May 2, 2025
7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Balboa Bay Resort
Newport Beach, CA
The 23rd Annual Women’s Wellness Day (WWD), hosted by the UC Irvine Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, is an inspiring day full of renowned, thought-provoking speakers who share tools designed to empower attendees and enhance their personal well-being. This year’s theme is Rooted in Resilience, and leading researchers and healthcare professionals will offer clear guidance to help you on your whole-person health journey. Enjoy healthy meals, a wellness marketplace, and an empowering community atmosphere.
KEYNOTE:
“5 Lessons About Women’s Health From 20 Years of Science”
with Amy Shah, MD
Double Board-Certified Physician
and Nutrition Specialist
Dr. Amy Shah has one of the most unique training backgrounds in the world. She trained at the renowned school of nutrition at Cornell where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She then went on to graduate with honors from medical school for her research with her publication “Ct detection of acute myocardial infarction.” After obtaining expertise in both nutrition and medicine, she then completed residency and fellowship at the Harvard hospital Beth Israel Deaconess and Columbia University hospitals, respectively. In addition to her clinical work, she has written two best-selling books called “I’m So Effing Tired” and “I’m So Effing Hungry” and created amymdwellness.com.
In a short time, her unique voice as a mother, board-certified physician, and nutrition specialist has amassed her over 1 million followers.
She recently gave a keynote to 600+ women professionals at the women and retail leadership summit in Amelia Island, Florida, where she was called “a best friend” and speaker with “top tier” knowledge.
“Psychedelic Frontiers in Women’s Health: Bridging Biology, Research, and Future Therapies”
with Stephanie Karzon Abrams, MS Clin.Pharm.
Founder Beyond Consulting,
Clinical Director Modern Medicine Services
Stephanie Karzon Abrams, a neuropharmacologist and the founder of Beyond Consulting. The firm provides science, research, operations, and strategy solutions to organizations and clinics in the natural product, plant medicine, and psychedelic sectors. A recognized leader in shaping the future of integrative and innovative healthcare, Stephanie Karzon Abrams champions the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches. Her interests extend beyond neurology, encompassing plant medicines, women’s health, and the potential of music to enhance healing.
Stephanie is a dedicated advocate for public education and strives to redefine the landscape of health and wellness through open access education and public speaking. Her passions extend to community building, philanthropy, and music, with a particular focus on integrating her passions through unique gatherings and initiatives that foster connection. Stephanie is co-creator of Public Secret, a music label, management agency, and artist collective; and The Last 6, a community organization that educates and funds research for the acute childhood illness, Kawasaki disease.
Stephanie’s career path transcends traditional boundaries, blending her deep scientific expertise with strategic thinking and a passion for exploring innovative healthcare solutions. Her foundation lies in rigorous research, followed by experience at Johnson and Johnson (Biosense Webster) where she worked with medical devices and honed her operational, strategic planning, and key opinion leader (KOL) engagement skills. Stephanie’s current work as the Clinical Director at Modern Medicine Services, a prescriber of MDMA and psilocybin therapies in Canada under the Special Access Program, and the Research Director for the Microdosing Collective exemplifies her commitment to advancing these emerging fields.
“Nurturing the Future: How the First 1,000 Days Shape Intergenerational Health”
with Lilian Au, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute
Lilian Au, ND, is a licensed UCI Health specialist in naturopathic medicine with the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute.
Her clinical focus is on maternal, child and adolescent health. She provides wellness care for infants, children and adults, and treats a variety of acute illnesses and chronic conditions with evidence-based traditional and natural therapies. Her clinical interests also include allergies, asthma, ADHD and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as breast health, fertility and reproductive health.
Au earned her doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Tempe, Ariz. She completed a naturopathic residency at National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Ore. She also received a master’s degree in public health from the UC Berkeley Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program. Her post-graduate research at UC Berkeley and Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco was focused on pediatric developmental screenings at early care and education centers.
Her current research interests include the effects of nutrition and the environment on maternal and child health outcomes.
Au is passionate about preventive care and patient empowerment. She takes a whole-person approach to the health and well-being of the entire family.
and Karen Lindsay, RDN, PhD
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Early Career Samueli Endowed Chair, Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute
Karen Lindsay, PhD, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with expertise in maternal and child health, nutrition-stress interactions, mindfulness and mindful eating. She is Assistant Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and of Population Health and Disease Prevention at University of California, Irvine (UCI), as well as Samueli Early Career Endowed Chair for Integrative Health in the UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. She was the recipient of a K99/R00 award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study the effects of the interplay between nutrition and psychological stress during pregnancy on gestational glucose-insulin metabolism.
Her current research continues to interrogate the interaction between diet and psychological states in pregnancy and the implications for gestational diabetes risk, with a view towards developing whole person interventions that can support both maternal psychological and physical health during pregnancy. In this regard, she has conducted pilot studies of prenatal mindfulness-based interventions to understand feasibility and potential efficacy for improving, dietary behaviors and cardiometabolic markers in addition to maternal mental wellbeing. One current project will deliver a mindfulness program to pregnant women with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes to explore whether this modality can support improved glycemic control through improved stress management skills.
