Graduate Spotlight
Check out what some of our graduates have done after herb school!
SUSAN TEITELMAN, CLIMATE SMART MISSOULA
Susan has lived in Missoula for ten years and since then has worked as an herbalist and plant educator, spending time teaching and learning about Western Montana’s flora. Susan graduated with her MS in Environmental Studies in 2022 from the University of Montana, where she focused on ethnobotany, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and environmental justice. Susan is currently the Climate Resilience Specialist with the organization Climate Smart Missoula, where she focuses on helping the Missoula community adapt to the impacts of climate change. Here, she works with plants in a slightly different capacity, as she focuses on urban forestry education and outreach. A lifelong learner, Susan continues to seek knowledge about the interconnections between Montana's history, culture, natural environment, and political landscape.
DOMINI AALBERS, HIPPIE-KI-YAY HERBALS
Hippie-Ki-Yay Herbals is a Bitterroot Valley, Montana business offering high-quality herbal products. My goal is to share a healing product that embodies my knowledge as a trained herbalist and my deeply rooted love for the mountains. From the “obnoxious” weeds to the native plants that carpet our lands, there is an abundance of resources around us that are here for healing. Even the sacred plants that aren’t here for the picking offer us spiritual healing energy if we are fortunate enough to meet and admire them!
The herbs used in my handcrafted small-batch formulas are wildcrafted here in Montana’s mountains and valleys, sustainably grown in my gardens, or sourced from sustainable wildcrafters and organic farmers. Mindfulness and awareness go into choosing sustainable sources. Herbs are gently infused with cold-pressed oils before being transformed into rich healing salves and lotions. Hippie-Ki-Yay Herbals is a microbusiness growing with the seasons. Please stay in touch for more products as I patiently await the next harvest. With the turn of seasons I’ll be crafting new healing products to share with you!
YASHEEKA DIVINE, DOULA AND LIFE COACH
Yasheeka is a dedicated entrepreneur, holistic life coach, and certified postpartum doula passionate about empowering individuals through healing and transformation. With a deep belief in creating safe spaces for growth and self-discovery, Yasheeka brings her wealth of experience and compassionate approach to her work, supporting clients at pivotal moments in their lives. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Winston-Salem State University, she founded Elle Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to alternative healing therapies inspired by her extensive volunteer work in the domestic violence sector. In 2011, Yasheeka launched her holistic life coaching business and went on to host the international radio show Soulful Essentials on the Women’s Movement Radio Network. She has been honored for her many contributions, including recognition on International Women’s Day in Toronto, Canada. Now based in Berlin, Yasheeka offers a variety of herbal healing products and services, including her work as a postpartum doula. Find her on Instagram here and here.
CATHERYN RAAN, WILD WANDERS
Cathryn has a deep love for the land and the community that surrounds her, human and otherwise. Aside from taking (and now teaching) endless classes and workshops of all kinds spanning many years, she has been working for Meadowsweet Herbs since 2021. There you can most often find her in the basement making all of our wonderful body care products, managing our wholesale department, social media and so much more. She has been coordinating and leading events for the Western Montana Mycological Association since 2018. In the spring of 2022, she started Wild Wanders, a lovely and lively little business teaching classes and leading wild food and medicine walks in the area. She’s a little obsessed with finding creative ways to reduce waste and support mutual aid projects and organizations in the community and she volunteers often within this space. She enjoys wildcrafting, exploring a wide range of hobbies, and connecting with her pals. Ask her about her ever-expanding costume closet!
KELLY HILL, MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON FARM
After delving into organic agriculture for the past two decades Kelly combined her love for farming, connection to nature, and dedication to herbal medicine to provide the community a source for high quality medicinal plants. Currently farming in Dixon Montana she manages the flower, medicinal, and culinary herbs side of things at Mountains of the Moon Farm. When not on the farm, you can find her in the mountains collecting native medicinal seeds, which are her deepest passion and specialty.
NATALIE HESSLER
Natalie hails from St. Ignatius, MT, where she lives on her family's organic farm and spends most of her time cuddling draft horses and romping around in her nettle patch. She is now a student at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Natalie has been interested in the magical world of herbs since a young age, so having the opportunity to study with Green Path was nothing short of a dream. In the spring, Natalie will work as an Herbal Educator for her college, designing medicinal herb curriculum for the local public schools. She is also working towards creating The Nettle Project, a program to teach kids about the beauty of stinging nettles.
