Executive Director Report and Overview – Hilary Garivaltis, CAP

The 2021/2022 fiscal year was yet another year of adjustment for our community as we strove to respond to the persistent effects of COVID on our schools, practices, and events. Schools still needed to offer virtual classes and clinics. Professionals continued to optimize their sessions for online learning, and “hybrid” versions of events evolved that included in-person and virtual options for attendees. All of us continue to focus on remaining nimble while we adapt to ever changing landscapes and experiences. 

August 2021 marked the official birth of the independently operated National Ayurvedic Medical Accreditation Council (NAMAC), which launched a new and exciting phase for the Ayurvedic profession. NAMA will continue to support their growth through donation of funds and regular meetings until they are able to fully support their own endeavors. At the close of the fiscal year, the council announced that they are ready to step into the role NAMA has held for the schools by taking the NAMA-recognized programs under their wing and will be accepting applications from candidates for accreditation. This will elevate not only the schools and their programs but also the profession as a whole and is a necessary step on the longer-term path of establishing licensure for Ayurvedic professionals in the United States. We are so proud of what NAMAC has accomplished and are thrilled that our schools will be transitioning into such qualified and supportive hands. 

The National Ayurvedic Medical Certification Board (NAMACB) entered its fifth official year in operation and opened up the application process for the Ayurvedic Doctor beta exam. This is the hallmark exam for the most highly trained professionals in our field and took many years to build. The board officially launched the beta exam in February 2022 and hopes to have a complete and qualified AD exam by June 2023. 

These accomplishments are the culmination of 22 years of unstinting effort by hundreds of volunteers and staff members. 

As we continued to negotiate the pandemic, we launched our first hybrid conference at a beautiful resort in the foothills of Tucson, bordering an amazing national park full of saguaro cactus. We had a wonderful showing of folks at the live event and almost as many that joined us virtually. It felt so wonderful to be together again, and the energy and connection could not have been more vibrant. 

Please explore the full Annual Report for all our updates and overview of our endeavors and, once again, thank you to all our staff and volunteers for another amazing year!

In great appreciation, 
Hilary Garivaltis, CAP

Secretary’s letter – heather grzych

As your Secretary, it is my duty to ensure that all required records of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) are up to date and filed as needed to maintain our status as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Additionally, I oversee the timely submission of our biannual filing of documentation of NAMA’s continuing operation as a California corporation.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve all of you and for your love of Ayurvedic medicine. We are all in this together, and therefore we share in the bounty of this special profession that is emerging in the United States.

Yours Sincerely,
Heather Grzych, CAP

Financial/Treasurer’s Report – Jayarajan kodikannath 

I have worked this past year with Hilary Garivaltis, NAMA’s Executive Director; NAMA’s bookkeeper; and our Secretary in overseeing NAMA’s financial reports and assisted in the preparation of the 2022–2023 fiscal year budget, which was approved by the NAMA Board of Directors. NAMA’s revenue comes principally from membership dues, the Annual Conference, sponsors, school program listing fees, and credentialing exam fees.

NAMA had a net worth of $350,795 beginning July 1, 2021, and ending on June 30, 2022, at $262,160. NAMA had total income of $420,053 and expenses of $507,712 resulting in a net loss of $87,658.72, which was a significant improvement over the forecasted loss of $142,534. This loss was approved due to important management investments and continued support of two of NAMA’s important initiatives—certification and accreditation. The NAMA Board of Directors retains an accounting firm to prepare the tax returns on our behalf. NAMA is current with all required filing and reporting requirements.

See P&L Report →

Respectfully Submitted,
Jayarajan Kodikannath, BSc, BAMS, AD
NAMA Treasurer
Member, NAMA Board of Directors

NAMA Committees

NAMA has several committees and subcommittees operating on a volunteer basis, with over 70 individuals engaged. All the NAMA committees and summaries of their work for the year are listed below.

Strategic Planning and fundraising Committee Report 

Chair: Margrit Mikulis, ND, AD, and Amish Shah
Members: Hilary Garivaltis, CAP; Heather Grzych, CAP; Susan Weis-Bohlen (General); Manas Kshirsagar, AD

The Strategic Planning and Finance Committee works to ensure the financial stability of the organization while also evaluating strategies that could help it grow. We focus on key corporate areas, including conference growth, membership growth, fundraising campaigns, and credentialing plans.

