OCOM Gala Raises Funds for Acupuncture Access and Education

OCOM Gala Raises Funds for Acupuncture Access and Education

Portland, OR. Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) celebrated its 7th Annual Cherry Blossom Gala on Saturday, April 6th at Castaway Portland, raising $77,000 to support the college’s students, low-income patients and affordable clinics. The college honored OCOM patient Dr. Aart Lovenstein (pictured with Molly Frye) and his healing journey through acupuncture and compassionate care. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)

The benefit brought together 200 people to illuminate health and healing, including new college President, Sherri Green, PhD, OCOM co-founder Eric Stephens, DAOM, LAc and Chair of the Old Town Chinatown Community Association, Helen Ying.

Laura Bueermann and Eric Stephens, DAOM, LAc ’05

DR. Bradley “Brad” Malsin, MD, OCOM Board Member

OCOM President Sherri L. Green, PhD

Emcee Jamie Greenhut ’21 and Auctioneer Dale Johannes

Peter Martin, MAcOM, LAc ’92

Eager Bidders Raise Their Paddles

This year’s theme, “The Night of 1000 Lanterns” inspired the crowd with a variety of experiences including a cocktail reception, Chinese-inspired dinner, live Chinese music, a “Sparkle Lounge” with free Swarovski ear crystals, Chinese calligraphy, “Laughing Buddha” photo booth, and silent and live auctions.

From OCOM:

Founded in 1983, OCOM is a single-purpose professional graduate school that offers first professional and postgraduate degree programs in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. OCOM’s mission is to transform health care by educating highly skilled and compassionate practitioners, providing exemplary patient care, and engaging in innovative research within a community of service and healing. Our 1,400 graduates practice, teach and research Chinese medicine in 50 states and across the globe, and have provided an estimated 10 million treatments over the past 36 years. OCOM’s campus and main clinic inhabit a LEED Gold certified facility in historic Old Town Chinatown.

To experience OCOM health care services for yourself call OCOM’s Patient Services Team at 503-445-0951. Additional information about the program is available on our website: ocom.edu

Oregon College of Oriental Medicine Hosts 6th Annual Cherry Blossom Gala

Oregon College of Oriental Medicine Hosts 6th Annual Cherry Blossom Gala

Portland, OR. Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) celebrated its 6th Annual Cherry Blossom Gala on Saturday, April 7th at Castaway Portland. The benefit brought together 250 people including Michell Hay, President and CEO of The CHP Group and Hong Jin, DAOM, LAc, in support of OCOM’s mission to transform health care. This year’s theme, “The House of Good Fortune,” inspired the crowd with a variety of experiences including a lively cocktail reception, Chinese-inspired dinner, live Chinese music, a “Sparkle Lounge” with free Swarovski ear crystals, Chinese calligraphy, “Laughing Buddha” photo booth, and silent and live auctions full of unforgettable experiences. During the dinner program, the college honored extraordinary faculty member Joe Coletto, ND, LAc, for his 33 years of teaching and inspiring students. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)

Janet LaRosa, Joe Coletto, ND, LAc

Mona Searles, NP, LAc

Juliet Moran of Open Eye Art getting her hair “sparkled” by Serafaery

Sam Chase, Metro Councilor

Calligraphy by Jiyu Yang of the Wisdom Arts Academy

Skip Lee and Ann Marie Lee

Steve and Wendy Shain with Brad Malsin

Mona Searles, NP, LAc and Sarah Small, LPC with past OCOM Board Chair Peter Martin, LAc

Liz March, DAOM, LAc and Shannon Chawla, LAc

Helen Ying, Metro Councilor and Jeffrey Weih, PA, LAc

Liz Burns and Dan Saltzman, Commissioner, City of Portland

Holden Leung, Executive Director, Asian Health & Services Center and Dr. Anita Chan (Mrs. Erik Szeto) and Dr. Erik Szeto, Founder and Board Chair, Asian Health & Services Center and Cathy Chinn, Secretary, Board Trustee, OCOM and Evelyn Rosling, Principal Broker, Park Place Real Estate

Bill McCrae OCOM Interim President and Cindy McEnroe and Joe Coletto, ND, LAC and Jan McCrae

Charles Elder, MD, MPH and Brad Malsin both whom serve on the OCOM Board of Trustess

Audrey DeMott and Karen Williams, Chair of OCOM’s Board of Trustees and Brad Malsin of Beam Development

Merri Compton and Barbara Klinger

Masa Yamaguchi with three members of the OCOM Board of Trustees: Leah Yamaguchi, LAc and Brad Malsin and Dustin Klinger

From Oregon College of Oriental Medicine:

The gala event was made possible by the incredible support from our sponsors, who include: American Acupuncture Council, Beam Development, Columbia Bank, Heritage Bank, Kaiser Permanente, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn, NW Natural, Oregon Reproductive Medicine, The CHP Group, Thede Culpepper Moore Munro & Silliman LLP, and US Bank.

The mission of Oregon College of Oriental Medicine is to transform health care by educating highly skilled and compassionate practitioners, providing exemplary patient care, and engaging in innovative research within a community of service and healing. 

In support of this mission, the college values:

Excellence – OCOM staff, faculty and students strive to set standards for and perform at the highest professional levels academically, clinically, and in the research program. 

Leadership – OCOM leads Chinese medicine education in the United States by developing outstanding programs of education, clinic, research, outreach and collaboration. OCOM leads by working to enhance social justice through its commitment to inclusive and diverse access to education and health care.

Healing – OCOM staff, faculty and students, consistent with the principles of Chinese medicine, understand health to be harmony and balance in Body, Mind and Spirit, and attempt to live these principles by embodying compassion, humility, passion and synergy in their daily lives and work. 

Innovation – OCOM staff, faculty and students use inquiry and discovery to support their individual creativity and inventiveness in the continuous improvement of the college and its clinical, academic and research programs.

Community – OCOM staff, faculty and students work together in a learning community that maintains traditions built upon supportive relationships, trust, heart, humor, and a commitment to lifelong learning. 

Service – OCOM provides the highest levels of effective, efficient and practical service to its students and the public.