Erin Smith, DACM, L.Ac. | Founder, President, Secretary & Chairman of the Board
Dr. Erin Smith is our founder and the President and Chairman of our Board of Directors. She is a Licensed Acupuncturist at Mindful Medicine, providing custom acupuncture treatments and herbal consultations to members of her community. Erin has been a Licensed Acupuncturist since 2011. She completed her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine degree from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California in December 2018. She holds a Masters of Acupuncture degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and completed her Bachelor's of Science in biology at Stevenson University in Stevenson, Maryland.
Erin worked as an employee of several successful acupuncture practices in the past, and now owns and operates her own private practice in Maryland since 2013. While she was in Oregon, she helped establish and set up a non-profit classical acupuncture society, and acted as the secretary and annual retreat planner for 3 years. In 2015, she worked with the Acupuncture Relief Project, which is another non-profit who sends practitioners to remote villages of Nepal to offer healthcare to people in one of the poorest nations in the world. Erin performed acupuncture treatments in Nepal for 2 months, where she helped hundreds of patients with little to no access to healthcare. She is very passionate about giving back to her own community as well, and she looks forward to providing the patients of Mindful Medicine with quality and compassionate healthcare.
Dr. Erin Smith is our founder and the President and Chairman of our Board of Directors. She is a Licensed Acupuncturist at Mindful Medicine, providing custom acupuncture treatments and herbal consultations to members of her community. Erin has been a Licensed Acupuncturist since 2011. She completed her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine degree from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California in December 2018. She holds a Masters of Acupuncture degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and completed her Bachelor's of Science in biology at Stevenson University in Stevenson, Maryland.
Erin worked as an employee of several successful acupuncture practices in the past, and now owns and operates her own private practice in Maryland since 2013. While she was in Oregon, she helped establish and set up a non-profit classical acupuncture society, and acted as the secretary and annual retreat planner for 3 years. In 2015, she worked with the Acupuncture Relief Project, which is another non-profit who sends practitioners to remote villages of Nepal to offer healthcare to people in one of the poorest nations in the world. Erin performed acupuncture treatments in Nepal for 2 months, where she helped hundreds of patients with little to no access to healthcare. She is very passionate about giving back to her own community as well, and she looks forward to providing the patients of Mindful Medicine with quality and compassionate healthcare.
Nicholas Buscemi, L.Ac. | Vice President & Treasurer of the Board
Nicholas Buscemi, L.Ac. is a founding member of Mindful Medicine. Nicholas has been a Licensed Acupuncturist since 2008 and has been the sole acupuncturist in several successful wellness centers in the Baltimore area. Nicholas has been practicing with Western physicians, osteopaths, chiropractors, as well as nurse practitioners and other wellness providers for the tenure of his career. He believes that Chinese medicine and acupuncture are invaluable in preventative care and are a powerful ally in outcome-based medicine.
Nicholas has maintained his own thriving private practice since 2013 while continuing to work with various practitioners in the healthcare industry. He has a Masters in Chinese Medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine and completed his undergraduate education in behavior based psychology at Virginia Tech. Nicholas has focused much of his studies on tai chi and qi gong practice while integrating those disciplines with Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. One of his goals is to spread the healing power of Chinese medicine to the underprivileged and underserved as well as to supply affordable preventative healthcare to those who are or have been in service to the country.
Nicholas Buscemi, L.Ac. is a founding member of Mindful Medicine. Nicholas has been a Licensed Acupuncturist since 2008 and has been the sole acupuncturist in several successful wellness centers in the Baltimore area. Nicholas has been practicing with Western physicians, osteopaths, chiropractors, as well as nurse practitioners and other wellness providers for the tenure of his career. He believes that Chinese medicine and acupuncture are invaluable in preventative care and are a powerful ally in outcome-based medicine.