The ongoing work of the Strategic Planning and Fundraising Committee is to update the strategic plan annually and help prepare the annual budget and arrange the board retreat.

Membership Committee Report

Chair: Jolynne Flores
Members: Ginger Hooven, CAP, AYT, C-IAYT, Chair of Schools Subcommittee; Shannon Kelly, Vice-Chair of Schools Subcommittee; Madison Madden, AD, Chair of Professional Members Subcommittee; Rucha Kelkar, PT, DPT, BAMS, AD, Chair of BAMS Task Force; Sirisha Nishtala, Chair of Students Subcommittee; Beena Vesikar, BAMS, AD; Eleanor K. Wannemacher, CAHC; Nicole Peterson, CAP; Sina Firouzi, MD, CAP; Monika Manohar, BAMS, AD; Purvi Vyas, BAMS, MD (Ayu), PhD (Ayu), AD; Rasika Sonaji, BAMS; Sheena Sooraj, BAMS; Vandana Baranwal, BAMS, MD (Ayu); Aubrey Maryniak; Haley Tompsett; Ivana Kostic; Terra Appleton; and Zahir Sutarwala

The Membership Committee assesses NAMA’s membership goals, requirements, and benefits and the dues levels needed to support the growth and viability of all segments of our membership: professional, students, general, and organizational (e.g., schools, service providers, and vendors). Our goals of increasing the retention rate and attracting new members in all membership categories entail the following responsibilities:

• Providing input to the processing and approval of new Professional Members throughout the NAMACB examination process for CAHCs and CAPs and the forthcoming CADs

• Supervising the processing and approval of AD applicants 

• Serving all Certified Non-members until the NAMACB is able to do so

• Serving Lapse Members (i.e., formerly board-certified professionals) through the process of regaining their board certification

• Overseeing the processing and approval of new Student Members by ensuring that each applicant is a currently enrolled Ayurvedic student in a qualifying program 

• Overseeing the communication of the NAMACB exam process to Student and General Members

• Supervising the processing and approval of new schools seeking to offer NAMA- recognized programs 

• Working with Ayurvedic schools to support their efforts to provide a
  NAMA-recognized education and helping them to promote Student Membership

• Providing valuable and consistent communications to members in partnership with the Communications Committee through weekly ENEWS and website postings 

• Overseeing NAMA’s annual board of directors election process

• Overseeing NAMA’s and the NAMACB’s volunteer process, which is currently served by nearly 100 volunteers

FY 2021–2022 Highlights

• Supported the launch of the NAMACB AD beta exam, which launched February 1, 2022, by requiring that any new NAMA AD member first take the AD beta exam

• Reconstituted the Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Subcommittee, which shares jurisdiction with the Standards Committee

• Reopened the Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist grand parenting designation for Professional Members

• Oversaw Students Subcommittee as they continued on-boarding new Student Members and reached out to over 500 students

• Supported Schools Subcommittee in sharing best online practices while continuing to move toward the new NAMA Standards, which were in effect in mid-2021 and January 2022

Membership Numbers

• Total membership: 7 percent decrease

• July 1, 2021 – 1,635

• July 1, 2022 – 1,527

• Professional Membership: 7 percent decrease

• July 1, 2021 – 907

• July 1, 2022 – 840

• Student Membership: 11 percent decrease

• July 1, 2021 – 487

• July 1, 2022 – 431

Retention Rate - 69%

Membership Subcommittees

Schools Subcommittee

Chair: Ginger Kamalesh Hooven, CAP, AYT

This past year the Schools Subcommittee focused on satsang, creating a community of colleagues to help one another with concrete ideas for continuing to navigate the effects of the pandemic. We shared best online practices while continuing to move toward the new NAMA Standards, which were set to go into effect in mid-2021 and January 2022. We shared our challenges with one another, discussed Clinical Encounters, reviewed Scope of Practice, and shared a series of Curriculum Development Meetings. Due to the move of school programs from being NAMA recognized to NAMAC recognized as of September 2022, the Schools Subcommittee last met in April 2022.

