The Obstacle is the Way
March 18th 2021, 7PM: Captain Ben Harrow, US Army (Ret)
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Ben Harrow grew up in Great Neck, Long Island. After graduating from the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia, he attended the United States Military Academy, where he was a 4-year letterman on the Lacrosse team that made NCAA appearances in 2003, 2004, and 2005. His senior year on the lacrosse team he was awarded the “Unsung Hero” Award for his selfless contributions to the team.
Ben commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry, attended Airborne School, Infantry Officer Basic Course, and Ranger School. He was an Infantry Platoon leader with 1st CAV division, and deployed to Iraq for 15 months with his platoon. Upon return from Iraq, he immediately attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection, was selected, and began the Special Forces Qualification Course. In 2010, CPT Ben Harrow earned the coveted “green beret” and Special Forces tab. He was a Special Forces Detachment Commander and led two separate Operational Detachment Alphas on deployments to Afghanistan supporting Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan.
On May 15th, 2012, CPT Harrow stepped on an IED resulting in the amputation of both legs above the knee, two fingers on his right hand, as well as other injuries. During his recovery, he refused to give into his circumstances, and by his own ingenuity discovered a medical procedure to not only get himself up and walking but other wounded service members as well. He resides with his wife, and two children in Bethesda, MD, and is President of PAM JETS, a private aviation aircraft management company. CPT Harrow was awarded three bronze stars and a purple heart, among other awards.
Conscious Choices During Turbulent Times
April 15th 2021, 7PM: Michael Lee, MA, C-IAYT (Yoga Therapist)
Michael Lee, MA, C-IAYT (Yoga Therapist) founded Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy (PRYT) in 1986. He is a long-time yogi and educator with a background in Behavioral Sciences. Michael left his native home in Australia to come to the USA in 1984 for a deep dive into yoga, mindfulness, and embodied practices. Michael lived at the Kripalu Ashram for 2 years while completing a master’s degree with a focus on yoga therapy and life transformation.
Michael is the author of two books, ‘Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy: A Bridge from Body to Soul’ and ‘Turn Stress Into Bliss’. Michael is a contributing author in the American Psychological Association published text ‘Movement and Expressive Techniques in Clinical Practice’ and the recently published ‘Yoga Therapy and Integrative Medicine: Where Ancient Science Meets Modern Medicine’.
Michael has enjoyed 34 wonderful years at PRYT, training over 2000 practitioners while traveling the world to teach and present at conferences. Michael continues to develop and teach leading-edge work to enhance psycho-emotional well-being for his clients and students at PRYT. Michael enjoys traveling, being home with family, and spending time outdoors with his wife Lori.
Blue Zones: Living to 100 and Beyond
May 13th 2021, 7PM: Dr. Kerry Graff, M.D.
Dr. Kerry Graff is a family physician and the lead lifestyle medicine physician at Rochester Regional Health, with her main office in Canandaigua, NY.
She received her undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University in 1990. After obtaining her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1994 and completing her family practice residency 3 years later at UPMC Shadyside, also in Pittsburgh, PA, she returned to the finger lakes to practice family medicine. After experiencing a personal health transformation by adopting a whole food, plant-based diet in 2014, she began incorporating lifestyle medicine principles into her practice of medicine. In 2017, the first year it was offered, she became one of only 203 physicians to become board certified in Lifestyle medicine.
Dr. Graff joined Rochester Regional Health in 2018, after running an independent hybrid family and lifestyle medicine practice, to facilitate integrating lifestyle medicine into mainstream medical care and growing the ability for the health system to provide these services to all patients who might benefit.
In addition, Dr. Graff serves in a volunteer capacity as the chief medical officer of 4Leaf Global and is the co-author of the 4Leaf Guide to Vibrant Health--Using the Power of Food to Heal Ourselves and Our Planet. All royalties from her book are donated to further lifestyle medicine initiatives.
