Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Volunteer Experience
Achievements
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Rhonda Sapp

Baltimore,MD

Summary

Innovative health and wellness professional with 25+ years of experience in student health, integrative healthcare, and community wellness programs. Proven ability to design and implement strategic, campus-wide wellness models that enhance student well-being and academic success. Experienced in higher education administration, faculty collaboration, and program supervision. Passionate about empowering students through mental health support, stress management, and holistic health initiatives.

Overview

27
27
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Owner/Acupuncturist

Better! Acupuncture Health Care
Baltimore, MD
01.2019 - Current
  • Manage a successful private practice that may soon expand into a non-profit serving disenfranchised populations of Baltimore City
  • Facilitate collaboration among healthcare entities to deliver specialized care to individuals.
  • Served as clinical coordinator for federal acupuncture education program aimed at legislators.

Director of Acupuncture & Holistic Services

Penn North Recovery
07.2019 - 07.2024
  • Developed and delivered comprehensive behavioral health and wellness programs for individuals seeking to recover their lives by better understanding their relationships with addictive substances
  • Create virtual meditation, qi gong, nutrition, and yoga programs to support access to wellness services and address pain, anxiety, and drug-related symptoms for residential drug treatment clients during the Covid-19 pandemic
  • Provided avenues for art therapy, journaling, self massage and holistic education for empowerment during Covid-19 pandemic
  • Provided free virtual meditation, qi gong, health classes and tai chi classes to Sandtown Winchester community and other recovery centers during the Covid-19 shut down
  • Chairwoman of the Health & Safety Committee | Penn North Recovery | January 2020-July 2024 oversaw congregant living procedures during the Covid 19 pandemic
  • Created safety protocols and procedures to ensure safe living for vulnerable populations

Supervisor, Community Health Initiative

Maryland University of Integrative Health
10.1999 - 03.2022
  • Supervise student practitioners in delivering all aspects of acupuncture care at Baltimore City Detention Centers, Penn North Recovery, Howard County Health Department, HERO, and other sites

Site Visitor

Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
04.2017 - 01.2021
  • Visited AOM schools to verify necessary requirements to candidate schools when they applied for new programs of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine with a team of site visitors representing the national accreditation standards

Site Visitor

Advanced Medical Integration
08.2019 - 07.2020
  • Visited acupuncture, massage and chiropractic clinics to ensure they had the supplies, documentation process and accommodations necessary to treat the program's Medicaid population of patients with chronic pain

Associate Director, AOM Programs

Maryland University of Integrative Health
10.2011 - 12.2018
  • Balanced long-term vision with the short-term needs of rigorous master's and doctoral level programs in acupuncture and herbal medicine
  • Developed curriculum, advised students, and acted as a liaison for students, faculty, and administrators
  • Supported program accreditations and approvals and served as a site visitor for the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and American Medical Intervention

Director and Acupuncturist

About Chi Wellness
11.1999 - 12.2018
  • Owned and operated a multi-modal facility for students, practitioners, and the community
  • Established partnerships with the Special Olympics, Mercy Hospital's Peritoneal Cancer Program, Kennedy Krieger High School, Johns Hopkins Nursing, Whole Foods Market, and Charm City Roller Girls

Primary Administrator, Community Health Initiative

Maryland University of Integrative Health
01.2011 - 01.2018
  • Hired and managed clinical supervisors; maintained program documentation; handled staffing and contracting; and guided students on professional projects
  • Directed community-based clinical programs and the Living Well with Cancer program

Student Coordinator, Community Health Initiative

Maryland University of Integrative Health
01.1998 - 06.1999
  • Managed payroll, recruited students and verified participation, and acted as a liaison to external agencies for multiple clinical sites under the program director's guidance

Education

MASTER OF HEALTH PROMOTION -

MARYLAND UNIVERSITY OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
01.2022

DOCTOR OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE -

MARYLAND UNIVERSITY OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTH (MUIH)
01.2018

MASTER OF ACUPUNCTURE -

TRADITIONAL ACUPUNCTURE INSTITUTE
01.1999

POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE - Workplace Wellness

MUIH
01.2020

POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE - Chinese Herbal Medicine

MUIH
01.2013

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - Physical Education, Adapted Physical Education

