We are extremely excited to introduce the Professional Member Candidates for the WANP's 2026/2027 Board of Directors! Of these 10 candidates, one is running to fill the open President position, and 9 are running to fill 7 professional director terms. All terms begin September 1, 2026. The elected Directors will join current Directors Drs. Tiffany Bloomingdale, Mandy Gulla, and Erica Wood, as well as new student representative Ieva Girdvainyte.

Our organizational bylaws identify voting members as only those professional members with an active naturopathic medical license in the State of Washington. All professional members who are eligible to vote will receive their ballots via email on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. **Note: We will use the email address under which your membership is active, so please log into our website and take note of the email address we have on file for your login (or go to "My Account -> Account Details" and note the email address there). If you have not received a ballot and believe you should have, please ensure your membership is current, that you are looking in the email inbox associated with your membership, and that our message is not in your spam folder, and - if all is as it should be - contact us at [email protected].** Per WANP bylaws, the election will be open for 3 weeks. Ballots received after Wednesday, July 8, 2026, will not be counted.

[Note: The WANP has verified both active professional WANP membership and active licensure status of all candidates unless otherwise noted.]

If you are not a current member of the WANP, you can join today and participate in this election to ensure you have a voice in the next Board of Directors. We will send your ballot as soon as you join.

Without further ado, here are the Candidates for your next Board of Directors (presented in order received):

Sarah Acosta Smith, ND

Dr. Sarah Acosta Smith holds a BA in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Subsequently, she pursued her Naturopathic Doctor degree at Bastyr University (2006). Dr. Acosta Smith's clinical experience includes a two-year residency at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, WA, where she gained valuable experience through rotations at community health centers and major regional hospitals. Her current practice at Family Health Centers - a federally qualified health center in Brewster, WA - focuses on family medicine and women’s health, with particular interests in the treatment of migraines, autoimmune disorders, endocrine issues, and gastrointestinal disorders. Her current job titles include Clinic Director, ND Residency Director, Director of Integrative Medicine, and Naturopathic Physician.

Dr. Acosta Smith has been a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) for more than 8 years and has served on its Board of Directors since 2021. Having previously served as Treasurer (2022-2023) and Vice President of the Board (2023-2025), she has been the acting Board President since December 2025. She was on the Board of Directors of Blankets for Cancer prior to joining the WANP's Board.

Dr. Acosta Smith is a current member of the WANP's Finance Committee, Governance Committee, and Legislative Affairs Committee and also has experience/interest in event planning and member recruitment/retention. She is interested in continuing her work on her current committees. Her relevant experience includes working and living in a small rural community in Washington, working in a Federally Qualified Health Center with many other provider types, teaching and consulting on naturopathic medicine and options to other provider types, and creating a 2-year ND residency program. She previously worked as assistant professor and clinical professor at Bastyr University and as Coordinator of Community Health and Outside clinical rotations at Bastyr University. She has experience working in small private clinics and as a small business owner. She has also worked in DEIA with multiple organizations with additional trainings and was particularly passionate about working on the current Strategic Plan for WANP.

In her own words: "As president, I would like to continue to lead the WANP through the current trials we face nationally and locally in our state. I will continue to help the board to focus on the Strategic Plan we set forth 3 years ago and, in my term, see us re-evaluate this plan as we move into the future as an organization. When I took over as the acting president, I looked at it as an opportunity to look at our priorities, goals and to make sure that we were congruent with our committee and board work. I plan to continue to move forward grounded in integrity and passion for naturopathic medicine. 

"In the last few months, as the acting president of the WANP, I have loved my time getting to know the organization at an even deeper level and to be involved in a more intimate way with the challenges we face as a profession. I understand the frustration we can all feel at times when we come up against the issues we face as a profession and as an organization. Initially, I decided to join the WANP board because I wanted to see change and knew I could not leave it all to others, that I needed to be part of the change I wanted to see in our profession and in our state. I feel extremely lucky to be able to support our profession as a member of the WANP and even luckier to have been chosen to serve on the executive committee by my peers on the board. As your next president, I look forward to continuing to humbly serve the WANP membership and board members and to work closely with the executive director as we move through our current trials and into the future."

Dr. Nauman was a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) from 2021 to 2022 and then again consistently since 2024. She has served on WANP's Continuing Education Committee since mid-2025 and is interested in continuing her work on this committee and also on the WANP's Governance Committee. Dr. Nauman is also a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and of the Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OANP). She previously served on the Board of the Oregon Montessori Association from 2009 to 2012.

Dr. Nauman has experience in event planning, non-profit governance, clinical practice, research, education, publishing, and organizational leadership. Through roles in research administration, continuing medical education, residency training, and professional publishing, she has developed skills in strategic planning, program development, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.

In her own words: "As a member of the WANP Board of Directors, I hope to help expand the impact of naturopathic medicine throughout Washington by fostering professional collaboration, supporting physician leadership development, advancing research and education initiatives, and advocating for policies that strengthen the role of naturopathic physicians in improving healthcare access and outcomes across the state. I am committed to advancing a strong, credible, and sustainable future for naturopathic medicine in Washington through collaboration, advocacy, and evidence-informed leadership.

