Alumni & Associates Conference 2025 Agenda
Friday, January 17, 2025
| 8:45 AM - 12:00 PM | |
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(Optional) Early Arrivals: Guided Nature Hike in Pima Canyon
Limited spaces available! Experience the majestic Sonoran Desert surrounding Tucson on a guided hike with outdoor adventure guide and Fellowship alumna, Dr. Christina Kraft. Participants will sink into the natural beauty of Pima Canyon, learn about the unique plant life and geology of the Sonoran desert, and explore the myriad of mind/body health benefits from joy based movement activities such as hiking.
Pima Canyon is located just 10-minutes from the conference hotel in Tucson, Arizona. This trail mostly moderate, about 4 miles in length, with small sections of challenging rocky inclines. The hike will begin at exactly 9:00 am, please be sure to arrive on time to partake. (Kindly note that arranging transportation to and from Pima Canyon is your responsibility.)
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| 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM | |
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FULL - (Optional) Early Arrivals: Nature Walk in Sabino Canyon
Embark on a captivating, guided nature walk through the breathtaking Sabino Canyon, led by the knowledgeable and passionate Dr. Gary Goodman, Fellowship Alumnus, Class of 2017.
Dr. Goodman is a Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist who has gone through extensive training, he teaches children and adults about the flora and fauna that thrive in this vibrant desert landscape. Sabino Canyon is in Coronado National Park in Tucson, AZ, and is located just 25-minutes from the conference hotel. The trail easy to moderate and includes some incline. A hiking pole suggested, though not required.The walk will begin at exactly 9:30 am, please be sure to arrive on time to partake. (Kindly note that arranging transportation to and from Sabino Canyon is your responsibility.)
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| 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM | |
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(Optional) Early Arrivals: Guided Tour of School Gardens
Join Manzo Elementary for an inspiring guided tour of the school's impressive ecology and school garden system. 5th grade tour guides will show you how Manzo is transforming education through innovative practices, sustainable gardening, and community engagement. As leaders in the farm-to-cafeteria food model, Manzo showcases greenhouses, chicken coops, aquaponics gardens, composting systems, and a teaching kitchen. Students, from kindergarten through 5th grade, are stewards of the gardens and budding ecologists. The food grown onsite is incorporated into the school's cafeteria and student-operated farmer's market. The school is a beacon of excellence, celebrating the rich food traditions of the Sonoran Desert, addressing food insecurity and nutritional deficits, and empowering students to become scientists and active community members. Manzo is a 30-minute drive from the hotel and located just a few minutes West of Downtown Tucson. Kindly note, transportation to and from the site is your responsibility.
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| 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM | |
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Registration & Exhibitor Hall
Come by the registration desk to check in and pick up your materials.
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| 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM | |
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Alumni & Associates Welcome Networking Reception
Connect with your colleagues and enjoy a variety of activities and refreshments. Details announced soon!
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| 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | |
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Opening Activity
Session details coming soon.
Presenter(s): Chodo Campbell, Koshin Paley Ellison, Ann Marie Chiasson
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Saturday, January 18, 2025
| 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM | |
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(Optional) Heart Centered Meditation
Heart Meditation involves focus and stimulation of the heart center. Such a practice is useful for experiencing the still center point from which one's health and life flows with more ease.
Presenter(s): Ann Marie Chiasson
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(Optional) Qi Gong
Experience this ancient Chinese system of cultivating and harmonizing mind-body-heart-spirit for optimal functioning, longevity and embodied wisdom.
Presenter(s): Danube Jacobs
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(Optional) Yoga
Awaken your body and mind in this all levels yoga practice.
Presenter(s): Jaimie Perkunas
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| 7:00 AM - 8:15 AM | |
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Breakfast Optional Discussion Tables:
- How to Start an Integrative Alumni Chapter with Dr. Vivian Kominos
- Chat with an Integrative Medicine Clinical Mentor with Dr. Danna Park
Location: Grand |
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| 8:15 AM - 8:30 AM | |
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Welcome
Presenter(s): Ann Marie Chiasson, Andrew Weil
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| 8:30 AM - 9:15 AM | |
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Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
An exploration of the science behind how the human species has lost the ability to breathe properly and why we are suffering from a laundry list of maladies because of it. Nestor will also demonstrate some practical tips to restore breathing and help reduce symptoms of asthma, snoring, anxiety, and more.