LILY SUSSMAN, 3 GENERATIONS WELLNESS
Lily is a certified Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) coach and herbalist based in Missoula, Montana. She offers workshops and 1:1 coaching for identifying women + partners who want more agency when it comes to their reproductive health. She is known for blending her expertise as a research-minded public health consultant with her experience as an educator, herbalist and FAM coach. She offers 1:1 coaching and support with a focus on reproductive health and sovereignty. Lily holds a MS in Public Health from Johns Hopkins and a MA in Teaching from National Louis University. She is a certified herbalist via Green Path Herb School and a certified FAM coach via Fertility Education and Medical Management (FEMM). For more information email Lily or visit her website.
BRITTANY BREITENBACH, LAC
Brittany graduated from the Herbalist Certificate Program at Green Path Herb School in 2015. Since then, Brittany has taught Herbal Fermentations classes for GPHS as well as other classes and workshops throughout Missoula. In 2019, she started seeing clients for herbal consultations at Nettles Herbal Health and Spa and enrolled in the Vitalist Herbal Practitioner Program at the School of Evolutionary Herbalism. Brittany eventually continued pursuing further education in chemical addiction studies. After graduating with an Associate of Arts degree in 2023, she began working as a Licensed Addiction Counselor. Brittany’s long term goals are to continue her herbal studies while furthering her knowledge on the science of addiction so as to find a way to incorporate the two. Brittany continues to make and sell Fire Cider and Elderberry syrup yearly as well as the occasional herbal brews. Brittany is available to see clients for herbal consultations as well as addiction services in her part-time private practice. You can find her on psychology today for more information.
JUSTENE SWEET, MOTHER FOX HERBALS
Justene Sweet is an herbalist, medicine maker, and herbal educator. She works as a community herbalist at Meadowsweet in Missoula as well as seeing clients in a clinical setting. Having studied with herbal teachers in the U.S. and Canada, Justene credits her mentors for gifting her wisdom from an array of herbal traditions. Her approach to herbalism is evidence-based as well as intuitive. As a practitioner, Justene aims to be compassionate, accessible, and empowering to clients. As a plant person by nature, walking the herbal path was inevitable. This is her work, let her be your guide. Find Justene on Instagram.
SARAH HOLDEN, HERBALIST, HORTICULTURE EXTENSION AGENT
Originally from the Midwest, Sarah was in search of a wilder place! She came to MT in 1999 and graduated from the University of MT in 2001. Montana quickly showed her the diversity of the plant world and she was hooked. Fast forward two decades and she is now creating new programming for Missoula County and MSU Extension as the new Horticulture Extension Agent! Sarah loves connecting people to plants and seeing the inspiration that a good harvest can bring! Herbal concoctions and medicinal plants are her specialty, and she loves spending time roaming around in the woods! Sarah is one of the founders of the MT Herbal Festival. Hiking, skiing, and hot springs soaking are some activities she enjoys doing with her two girls!! Contact Sarah here.
TREZ ROBBINS, HEART BEET HERBALS
Therese “Trez” Robbins (pronouns she/her) is a community herbalist, permaculture garden designer, organic land care professional, native plant & pollinator enthusiast, forager, and self-described plant nerd based in Pittsburgh, PA. She is passionate about growing and foraging her own food & medicinals, building mindful relationships with plants and the natural world, and supporting folks' health & well-being with herbs. You can find her on her website at heartbeetherbals.com, or follow her on Instagram @heartbeetherbals.
BONITA PERNOT, COSITAS BONITAS BOTANICALS
Bonita (she/they) graduated from Green Path Herb School in 2021, and has since started a small business as an energetic herbalist. Her work is largely based out of Missoula, MT, where she creates small-batch botanical body care and offers 1:1 energy healing sessions. Their works aim to tune you in with your innermost truths, create meaningful relationships with plants, and spark both creativity and community. Tune in with their work here.
JESSY RASPILLER, VENTURE WELL
Born and raised in the Sonoran Desert, Jessy Raspiller grew up exploring the wild beauty of small-town Arizona, a curiosity that followed her to the sea breeze and mountain vistas of Ventura, CA. During the stillness of 2020, she turned to her garden and discovered the transformative power of herbs. Exploring the journey from seed to remedy, Jessy embraced kitchen medicine—crafting teas, broths, and salves as a way to nurture herself and her community. This practice deepened her connection to nature’s rhythms and inspired her to weave everyday ingredients into tools for healing and nourishment.
In 2022, Jessy completed her herbalism certificate program with Green Path Herb School, blending over a decade of experience in Eastern and Western healing modalities. She opened Venture Well Wellness Spa + Herbal Apothecary in 2023, offering her signature Aroma Fusion bodywork alongside a welcoming space for others to connect with herbal wisdom. As a somatic herbalist, Jessy combines kitchen wisdom, bodywork, and plant medicine to help individuals find balance and vitality in the modern world, reconnecting to nature and themselves through simple yet profound acts of care.
