Growing up as a member of a distinguished medical family in southern China, Jeffrey Pang was privately educated to join a lineage of traditional Chinese doctors spanning several generations. In 1968, he received his M.D. (training in both Western medicine and TCM) from the Sun Yat Sen University of Medical Sciences located in Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China. In 1984, Jeffrey emigrated to the U.S. and became a licensed acupuncturist in California. His experience includes ten years of clinical practice in Guangzhou and Hong Kong hospitals, and 25 years of private practice.
A principal member of the Five Branches’ faculty since its inception in 1984, Professor Pang leads the review and development of Five Branches TCM curriculum as Theory and Herbology Department Head. He has been a contract acupuncturist with Kaiser Hospital, and Santa Teresa Pain Management Center since 1997 and currently maintains a private practice in San Jose, California. His areas of specialization include joint pain, visual disturbances, dermatological diseases and immune system disorders.
Jeffrey balances his full-time TCM career with Taiji exercises, camping in Yosemite, swimming and planting fruit trees from cuttings given to him by his students. Professor Pang teaches in the Departments of TCM Theory, TCM Herbology, TCM Clinical Medicine and TCM Clinical Training and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Joanna Zhao
Senior Professor
Faculty Since 1984
Academic Dean & Clinic Director, Department Chair
TCM Clinical Medicine and Clinical Training
Joanna Zhao, Academic Dean, has been Director of Five Branches’ TCM Clinic since she co-founded it in 1984. Her commitment to TCM began as a youngster in China, when she became interested in the work of her uncle, a famous TCM doctor. Joanna received her education from the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the People’s Republic of China, where she trained in both Western medicine and TCM. She studied with noted medical doctors and acupuncturists Xiuyan Lu and Yuan Fang. Joanna has spent more than a quarter of a century teaching and practicing TCM in China and the U.S., working with local oncologists and developing specialties in cancer, immune diseases and mental emotional disorders.
Joanna has lectured at the Five Branches’ International Symposium on Women’s TCM and on Pediatric TCM, and has been a guest speaker at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has also been the lead speaker at national conferences on female reproductive cancer, and leukemia. She has led study tours to China since 1992, where Five Branches’ students and graduates study in Shanghai’s Shuguang Hospital and Zhejiang Chinese Medical University.
Joanna is an accomplished musician, integrating Eastern and Western styles of music. Like her teacher and great-grandfather, she is also an excellent calligrapher. Professor Zhao teaches in the Departments of TCM Acupuncture and TCM Herbology, and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Sharon Feng
Senior Professor
Faculty Since 1988
Director of Clinic Quality Control,
Department Chair, Gynecology, Doctoral Clinic Director
Sharon Feng received her M.D. degree in 1962, from the Shanghai Second Medical University in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. She was a student of the prominent doctor Wei Zhi Xin. Professor Feng has practiced medicine for over 30 years, specializing in OB/GYN, using Western medicine as well as Traditional Chinese medicine. Sharon supervised surgeries in OB/GYN and was Chief of Residents at the Second Medical Hospital in Shanghai. Her specialties include infertility, PMS, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, irregular menstruation, and breast cysts. Sharon has researched and practiced ear acupressure for diagnosis and treatment since 1978. She also specializes in fatigue syndromes, depression and treatment of the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy in cancer patients.
Sharon became a licensed acupuncturist in California in 1988. Besides being an active member of the faculty at Five Branches University, she maintains a private practice in San Mateo, California. She was a featured speaker at the Five Branches’ International Symposium on Women’s TCM and has lectured at national symposiums on female reproductive cancer and leukemia.
Sharon is an avid Chinese opera enthusiast and has helped organize Chinese cultural events with famous Chinese opera singers at Five Branches University. Professor Feng teaches in the departments of TCM Herbology, TCM Clinical Medicine and TCM Clinical Training and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Lucy Hu
Senior Professor
Faculty Since 1989
Department Chair, Pediatrics
Lucy Hu comes from a family of healthcare practitioners. Her great grandfather was a doctor of Traditional Chinese medicine and her two older sisters earned Western MD degrees in China. Lucy received her medical degree from Shenyang University in Shenyang, People’s Republic of China, in 1961 and worked as a pediatrician and instructor at the Dalian Medical College from 1961 through 1979. Lucy graduated from the Chinese Acupuncture Medical Institute of Hong Kong in 1982, with diplomas in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. In her three decades of medical experience, she has specialized in pediatrics. Lucy became a licensed acupuncturist in California in 1987 and obtained her National Certification (NCCAOM) in both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology.
In 2004, Lucy presented a case study of a child with a severe genetic metabolic disorder at the International Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Difficult Diseases by Herbal Therapy and Acupuncture in Hangzhou, China. She treated the child with success unobtainable by Western methods. After 12 months of treatment, the child’s health and quality of life continued to improve significantly.
