The Foundation for Functional Fermented Food
Officers and Board of Directors
Karen Ross
President
Karen was born in Canada and moved with her family to Ohio at the age of 6 years. She enjoyed a private education through high school, and was involved in various extracurricular activities with a focus on piano mastery. For her first year of college Karen studied at the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She then moved to California and eventually to Alaska where she majored in Nursing at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. Throughout her educational years Karen volunteered in the hospital in her home town, and worked as a nursing assistant in a rehabilitation center and a nursing home. Read More....
Linda Cox, BA
Vice-President
Linda was raised on a small farm in a log cabin with no running water or inside plumbing. She began working full time in the tobacco fields at ten years of age during the summers, and throughout high school worked 20 hours a week. During her college years, Linda worked 70 hours weekly in the summer and 30 hours weekly while college was in session to pay for her education. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Police Administration. Linda has two classes remaining to finish a Master of Arts in Religion (theology). Read More...
Kelly Caraway, BS
Secretary ~ Treasurer
Kelly was raised in Washington State and graduated from Kinman Business University with two certificate degrees in Legal Administrative Assistant and Assistant Accountant. She then attended Columbia Christian College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, comprised of Computers, Humanities, and Bible.
She was studying foreign language to prepare for the mission field when she met her husband, Tim. With a new focus, she moved to the sticks in Alaska where they raised and homeschooled two children who are now grown. One lives in Alaska and works with his father in construction, and their older daughter is serving as a missionary in Ireland.
Commercial fishing during the summers on a remote island in Alaska prompted Kelly to seek ways to obtain and preserve vegetables and other fresh food for her family, when a grocery store is not available down the street. This led to Kelly developing her knowledge of real food, and eventually teaching bread baking classes. It was during this time she met Karen Ross, who introduced her to anaerobic fermenting. She jumped on board to support Karen in her mission, and was key support during the development of the Comprehensive Fermenting Seminar. Kelly and Karen continue to work closely as a team to further this mission.
Kelly’s desire is to help people discover the deliciousness of wholesome foods, and helping women (and men) get these foods on the table in a way their family will eat them!
Dr. Michael J. Ellenburg ND, MPH, Lac
Board Member
Dr. Ellenburg received his bachelor of arts in biology in 1994. He graduated from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University with a Masters in Public Health in 1997. In 1997 he started his naturopathic medical education at Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. In 2001 he graduated from Bastyr with his Naturopathic Medical Doctorate, and again in 2004 with a Masters Degree in Acupuncture. Dr. Ellenburg was born and raised in Alaska, and has been providing cutting edge naturopathic medical treatment for Alaskans since 2004.
Dr. Thomas Taylor, DC
Board Member
Dr. Taylor has been a practicing chiropractor for over 20 years. His did his undergraduate pre-med work at Flathead College in Kalispel, MT and graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic is 1996.
Dr. Taylor was inspired to seek his Functional Medicine Certification (which he obtained in 2016) as a result of seeking answers in his own health journey, where, among other things, he explored the role of diet in the root cause of his condition.
Now, Dr. Taylor encourages his patients to seriously consider their diet in the process of healing. And fermented foods, done in the method taught by The Foundation for Functional Fermented Foods, can be a very vital part of that healing. Our bodies are an integral system, yet when you find and improve just a few key areas, such as those areas addressed by diet and/or chiropractic, it can have a cascading affect on our overall health and healing. The method of fermentation taught by The Foundation is really the only type of fermentation Dr. Taylor endorses, as other methods can lead to further health challenges.
Lisa Herndon, BS, MS, FDN
Board Member
Lisa Herndon is a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Practitioner and certified in Applied Clinical Nutrition.
Lisa was born and grew up in Southern California and went to UCLA for a
Bachelor's in Psychology & Business and a Master's Marriage Family & Child Counseling and worked as a therapist in the private as well as corporate world. Her interest in health & nutrition grew as she recognized the degree to which nutrition directly impacts mental health. She attended the Reed Davis Program to become a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional Practitioner, and later became certified in Applied Clinical Nutrition. She has studied extensively to become proficient at using and evaluating laboratory testing, and is additionally certified to help clients with heavy metal detox. She continues to aggressively pursue ongoing education to deepen her knowledge.
As a functional nutrition lifestyle coach, she uses non-invasive functional laboratory tests along with a comprehensive intake and your personal health story to educate you on how to take charge of your health using natural solutions to heal the underlying malfunctions and underlying conditions at the root of most common health complaints. Lisa is passionate about “real food” and loves being able to share her recipes and techniques for creating nourishing and traditional food. She is the author of Lisa’s Counter Culture, Pickles and Other Well-Bred Foods.
