Our Faculty

Colette Bizal, ScD, CMT, WHP received her Doctorate in Physiology from Harvard University in 1990. Her teaching career began in 1982 at The Pennsylvania State University. Colette’s experiences span coast-to-coast, as she was faculty and Assistant Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at the University of New Hampshire and a research fellow at the Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, California. Having worked in cardiac rehabilitation, exercise physiology, teaching and research provides her with the expansive knowledge and experience she brings to the Wholistic Health field. As the Director of Education at the Wholistic Life Center, Washburn, Missouri for fourteen years, Dr. Bizal fulfilled many roles as she directed Center programs and co-directed the Center’s School of Massage and Healing Therapies, taught workshop classes, provided counseling, and designed individualized health and nutritional programs. In addition, she uses her healing gifts with clients through wholistic massage and health and nutritional counseling. At Sky Hill Institute, Dr. Bizal is the School director and teaches Anatomy and Physiology II, Integrated Bodywork, and Wholistic Health for the Massage Therapist in the Wholistic Massage Therapy program and Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Body Balance, Student Intern Clinic, Special Topics, and Group and Personal Dynamics in the Wholistic Health Practitioner program.

Denise Cugini, BBA, MMT, NCTMB, Naturopath brings to the faculty extensive training and experience as a teacher, licensed master massage therapist and practitioner of Wholistic Health. Denise graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in 1987. She worked in Project Management for the Employee Relations Division of a Fortune 500 International Corporation. She has extensive international experience working on project assignments in the United States, Europe and Asia. After twenty years in the business world, she changed careers to Wholistic Health. She became a licensed massage therapist in Missouri, a master massage therapist in Arkansas, Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and pursued a career in Naturopathy and Colon Hygiene. In 1991, Denise became full-time staff at the Wholistic Life Center, Washburn, Missouri where she practiced wholistic massage therapy, taught extensively, counseled guests and practiced wholistic principles for over fourteen years in clinic and spa settings. At the Center, she worked closely with guests, Clinic clients and students giving her dedicated energy and unfailing commitment to helping individuals reach their goals. As an instructor at the Center’s School of Massage and Healing Therapies, Denise used her mastery of massage and sensitivity to students’ needs to help all students succeed. At Sky Hill Institute, Denise teaches a variety of techniques specializing in basic Swedish massage and complementary systems in Massage I and Massage II and supervises the Student Intern Clinic.

Patricia Nuovo, BA, CFP, CMT, Naturopath had been in the financial industry for twenty years as a stockbroker and Certified Financial Planner. She has lectured extensively at fortune 500 companies, has been an adjunct faculty member at several schools and has taught adult education classes for the past twenty-five years. Her background in psychology from St. Mary’s College/ Notre Dame, adds to the skills she uses in her current capacity as a Naturopath. She provides financial counseling and lectures throughout the country and Canada. As one of the original staff members of the Wholistic Life Center, Washburn, Missouri, Patricia was instrumental in directing and administering many of the Center’s daily activities. She provided counseling and education to hundreds of guests and spearheaded the creation of many innovative classes throughout her time there. As co-director and instructor at the Wholistic Life Center School of Massage and Healing Therapies, Patricia was dedicated to creating the greatest experience possible for all students as she oversaw the students’ residential and work-study programs and worked diligently to counsel students through their personal challenges. At Sky Hill Institute, Patricia teaches Business and Ethics in both School programs and, with her extensive experience in the business world, brings a wealth of information into the classroom. She earned her diploma in Holistic Iridology and teaches this subject along with Elimination, Universal Concepts, Group and Personal Dynamics, and Meditation in the Wholistic Health Practitioner program and Wholistic Health for the Massage Therapist in the Wholistic Massage Therapy program.

Donna Pontrello, DC, WHP majored in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated magna cum laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic. Prior to joining Sky Hill Institute, Donna studied and worked in England where she began incorporating wholistic principles into her life. Upon her return to the United States, she set up her chiropractic practice in Seattle, Washington. Her next move was to become Staff Chiropractor at the Wholistic Life Center where she was committed to providing patients with the most comprehensive health and orthopedic evaluations and treatments. As Center staff, Donna taught workshop classes, counseled workshop guests, and was Director of the Center’s free Wholistic Health Clinic of the Ozarks. In the Clinic, Dr. Pontrello provided not only chiropractic treatment, but also health and nutritional programs for her patients. As an instructor in the Wholistic Life Center School of Massage and Healing Therapies, she taught in both the Wholistic Massage Therapy and the Wholistic Health Practitioner programs. With her clinical experience, Dr. Pontrello brings great insight into her classes as she directs students to understand the basis of neuromuscular dysfunction. At Sky Hill Institute, Dr. Pontrello teaches Anatomy and Physiology I, Therapeutic Modalities, and Wholistic Health for the Massage Therapist in the Wholistic Massage Therapy program and Nutrition, Body Balance, Group and Personal Dynamics, and Student Practicum in the Wholistic Health Practitioner program.

David Russell, CMT, L.Ac. has been practicing therapeutic massage since 1994.  He was trained at the Cayce Reilly School of Massotherapy in Virginia Beach, VA.  David specializes in many forms of bodywork including deep tissue, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, acupressure and Tui Na.  He continued his training to receive his Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Five Branches Institute in Santa Cruz, CA, is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, and has a sports medicine certification (Five Branches Institute).  He then traveled to China to study orthopedics, gynecology and oncology at the Zhejiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and completed an orthopedic acupuncture specialty program. David lives with his wife in Petaluma, CA where he teaches at the Sky Hill Institute and maintains his private practice, Russell Family Acupuncture (www.acuherbal.com)  David is a confident and talented healer.  His passion to understand and work with the human body using principles of both Eastern and Western philosophy is apparent as he integrates techniques from both realms into his clinical practice.  David brings his breadth of experience and his intuitive approach into the classroom where he teaches Anatomy and Physiology I, Integrative Bodywork, Student Clinic, Massage I and Massage II.

Stephen Bizal, DC graduated from Southern California University of Health Sciences, Whittier, California. Dr. Bizal promotes wholistic wellness as an educator and a health care provider. In private practice he provides comprehensive health and nutritional programs to clients and over the past ten years, has expanded his work into corporate America introducing such topics as “Emotional Intelligence” and “Corporate Healing”. He shares his years of clinical experience with Sky Hill students in their Student Intern Clinic.

Teresa Carideo, PT graduated from Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, NY. She has been a practicing physical therapist for over thirty years, has owned her own orthopedic rehabilitation center and has worked in a variety of rehabilitation settings. Teresa travels from her practice and home in Boston, MA to guide our students in learning Myofascial Release, Cranio Sacral Therapy and Feldenkrais.

 

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