Lymphatic Health & Wellness Course: A Whole Person Approach to Transform Lymphedema and Lipedema Care

Jean LaMantia, RD, is a registered dietician, cancer survivor, author and speaker. She has been a dietitian for 30+ years and has written three books on the topics of cancer, lymphedema and intermittent fasting. Jean has worked in in-patient, diabetes education, home care, health club and now her virtual private practice and on-line school. Jean has been a repeat invited speaker for the National Lymphedema Network as well as the Canadian Lymphedema Framework national conferences. She has been published in Pathways – Canada’s national lymphedema magazine and spoken for several provincial lymphedema associations including Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia. She is currently writing the nutrition position paper for the NLN and has been invited to speak at the AVLS conference. She has spoken to the Oncology DPG as well as state conferences and Dietitians of Canada, oncology network and diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular network.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jean LaMantia maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Wellspring Cancer Support Agency. She receives royalties as a published author. Jean LaMantia receives a speaking honorarium from Amoena Canada. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Jean LaMantia is a contributor to Pathways Magazine. She is a member of Dietitians of Canada, the National Lymphedema Network, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Oncology DPG.

Barbara Tobin is an occupational therapist, lymphedema therapist, certified yoga teacher, certified in yoga4cancer, LoveYourBrain, Yoga for Trauma training, and reiki attuned. She is a certified lymphedema therapist (LANA certified) specializing in cancer rehab and the lymphatic system.

Babz integrates her clinical techniques into her yoga practice. She has studied the effects of yoga and mindfulness with multiple populations. She is passionate and eager to create wellness programs to help to teach and support specialized populations including lymphatic flow yoga wellness.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Barbara Tobin has an employment relationship with Massachusetts General Hospital. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Barbara Tobin has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Leah Levitan, LMT, CLT, MLD-C is a licensed massage therapist who got her start in a chiropractic office treating professional athletes. There she worked closely with in-house physical therapists and gained clinical experience in the treatment of chronic pain, acute injuries, and spinal injuries. Around this time, she completed training in Fascial Distortion Model (upper body), and RockTape Advanced Athletic Kinesiology Taping. Once she opened her own practice, she began exploring alternative methods of healing: lymphatic drainage, neuroplasticity, craniosacral, energy work, traditional Chinese medicine, and sound and light therapy. During this time, she started a 1-year mentorship with a John Barnes Myofascial Release practitioner with over 30 years of experience, and made a full commitment to the lymphatic system. Leah attended top schools like The Academy of Lymphatic Studies and Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy to gain certification in Level 1 manual lymphatic drainage, advanced lymphedema certification, and sought continuing education in post-surgical lymphatic drainage. Her thriving Austin practice specializes in the treatment of rare diseases, chronic illness, and lymphatic dysfunctions, and leans heavily into the self-care continuing education that empowers clients and “drains fear”.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Leah Levitan is the owner of Align Massage + Lymphatics and Lymph Love Club. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Leah Levitan has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Kathleen Helen Lisson, CMT, BCTMB, CLT, uses her lymphedema therapy, yoga, mindfulness and health coaching skills to help people recover from surgery and optimize self-care in the midst of chronic illness. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in massage therapy, is board certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork and is a lymphedema therapist. She is also an ACE certified health coach, Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher and a MMI certified meditation teacher. She has spoken at the American Venous and Lymphatic Society (AVLS), Fat Disorders Resource Society (FDRS), International Society of Lymphology (ISL), MLD UK, Lymphedema Association of Manitoba, National Lymphedema Network (NLN) and Society for Oncology Massage (S4OM) conferences. She is a NCBTMB approved continuing education provider and the author of Stress Reduction for Lymphedema and Mindful Strategies for Adult Clients with Adverse Childhood Experiences.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kathleen Lisson is the owner of Solace Massage and Mindfulness. She receives a speaking honorarium from Juzo and PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Kathleen Lisson serves on the LE&RN Global Oversight Committee and has personal friends with primary lymphedema.

Lisa Burraston, MS, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, graduated from the University of Utah in 2005 with her master’s degree in occupational therapy. Lisa worked at a level I trauma center for much of her career working with patients at all levels of care from ICU, trauma, orthopedics as well as medical and neuro. Lisa also taught for 3 years at a COTA program in the Salt Lake Valley, preparing future COTA professionals to enter the occupational therapy field.

Approximately 5 years ago, Lisa trained to become a certified lymphedema therapist and shortly thereafter completed her LANA certification. Lisa started the lymphedema program at the level I trauma center she was working at, and approximately 3 years ago, she transitioned into outpatient treatment for lymphatic conditions. Lisa also obtained an advanced certification in the lymphatic care of patients post plastic surgery.

A year ago, Lisa teamed with one of the leading surgeons treating lipedema to treat his patients post surgically. Through this process, Lisa has developed a passion for the lipedema population. Currently, Lisa is working with one of the leading researchers in the study of lipedema to research the ways in which lipedema affects patients in their everyday lives. 

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lisa Burraston has employment relationships with Intermountain HealthCare. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lisa Burraston has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Elisa DiFalco, MS, OT, CMLDT, LMT, began working as a Lymphedema Specialist & Clinic Day Educator for Robert Lerner, M.D., “The Pioneer of Lymphedema Treatment.” Soon after receiving a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, she became Clinic Director/Owner of LTS Clinic where she opened a new MLD market with Florida’s leading Plastic Surgeons. From her success, she was inspired to create new MLD courses for therapists to learn from and model after.

For 23 years, Ms. DiFalco has been public and practitioner educator through monthly radio broadcasts and column for Boomer Times, support group facilitator, physician in-services, consultant to major insurance companies, public speaker at American Cancer Society and serving on several university advisory boards. She was also appointed Educational Standards Chair for FSMTA of Florida and has won the NLN Lymphedema Day Award. The in-demand educator enjoys combining education and entertainment as presenter for: FOTA, FSMTA, AMTA, ISSE, World Massage Festival, Premier Day Spa Show, CSFA and Elite conventions. Today, Elisa is moving MLD forward through technology to reach the masses and offers a weekly show featuring expects in the field.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Elisa DiFalco is the president of MLD Institute International. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Elisa Difalco is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Florida Occupational Therapy Association, and the American Massage Therapy Association.

Nilma Z. Elias Santiago, PT, DPT, WCC, CWCP, CLT, OMS, is a licensed physical therapist, a board-certified wound care specialist, a certified lymphedema therapist, and a certified ostomy management specialist. With over ten years of experience in wound care, she opened a private wound care practice in Florida that offers lymphedema, ostomy, and wound care services. Dr. Santiago is also an adjunct faculty of AT Still University in Mesa, Arizona, teaching physical therapists that are completing their post-professional doctorate in physical therapy. She has written articles published in healthcare magazines and presented a poster at the World Confederation of Physical Therapy in 2007, and in the 2018 Summit of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Nilma Z. Elias-Santiago maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with AT Still University. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Nilma Z. Elias-Santiago is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.