color.
Jim B. Tucker, M.D. is Bonner-Lowry Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. He is continuing the work of Dr. Ian Stevenson at the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies with children who report memories of previous lives. A board-certified child psychiatrist, Dr. Tucker worked with Dr. Stevenson for several years before taking over the research upon Dr. Stevenson’s retirement in 2002. Dr. Tucker had never seriously considered the idea of reincarnation before reading one of Dr. Stevenson’s books. After learning about the work, he became intrigued both by the children’s reports of past-life memories and by the prospect of studying them using an objective, scientific approach. He contacted the Division and in 1999 began working there half-time. A year later, he gave up his private practice completely to work at the university. He has now published two books, Return to Life and Life Before Life, as well as numerous papers in scientific journals. He has spoken before both scientific and general audiences and has made a number of television appearances, including Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and CBS Sunday Morning. Website - jimbtucker.com
Robert Waggoner is author of the acclaimed book, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, and a past President of the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD). For the last ten years, he has been co-editor of the online magazine, The Lucid Dreaming Experience, the only ongoing publication devoted specifically to lucid dreaming. Robert conducts on-line workshops with GlideWing Productions and routinely speaks at colleges and conferences worldwide on the lucid dream experience. He served as the season finale speaker at the Jung Society of Utah in 2012.
Dr. Theresa Yuschok is a psychiatrist in Durham, North Carolina and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Duke University Hospital and Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center where she is the Director of the Mental Health Clinic. She received her medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, interned with Dr. Bernie Seagal at Yale University and completed her psychiatry residency at Duke University Medical School where she has been on the faculty since 1988. She has been in practice for 28 years.
Nancy Zingrone, Ph.D. was a doctoral candidate in history at Duke University with specialties in the histories of science, medicine, psychiatry and American social history. She received her doctorate in psychology from the University of Edinburgh. She conducted experimental ESP research at the Institute for Parapsychology, which is now the Rhine Research Center, where she remains active in teaching. She has been an active member of the Parapsychological Foundation for more than twenty five years and has served on their Board of Directors. Dr. Zingrone also presently serves on Forever Family Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board. Her research interests are broad and include personality correlates of psychic experiences such as aura vision, out of body experiences, and apparitions. She has also holds a part time research position at the University of Virginia's Division of Perceptual Studies. She has also taught parapsychology courses at many universities and colleges, including Northeastern Illinois University as well as other institutions throughout the world. Her academic and scholarly articles have been published in numerous professional journals. Website theazire.org
   
 
Registration Fees/div>
♦ Early Registration Fee: (until 28 February, 2015):
            $255 Members, $280 Non-Members
♦ Regular Registration (until 15 April 2015):
            $270 Members, $295 Non-Members
♦ Late Registration Fee (16 April to 5 June 2015):
            $295 Members, $320 Non-Members
♦ After 5 June 2015 and on-site:
            $325 Members, $350 Non-Members
Conference Dates
Main Conference: Wednesday,  10 June 2015, 7 PM
      to Sunday, 14 June 2015, 12 PM
Pre Conference Dates: June 8, 9, & 10
Post Conference Dates: June 14, 15, 16, and 17
The Location
Chapel Hill is located in central North Carolina within 20 miles of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In 1819, the town was founded to serve the University of North Carolina and grew up around it. The population was 57,233 at the 2010 census. Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh make up the three corners of the Research Triangle, so named in 1959 with the creation of Research Triangle Park. The Rhine Research Center is located in nearby Durham.
The Hotel
Located on six acres of land, Sheraton Chapel Hill boasts a large outdoor swimming pool & sun deck and complimentary on-site parking. It is one of the few pet-friendly hotels in Chapel Hill, NC. Amenities include: ♦ 168 well-appointed rooms & suites ♦ 16,000 square feet of flexible event space ♦ Onsite dining at Carolina 1663 Restaurant and Lounge ♦ Complimentary Wi-Fi ♦ Sweet Sleeper TM beds ♦ Fitness Center ♦ Concierge service ♦ Free parking ♦ Laundry/valet service ♦ Local shuttle service ♦ Sheraton Club Lounge/Club Rooms

Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies, Inc., P.O. Box 84 Loxahatchee, Florida 33470, 1-561-714-1423 [email protected]