About Us
Our Mission
The New Jersey Acupuncture Society (NJAS), is the Garden State’s professional organization of Licensed Acupuncturists and supporters of East Asian Medicine dedicated to promoting the profession of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine by always striving for the highest standards of patient care, education and integrity to ensure the health and well-being of the public.
The profession grows and evolves through practitioner support and NJAS supports the practitioner by speaking for legislation that advances our profession and speaking against legislation that would harm or hinder our profession.
NJAS serves the public through education via lectures, the media, publications, and referral services.
Our Vision
Become the leading voice for our members by:
- Safeguarding and promoting the practice of acupuncture medicine through legislation
- Educating the public on the scope of acupuncture as a medical practice
- Supporting integration of professional and authentic acupuncture medicine into New Jersey and US health care systems
- Collaborating with other state and national associations to further the profession
- Promoting excellence in the profession through quality continuing education (CEUs)
About NJAS
NJAS functions as an all-volunteer board of dedicated professionals united with the goal of improving access to authentic acupuncture as a medical practice. The board engages and oversees committees that collaborate in many areas to elevate the knowledge and skills of licensed providers while informing the public about the education, practice, board exams, and licensure standards of licensed acupuncturists and herbalists.
Our Values & Beliefs
Access to Acupuncture Care
We believe that US Health and Human Services should recognize licensed acupuncturists as Medicare providers.
Authentic Acupuncture Medicine
We value the standards of education, requirement of board exams, licensure procedure, and continuing education.
Acupuncture Approaches
We value a variety of styles, applications, and modalities.
Our Philosophy to Acupuncture Medicine
NJAS acknowledges and respects all traditions of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. We believe that cooperation and strength among practitioners and supporters will ensure that this ancient and modern medical profession will retain its integrity. By protecting the legal status the practice of licensed acupuncture medicine has earned, NJAS continues to enhance the quality of healthcare for people in New Jersey and improve delivery of medicine within US healthcare systems.
New Jersey Acupuncture Society Board Members
Panos Ioannou, LAc
President
Dr. Shara Resende, DACM, LAc
Vice President
Susannah Pitman, DACM, LAc
Secretary
Deborah Vaphides, LAc
Treasurer
Dr. Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc
Board Member at Large
Joseph Pantiliano, LAc
Board Member at Large
Sara Youner, DACM, LAc
Board Member at Large
Kristina Zuck, DACM, LAc
Board Member at Large
Committee Chairs
Legislative / Advocacy
The Legislation and Advocacy Committee’s goal is to monitor, review and respond to active legislation that may affect Acupuncturists in New Jersey; plan, support and implement legislative changes that will develop and grow the role of licensed acupuncturists; and to work with lobbyists along with other state and national associations to achieve legislative goals to the benefit of licensed acupuncturists.
Education
The mission of the Education Committee is to provide continuing education for New Jersey acupuncturists enabling them to both enhance individual knowledge and technique, strengthen the profession by providing up to date information of challenges facing the profession as well as providing opportunity for collective learning and collegiality.
Finance
The Finance Committee serves as a resource to the Board of Directors. The purpose of the Committee is to maintain financial recording and accounting to accurately reflect the financial position of the Society. The finance committee is also tasked with preparing and maintaining a budget as an annual planning and spending tool and monitoring expenditures and banking practices as a means of supporting NJAS and its members
Opioid Settlement
The mission of the Opioid Settlement Committee is to disseminate the efficacy of acupuncture in pain management and addiction recovery support to the appropriate governmental and private entities and get the acupuncture community on the radar as funds for the opioid settlement are dispersed throughout the state of New Jersey.
Social Media & Marketing
Chair: Dr. Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc
The Social Media Committee's mission is to use our social media outlets on Facebook and Instagram to involve the New Jersey acupuncture community in the advancement and preservation of the practice of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in our state, and for our future by adding to the collective strength of the New Jersey Acupuncture Society through active membership.
Membership
The NJAS Membership Committee’s mission is to serve and support our members in the NJ licensed acupuncture and herbology community. The Committee develops member benefits through partnerships with various education providers, vendors, and other organizations so members have access to practice building tools and continuing education.
Insurance
Chair: Kristina Zuck, DACM, LAc
The mission of the Insurance Committee is to stay abreast of the latest developments in health care insurance as applicable to acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, to distribute information to our members as it becomes available, to provide information and guidance to members as needed, and to advocate for fair reimbursement practices so that New Jersey acupuncturists can accept insurance and earn a living wage.
Website & Newsletter
Chair: Susannah Pitman, DACM, LAc
The NJAS website and newsletters are our primary methods of communicating with our membership, and we are dedicated to creating and maintaining an engaging, informative, and user-centric online platform that delivers relevant information to all. The goal of our website is to house all the information New Jersey acupuncturists need to thrive, while also sharing pertinent educational, legislative, and business updates with practitioners and the public at large. The NJAS website is a constantly evolving document, and we welcome feedback on how it can work best for all practitioners.
Social Events
Chair: Susannah Pitman, DACM, LAc
The mission of the social events committee is to gather NJAS members together in a variety of settings for the purpose of building relationships, having important conversations about the acupuncture profession, and ultimately strengthening our state's association so that the organization can continue to advocate for the advancement of the acupuncture profession within the healthcare system.
ASA Representative
The main focus of the ASA representative is to be able to relay information between national and state levels about legislature, advocacy, and education so we can keep our members best informed with the most up to date information regarding our profession. We also actively participate in ASA meetings and conferences which give us the ability to work on making decisions to enhance and preserve our profession. The ASA representative committee ensures that our state association remains active and involved in supporting the mission and vision of the ASA that works to advance the professional practice of acupuncture as a whole system of medicine through advocacy, education, and research.
Advocacy
ASA Representatives
Dr. Shara Resende, DACM, LAc
Tinna Kim, DAOM, LAc
Governance and Oversight
Henry McCann, DAOM, LAc, Dipl OM (NCCAOM)
Jason Sargis, DAOM, Dipl Ac (NCCAOM), C.SMA, LAc
Sara Youner, DACM, LAc
Attorney
John P Murdoch II
Zager Fuchs – Association Attorney
Leading the Profession
Acupuncture medicine defines the scope of primary Licensed Acupuncturists (L.Acs), which includes related modalities (tui na massage, moxibustion, gua sha, cupping, light therapy, and often herbal medicine) as taught in accredited Acupuncture Masters and Doctorate degree programs that incorporate a foundation of established frameworks designed to inform assessment, diagnosis, and application of acupuncture as a dynamic medical paradigm.
Primary acupuncturists weave theoretical, diagnostic, and acupuncture frameworks into a complete system of medicine. To become a licensed acupuncturist in New Jersey, practitioners are required to pass three national board exams after 3,000 hours of education and clinical internship. (New Jersey requires passing an additional fourth board exam for licensure to practice Chinese herbal medicine.) Secondary acupuncture providers (from medical doctors to physical therapists) utilize basic frameworks such as dry needling (trigger point therapy) or ear acupuncture protocols, but these non-acupuncturist practitioners requires 0–300 hours of non-accredited training or oversight.
In professional acupuncture practice, there are many acupuncture approaches, styles, and applications. Which acupuncture styles, approaches, and applications a licensed acupuncturist uses, depends on the practitioner’s general practice population or specialty. Some examples of specialties include internal medicine, neurology, orthopedics, dermatology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, fertility, women’s health, men’s health, sports medicine, pain management, functional medicine, integrated medicine, and wellness.
The dynamic contribution of Chinese medical theories continues to inform and fill gaps in mechanisms of pain, function, and disease from cellular level to systemic influences. The Chinese medical framework of diagnosis facilitates the mechanistic understanding of modern and emerging diseases that inform the criteria for therapy aimed at resolution or maximum improvement. The Western medicine frameworks of moribund diagnoses are often limited to a collection of signs and symptoms, images, and blood work that support the criteria for surgery, diagnostic procedures, and management of symptoms through medication. However, technological advancements are helping to explain and expand emerging integrated frameworks that are paramount for the changing paradigm of mainstream medicine away from sick management towards wellness.
President
Chair, Membership Committee
Panos Ioannou, LAc, is a NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist and herbalist, and a graduate of Pacific College of Health and Science in New York.
Panos has been in practice for over 23 years. In 2016, he founded AcuWorx, an acupuncture studio serving the Jersey City community, helping hundreds of patients achieve and maintain full health naturally.
Panos is grateful to serve the New Jersey acupuncture community. He believes all acupuncturists benefit by having a strong association, and feel rewarded to see the medicine thrive in our modern times. Panos feels that we all win when we all participate in the protection of our hard earned licenses.
