The Institute for Integrative Nutrition's Mission

Our mission is to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world.

About IIN: Our Story

What started in a small New York City kitchen has evolved over three decades to become the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), the world’s most respected nutrition and health coaching school with the largest global presence in health coaching. Our online Health Coach Training Program and additional course offerings provide our students and graduates with the tools and knowledge they need to transform their own personal health, as well as the health of their clients and communities around the world.

History of IIN

Founder Joshua Rosenthal brought together 20 like-minded individuals in a rented kitchen in the heart of New York City to discuss health and wellbeing, sparking the fire that would soon turn into the largest nutrition and health coaching school in the world.
The Health Coach Training Program curriculum begins to take shape, as the coaching component of the curriculum is developed and the term “Health Coach” starts to gain traction.
The first class of IIN graduates, and thus creates the first ripple in improving health and happiness around the world.
The first international student - from the Netherlands - enrolls in the Health Coach Training Program.
IIN has rapidly expanded and Joshua Rosenthal hosts his first live class at Lincoln Center in New York City with 1,000 students and leading experts in health and wellness.
Forbes magazine recognizes the “professional coach” as one of the fastest-growing careers to make a six figure income.
Joshua Rosenthal’s first book, Integrative Nutrition: Feed Your Hunger for Health & Happiness is published.
IIN becomes licensed by the New York State Department of Education, setting the wheels in motion for more important credentialing as an institution.
After 5 amazing years hosting IIN’s Health Coach Training Program live and in-person, the curriculum is moved to be hosted entirely online.
IIN forges its first educational partnership with Goddard College, and is officially recognized by The National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), an organization that evaluates non-traditional educational programs for college credit equivalencies.
IIN creates its first “Advanced Course” offering called Launch Your Dream Book, geared towards graduates of the Health Coach Training Program to publish their own book(s).
IIN partners with advocates and policy makers in Washington, D.C. to pursue further recognition of the health coaching profession.
IIN recognizes two huge milestones: 1) 100,000 students and graduates in 175 countries around the world! And 2) approval by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC) for graduates to pursue certification.
IIN gets its first resolution passed in the Senate, The National Health and Wellness Coach Recognition Resolution (S.Res.67). The resolution signified the official recognition of the important work of Health Coaches to improve the health and happiness of the nation, in addition to recognizing the first-ever Health and Wellness Coach Recognition Week.
Founder Joshua Rosenthal, after 25 years of leadership, passes the torch to Lynda Cloud to further the global growth of IIN, bringing in new leaders with fresh perspective and an eagerness to continue spreading the ripple effect.
Health Coaching Category III CPT codes are approved by the American Medical Association, paving the way for eventual insurance coverage of health coaching services. This is a tremendous step forward for the health coaching profession! You can read more about this health coach advancement here.
In a difficult year across the globe with the COVID-19 pandemic, the IIN community banded together to take care of one another. We helped our community in creating at-home workout routines, finding ways to support others with emotional eating, setting up the healthiest at-home office space, sharing information around preventing chronic disease in light of COVID-19 research, and much more.
IIN received a variety of recognition for excellence in Health Coach education, including being named to TheBalanceCareers’ list of #1 Best Health Coach Certification Programs. Our Coaching Intensive Practicum (CIP) received full approval from the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) and accreditation by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as a Continuing Coach Education (CCE) approved program.
We are celebrating our 30th anniversary with the reimagining of our Health Coach Training ProgramTM, training the next generation of Health Coaches and Well BeIINgs to nourish, heal, and thrive and live a life they love! 30 years, 155,000 students and graduates, 175 countries—and still growing! We’re so proud of our global community of changemakers who are leading the health coaching revolution.
IIN forms landmark partnership with Dr. Deepak Chopra and the company founded in his vision, Chopra Global (Chopra), as IIN takes the first important step in evolving into the world’s largest integrative health education and certification platform. Through this partnership, IIN welcomes Dr. Chopra as Chief Wellness Officer and begins to expand our course offerings to include Chopra courses on meditation, Ayurveda, yoga, and coaching. Learn more about the first of many partnerships to come, here.

About IIN’s Founder

Joshua Rosenthal is a pioneer and visionary in the holistic health and wellness field, creating the concept of health coaching. Long before the benefits of proper nutrition and lifestyle were mainstream, Joshua’s fascination with personal growth and development led him to make simple changes to his own life, and realized that food changes everything. He harnessed this passion for health and wellness, masters of science in education, and specialization in counseling to create what we know as IIN today.

IIN Leadership

Lynda Cloud

Chief Executive Officer

Lynda brings nearly 30 years of experience in education and the online learning industry. She previously served as CEO at Equal Ed, a global start-up focused on expanding and equalizing access to online learning tools in emerging and developed markets.