Nicholas has maintained his own thriving private practice since 2013 while continuing to work with various practitioners in the healthcare industry. He has a Masters in Chinese Medicine from the National University of Natural Medicine and completed his undergraduate education in behavior based psychology at Virginia Tech. Nicholas has focused much of his studies on tai chi and qi gong practice while integrating those disciplines with Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. One of his goals is to spread the healing power of Chinese medicine to the underprivileged and underserved as well as to supply affordable preventative healthcare to those who are or have been in service to the country.
James Gummer | Board Member
James Gummer has taught tai chi, qi gong, and meditation for LifeBridge Health, Baltimore County Senior Centers, Stella Maris Hospice, Towson University, and many other groups. He is most interested in helping people integrate timeless practice with modern living. James is also a Health Rhythms Drum Circle Facilitator and a professional percussionist. He plans to lead monthly workshops at the Mindful Medicine clinic and act as an advisor and board member.
James Gummer has taught tai chi, qi gong, and meditation for LifeBridge Health, Baltimore County Senior Centers, Stella Maris Hospice, Towson University, and many other groups. He is most interested in helping people integrate timeless practice with modern living. James is also a Health Rhythms Drum Circle Facilitator and a professional percussionist. He plans to lead monthly workshops at the Mindful Medicine clinic and act as an advisor and board member.
William Z’varick, L.Ac. | Board Member
William Z’varick has been a practitioner of healing arts since 1993, when he became a Licensed Massage Practitioner after training at the Baltimore School of Massage. During this time he also studied Asian modalities of bodywork including shiatsu, jin shin do, and tuina (Chinese massage). In 2004 he graduated from the Maryland Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and became a Licensed Acupuncturist in the state of Maryland. In 2013 he completed a curriculum of sports medicine acupuncture, which included in depth study of anatomy and further study of tuina techniques. William is taking an advisory role on the Mindful Medicine board of directors, which is invaluable because of his experience as an acupuncturist, massage therapist, business owner and community advocate.
William Z’varick has been a practitioner of healing arts since 1993, when he became a Licensed Massage Practitioner after training at the Baltimore School of Massage. During this time he also studied Asian modalities of bodywork including shiatsu, jin shin do, and tuina (Chinese massage). In 2004 he graduated from the Maryland Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and became a Licensed Acupuncturist in the state of Maryland. In 2013 he completed a curriculum of sports medicine acupuncture, which included in depth study of anatomy and further study of tuina techniques. William is taking an advisory role on the Mindful Medicine board of directors, which is invaluable because of his experience as an acupuncturist, massage therapist, business owner and community advocate.
Chatele Darden, L.M.T., RCST®| Board Member
Chatele Darden serves on our board of directors and is a State of Maryland Licensed Massage Therapist and a Registered Craniosacral Therapist. She holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Goucher College and is a member of both the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals and the Biodynamic Craniosacral Association of North America. She graduated from the East-West College of the healing arts in 2007 and began her private practice shortly thereafter. Her bodywork practice is guided by the principles of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy: We are whole. Health is never lost. Healing happens in the present moment and is guided by the inherent wisdom of the body. In addition to her private practice, Ms. Darden is the owner of Restoration Wellness Center, is an instructor at the Holistic Massage Training Institute and volunteers at Shepard’s Clinic, in Baltimore, MD.
Chatele Darden serves on our board of directors and is a State of Maryland Licensed Massage Therapist and a Registered Craniosacral Therapist. She holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree from Goucher College and is a member of both the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals and the Biodynamic Craniosacral Association of North America. She graduated from the East-West College of the healing arts in 2007 and began her private practice shortly thereafter. Her bodywork practice is guided by the principles of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy: We are whole. Health is never lost. Healing happens in the present moment and is guided by the inherent wisdom of the body. In addition to her private practice, Ms. Darden is the owner of Restoration Wellness Center, is an instructor at the Holistic Massage Training Institute and volunteers at Shepard’s Clinic, in Baltimore, MD.
Deborah Irvin| Board Member: Bio coming soon
Tara Cepaitis, PT| Board Member: Bio coming soon