Instructors

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Gene Bruno, OMD, LAC, FABAA

 

   Dr. Gene Bruno began his studies in Classical Chinese Medicine with Dr. Ju Gim Shek and Dr. William Prensky, and completed them after 5 years as the personal assistant to Dr. James Tin Yau So.   He was a co-director, with John Ottaviano, of the initial research done by the National Acupuncture Association (NAA) that introduced animal acupuncture into the United States from 1972 to 1975. 
   He has served as a teaching assistant at the University of California at Los Angeles, and an acupuncturist in research at Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Bruno was a research assistant to Werner Nobel, MD, at Amherst University. A part of his work with Dr. Nobel was developing protocols and techniques for applying acupuncture analgesia on animals.
   He was licensed by the Oregon Board of Medicine in 1975. He was also licensed in California, Washington and Alaska.  Dr. Bruno was the president of the American Association of Oriental Medicine from 2002 though 2004 and served on the Medical Boards for Oregon and Washington. He is currently the president of the American Board of Animal Acupuncture.  Dr. Bruno has published four books on animal acupuncture.

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Jay Giles Clements, MS, EST


   Jay holds a Master of Science degree in Animal Science/Equine Science and Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Science. Jay has been teaching Equine Science at the collegiate level since 2009.  She has been the Director of the Equine Science program at Scottsdale Community College since the Fall of 2017. Jay has worked in the horse industry as a professional her entire life. Her experience with horses is extremely vast, from managing large ranches, packing in the mountains, starting colts, training horses, and competing at the Professional Rodeo level (WPRA) in barrel racing for many years just to name a few.
  
For over 30 years, Jay has owned her own business Equi-Sports and works as an Equine Consultant and Equine Sports Therapist when she isn’t in the classroom. She serves on the board of the American Board of Animal Acupuncture and is an instructor for the Animal Acupuncture/Equine portion alongside Dr. Gene Bruno. In 2024, Jay received a Life-Time Achievement Award from the ABAA in recognition of over three decades as a professional therapist in equine medicine, and for her devoted care and service in the advancement of alternative therapies in equine medicine.

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Lisa Franzetta, DAIM, L.Ac.

  
Dr. Lisa Franzetta is a licensed acupuncturist who treats dogs and cats at Marina Village Veterinary, an integrative veterinary practice in Alameda, Calif. She also works with two-legged patients at Griffin Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine in Oakland. 
   A lifelong animal lover and advocate, Lisa earned her degree in biology at Brown University. She was inspired to pursue Chinese medicine with a goal of one day working with animals, and she earned her MS and doctoral degrees at Berkeley’s Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College. Her doctoral research focused on educating animal guardians about the benefits of acupuncture for their dogs and cats, and she completed postgraduate studies in animal acupuncture with Dr. Gene Bruno. She is an alumna of the ABAA’s Animal Acupuncture course, and a director on the American Board of Animal Acupuncture. As a trained Companion Animal End-of-Life doula, Lisa has a particular interest in offering families healing support during palliative care.

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Nanci Bankier, MA, MSTOM, LAc, FABAA

   Nanci Bankier has been practicing acupuncture since 2010. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, focusing on Marine Biology an M.A. in secondary education and spent six years teaching high school Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Environmental Science.
   She has always been passionate about all animals. Though her path to working with animals took some detours, her love for them never wavered. Nanci has significant hands-on experience working with animals. She volunteered at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago for four years, at and Casey’s Safe Haven Holistic Horse Rescue, and the Furry Friends Foundation animal shelter for nearly six years, where she primarily worked with dogs and adopted her first two rescues. Additionally, she has consistently been involved in the animal rescue world and has rehabilitated injured wildlife whenever possible.
   After completing the ABAA Animal Acupuncture program, Nanci is fulfilling her lifelong dream of treating animals using acupuncture and other holistic methods. A devoted animal lover, she combines her extensive knowledge of acupuncture and Chinese medicine to help animals heal and thrive naturally.

Assistant Instructors

Picture2Amanda Meadows

 
Amanda holds an AAS degree in Equine Science from Scottsdale Community College.  She currently works as an Equine Specialist alongside mental health professionals offering equine assisted therapy.

  Amanda is EAGALA certified and runs multiple military programs helping veterans who suffer with PTSD. Her passion is providing care for the therapy horses that give so much in the healing of humans, ensuring the horses’ physical and mental health is always a priority.  

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