Nora McCaffrey

Chief Academic Officer

Nora has a master’s in education and leads the IIN education team. She has been part of IIN for eleven years and is dedicated to providing the best learning experience for Health Coaches.

Kim Palermo

Chief Marketing Officer

Kim Palermo brings more than two decades of strategic marketing and operations experience to IIN, having driven marketing acquisition for Fortune 1000 companies and led teams that have developed industry-changing programming and approaches that have become industry standard and are utilized by the biggest healthcare companies in the world. Kim holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business with dual majors in Marketing and Entrepreneurial Management and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Chris Tava

Chief Technology Officer

Chris is a Software Engineering and Product Leader with 20+ years of experience delivering services for B2C and B2B businesses. He is a technology thought leader that likes to apply machine learning to business applications make an industry wide impact.

Our Core Values

Be a source of positive change

You are your own Health Coach first and that’s the power of health coaching - demonstrating that transforming your physical, mental, and spiritual health will encourage and empower others to want to improve their own wellbeing.

Do what you love and love what you do

Part of why health coaching is such powerful work is because Health Coaches are passionate about what they do: helping others achieve optimal health. We help people pursue their passion for health and wellness to do what they love, and love what they do.

Set an example of self-development & growth

We’re committed to setting the gold standard for Health Coaches. To become the best coach possible, one must pursue self-development and personal growth, which we give our coaches the tools to accomplish.

Support each other in the shift to better health

We’re stronger together. In order to spread the ripple effect of health and happiness across the globe, the sum is greater than its parts: each member of the IIN community matters.

Embrace learning

We strive to be life-long learners - finding new ways to do things and new ways of thinking about ourselves and what health means to our lives. Health Coaches are continuously learning so that they can best themselves and support their clients.

Strive to create balance in all areas of life

Health isn’t achieved with the food we put on our plates alone. We must tend to all the other areas of our lives that also provide us nourishment, such as our relationships, career, environment, and spiritual practice, keeping the Circle of Life in balance.

IIN Advisory Board

Cynthia James, MA

Cynthia is a transformational coach, inspirational leader, speaker, coach, singer, and award-winning author. Ms. James has facilitated hundreds of workshops, seminars and keynotes, including: Omega Institute, Celebrate Your Life, Woman Arising, the Gift in Shift, the Colorado Behavior Healthcare Council, the Women’s Success Forum, the Children’s Hospital, the School of Mines in Denver, LeadingAge, and many others.

Susan Blum, MD, MPH

Dr. Susan Blum is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as the Founder and Director of Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, New York, where she leads a multi-specialty team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nutritionists and health coaches, all providing cutting edge Functional and Integrative Medicine services. Dr. Blum approaches medicine—and her life—from a whole-body perspective, incorporating all facets of wellness into every aspect.

Deanna Minich, PhD

Dr. Deanna Minich is a health educator, researcher, and author with more than twenty years of experience in nutrition, mind-body health, medical science, and functional medicine. Her passion is bringing forth a colorful whole-self approach to nourishment and bridging the gaps between science, soul, and art in medicine.

Shaunna Menard, MD

After twenty-five years as a medical doctor and over a decade as a Health Coach, Dr. Shaunna Menard now teaches Health Coaches how to create a six-figure, soul-satisfying practice. She is a former Chair of Public Health, Assistant Professor of Medicine, has been featured on Breakfast Television and has spoken live on stage in front of audiences in the thousands. She is sought after as an engaging and dynamic speaker to share her true soul's calling that led her to break free from burned-out doctor to blissed-out Health Coach.

Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, DC

Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional-medicine expert, specializing in clinically investigating underlying factors of chronic disease and customizing health programs for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal dysfunctions, digestive disorders, and brain problems. As the senior clinic director of Cole Natural Health Centers, he is uniquely skilled and experienced at finding the root physiological, biochemical and hormonal causes underlying many diseases.

Oren Harris

Oren Harris aka "O" is a transformation coach, love leader, and transcendent artist devoted to truth, liberation, and the highest evolution of the planet. Oren is one of the world's leading experts on "flow" the highly sought after, peak performance state of consciousness known for its inherent ease, power, grace, and next level performance. He helps leaders, high performers, entrepreneurs, visionaries, and creatives live at their leading edge, awaken their magic and create profound impact through sharing their souls' unique genius.

Ellen Vora, MD

Ellen Vora, MD graduated from Columbia University medical school, received her B.A. in English from Yale University, and she’s a board-certified psychiatrist, medical acupuncturist, and yoga teacher. Dr. Vora takes a functional medicine approach to mental health–considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root, rather than reflexively prescribing medication. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Vora is also a writer, speaker, and a consultant for two healthcare startups.

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