President: Emma Bragdon, PhD.
Emma Bragdon envisioned IMHU, founded it and directs both IMHU and its parent not for profit company, the Foundation for Energy Therapies. She has hand-picked the faculty for IMHU and has been instrumental in decision-making regarding all curricula. She has been a teacher, author, and spiritual guide, bridging psychology and spirituality since 1990. Prior to 1990 she was a licensed marriage, family and child psychotherapist in private practice with a deep interest in supporting spiritual development and optimal wellness. Her two books on spiritual emergency are classics in the field. Since 2001 she has been researching and publishing four books about a branch of Spiritualism in Brazil, Spiritism, with special focus on the Spiritist Psychiatric Hospitals. In these hospitals conventional psychiatrists and psychologists collaborate with spiritual healers to facilitate healing for the patients.
Vice President: Paula C. Sellars, MSW
Paula Sellars designs culture change programs for social entrepreneurial non-profits and for-profit organizations. She is passionate about enabling people in leadership to develop their ability to impact large-scale social issues. Paula is currently the Executive Vice President and Principal of Phoenix Possibilities Inc. Formerly a family therapist and cranio-sacral therapist, Paula specialized in family systems, adolescent development, trauma recovery, and body-mind integration. She is the author of Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children, a child sexual abuse prevention curriculum, and Partnerships in Motion: A Renaissance in Aging Docutraining®. Paula is currently a Consciousness Trainer with Phoenix Possibilities and an Awakened Oneness Blessing Giver.
Secretary: Phil Roth, CPA, Esq.
Phil had 36-years of successful financial management, including a senior level position with a “Big 8” accounting firm, founding partner of a medium size CPA firm, and a ten year stint as SVP and CFO of a medium sized manufacturing corporation before returning to private practice. Phil also serves on the board of directors for Opanga Networks, Inc and Eden Rock Communications, LLC on behalf of major investors, Pacific Wireless Ventures, LLC and Pacific Wireless Ventures II, LLC. Phil’s legal education includes an LL.M. in taxation. He is a member of the Washington State Bar Association as well as the Washington Society of CPAs. A 2-week visit to Brazilian spiritual healers with his family helped Phil recognize the value of meditation, prayer, intuition and integrative psychiatry.
Bolling H. (Bo) Sasnett, III
Bo is a versatile executive with over 25 years experience in both domestic and international business. He is a visionary with strong entrepreneurial drive, excellent communication skills, sound and unquestionable integrity. Bo thrives in high growth and fast paced environments. He is a proven leader with experience in both large and small organizations. Bo has been successful in raising capital, developing technology, revenue growth, strategic alliances, new business models and streamlining operations. He is recognized as an industry leader and is frequently a speaker at leading industry events including NACS, NACStech, SIGMA and Think Tank. He was educated at Georgia Southern University where he majored in Business Administration. Bo is a supporter of the community and integrative health care. He has been involved with and raised funds for several community and non-profit organizations.
IMHU Advisory Board
Emanuel Dutra
Emanuel has over 20 years of experience in the finance industry, having worked as a portfolio manager and proprietary trader in top tier investment banks, as well as managing experience in the technology industry, including the role of CFO of Alog Data Centers, a company acquired by Equinix in 2011. Emanuel graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with degrees in Electrical Engineering and French. A lifelong Spiritist, over the past two years he has led a project to produce new translations of the fundamental works of Allan Kardec, a project which has already resulted in the translation of The Spirits’ Book, and The Gospel according to Spiritism in Chinese.
Len Saputo, MD
has led the Health Medicine movement as the founder of the Health Medicine Forum, a non-profit educational foundation. Len has produced and hosted the “Prescriptions for Health Show” on KEST Radio with his wife Vicki, an RN. He authored “A Return to Healing: Radical Health Care Reform and the Future of Medicine.” DoctorSaputo.com offers a library of nearly 2,000 media files featuring Dr. Saputo, Vicki Saputo, and an amazing array of health and wellness experts from around the world discussing various health topics.
Craig Wagner
is the Founder and Principal of Onward Mental Health. It provides Integrative Mental Health insight. Through speaking engagements, books, research summaries, monographs, training, infographics, editing services, and one-on-one interaction, it articulates an evidence-based and humane map for mental health recovery. They help people use that map to take their next best step forward. Craig is the author of “Choices in Recovery“- 27 non-drug options for recovery.
Steven Brena, MD (Honorary Member)
(Steve passed away in 2017). We are grateful for Steve’s prior contributions as an Advisor to IMHU. He was the author of several books, including “Pain and Religion” and “Yoga and Medicine: The Merging of Yogic Concepts with Modern Medical Knowledge“. He had been a follower of the Self-Realization Fellowship teachings since 1968. He formerly directed the Pain Management Department at the University of Washington School of Medicine, as well as a Pain Management Clinic. He had a vast understanding of the Bhagavad Gita with commentaries by Paramahansa Yogananda.