"I would like to focus on strengthening the visibility, credibility, and impact of naturopathic physicians across Washington State. In particular, I am interested in supporting initiatives that expand professional development opportunities, strengthen residency and mentorship pathways, and increase engagement among physicians practicing outside major metropolitan areas. I am also passionate about advancing research, continuing medical education, and scholarly publishing to support evidence-informed practice and elevate the profession's voice within the broader healthcare landscape. Finally, I would like to help ensure that WANP continues to be a strong advocate for naturopathic physicians while fostering collaboration, leadership development, and long-term sustainability for the profession."

Jenna Bailey, ND, FABNO

Dr. Jenna Bailey earned her bachelor’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her doctoral degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University (2016). She is a graduate of the two-year Seattle Integrative Oncology Residency Program and is board-certified in naturopathic oncology. With a strong foundation in laboratory sciences and a special interest in hematologic cancers, Dr. Bailey blends technical expertise with compassionate, patient-centered care. She is committed to providing every patient with a strong therapeutic foundation—prioritizing quality sleep, optimal nutrition, appropriate supplementation, and hydration—while fostering meaningful relationships to support healing of the whole person. Outside of her clinical practice, Dr. Bailey is deeply engaged in professional leadership and education within integrative oncology.

Dr. Bailey has been a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) for the past 5 years and has served on the WANP's Board of Directors and on its Continuing Education Committee since 2024. She is also an active member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP), and she currently serves as a board member for the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (ABNO).

Dr. Bailey has experience in event planning and legislative advocacy in addition to extensive experience working alongside other medical providers (medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, etc.), which she believes can help build ongoing support and recognition for naturopathic medicine as we continue to work towards expanded scope within WA State. She is interested in continuing her work with WANP's Continuing Education Committee and may also be interested in the Legislative Affairs Committee and/or the Membership Committee.

In her own words: "I have loved my time on the [WANP] board and specifically the continuing education committee the last two years and honestly think it went by too fast! I am hopeful to continue to serve as a director. Helping to put together quality CE continues to be a high priority for me as well as being involved in the legislative actions either through the legislative committee or participating in our lobby day. It has been wonderful to see we do actually have quite a bit of support even if that doesn't always translate to changes we are hoping for. We just have to keep pushing forward. "

Dr. Morical has been providing care for adults and children in Washington since 2011. Between 2016 and 2020 when the pandemic began, she was fortunate to have been trained in the use of BHRT by Dr. Jonathan Wright as a Tahoma Clinic staff doctor. She achieved the Autism Center of Excellence designation in 2024.

Dr. Morical has been a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) since 2011 (with some brief breaks here and there) and served on the WANP Board of Directors from 2023 to 2025. From 2024 to 2025, she served as Chair of the Continuing Education Committee, overseeing the programming for the WANP's 2025 annual conference on Longevity. During her time on the Board, she also was an active member of the Governance Committee and the Legislative Affairs Committee. She has additional prior board/committee experience with various Waldorf schools and on the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors while she lived there from 2009 to 2011.

Dr. Morical has experience with governance, legislative advocacy, and member recruitment/retention and is also committed to share the workload, to speak up and to be collaborative, and to listen to other views and to bring forth concerns of WANP members. She is interested in working with ND students/student events, writing/editing, and has a high comfort level meeting with legislators. She is interested in continuing her work on WANP's Continuing Education Committee, Legislative Affairs Committee, and Membership Committee. She is also interested in mentorship for new doctors and inviting those who are not members to join the WANP and share their perspectives.

Danielle Crabtree, OT, ND Candidate

Originally from the East Coast, Danielle spent much of her childhood in South Florida. She is married and the proud mother of a 9 year old son and an almost 5 year old daughter. She has been a practicing occupational therapist for 18 years and has served in the U.S. Army for nearly 12 years. In 2018, she relocated to Washington State for her final active duty military assignment and continues to serve as an Army Reservist in a Combat Stress and Operational Control unit focused on supporting the behavioral health needs of service members. Danielle’s experience in military medicine inspired her passion for providing more comprehensive healthcare options that focus on addressing the root cause of illness. After completing her active duty military commitment, she began her journey through naturopathic medical training at Bastyr University to expand her ability to serve patients through a more integrative and preventive approach to medicine. Her clinical interests include family medicine, sports medicine, functional medicine, and serving historically underserved communities - particularly military families and communities that have had limited access to naturopathic care.

As she nears ND graduation on June 22, 2026, and the next phase of her career, Danielle is excited to begin her first year as a naturopathic medical resident while continuing her long-term involvement with the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP).

Danielle remains deeply committed to professional advocacy and hopes to continue helping strengthen engagement within the naturopathic profession while supporting legislative efforts that advance the future of naturopathic medicine. Looking ahead, Danielle is excited for the many opportunities that come after graduation. In addition to continuing to learn from experienced mentors within the naturopathic medical community, she hopes to contribute meaningfully to research that advances evidence-informed naturopathic care. She is also passionate about continuing to engage with the local military community, with the goal of increasing awareness and understanding of naturopathic medicine at both the patient and organizational level, while helping bridge the gap between conventional and integrative healthcare systems. Outside of her professional roles, Danielle enjoys gardening, cooking, hands-on projects, and spending quality time with her family. She remains deeply committed to building a future in medicine centered on service, education, advocacy, and expanding access to whole-person healthcare.

