Dr. Ottenbacher received her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and has expertise in research methodology, data analysis, and project management. She has made contributions and led teams within consulting, academia, healthcare, and big pharma. Dr. Ottenbacher is passionate about advancing research within the CIRS community and beyond. She is motivated by her own personal experience with CIRS and has hope that the next generation will be better equipped to identify and treat this syndrome.
Christian Navarro-Torres received his Ph.D. in Language and Cognitive Science at the University of California, Irvine, and subsequently completed two postdoctoral positions at Princeton University and at Georgetown University. His academic research focuses on examining how bilingualism impacts neuroplasticity and cognitive functioning. As a CIRS patient, Christian developed a passion for helping the CIRS community using his scientific training and data analytic skills to continue developing a research program around biotoxin illness. He is now a research consultant in the Surviving Mold community. He is also the co-founder of CIRS Lab, a platform committed to educating broad audiences on the science behind CIRS.
Dr. Joseph Musto is a highly accomplished laboratory medicine expert with over 50 years of experience, serving as President and Director of Laboratory Medicine at Microbiology Dx after spending 20 years as Medical Director of Diagnostic Laboratory Medicine. His extensive academic background includes multiple degrees in Chemistry and Biomedical Science, along with more than 20 publications and 7 patents, while his professional credentials include being a Board Certified Clinical Laboratory Director and holding fellowships with prestigious institutions. He has established numerous clinical pathology laboratories since 1979, including his current roles as Clinical Laboratory Director for multiple facilities like Brookside Clinical Laboratory and Progene Dx. Between 2015 and 2023, Dr. Musto has conducted 19 clinical in vitro studies, authored comprehensive reports on various medical topics, and achieved certification as a CIRS Proficiency Partner Diplomat in 2023.
Dr. Lacey is a chiropractor based in Reno, NV. After she completed her Chiropractic studies at Southern California University of Health Sciences, she further specialized in allopathic and natural health, completing 1000+ hours of training in functional medicine, nutrition, immunology, and gastroenterology. After her own struggles with CIRS she further specialized in studying Dr. Shoemaker’s work. She is sought out for her work with the microbiome and how it relates to chronic illness.
Louise is a highly qualified nutritional professional with a BSc from the University of West London and memberships in multiple prestigious organizations, including the NNA, IFM, NAP, BSEM, and CNHC. She has held significant leadership positions, including Director and Head of Communications at BANT, and runs a private nutrition practice in Lincoln where she implements the Functional Medicine framework. As the first European practitioner certified in the Shoemaker Protocol, she serves as Director of Colab Services Ltd, which provides advanced laboratory testing services for healthcare practitioners and is the only provider of comprehensive CIRS testing in Europe. Through Colab Services' educational initiatives, Louise has led a team that has trained over 50 European practitioners in CIRS, with the service expanding globally from 2024.
Dr. Peg is an experienced practitioner specializing in environmental illnesses including CIRS (mold toxicity), Tick-Borne Diseases, and various other conditions like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and SIBO, employing an integrative medical approach that combines pharmaceuticals, supplements, and lifestyle changes. As a certified Shoemaker Protocol clinician, she has treated over 1,500 CIRS patients in the past decade, developing deep expertise in managing the condition's various triggers and its downstream effects such as Leaky Gut Syndrome and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. She is trained in Recode 2.0 for treating Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, focusing on identifying and addressing toxins that impair brain function. Her comprehensive treatment approach incorporates the CIRS protocol alongside supplementation, exercise regimens, brain training, and socialization strategies.
Dr. Scott McMahon has an extensive educational background, including a BS in Chemistry (1985), an MD from Creighton University (1989), and completed his Pediatric Residency at Duke University Medical Center (1992), after which he began practicing in Roswell, NM. As the first physician certified in the Shoemaker Protocol for CIRS treatment, he has evaluated 2,000 patients and authored numerous scientific papers, medical textbook chapters, and delivered over 50 CIRS presentations at various medical meetings. He has been practicing primary care pediatrics for 31 years, began learning about CIRS in 2009, and has since become a founder of CIRSx and hosts the Medicine and Miracles podcast. Dr. McMahon was trained by Dr. Shoemaker himself and has contributed significantly to the field through research collaboration, expert testimony in 10 states, and co-authoring and co-editing a book on CIRS.