TOWSON STATE UNIVERSITY
01.1992

ASSOCIATE DEGREE - Chemical Dependency Counseling

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
01.2007

Skills

  • Strategic project planning
  • Foster Positive Environment
  • Relationship building
  • Verbal and written communication
  • Crisis management
  • Creative Program Design
  • Team Collaboration Skills
  • Budget development
  • Staff training and development
  • Project management
  • Multitasking capacity
  • Visionary leadership

Volunteer Experience

  • CLINICAL COORDINATOR, ACUPUNCTURE ON THE HILL, Federal program designed to educate legislators about the power of acupuncture for pain management and addiction by treating Capital Hill legislators, staffers and capital police., Created education documents showing the connection between acupuncture and commonly treated conditions like Addiction, Cancer and Pain.
  • HELPING UP MISSION RECOVERY CENTER, 09/20, 01/22, Created documentation and administrative process to assure alignment with the Maryland Board of Acupuncture in the Community Auricular Acupuncture program., Provided acupuncture for participants.
  • DIVINE LIGHT RECOVERY CENTER, 02/22, Designed acupuncture budget and procedures for auricular acupuncture for program.

Achievements

Faculty Excellence in Innovation and Service Award, Maryland University of Integrative Health, 06/18, Official Citation for Outstanding Service to Penn North Recovery, Maryland House of Delegates, 07/01, The Entrepreneur's Toss award for sharing small business advice and strategies, Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore, 04/03, Herbert C. Brown Community Service Award, Tai Sophia Institute, 06/99, Panel Member for community outreach discussion on Acupuncture Day, American Society of Acupuncturists, 10/20, Speaker, Otolaragotomy Cancer Survivor Day, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 05/19, Guest Speaker, Chemical Dependency Counselling Program, Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk Campus and Essex Campus, Stevenson University, Spring 2012 - present, Speaker at the federal level to attest to the efficacy of auricular acupuncture when used as an adjunct treatment in the realm of drug addiction, 08/01, Testimony Witness for the efficacy of auricular acupuncture, Maryland General Assembly, 04/01, Testimony Witness for HB 1270, a law that promoted greater access to auricular acupuncture for treating drug addictions, Maryland State Senate, 03/01, Panel Member for public discussion on treating drug addiction in West Baltimore, Coppin State College, 11/00, Interviewed by Baltimore Magazine for 'Points of Light, Acupuncture helps Addicts on the Road to Recovery', 11/09, Interviewed by Urbanite Magazine for 'The Fix, Can a Millennia-Old Healing Art Help Solve Baltimore's Substance Abuse Crisis', 10/08, Interviewed by WJZ TV for 'Acupuncture for Weight Loss', 05/04, Interviewed by Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients for 'Interview with Rhonda Sapp Armero, L.Ac., M.Ac., NADA certified, on using Auricular Acupuncture for Drug Detoxification in a Prison Setting', 07/01

Certification

Acupuncture License U-0901 Maryland Board of Acupuncture since 1999

Acudetox Specialist State of Maryland

National Acupuncture Detoxification Association Registered Trainer

Workplace Wellness Certification

Chinese Herbal Certification

Timeline

Site Visitor

Advanced Medical Integration
08.2019 - 07.2020

Director of Acupuncture & Holistic Services

Penn North Recovery
07.2019 - 07.2024

Owner/Acupuncturist

Better! Acupuncture Health Care
01.2019 - Current

Site Visitor

Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
04.2017 - 01.2021

Associate Director, AOM Programs

Maryland University of Integrative Health
10.2011 - 12.2018

Primary Administrator, Community Health Initiative

Maryland University of Integrative Health
01.2011 - 01.2018

Director and Acupuncturist

About Chi Wellness
11.1999 - 12.2018

Supervisor, Community Health Initiative

Maryland University of Integrative Health
10.1999 - 03.2022

Student Coordinator, Community Health Initiative

Maryland University of Integrative Health
01.1998 - 06.1999

MASTER OF HEALTH PROMOTION -

MARYLAND UNIVERSITY OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTH

DOCTOR OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE -

MARYLAND UNIVERSITY OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTH (MUIH)

MASTER OF ACUPUNCTURE -

TRADITIONAL ACUPUNCTURE INSTITUTE

POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE - Workplace Wellness

MUIH

POST-BACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE - Chinese Herbal Medicine

MUIH

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - Physical Education, Adapted Physical Education

TOWSON STATE UNIVERSITY

ASSOCIATE DEGREE - Chemical Dependency Counseling

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
Rhonda Sapp