Danielle has been a student member of the WANP since 2023 and currently serves as the student representative to the WANP's Board of Directors. She has been an active member of the WANP's Legislative Affairs Committee and the Membership Committee.

Danielle has experience with event planning, legislative advocacy, and member recruitment/retention, as well as experience in organizing and managing clinical operations which has strengthened her organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work efficiently within a team. She believes these strengths would allow her to continue to be an effective and reliable contributor to the Board. She would like to continue her work with the Legislative Affair Committee and the Membership Committee.

In her own words: "I would like to focus on increasing membership engagement and encouraging greater participation in advocacy efforts, particularly surrounding legislative initiatives such as Advocacy Day. I believe our profession is at a pivotal moment, and it is essential that we continue to demonstrate both the value and competency that naturopathic physicians bring to healthcare. I strongly believe there is strength in numbers, and I hope to help foster greater confidence among both students and practicing physicians so that more members feel empowered to actively engage in the events hosted by WANP."

NOTE FROM WANP: If elected, Danielle's service as a professional director on the WANP's Board of Directors would be contingent on her obtaining an active naturopathic physician license in Washington State.

Dr. Taylor has experience with financial management, legal affairs, and legislative advocacy, as well as extensive experience working in a conventional allopathic medical setting, helping to raise awareness and status of naturopathic medicine in this setting. He is interested in continuing his work with the Legislative Affairs Committee.

In his own words: "I am very excited about the work we have done and I am enthusiastic about going forward. I would like to see more opportunities for Naturopathic Doctors in Washington, including a larger scope of practice and pay parity."

Greg Yasuda, ND, VNMI

Dr. Greg Yasuda is a 2003 graduate of Bastyr University. As a didactic and clinical faculty member there since 2008 and the Associate Dean of Academics from 2018-2021, Dr. Yasuda has placed a strong emphasis on holism and the vis medicatrix naturae in helping students and patients to capitalize on their unique strengths in navigating their journeys toward health and healing. He is core faculty in Physical Medicine and his interests include naturopathic philosophy, craniosacral work, and group medicine - all of which are manifestations of his desire to treat the cause. He also maintains a private practice in Edmonds, WA.

Dr. Yasuda has been a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) for most of the last decade and has served on the WANP's Board of Directors since 2024. He is an active member of the WANP's Continuing Education Committee. He also belongs to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and the Naturopathic Medicine Institute (NMI). He also served as a director for the Association of Naturopathic Revitalization/Revival Retreats Association from 2023 to 2026, where he supported and sustained the Revival: Restore the Vis conference. He currently serves as Chair of Bastyr University's Faculty Senate.

Dr. Yasuda has experience in event planning and non-profit governance and is interested in continuing his work with WANP's Continuing Education Committee.

In his own words: "As a faculty member at Bastyr, I bring a connection to our state teaching university with which we share many interests. In my roles as an ND, I bring a perspective of connection to our past, present and future from a philosophical rather than a legislative perspective."

Alethea Fleming, ND

Dr. Alethea Fleming is a passionate advocate for naturopathic geriatric medicine. She is a 2007 graduate of Bastyr University and earned a certificate in Gerontology from the University of Washington. Dr. Fleming is the owner of the Vital Aging Clinic in Anacortes, WA, where she has provided care to elders and someday-elders for over fifteen years. Dr. Fleming is adjunct faculty at Bastyr University, University of Western States, and Middle Way Acupuncture Institute.

Dr. Fleming has been a member of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) for nearly 20 years, and she has served on the WANP's Board of Directors since 2024. She served on the Legislative Affairs Committee from 2024 to 2025 and on the Continuing Education Committee since 2024, stepping into the Chair position in 2025. Dr. Fleming was elected by her fellow Board members to be the Vice President of WANP's Board in January 2026. Dr. Fleming also belongs to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) and to the American Geriatric Society (AGS). She has prior Board experience serving as a Director, President, and Vice President of the Anacortes Public Library from 2018 to present.

Dr. Fleming is interested in continuing her work with the WANP's Continuing Education Committee as well as exploring the Governance Committee. She brings to her work clear communication, consistency, and an ability to help keep a meeting flowing/focused. Additional interests include improving the health and productivity of the board, engaging more membership to participate in committees and at events, and keeping our profession alive in this challenging time.

Dr. Nalbandian has experience with governance, legislative advocacy, and member recruitment/retention. She is interested in continuing her work with WANP's Governance Committee, Legislative Affairs Committee, and Membership Committee. She is particularly motivated to work on achieving pay parity for naturopathic physicians in Washington and on continuing to update and modernize WANP policies.

In her own words: "I am dedicated to the Naturopathic Medicine profession both in the state of Washington and Nationally. I would love to continue my advocacy for the profession."