Presenter(s): James Nestor
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| 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM | |
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Breath
Breath is the core function of life. It unites mind and body, conscious and unconscious experience, and is regarded in many cultures as the movement of spirit in the body. Proper breathing is essential to health. In this presentation, Dr. Weil will discuss how the regulation of the breath can be a powerful therapeutic technique for health and wellbeing.
Presenter(s): Andrew Weil
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| 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM | |
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Breath Q&A
Presenter(s): Andrew Weil, James Nestor
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| 10:00 AM - 10:05 AM | |
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Movement Break: Chair Yoga
Presenter(s): Jaimie Perkunas
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| 10:05 AM - 11:05 AM | |
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Trending Diets: From Keto to Mediterranean to Vegan
Session details coming soon.
Presenter(s): Christopher Gardner
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| 11:05 AM - 11:35 AM | |
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Break & Exhibitor Hall
Location: Arizona Foyer |
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| 11:35 AM - 12:35 PM | |
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Cannabinoids (nonaccredited session)
Medical Cannabis pearls for busy clinicians.
Presenter(s): Mikhail Kogan
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| 12:35 PM - 2:00 PM | |
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Lunch Optional Discussion Tables:
- New Jersey, New York, Connecticut Alumni Chapter with Dr. Vivian Kominos
Location: Grand |
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| 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM | |
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Auricular Acupuncture Workshop: What Your Ears Know About Mind-Body Healing - Are You Listening?
Join us for conversation, case studies, demonstrations and a bit of practice as we explore how auricular acupuncture and acupressure is used to relieve stress, treat physical discomforts, reduce inflammation, and bring physical and emotional balance. Learn the map of the auricle and practice techniques you can use immediately for yourself and in clinical practice. Discover the research and how auricular acupuncture is used around the world to treat PTSD, pain, and deliver calm to people in trauma, healing from addictions, and seeking a more balanced life.
Presenter(s): Celia Hildebrand
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Living Wide Awake: The Medicine of Whole Hearted Care
Contemplative care practices move us through our fears, toward actions of courageous connection with others and ourselves. The awakening path asks: How can we wholeheartedly face what frightens us, look closer at what divides us, and to allow space for ourselves and others in new reservoirs of compassion to flourish all around us?
Practitioners of contemplative medicine walk the bodhisattva path, as ones who live by a vow, root it deeply in their daily lives, and seek to awaken and widen out in every moment for the benefit of others. In this session, Koshin Sensei and Chodo Sensei encourage all of us to ask: What might living wide awake look like for you in your daily life, in your clinical partnerships?
Presenter(s): Chodo Campbell, Koshin Paley Ellison
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| 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | |
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(Optional) Visit the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine Complex
Explore the new home of integrative medicine! Prior to heading out for dinner, take some time to visit the recently inaugurated Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine Complex situated on the University of Arizona's Health Sciences Campus. (Kindly note that arranging transportation to and from the building is your responsibility.)
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Sunday, January 19, 2025
| 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM | |
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(Optional) Heart Centered Meditation
Heart Meditation involves focus and stimulation of the heart center. Such a practice is useful for experiencing the still center point from which one's health and life flows with more ease.
Presenter(s): Ann Marie Chiasson
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(Optional) Introduction to Ayurveda Marma Points
In this Marma Therapy session, participants will delve into the ancient Ayurvedic practice of stimulating specific energy points (marma points) on the body to promote healing and balance. The session will cover the technique, its therapeutic benefits, and how to effectively apply Marma Therapy as a treatment protocol with patients to address various physical and emotional ailments. Through hands-on practice, participants will learn to harness the power of these vital points to enhance their patients' well-being and support their holistic health.