Focus for FY 2022–2023

• Continue to support AD beta exam process

• Launch Grand Rounds

• Complete third iteration of Professional Members Subcommittee “How Do You Practice” survey

• Return many formerly board-certified members from lapse back to board certification and Professional Membership before the first group in lapse term ends on 12/31/22

Community and Continuing Education Committee Report

The Community and Continuing Education Committee manages and implements NAMA’s Professional Ayurvedic Continuing Education (PACE) program, which is a requirement for all Professional Members. More specifically, this committee does the following: reviews/creates/edits policies related to PACE, pursues reciprocity with other organizations that require CEs, develops new avenues for members and the public to participate in PACE, and oversees the monthly Seminars in Ayurveda series.

SIA Subcommittee

Chair and Co-chair: Arya Hawkins, CAP, and Laila Jewayni, CAHC
Members: Pradeepa Rayasam, CAP, and Sushma Jakkula, BAMS, AD

Accomplishments

• Created opportunity for PACE providers to boost their listings

• Supported the posting and sale of past Conference videos for continuing education

• Continued to vet new Seminar in Ayurveda presenters

• Produced 10 Seminar in Ayurveda events

Diversity and Inclusion Committee Report

Chair: Alakananda Ma, AD, and Chara Caruthers, CAP
Members: Ana Castle; Jolynne Flores; Sandhiya Ramaswamy, AD;  Erin Douglas; Anuradha Gupta, CAP; David Yoss; Jamila Colozzi

It’s been a big year for DEI! Lots of movement has happened within and around the committee and our work has been an expression of our dedication to keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion front of mind for the organization and the greater Ayurveda community. Over the course of the year, we doubled our committee membership, which allowed us to expand the scope of our projects into all aspects of the organization and set our sights high for what will be possible in the year ahead.  

Milestones included the following:

• Approval of our DEI statement by the board in early 2022

• Update of our committee name from D&I to DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)

• Creation of NAMA member spotlights for Black History and Gay Pride Months

• Development of a high-level committee strategic plan with project teams and goals

• Hosting of our first Conscious Conversation event for the NAMA membership (with record registrations and attendance) on the subject of Cultural Appropriation, featuring esteemed guests and members of the Ayurveda community (Dr. Robert Svoboda, Dr. Claudia Welch, and Dr. Ramkumar Kutty) 

• Development of a set of Community agreements to cultivate safe space for open, honest, and courageous communication within our DEI Committee meetings and our public gatherings with NAMA members (i.e., Conscious Conversations)

Additionally, we have begun planning for the 2022/23 year with more awareness-building initiatives in the works, a potential DEI survey of the NAMA community, and the creation of DEI competencies, which would provide guidelines for awareness and action around social justice issues for NAMA members and partner organizations.

 It’s also important to mention that although the work we’re doing is not without its challenges, we have bonded as a group and have enjoyed getting to know and work with each other. Every member of the committee brings a different viewpoint and offers a unique face to the overall picture of our diverse Ayurvedic community. We all greatly respect each other’s opinions and experience, which has made for a powerful and focused team. And we plan to build on the momentum created this year to continue doing great work in the year ahead.

Standards Committee Report

Chair: Anupama Kizhakkeveettil, BAMS, PhD, AD, MAOM, Lac, C-IAYT
Members: Jayarajan Kodikannath, BAMS, AD; Jyoti Cchabra, CAP; Archana Kulkarnni, BAMS, MD (Ayu), AD; Sneha Raichada, CAP; Hilary Garivaltis, CAP; Marie-Josephine Royall-Scheck

The NAMA Standards Committee continued to work on editorial refinements to our various Competency Guidelines, Scope of Practice (SOP), and definitions documents to ensure ease of use for all parties. We have focused specifically on clarifying the Sanskrit requirements, the Business of Ayurveda, and Medical Ethics, which up until now have been implicit rather than explicit. We have also worked to create a teacher qualifications document. These updates will all be implemented as new standards with an 18-month rollout for the schools and overseen by the newly instated National Ayurvedic Medical Accreditation Council (NAMAC).

standards Subcommittees

Governance Committee Report

Chair: Cynthia Copple, AD
Members: Cynthia Copple, AD; Wynn Werner; Dhaval Dhru, MD, AD; Devi Mueller, CAP; Hilary Garivaltis, CAP

This is an ad hoc committee that meets when policies need to be either written or updated. The major work was done in the 2020–2021 FY; the committee did not meet during the 2021–2022 FY term.

