Student Life
New Student Profiles
AOMA proudly welcomes it’s newest class!
This July, we welcomed the newest group of students to the AOMA community. Thirteen joined us for the summer term from across the U.S. and Texas. These students contribute a diverse body of experience to the AOMA collective—three are practicing nurses, two are practicing massage therapists, three come with backgrounds in business and sales, and two transfer students bring unique valuable perspectives from other Oriental medical schools. Read more about our entering students in the profiles below.
Vanessa Olsen
Vanessa was born in Corpus Christi, but grew up in Plano, TX. She attended UT Austin and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. After graduation, she moved to New York and performed in regional theatres across the country, off-Broadway, in short films, and on television. During her time in NYC, she experienced several tragic events, including 9/11 and the diagnosis of family and friends with life threatening diseases. These events were the wakeup call she needed to change her life and use her skills for a higher purpose.
She is drawn most strongly to nutrition as part of an Oriental medical practice and sees food as one of the most powerful forms of medicine. In the future, she hopes to open her own practice and teach people how to incorporate the principles of Oriental medicine into their everyday life, starting with their diet.
Kendall Ash
Kendall was born in Conroe, TX, but raised in California, Delaware, Florida, and Texas. She became interested in Oriental medicine after traveling to Hangzhou, China in 2005 and volunteering as an ESL teacher. There, she learned of acupressure from her seven year old students and she’s been fascinated ever since. Kendall studied psychology in college and is interested in combining neurology with acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine. She recognizes Oriental medicine as an affordable, sustainable, and effective form of healthcare.
As a musician, Kendall loves Austin for the arts, theater, music festivals, and films. She chose AOMA for the faculty, its accreditation, and the community, which she says “will support me to build health and spiritual wellness within and around me.”
Bradley Proctor
Brad was born and raised in Amarillo, TX and, after decades spent working in healthcare as a nurse and massage therapist, he chose to study Oriental medicine because of its focus on holistic health (mind, body, and spirit). Brad feels that overlooking just one aspect of an individual’s health can prevent that person from healing completely. He looks forward to integrating Oriental medical theories and diagnostics into a holistic healthcare practice. Brad chose AOMA for his studies because of the professionalism demonstrated by the faculty and staff and the tranquility of the campus.