Presenter(s): Amita Nathwani
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(Optional) Yoga
Awaken your body and mind in this all levels yoga practice.
Presenter(s): Jaimie Perkunas
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| 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM | |
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Breakfast
Location: Grand |
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| 7:15 AM - 8:00 AM | |
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(Optional) YouTube Master Class: Clinicians as YouTube Creators: Harnessing The Power Of Video to Provide Access to Health Information
YouTube Health is dedicated to making high-quality health information accessible to everyone. And empower people to live their healthiest lives by raising up content from authoritative clinical YouTube creators like you. YouTube has built out partnerships with organizations like the National Academy of Medicine, the World Health Organization and the Council of Medical Specialty Societies to define principles for how creators share health info online. Join Ariel Altman, Head of Youtube Health Industry Partnerships, for a discussion on the way health information is communicated, accessed and consumed for the platform's two billion users.
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| 8:30 AM - 8:35 AM | |
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Welcome
Presenter(s): Ann Marie Chiasson
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| 8:35 AM - 9:35 AM | |
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Integrative Approaches to Ketamine Panel
Ketamine panelists will explore the clinical use of ketamine in integrative settings from 3 specialists' perspectives. We will discuss the quality of the emerging evidence and notable trends. IV Ketamine Therapy: Healing the Mind without Harming the Body with anesthesiologist, Anthony Kaveh, MD Ketamine, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, and Integrative Medicine with Amy Price Neff, MD Ketamine with Scott Shannon, MD
Presenter(s): Scott Shannon, Amy Price Neff, Anthony Kaveh
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| 9:35 AM - 10:35 AM | |
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease
Explore the potential of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) - a noninvasive brain modulation technique that is gaining traction in both research and clinical fields. In this talk, Dr. Chou will demystify how TMS functions, its relevance in neurophysiological evaluation, and its emerging role as a potential therapeutic option for individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. This presentation will offer insights into the practical applications of a method poised to make a meaningful impact in neurological health and treatment.
Presenter(s): Ying-hui Chou |
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| 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM | |
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Break & Exhibitor Hall
Location: Arizona Foyer |
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| 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | |
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Chronic Abdominal Pain and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Children
This talk with review non-pharmacologic approach to pediatric abdominal pain. It will cover evidence-based approaches utilizing mind-body modalities, botanicals, review newer neuromodulator technologies. Will also address differential diagnoses for functional abdominal pain, such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES).
Presenter(s): Ann Ming Yeh
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| 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM | |
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Lunch
Location: Grand |
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| 12:10 PM - 1:10 PM | |
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Special Lunch Lecture: Integrative Veterinary Care
Presenter(s): Randy Aronson
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| 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM | |
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Billing and Coding for Integrative Medicine in an Insurance Model
This lecture and interactive Q&A session will go over a successful model for billing Integrative Medicine consultations in a University medical system RVU model of billing all types of insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. The overall goal for this session is to encourage your confidence in billing appropriately for your Integrative consultations.
Presenter(s): George Schatz, Tayma Shaya
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Conscious Movement - A Trance Dance Workshop
Together we'll use mindfulness and movement to support wholeness and health. We'll explore the capacity for freestyle movement, music and spoken guidance to cultivate states of presence, curiosity, fluidity and freedom. The combination of freestyle movement and conscious attention allows us to experience all of the wild and subtle feelings that flow through us.
Presenter(s): Kristen Jackson Banister
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Medicinal Herbal Tea Blending
The Blending Botanicals is an interactive, hands-on session that will give you the opportunity to create your very own medicinal herbal tea blend. You will receive guidance on formulating, a primer on each herb available for blending, and you will then go to work in creating your own tea blend. Hot water will be provided so you can sample your herbal formulation.
Presenter(s): Lise Alschuler
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| 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM | |
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Break & Exhibitor Hall
Location: Arizona Foyer |
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| 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM | |
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Billing and Coding for Integrative Medicine in an Insurance Model
This lecture and interactive Q&A session will go over a successful model for billing Integrative Medicine consultations in a University medical system RVU model of billing all types of insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. The overall goal for this session is to encourage your confidence in billing appropriately for your Integrative consultations.
