MEET OUR FACULTY
DEREK GILL
Founder
Derek was a Top 10 graduate from Stanton College Preparatory School, which is consistently ranked as one of the most challenging high schools in the United States. Derek then went on to study at Florida State University on academic scholarship where he majored in Management Information Systems with minors in Computer Science and Philosophy.
After graduation, he went to work for what was then the world’s largest professional services company, Andersen Consulting (now called Accenture), in their Phoenix, Arizona office as a Systems Integration Consultant. This role put him on the front lines of complex, large scale systems implementation projects for some of the most well known corporations on the planet (e.g. Coca-Cola, Sony, Siemens, Honeywell Aerospace, Fujitsu, Philips Semiconductor, Revlon, Tenneco Automotive, etc.). In addition to the complex logic required to integrate disparate systems, which allowed the organization to become more responsive to market realities, much of the job hinged on the ability to help the people involved adapt to the dramatic changes that resulted.
Years later, after a life changing wakeup call and several epiphanies, Derek was called into the medical, healing arts. Derek realized quickly that the skills learned as a Systems Integrator were very relevant to his career as a Structural Integrator. In fact, the more he deepens his understanding of the human condition, he realizes that he is still solving systems and helping people to navigate change. However, the human systems he works with now are much more complex and dynamic.
In addition to his designation as a Certified Advanced Rolfer® and Rolf Movement® Practitioner, he is a graduate of the Osteopathic College of Ontario and has been an assistant instructor to the school's founder, Dr. Steve Sanet.
Derek also has significant hours of study with Professor Ron Murray, DO of the Canadian College of Osteopathy as well visceral training with Didier Prat, DO, a contemporary of Jean-Pierre Barral, DO.
Derek had the opportunity to take his basic Rolfing® training 3 times, first with Dr. Pedro Prado, credited for bringing SI to Brazil, and twice with Dr. Rolf's hand picked original teacher, Jan Sultan, whom he also did his Advanced Rolfing® training with in a course assisted by Jon Martine.
Derek also did his Rolf Movement® training 3 times as well, studying with Kevin Frank, Monica Caspari, and Paula Mattoli.
Derek has been fortunate to study cranial work with several teachers, including the late Avi (Phil) Aberman. Derek was originally certified as a cranial-sacral therapist through the Colorado Cranial Institue, and studied directly with, Jim Asher, another of Dr. Rolf's hand picked, original teachers prior to qualifying as a Cranial Osteopath. Jim Asher also invited Derek to perform the 10 series on him while Derek was still training at the Rolf Institute in exchange for his feedback, a rare opportunity for a student that proved even more valuable than the classroom instruction. During this same time Derek was able to attend the original dissection where Tom Myers embarked on proving his Anatomy Trains® theory in cadaver specimens.
Derek spent three years as an apprentice under Don Van Vleet. Now deceased, Don was an Advanced Rolfer™, Hakomi practitioner, and former Professional Ballet Dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. Along with being a master of functional movement, he was considered a visceral expert and was a former student of both Mantak Chia and Jean-Pierre Barral, DO.
Derek considers himself fortunate to have known and studied directly with movement pioneer Emilie Conrad, founder of Continuum Movement.
Derek had the opportunity to study with Robert Johnson, PT of the Neuro Orthopaedic Institute (NOI), and studied Biomechanics directly with Liz Gaggini.
Derek is certified as a Yoga Instructor at the 500 hour level in the Vinyasa flow style of Hatha yoga, and now teaches the anatomy portion of these programs.
In his free time, he enjoys surfing, playing basketball, and self inquiry.
Derek has an endless curiosity, a love of learning, and enjoys sharing his accumulated knowledge and life experience with his students.
For information about Derek's private practice, please visit: www.AdvancedManualTherapeutics.com
Derek also serves on the Faculty of the Pacific Center for Awareness and Bodywork (PCAB). For more information about those programs, visit www.AwarenessandBodywork.com
DR. MARLA GOLDEN
Incorporating Osteopathy into the Delivery of SI and Pain Science Curriculum Advisor
Marla Golden, DO, FACEP is an Osteopathic Physician in Jacksonville, Florida. Doctor Golden graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1988. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, Florida in 1992. She is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Doctor Golden practiced Emergency Medicine in Florida and served as the Medical Director of the Emergency Department at HCA Putnam Community Hospital and as the Medical Director of EMS in Putnam County. She also holds a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry from Drexel University.
She transitioned her practice to Pain Medicine in 1998, establishing the solo practice of Integrative Pain Management in 2000. She is a diplomate of both the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Pain Medicine. She practices a holistic and comprehensive approach to treating patients in pain, and often refers her patients to SI practitioners when she feels it is appropriate. For many years, she has utilized manual therapy in combination with medication management and minimally invasive interventional techniques as well as other treatment modalities.
She now continues this work within the larger framework of Neuroplastic Transformation, an approach developed with partner and collaborator, Michael Moskowitz, MD. This exciting and ground-breaking treatment approach establishes Brain Neuroplasticity and the interplay with the neuroimmune system as the core concepts used to treat persistent pain.
Dr. Golden lectures nationally on Pain Management and Neuroplastic Transformation. Dr. Golden is the co-founder of Neuroplastic Partners, LLC a company dedicated to the promotion of Neuroplastic treatment for persistent pain and the Foundation for Neuroplasticity. She recently co-authored the Neuroplastic Transformation Workbook designed to teach practitioners how to use neuroplastic treatment approaches and provide patients with a written guide to recover from persistent pain disorders.
Dr. Golden has served as the Chair of the Credentials Committee of the American Board of Pain Medicine, as a member of the Credentials Committee and the Examination Council of the American Board of Pain Medicine. She served on the Board of Directors and as the Legislative Chair and Public Relations Chair of the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine. Dr. Golden is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Regional Assistant Dean of Clinical Education, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia Campus.
Global SI is thrilled to have Dr. Golden on the faculty as our curriculum advisor for the Pain Science and Incorporating Osteopathy into the Delivery of SI courses. For more information about Dr. Golden and Dr. Moskowitz’s Neuroplastic Transformation work, you can visit www.neuroplastix.com
JAC O' KEEFFE
Mind Management and Practitioner Self Awareness Curriculum Advisor
Jac O’ Keeffe is a writer and teacher who travels the globe giving seminars and silent, residential retreats on mind management and Self knowledge as a path to spiritual awakening (i.e. Jnana Yoga). Her book, “Born to be Free”, has been translated into 7 languages to date, and is considered the most concise, epistemological work in her field.
She is an invited, yearly presenter at the SAND (Science and Non-Duality) Conference in San Jose, California, which brings together neuroscientists, quantum physicists, and enlightened, spiritual teachers to explore the nature of consciousness and existence. The conference serves as a forum for the exploration of the overlap between what is Known outside of mind, what can be currently observed by science, and where there are overlaps and points of contention between these two disciplines.
She also worked closely with Dr. Michael Corry, MD and Dr. Aine Tubridy, MD PhD in their practices of psychiatry and psychotherapy, respectively; researching the spiritual causes underpinning clinical depression. The book "Going Mad? Understanding Mental Illness" (Corry and Tubridy, Gill & MacMillan, 2001) was written about this work, and further explores the combined approach. Those findings culminated in a residential program that Jac developed, which successfully treated depression in cases dismissed by traditional practices.
Global SI is thrilled to have her on the faculty as our curriculum advisor for the Mind Management and Practitioner Self Awareness and Therapeutic Relationship courses. To understand more about her awakening story and teachings, visit her website at: