The heart of ArborVitae: meet the core team
- Dana Perry
- Mar 24
- 6 min read
At the heart of herbalism lies the deep connection to nature and the community. We are so fortunate to have a dedicated team who pour their love, knowledge, and wisdom into our program. Get to know a few of the incredible humans who nurture and breathe life into this magical space, ensuring your journey is not just educational, but truly transformative.
𖦹 Meet Claudia Keel
co-founder | co-director | core teacher
Intro: Claudia Keel wears many hats that allow her to connect with students in both practical and personal ways. Within classes she delves into diverse subjects from digestive health, nutrition, and medicinal herbal foods to emotional health and flower essence therapy, and of course clinical mentoring which touches on everything. Herbalism links us to so very many aspects of life on our planet.
What led you to the path of herbalism?
I did not know there was even such a thing as herbs, let alone ‘herbalists’ until my 20s. But since a tiny child, I’ve sought out any ‘plant place’, wild or cultivated, as there I could feel great aliveness in the tiniest of plants and largest of landscapes.
Then working in the jungle of Chiapas Mexico in 1982, I developed a fungus growing all over my skin that doctors and medicines could not help. I was told to visit Don Jose, the local herbalist. He spent time trying to understand me beyond just looking at the fungus on my skin, pointed out plants in his garden that would help and gave me a bottle of liquid in a repurposed Revlon shampoo bottle. It tasted a bit of Revlon shampoo, but my months of skin fungus disappeared within the week.
The experience that plants were not only alive, but that they could heal, started me on my own program of self-study and growing herbs for over a decade, but I didn’t really understand how to apply them. When I discovered a new herb program in NYC and a few master herbalists I could study with, I felt my world expanded exponentially with the presence of the healing plants.
I felt compelled — and so happy — to study herbal medicine, but I still did not think to become a practicing herbalist. Though I did start to offer herbs to friends for varying conditions and they started sending their friends and those sent other friends. I realized the herb medicine tradition I was learning was a rare gift, I couldn’t not continue. And as I did, I discovered how much I loved this great practice of herbal medicine.
And so many years later, when Rich Mandelbaum and I first met to talk about the possibility of forming an herb school, the one element we both wholeheartedly agreed on was that we didn’t want to just teach about herbs, but we wanted to offer a wide-ranging program that would support others to become practicing herbalists and continue this living tradition for our times.
𖦹 Meet Diana Isidoro
co-director
Intro: Diana Isidoro is the co-director at ArborVitae and a lifelong student of herbalism, always eager to learn and grow in this ever-evolving field. Her passion lies in connecting with others, and she feel deeply grateful to be able to foster relationships with students and community members alike. At ArborVitae, Diana has the privilege of supporting students through their own journeys, guiding them as they deepen their understanding of herbalism and their connection to the natural world. She approaches her work with a spirit of humility, always learning from those around me while offering what I can to help others along the way.
What led you to the path of herbalism?
I was led to herbalism through a deep yearning to calm the constant anxiety that accompanied me during my love for competitive pool tournaments. The pressure, the nerves, and the relentless need for focus often felt overwhelming. In search of something to ease my mind and steady my hands, I turned to plants — an intuitive choice that began as a curiosity but quickly turned into a deep connection. I began discovering plant allies that supported my nerves, offering calm and clarity when I needed it most. These herbs became more than just remedies; they became my partners in the game, helping me center myself and find balance amidst the nerves of competition.
Are there any herbs you are particularly inspired by this season or are excited to connect with come spring?
Spring herbs have a way of awakening the senses! I’m feeling most inspired and eager to connect with violet and lilac this spring. Both herbs offer a tender touch. Yearning for violet’s delicate petals and soothing comfort and lilac’s purple hue and sweet scent that sparks a sense of nostalgia for me - memories of carefree days. Both feel like peace to me.
𖦹 Meet Richard Mandelbaum
co-founder | core teacher
Intro: Richard Mandelbaum is the co-founder and core faculty at ArborVitae. Claudia Keel and Richard co-founded the school together, and three years ago he stepped down as director to focus on teaching, practicing, and other pursuits in life, like writing. Currently he divides his time between teaching and seeing clients online, as well as in person in Sullivan County, New York, and in addition to ArborVitae, he teaches at other herb schools and an acupuncture college.
What led you to the path of herbalism?
At the heart of my herbalism are the plants themselves, and the planet to which we all belong. To be brief, something awoke in me when I was around 14 years old. I became curious — about birds, about stars, about trees. I had not been raised with any of that knowledge passed down to me, and I wanted to know my world better. Looking back on it, I can say there was some realization and expression of my disassociation with the natural world — the real world. So, long story short, I went a bit geeky teenager field-guide crazy, teaching myself field botany skills, and then growing as well as foraging and wild-harvesting both food and medicine. I went on to study with David Winston in the late 90s and have been exploring this wonderful herbal path ever since.
Are there any herbs you are particularly inspired by this season or are excited to connect with come spring?
This is a special time of year. Rather than looking forward to spring, I would like to bow in respect to winter as it fades into spring, and “bid adieu.” Winter is in so many ways the most beautiful and serene time of year. This winter I continued to delve deeply into the botany of buds and twigs, and I have come to realize that truly, and surprisingly, winter is my favorite time to be outside botanizing. We are compelled to slow down, be fully present, and to pay close attention. I find it to be profoundly meditative and fulfilling.
𖦹 Meet Sam Perry
core teacher
Intro: Samuel Perry RH (AHG) is a clinical herbalist, medicine maker, and herbal educator in Upstate New York. Practicing in the Vitalist and Eclectic tradition of American Herbalism, Sam offers compassionate attention and practical support in all manner of health concerns. A long-time practitioner of Zen Buddhism, Sam also leads meditation retreats.
Sam is one of the teachers and core faculty at Arbor Vitae. Along with teaching on a range of topics within the three-year curriculum, he is one of the mentors who supervise the 3rd year student clinic. He also works in depth with the 2nd year students in monthly one-on-one calls to develop intake skills and the foundations of clinical practice. In his classes at the school he strives to celebrate the rich cultural context of our plant traditions and to cultivate a vivid awareness, awe and respect for the living world. Sam highlights storytelling, gratitude and direct experience. For him this is a path of Wonder.
What led you to the path of herbalism?
I came to herbalism out of a deep love of the living natural world. I grew up among creative folks who kept gardens, spoke openly about their love of nature, and sought solace in the forest. I was blessed that my grandparents managed to maintain and share some of the old ways. I always felt-drawn and inspired by the plants and thought of herbalism as a hobby until I was lucky enough living in NYC to hear about ArborVitae opening in NYC. It was such a gift to learn that one could actually study this path rigorously and in depth. I enrolled as a student in the very first Arbor Vitae three year program and never looked back. I am ever grateful for my teachers Claudia Keel and Richard Mandelbaum for encouraging me and showing the way.
Are there any herbs you are particularly inspired by this season or are excited to connect with come spring?
As we enter spring I am delighting in the unfolding currently underway all around us. This time of year brings such inspiration and as the ground softens, stretches and the first sentinels sigh and wake up. Right now I am relishing the muddy world of the worm moon, early robins and skunk cabbage and am looking forward to the soon-coming spring beauties, bloodroot, blue cohosh, goldenseal, trout lily, and trillium.