Susannah Pitman, DACM, LAc
Secretary
Chair, Social Events Committee
Susannah Pitman DAc (she/her) is a NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist. She earned her Master of Science in acupuncture with honors from Tri-State College of Acupuncture, and her Doctoral degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science. She also studied at China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center where she attended lectures and assisted Chinese masters in treating patients. She has traveled all over Japan to study with several Japanese masters, including Dr. Shuichi Katai who leads the World Health Organization’s acupuncture point standardization team, and Yoshihiro Kawai, whose electrical stimulation inventions and techniques have heavily influence acupuncture in Japan and throughout the world.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy, Dr. Susannah co-coordinated stress relief teams at multiple clinics through Acupuncturists Without Borders.
Dr. Susannah is heavily involved in the Boonton community. She is a co-founder of Boonton Rainbow Pride and a member of Boonton Elks Lodge #1405. She is a past trustee of Boonton Main Street.
Dr. Susannah’s book Peace With Trees was published by Soleil Press. Her articles have been published by The Huffington Post, PTSD Journal, Elephant Journal, The Mighty and Thrive Global. In her spare time, Dr. Susannah enjoys hiking, writing, and traveling to Mexico, California, Arizona, and Vermont.
Deborah Vaphides, LAc
Treasurer
Chair, Finance Committee
Deborah Vaphides, LAc, is a NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist, and is a graduate of the Eastern School of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Deborah is the director of Balance Acupuncture, serving the Montclair community since 2007, where her specialties include chronic illness and pain, fertility, and neurological disorders. In addition to her private practice, Deborah is currently on staff at Reproductive Medicine Associates in Basking Ridge, using laser acupuncture therapy for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization. She has also served as an acupuncturist at Atlantic Health Integrative Medicine in Morristown.
Dr. Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc
Board Member at Large
Chair, Social Media and Marketing Committee
Dr. Stephanie Lipnicki, DACM, LAc, is a NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist and herbalist. She is a graduate of Pacific College of Health and Science in New York and San Diego, where she completed her MSTOM and her DACM. She is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Nutritional Science/ Dietetics.
Stephanie has been practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine for over 13 years and also has more than 30 years of experience as a massage therapist. She has a private practice in Allentown (NJ not PA) and is the mom to three awesome kids. She specializes in gynecological issues and endometriosis and is passionate about cosmetic acupuncture. Her motto is, “everyone needs to be needled!”
Sara Youner, DACM, LAc
Board Member at Large
Chair, Continuing Education Committee
Chair, Opioid Settlement Committee
Sara Youner, LAc, is a NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist and herbalist, receiving her MS in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in December 2015 and a doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in 2019. Acupuncture is her third career, having gotten her Masters in Library Service from Columbia University and then practicing law until 2018. However, alternative medicine and healing was always her first love.
Sara’s goal is to guide her patients to feel as good as they think they should: she provides dietary and exercise advice as well as using traditional acupuncture protocols and herbal formulas. She focuses on pain management, women’s health, emotional well-being and facial rejuvenation.
Her focus on the Board is to raise awareness of New Jersey acupuncturists in the importance of working towards common goals for a unified profession. Sara has lived in Springfield, New Jersey for 32 years and is the mother of 7 and grandmother of 14.
Kristina Zuck, DACM, LAc
Board Member at Large
Chair, Insurance Committee
Kristina Zuck, DACM, LAc, is a NCCAOM board certified acupuncturist. She is a graduate of Pacific College of Health and Science in New York where she completed her MSAc and her DACM.
Kristina’s study of the Chinese healing arts kicked off with tai chi classes shortly after graduating Rutgers University in January 1993. Her dedication to the study of this martial art practice earned her the honor of standing for her school, teaching tai chi classes at Middlesex County College, Marlboro Senior Center, and later, the local chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. When Kristina was confronted with a health issue of her own, her tai chi teacher (sifu) suggested she try acupuncture. Her first treatment was literally life changing, and, with the encouragement of both her sifu and her acupuncturist, she enrolled at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York City in the fall of 1995.
A solid comprehension of Chinese Medicine and biosciences has prepared Kristina to treat patients with all sorts of conditions. Throughout her career, she has worked cooperatively with other healthcare providers such as physical therapists and chiropractors, administering treatments that have aided in restoring function and alleviating pain following injury and during orthopedic rehabilitation. Ultimately, Kristina considers herself an instrument of healing, coaxing the body to waken its limitless self-healing intelligence and guiding each patient along the infinite path to well-being.
A bona fide Jersey girl, Kristina lives near the shore in Monmouth County.
Joseph Pantoliano, LAc
Board Member at Large
To come