Karen became interested in the field of prenatal nutrition and health during her undergraduate studies in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, where she first learned about the concept of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. That is, the conditions and exposures that occur in utero (including maternal diet/nutrition) that can program the developing fetus towards lifelong health or risk of disease. This topic fascinated her and opened her eyes to the critical nature of maternal nutrition during pregnancy, as it impacts the lives of both mothers and their unborn children. She embarked on a PhD soon after graduating as a dietitian to conduct nutrition intervention research with pregnant women. When she discovered her flare for research and academia, she pursued her postdoc at UCI where she gained new insight to the role of prenatal stress as an additional exposure that influences fetal development, pregnancy outcomes, and offspring health. She began asking questions about how maternal stress and nutrition may work synergistically to influence these outcomes, especially given the known interactions between stress and eating behavior outside of pregnancy. This curiosity led Karen to her work today, in which she integrates mindfulness into nutrition research for pregnant people to optimize their overall wellbeing, with potential for long-term impact on both maternal and child health.
“Weight Health Hormones: Rooted in Resilience”
with Ashley Koff, RD
Registered Dietician
Founder, The Better Nutrition Program
Course Director, Nutrition, Integrative & Functional Medicine Fellowship
Ashley Koff RD is a 20+ year award-winning personalized nutrition expert. Koff’s a triple threat as a practitioner, consultant and speaker helping thousands get and stay healthy powered by better nutrition. Today, as the founder of The Better Nutrition Program, Koff leads a team developing cutting-edge personalized nutrition tools and programs to optimize health. Koff is also the author of two consumer publications: “Recipes for IBS” and “Mom Energy.”
“Smart Supplementation for Women”
with Tieraona Low Dog, MD
Founding Director, Integrative & Functional Medicine Fellowship, SSIHI
Tieraona Low Dog, MD, is a physician, educator, thought leader, researcher, herbalist, naturalist, midwife, mother, and wife. She is the founding director of the Integrative and Functional Medicine Fellowship at the Susan Samueli Institute of Integrative Health. Her achievements are many. Dr. Low Dog received Presidential appointments under Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, was Time Magazine’s Innovator in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, is the recipient of four lifetime achievement awards, was named as one of the 30 most influential people in the natural products industry, written four books with the National Geographic, 50+ peer-reviewed articles, 25 chapters for medical textbooks, and has spoken at more than 600 conferences globally.
“Our Daughters Are Not Alright: The Surprising Solutions That Lie Within”
with Elisa Song, MD
Integrative Pediatrician
Pediatric Functional Medicine Expert
Dr. Elisa Song, MD is a Stanford-, NYU-, UCSF-trained integrative pediatrician, pediatric functional medicine expert, and most importantly, a mom to 2 thriving children – and she is on a mission to revolutionize the future of children’s health. Dr. Song is the bestselling author of the Healthy Kids Happy Kids: An Integrative Pediatrician’s Guide to Whole Child Resilience. Dr. Song created Healthy Kids Happy Kids as an online holistic pediatric resource to help practitioners and parents bridge the gap between conventional and integrative pediatrics with an evidence-based, pediatrician-backed approach. In her integrative pediatric practice, Whole Family Wellness, she’s helped 1000s of kids get to the root causes of their health concerns and thrive by integrating conventional pediatrics with functional medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and essential oils. These health concerns have ranged from frequent colds, ear infections, asthma, and eczema; to autism, ADHD, PANS/PANDAS, anxiety, depression, and autoimmune illnesses. Dr. Song is chair of A4am’s pediatric education and has taught parents and practitioners around the world on integrative pediatrics topics for leading educational organizations, including the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), The Forum for Integrative Medicine, Integrative Medicine for Mental Health, Fx Medicine Australia, BioCeuticals Australia, Center for Education and Development of Clinical Homeopathy, Academy for Pain Research, Center for Advanced Acupuncture Pediatrics, and Holistic Pediatric Association. She has also been featured in hundreds of top podcasts and media outlets, including Dr. Mark Hyman’s Doctor’s Farmacy podcast, the Wellness Mama podcast, BloomTV, Forbes, Healthline, MindBodyGreen, National Geographic, PopSugar, Parents, Motherly, Parade, Verywell Health, and New York Post.
| 23rd Annual Women’s Wellness Day | Friday, May 2, 2025 |
|---|---|
| 7:00 a.m. | Registration Opens |
| 7:15 a.m. | Morning Experiential Sessions |
| 8:30 a.m. | Session One Plated breakfast served. Main Ballroom |
| 10:00 a.m. | Healthy Break & Marketplace Energy Booster smoothies served. Upper Terrace & VIP Lounge |
| 10:45 a.m. | Session Two Main Ballroom |
| 12:00 p.m. | Healthy Break & Marketplace Power Bites served. Upper Terrace & VIP Lounge |
| 12:45 p.m. | Main Session Plated lunch served Keynote presentation Main Ballroom |
| 2:00 p.m. | Happy Hour & Marketplace Aloe Pineapple Cooler served, with beer & wine available for purchase. Ballroom Foyer VIP Lounge Reception By invitation Aloe Pineapple Cooler served Keynote book signing Clipper Room |
If you would like to participate in Women’s Wellness Day as a Marketplace vendor, please complete the application below.
Thank you to our Marketplace vendors:
To view our sponsorship opportunities for Women’s Wellness Day, view the packet below.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Presenting Sponsors:
- Laura Khouri & Michael K. Hayde
Sponsors:
- BJs
- Covey Gardens
- Custom Comfort Mattress
- DeAnna Colglazier
- Elwood Advisors
- Hapa Honey Farm
- J9 Leading Solutions
- Lake Shore Travel
- Lisa Argyros/Argyros Family Foundation
- Melissa’s Produce
- Orange County Register
- Palmer Family Foundation
- Sandi Jackson
- Shanaz Langson
- Sherman Library & Gardens
- UCI Health
Questions
For any questions, please contact:
Kamber Lamoureux
Event Manager, UCI SSIHI
SSIHIEvents@hs.uci.edu