2022 Conference and Events Committee Report

Chair: Hilary Garivaltis, CAP
Members: Jayarajan Kodikannath, BSc, BAMS, AD; Kathy Jo Staheli, AD; Anupama Kizhakkeveettil, BAMS, PhD, AD, MAOM, Lac, C-IAYT; Margrit Mikulis, ND, AD; Susan Weis-Bohlen; Olga Kelly, CAHC

The 2022 Conference was held in Tucson, Arizona, this past year. The theme was Ayurveda for Family Health.

We had 3 pre-Conference practicums, 15 sessions for the main Conference, and 1 post-Conference session with 39 speakers from both India and the United States represented. We had over 150 in-person attendees and over 150 virtual attendees from across the United States, Canada, and India.

We want to thank all our sponsors. We cannot run our events without them.

The 2023 Conference will be held in Boone, NC, at the Art of Living Retreat Center on April 28–30, 2023. The theme of the 2023 Conference will be Ayurveda in Modern Times.

NAMA also produced an additional virtual event this past year:

• Ayurveda Day – Ayurveda: Myths and Truths of Sex and Gender: What We Don’t Talk About and Probably Should. We had over 350 in attendance.

Namacb report

Chair: Diana Lurie, PhD, CAP
Members: Cynthia Copple, AD; Dhaval Dhru, MD, AD; Shivaram Prasad Vinjamury, BAMS, MD (Ayu), Lac, MAOM, MPH, AD; James Laskin; Ashlesha Raut, BAMS, MD (Ayu), AD; Hilary Garivaltis, CAP; Dhanada Kulkarni, BAMS, AD

The NAMACB made every effort this year to help Ayurvedic professionals achieve certification during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a very challenging year for everyone, and the NAMACB was very pleased to be able to administer our certification exams to test takers at home on their own computers.

Notably, from July 2020 to June 2021, 23 Ayurvedic professionals took the AHC exam and 19 took the AP exam. A total of 87 percent of AHC test takers have passed, and 95 percent of AP test takers have passed. To date, 82 applicants have taken the AHC exam (75 percent pass rate), and 43 applicants have taken the AP exam (98 percent pass rate).

NAMA welcomed 32 new Professional Members through NAMACB board certification during the current year. We now have 776 board-certified AHC/CAP members.

Highlights of last year include the following:

• Online proctoring became available for test takers on their home computers.

• A 20 percent discount on AHC and AP registration fees was offered due to COVID-19.

• The NAMACB Ethics and Disciplinary Review Panel was launched and held its first meeting.

• The AD Beta Exam Subcommittee was formed to specify qualifications for AD exam candidates, develop an AD exam application, and review applications for the exam.

• A 75 percent discount on registration for the certification exam was offered to qualified Ayurvedic school faculty.

• The AD beta exam was launched on February 1, 2022.

• AD study and reference guides were completed.

• Presentations on the NAMACB and the importance of certification for the Ayurvedic profession were delivered at the schools and the Leadership Summit.

• Work on the NAMACB communications plan began.

Goals for the upcoming year include the following:

• Complete and launch the finalized AD certification exam

• Support members’ efforts to complete Continuing Education requirements for the 2020–2021 cycle (due December 2021)

• Continue to reach out to and foster a strong working relationship between NAMA-recognized schools and the NAMACB

• Explore novel ways to encourage Ayurveda graduates to take the appropriate board certification exams

• Finalize and implement the NAMACB communication plan

AD Beta Exam Subcommittee

The AD Beta Exam Subcommittee was formed this fiscal year to create and implement a process to determine eligibility of candidates seeking to take the Ayurvedic Doctor board-certification beta exam. In addition to creating an application, the subcommittee supported NAMACB staff in determining the eligibility of certain applicants’ qualifications to sit for the exam on an as-needed basis. The subcommittee created an application checklist for this process to help staff identify which supporting documents and criteria were necessary for each applicant. The AD beta exam was launched on February 1, 2022.

NAMA Fundraising 2021/2022

Donation Total: $11,234

Ambassador Level $10,000+

Vivekananda Yoga University