Functional Medicine Coaching Academy Announces Sept. 2026 Community Impact Scholarship Recipients
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - illiNews -- The Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA) is proud to announce the recipients of the FMCA Community Impact Scholarships for the September 2026 Health Coach Certification Program.

This spring, over 600 applicants shared their powerful stories and aspirations to drive change in communities often left behind by conventional care. After careful consideration, three remarkable individuals have been selected to receive full-tuition scholarships, recognizing their dedication to advancing health equity and expanding access to personalized, root-cause wellness.

These recipients are already making a meaningful difference in their communities. Through their training in functional medicine health coaching, they will deepen their impact and expand their reach, delivering compassionate, culturally competent care to underserved populations around the world. Their education through Functional Medicine Coaching Academy will equip them not only with the skills to support lasting behavior change and whole-person wellness, but also with the confidence and professional foundation to launch their own private practices and thrive in a wide range of healthcare and wellness settings. As the demand for personalized, preventive health support continues to grow, functional medicine health coaches are uniquely positioned for rewarding, purpose-driven careers that transform lives.

Meet the September 2026 Scholarship Recipients:

Ghadeer Garcia – Kansas City, Missouri

Ghadeer Garcia is a seasoned community leader, organizational consultant, and coach with over 15 years of experience working at the intersection of leadership development, behavioral change, and community impact. Through her co-founded program, Ally Lab, she has designed and facilitated curriculum for more than 200 leaders across sectors, and has personally coached senior leaders through complex transitions such as burnout, restructuring, and culture change. Her work is deeply embedded in the Kansas City, Missouri community, where she holds multiple roles spanning substance use recovery (SAVE, Inc.), entrepreneurship support (Keystone Community Corporation), and nonprofit leadership. Across all of these spaces, she has built a reputation rooted in trust, long-term relationship building, and a commitment to closing systemic gaps—particularly for entrepreneurs, survivors, and communities of color who have historically been underserved.

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Natasha Dillahunt – New York City, New York

Natasha Dillahunt is a New York City–based certified advanced postpartum doula and lactation counselor with over 14 years of experience supporting families through the critical "Fourth Trimester." Her work is deeply holistic, combining emotional support, evidence-based education, and hands-on care for diverse families across NYC, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and immigrant communities.

Through both in-home care and virtual support groups, she helps parents navigate challenges such as feeding, stress, and postpartum recovery, while remaining grounded in empathy, cultural awareness, and health equity. Her background, shaped by early exposure to functional medicine in Ireland and years of observing gaps in conventional postpartum care, has led her to prioritize whole-person, root-cause approaches to health and healing.

Johana Castillo – West Palm Beach, Florida

Johana Castillo is a Colombian-born community herbalist, educator, and founder of Mama Tortuga LLC, a land-based healing practice rooted in South Florida and inspired by the ancestral traditions of Colombia and the Caribbean. This was her second time applying for a scholarship, having previously been a finalist.

Her work integrates medicinal plant education, somatic healing, and community wellness, with a strong emphasis on serving Latino, Caribbean, LGBTQ+, and multicultural communities that often face barriers to culturally competent care. As a bilingual practitioner, she bridges language and access gaps in the wellness space, offering both education and consultations that honor ancestral knowledge while addressing modern health challenges. Her journey into healing was deeply personal, shaped by her own experiences with chronic stress, intergenerational trauma, and navigating healthcare systems that did not reflect her identity, ultimately leading her to reconnect with plant medicine and holistic, root-cause approaches to health.

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About FMCA:

The Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA) is a global leader in health coach education, offering a certification program rooted in functional medicine principles and backed by The Institute for Functional Medicine. FMCA prepares graduates to partner with clients in personalized, root-cause care across diverse healthcare and wellness settings, while equipping them with the skills, confidence, and professional foundation to build thriving private practices and impactful careers in the growing field of health coaching. FMCA recently launched a new 6-month accelerated program, delivering the same gold-standard education in a streamlined format designed to fit the schedules and goals of aspiring health coaches from all walks of life.

For more information about FMCA's Health Coach Certification Program or upcoming scholarship opportunities, visit functionalmedicinecoaching.org or contact press@functionalmedicinecoaching.org.