Lucy maintains a private practice for adults and children in Santa Clara, California. Her interests include classical music and cooking, especially the healthy Chinese herbal soups so favored by her students. You can visit her website at http://lucy.hu.googlepages.com/. Professor Hu teaches in the Departments of TCM Clinical Medicine and TCM Clinical Training and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Frank D. He
Senior Professor
Faculty Since 1997
Department Chair, Acupuncture
Frank He spent two years in family practice with his grandfather in the early 1980s. He obtained his Bachelors and Masters degrees’ in Medicine from the Department of Acupuncture at Liaoning University of TCM, in the People’s Republic of China. He won every scholarship available at his medical school and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Frank was raised in a remote village in northern China and began practicing there as a barefoot doctor in 1986. Each year he brings students and colleagues to his village to serve the local people. In the village, Frank treats various conditions not commonly seen in the city. The village offers a family practice setting where he acts as a general practitioner to children and adults.
Frank knows sports and how to treat sports injuries. He was a champion decathlete while in medical school and was an amateur boxer for 5 years. He has helped thousands of patients return to the sports field, including weekend warriors and Olympic gold medalists. Active in athletic activities in the greater Bay Area, Frank has won medals in track and field, and won the Nankai Cup volleyball tournament.
Frank is a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) appointed by the State of California, one of the few actively practicing Acupuncturist-QMEs among over 10,000 acupuncturists. Frank has earned a reputation for his extensive knowledge, skills and passion. Radiologists often refer to him as “Frank He, MD” because of his superior clinical judgment in the field. Well published and respected in the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, he is an international lecturer traveling around the world to promote acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Frank has appeared in numerous local and national publications as an expert in the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine – particularly in the areas of sports medicine, anti-aging, stress management, seniors’ health, and women’s health. He has a patent pending approval for a specially engineered acupuncture needle. Frank has developed a unique acupuncture technique called Muscle Channel Technique (MCT)™ which has clinically proven to be effective in pain management and injury healing. Professor He teaches in the Departments of TCM Acupuncture, TCM Clinical Medicine and TCM Clinical Training and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Christine Klein
Associate Professor
Faculty Since 1995
Department Chair, Complementary Studies
Christine Klein is a graduate of both the first graduating class of Five Branches as well as a DAOM Fellow in the first doctoral class of Five Branches University. She has had a private family practice in Santa Cruz since 1987. Her specialties include pain management, pulmonary and digestive disorders, immune problems, gynecology and internal medicine. She also specializes in Scalp acupuncture. Christine volunteers at the Rice Project in Carmel, Ca. (supporting needy families of Monterey county). She has taught Acupuncture II, theatre, internship and TCM Qi Gong at Five Branches University. Her interests include meditation, hiking and medical Qi gong. She currently studies medical Qi Gong with Dr. Bingkun Hu Ph.d. Dr. Klein currently teaches in the Departments of Complementary Studies and TCM Clinical Training.
Alan S. Wong
Senior Professor
Faculty Since 2000
Department Chair, Western Medicine
In his early life, Dr. Alan Wong was in poor health. He became interested in the study of medicine as he searched for ways to help regain his health. Dr. Wong completed medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and did his residency in internal medicine at the Stanford University-affiliated Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Clara, California. His professional work experience includes private practice and group practice with the Permanente Medical Group, and principal physician at Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation. Dr. Wong is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and has completed the Medical Acupuncture training program at UCLA.
In addition to his medical training, Dr. Wong holds a Master’s degree in statistics, and is interested in the application of modern clinical research methodologies to the study of TCM. He has a strong interest in integrative medicine and believes that optimal care of patients requires the combined use of Western medicine, TCM, and mind-body medicine. In his free time he enjoys Tai Chi and hiking. You can learn more about Dr. Wong on his website located at: http://alanswongmd.googlepages.com/. Dr. Wong teaches in the Department of Western Medicine and is also a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Gary Dolowich
Professor
Faculty Since 1997
Department Co-Chair, Five Element Specialty
Dr. Gary Dolowich graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1971 and practiced Western medicine for seven years before studying at the College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in England. He integrates Five Element acupuncture, the bodywork system of Zero Balancing, and Jungian techniques, with Western biomedicine in his medical practice in Aptos, California. Dr. Dolowich first began teaching Chinese Medicine in 1983 as a faculty member of the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Maryland. Currently he teaches at the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Florida and Five Branches University.
