FACULTY
ACORN Instructors
ACORN Staff
Sarah Slater
Administration, Website and Technology Manager, Marketing Designer
I have been a student of herbal medicine since 1998. My passion for herbalism came from my dad who was an avid gardener, who used simple herbs for healing. Heather Luna and I were classmates at the Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies in Boulder, CO. We developed a lifelong friendship and business partnership. I have worked behind the scenes in an administrative role since the inception of ACORN in 2016: building and maintaining the website, creating administrative documents, developing registration materials, pivoting to an online learning community, designing newsletters, writing herb monographs, creating marketing materials, and continuing to support the growth and expansion of our school.
Laura Bairstow
School Administration
I am a Certified Clinical Herbalist, a graduate of all 3 programs at ACORN, and have been working for the school since 2021. As a local to Nevada City, I am present in-office to answer phone calls, emails, school inquiries, general student assistance, and other projects as needed. I occasionally assist in the pharmacy with medicine making and filling orders, and I do my best to keep all aspects of the school organized and running smoothly.
CMA Medeiros
School Administration
I am a graduate of the Footprints Program and natural-born desk jockey. As an ACORN School administrator I track student assignments, update progress reports and work alongside Heather Luna to support students in academic development. I facilitate scheduling appointments in our Free Clinic and manage the Pharmacy Membership program. My French-Canadian Grandmother taught me kitchen pharmacy. Her influence drove me to design a booklet documenting the family’s herbal remedies along with my mom; now a multi-generational heirloom. It is a pleasure to bring my organizational skills to support the path of the developing herbalist.
Sarah Bay
Herbal Pharmacy Manager
I began my herbal medicine journey in 2019, having completed a number of herbal courses including the two year program at the California School of Herbal Studies. As the school pharmacist, I fill custom formulas for our clinic, ship out medicine kits to our students, and maintain all operations of the ACORN herbal pharmacy. When I’m not working in the apothecary or seeing clients I can be found walking in the woods, making herbal potions, and swimming in the Yuba river.