Presenter(s): George Schatz, Tayma Shaya
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Conscious Movement - A Trance Dance Workshop
Together we'll use mindfulness and movement to support wholeness and health. We'll explore the capacity for freestyle movement, music and spoken guidance to cultivate states of presence, curiosity, fluidity and freedom. The combination of freestyle movement and conscious attention allows us to experience all of the wild and subtle feelings that flow through us.
Presenter(s): Kristen Jackson Banister
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Medicinal Herbal Tea Blending
The Blending Botanicals is an interactive, hands-on session that will give you the opportunity to create your very own medicinal herbal tea blend. You will receive guidance on formulating, a primer on each herb available for blending, and you will then go to work in creating your own tea blend. Hot water will be provided so you can sample your herbal formulation.
Presenter(s): Lise Alschuler
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| 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | |
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Dinner & Dance
Location: Pavillion |
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Monday, January 20, 2025
| 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM | |
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(Optional) Heart Centered Meditation
Heart Meditation involves focus and stimulation of the heart center. Such a practice is useful for experiencing the still center point from which one's health and life flows with more ease.
Presenter(s): Ann Marie Chiasson
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(Optional) Poetry
This is a fun and creative workshop where you will pick words from a hat and write a poem using all or some of the words. There are no rules or expectations that the poem has to be great, but only that it reflects a part of you. When everyone is done, whoever wishes can read their poem aloud, but my hope is that everyone will share.
Presenter(s): Vivian Kominos
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(Optional) Yoga
Awaken your body and mind in this all levels yoga practice.
Presenter(s): Jaimie Perkunas
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| 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM | |
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Breakfast
Location: Grand |
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| 8:30 AM - 9:15 AM | |
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Peptides: The Strength of Evidence, and Benefits/Harms of Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and BPC-157
A practical approach to the usefulness of peptides related to gastrointestinal and metabolic health will be presented. We will discuss the science behind the use of these peptides as well as specific ways in which they are used in clinical practice.
Presenter(s): Myles Spar
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| 9:15 AM - 9:20 AM | |
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Movement Break
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| 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM | |
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Integrative Strategies for the Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
This presentation will focus on the pathogenesis of systemic auto immunity as well as steps to prevent the onset of a clinically relevant autoimmune syndrome. We will also discuss ways in which the use of
integrative medicine techniques can make the use of pharmacologic medications safer and more effective.
Presenter(s): Jill Weintraub
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| 10:20 AM - 10:50 AM | |
| Break | |
| 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM | |
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Phototherapy: Shining Light on a New Modality for Pain Management (nonaccredited session)
This talk is intended to share the benefit of using phototherapy, specifically, green light therapy to manage pain. It will detail the basic science which lead to the clinical trials. It will also show the future direction towards other possibilities for utilizing phototherapy.
Presenter(s): Mohab Ibrahim
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| 11:50 AM - 12:00 PM | |
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Break
Location: Arizona Foyer |
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| 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | |
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Closing Ceremony
Presenter(s): Ann Marie Chiasson
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| 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM | |
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(Optional) Late Departures: Nature Walk in Sabino Canyon
Limited Spaces Available!
Embark on a captivating, guided nature walk through the breathtaking Sabino Canyon, led by the knowledgeable and passionate Dr. Gary Goodman, Fellowship Alumnus, Class of 2017.
Dr. Goodman is a Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist who has gone through extensive training, he teaches children and adults about the flora and fauna that thrive in this vibrant desert landscape. Sabino Canyon is in Coronado National Park in Tucson, AZ, and is located just 25-minutes from the conference hotel. The trail easy to moderate and includes some incline. A hiking pole suggested, though not required.The walk will begin at exactly 2:30 pm, please be sure to arrive on time to partake. (Kindly note that arranging transportation to and from Sabino Canyon is your responsibility.)
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Cancellation and Refund Policy
Cancellations must be requested in writing through the Event Dashboard. Please visit our FAQ page for information regarding refund requests.
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