He has published articles in The Journal of Traditional Acupuncture, co-authored Ancient Roots, Many Branches: Energetics of Healing Across Cultures & Through Time, and written a book, Archetypal Acupuncture: Healing with the Five Elements. In his teaching, Dr. Dolowich brings together the Five Element approach, archetypal psychology, the I Ching, and the poetry of Rumi. The spiritual teachings of ancient China and the work of Carl Jung have long been an inspiration to him on his own life-journey. In his free time he enjoys kayaking, backpacking, gardening and poetry. His website is www.jademountain.net. Dr. Dolowich teaches in the Departments of TCM Theory and TCM Clinical Training and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Mary Huse
Professor
Faculty Since 1997
Department Co-Chair, Five Element Specialty
Mary Huse was an ER and critical care nurse for 18 years before finding her way to acupuncture. She graduated from Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Maryland in 1990 and Santa Barbara College of Oriental Medicine in 1993. Her deep love and knowledge of the Five Elements is expressed through her theory classes, clinical rounds, and internships at Five Branches University. She blends her background of Western medicine, TCM and Five Elements to best support her patients and maintains a full-time practice in Santa Cruz. Professor Huse teaches in the Departments of TCM Theory and TCM Clinical Training.
L. Francesca Ferrari
Associate Professor
Faculty Since 2004
Department Co-Chair, Medical Qigong Science
Francesca Ferrari received her undergraduate degree in History from the University of California at Berkeley, a Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, from Five Branches University and her Doctorate from the Beijing Western District Medical Qigong and TCM Research Institute in China. After years of Medical Qigong study with Professor Jerry Alan Johnson at the International Institute of Medical Qigong, she completed post-graduate training with Dr. Xu Hongtao at the Xiyuan Hospital in Beijing, China. She combines her hard-style qigong background with Medical Qigong. In teaching, Francesca blends her innate ability with the wisdom of her mentors to enhance her students’ diagnostic skills.
Francesca travels regularly to China for advanced study with her Master; she was chosen and inducted as an 80th generation lineage holder and inner disciple of the renowned Maoshan Daoist Temple, where the adept alchemist Sun Si Miao trained.
Francesca lectures internationally, emphasizing the importance of standing meditation, self-reflection and attention to subtle detail to cultivate enhanced qi flow and awareness. Her students, by fourth semester, will stand in meditation for one hour as part of the final exam. Francesca has been featured numerous times on both television and radio. She maintains a private practice where she combines her expertise in rare temple-style qigong with the best of western functional medicine. She enjoys teaching Medical Qigong Intensives and can be contacted at www.francescaferrari.com. With her rich fusion of style she brings energy and enthusiasm to her classes. Francesca Ferrari teaches in the Departments of Complementary Studies and TCM Clinical Training and is a faculty member of the Five Branches DAOM program.
Jean Vlamynck
Associate Professor
Faculty Since 2000
Department Co-Chair, Medical Qigong Science
Jean Vlamynck has been cultivating her energy with Qigong and Taiji for over 25 years. She began her private practice as a Certified Massage Practitioner in 1987, with treatments including polarity energy work. She graduated with a Masters of TCM from Five Branches and became a California licensed, nationally certified acupuncturist in 1992. As part of the first Five Branches post-graduate program in China, Jean completed four months of studies at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou, China, which included studying with Qigong and Taiji masters. In 1999, she attained her Master’s degree in Medical Qigong from the International Institute of Medical Qigong, and since then has been teaching and treating with Medical Qigong. Jean initiated and co-founded the Medical Qigong program at Five Branches. Jean has been in private practice since 1992. In her free time she enjoys hiking and swimming. Jean Vlamynck teaches in the Departments of Complementary Studies and TCM Clinical Training.
Tiffa Taylor
Instructor
Faculty Since 2007
Department Chair, Review and Assessment
Tiffa Taylor is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she received a BA in Biomedical Ethics, Mandarin Chinese, and Tibetan. She became interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine while living in Beijing. After working as a Bioethics Intern in the Palliative Care Unit of the University of Virginia hospital, Tiffa made the decision to become an acupuncturist and herbalist. She graduated from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco with a Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has also completed a certificate from Wake Forest School of Medicine's Professional Curriculum on Herbs and Dietary Supplements.
While completing her training in San Francisco, Tiffa interned at the California Pacific Medical Center in the stroke clinic and at St. James' Infirmary. She worked as an HIV-test counselor at the UCSF-AIDS Health Project, and volunteered at George Mark Children's House with children who have life-limiting illnesses. In addition, she worked on a steering committee helping to coordinate a joint class between Traditional Chinese Medicine students and UCSF medical students. Tiffa coauthored a presentation for the American Medical Student Association about HIV and Complementary and Alternative Medicine that is presented in medical schools and universities during HIV Awareness Week. Tiffa has been teaching and tutoring for the past ten years. She is a member of the American Herbalist Guild, the California State Oriental Medical Association, and the American Botanical Council. Currently, Tiffa is completing a certificate program from the Institute of Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She also provides acupuncture to low-income women with cancer in Oakland, CA at the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic.
When Tiffa is not working she enjoys traveling and studying languages. She has enjoyed traveling with medical doctors and dentists to provide free medical care in China and Tibet. Tiffa Taylor teaches in the Department of Review and Assessment.
