Meet our Leadership in Health Coaching Award Recipients for the HCTP May 2019 Class

Congratulations to our Leadership in Health Coaching Award recipients for the HCTP May 2019 class! Integrative Nutrition believes in, supports, and celebrates all our incredible graduates for spreading the ripple effect of health and happiness in the world. The Leadership in Health Coaching Award was created to recognize the amazing accomplishments of our graduates, specifically those doing outstanding work that aligns with Integrative Nutrition’s core mission. Learn more about the winners below!

Mandy Suarez

New York, NY

Instagram Handle: suarez_mandy

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Before enrolling at IIN, I was a director of development at a large nonprofit. I have been a fundraiser in the nonprofit space for almost 20 years, and I was eager for a meaningful change in my life.

How did your life change after enrolling?

I came to IIN at a pivotal moment in my life. As a nonprofit fundraiser for almost 20 years, I sought a career where I could help people on a more personal level. As a Health Coach, I truly believe I found my calling.

Thanks to synchronicity, I was also able to leave my large, corporate nonprofit and transition to serve as a consultant working for a grassroots nonprofit (Amani Global Works) focused on primary healthcare in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This work aligns perfectly with my work as a Health Coach and my mission in life; I believe we ALL deserve to live a healthy and happy life.

IIN inspired me to be bold and start seeking a better, more joyful life for myself and my community.

Maritza LaPalomento

Katy, TX

Instagram Handle: how.she.lives

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Before IIN, I was working at a chiropractic office doing massage therapy and looking for another way to help people.

How did your life change after enrolling?

I found some things easy and some more challenging. I was already eating pretty clean, but I still worked on trying new foods and spices, and I'm so glad I did! I also got more practice with time management and finances.

Vaughn Peterson

Flagstaff, AZ

Instagram Handle: vpofaz

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Working full-time in engineering for an implantable medical device company. I was also devouring as much information as I possibly could about healthy eating, meditation, good sleep, gut health, and other topics. Podcasts, books, and internet articles were a part of every day. I loved putting what I was reading into practice in my life, keeping the practices that worked and discarding those that didn’t.

How did your life change after enrolling?

After a time, I began coaching. At first, I was a newborn foal, but with time, I have gained great confidence. The training and tools that IIN provided took me from a vague wish of aligning my career with my passion for health to a state of confidence and belief in unlimited possibilities.

Desiree Vogt

Orlando, FL

Instagram Handle: activatedlifebydaisyv

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

One year prior to my enrollment, we moved to the United States, and I had left my career in the hospitality industry to care for my physically disabled stepson. I was looking for something that combined my passion for helping others with my fascination of the human body and how the mind and biology can be hacked and made to work better if we make simple changes. 

How did your life change after enrolling?

My life has changed in a lot of ways since enrolling, probably the most profound being that I have found a purpose again and a message to share. I am more dedicated, driven, and conscious of what I do, say, and eat. It even started affecting my family because they are making healthier choices and have been benefiting from the positive changes taking place. I have also been able to connect with the most amazing people through IIN and building my brand. It seems like the blessings are flowing in from every angle.

Marina Arcos

Chula Vista, CA

Instagram Handle: arcos_marina

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Prior to IIN, my life was focused on church and my job in customer service, but I was lacking a sense of accomplishment. Before becoming an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I felt like I was living day to day without much purpose and just going through life without a real meaning. I was always looking for a means to fulfill my passion for overall health and desire to help people live a healthier and happier life. My passion has always been to teach disease prevention and healthy aging through building a strong immune system. God’s promises to bless me and prosper me always kept me going, and in May 2019, God blessed me with the IIN program, and my life began to change even more.

How did your life change after enrolling?

Above all things, God has blessed me richly, and my heart is filled with thankfulness. IIN was such a life-changing experience and wonderful journey. It gave me confidence to voice science-based facts about health and feel comfortable coaching people one area at a time through healthy nourishment both on and off the plate. IIN was so interesting and inspiring and brought healthy dietary and long-lasting lifestyle changes into my life. I became less stressed, more optimistic, grateful, and open-minded. I realized through my transformation that it’s about progress, not perfection; to not dwell on the past or live in the future but to live life in the present – and that the best project you will ever work on is YOU.

Elsa Guenther

Rochester, NY

Instagram Handle: ekg_fit

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

I worked in both the public and private sector trying to find my niche. Working out and reading and consuming content within the health and wellness industry became my #1 pastime. Enrolling at IIN was me betting on myself – that I could live my dream and turn this passion into more.

How did your life change after enrolling?

It’s changed entirely! I left my job in May 2020 to launch my health coaching practice full-time.

Hayley Martichuski

Sartel, MN

Instagram Handle: mindfully_managed1

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Prior to enrolling, I was working as a practical nurse at an urgency center. I always knew I wanted to help people and would look at the ladies in scrubs as heroes. It wasn’t long after I graduated nursing school and accepted my first position that I experienced the major downfall of the medical system. I administered almost every medication into every orifice you can think of, and I would watch as the individuals continued to surround themselves with the same poisons. As the years went on, it became nearly impossible to carry out my duties as my values had changed. I longed to get to know someone versus the ten minutes of screening that I had memorized like the back of my hand. I needed a way out of this cycle.

How did your life change after enrolling?

After enrolling, my life immediately began to shift in a light that was so full of joy and richness, my quality of life skyrocketed. I suddenly didn’t feel so alone with all my "universal thoughts" because I was surrounded by an entire community who supported them. With each new module, I was graced with new ways of living that I would challenge myself to live out for the week. I learned how to balance my life and prioritize. I was able to properly identify where I felt lack in my life and tend to those areas. I became more accepting of the human condition than I ever had before. My whole schooling experience was like an adventure, and I the explorer. I now have so many tools in my belt to create a fulfilling sustainable life.