Stafne conducting trauma trainings
Meet Gigi Risberg Stafne
Naturopath
Master Herbalist
Writer & Educator
Green Wisdom's
Director and Lead Instructor
Gigi Stafne, MH, ND, MI, has been a practitioner of natural and botanical medicine for 37 years with substantial clinical, health, environmental, social justice, and entrepreneurial experience. She pioneered and created the first natural medicine clinic in Wisconsin near Minneapolis, the Center for Healing Arts, bringing on a team of 12 skilled practitioners. She then founded an affiliated botanical medicine school which to date is one of the few in the Upper Midwest and Lake Superior regions of North America that offers a professional Master of Herbalism Program. For one decade, Gigi created a United Plant Savers & Partners in Education project, the first UpS Botanical Sanctuary in Wisconsin, United States. For her work there, she was awarded the 2007 North American Plant Conservation Award. She also founded Herbalists Without Borders, an international non-profit organization in 2006. Gigi was later officially appointed as the Executive Director of Herbalists Without Borders International, and served in that capacity for another decade, growing that non-profit from 7 projects to 73 national and international chapters. In 2017 the American Herbalists Guild awarded Stafne the national "Community Service Award" for her health justice work and volunteerism. In 2019, Gigi was awarded a Minnesota Arts grant as an Instructor in Residence in Grand Marais, MN at North House Folk School teaching three and numerous other regional venues. Gigi continues teaching at numerous national and global venues via Green Wisdom School of Natural and Botanical Medicine and Herbalists Without Borders International including that of being a national-international trauma trainer.
Prior to natural medicine, Gigi worked in the anti-violence field, from crisis intervention to public policy, serving on numerous state and national boards, as well as being a frequent conference presenter. Projects she coordinated included: Gender Bias in the Judicial System in Domestic Violence (WI State Bar Association), Mandatory Arrest Monitoring Project in Domestic Violence (WI), Family-Based Support Services Guide (Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services), among many others.
Her education began in Human Growth & Development and Family Social Science with the University of Wisconsin system. Furthermore, her education eventually lead to CAM degrees at the School of Natural Medicine (SNM), Boulder Colorado which included degrees in: Master of Herbalism, Master of Iridology, Naturopathy & Natural Physician. Her continuing education and teaching is extensive, in women's health, environmental health, cross cultural medicine, ethnobotany, and beyond.
Gigi continues to teach students at all levels of knowledge. From beginners to professionals seeking to expand their knowledge base, she offers each a variety of courses ranging from intensive courses, nature immersion exploration, and major conference keynote addresses to the lighter community education workshops.
Stafne's 3+ decades of teaching venues include:
Adagio Holistic Therapies, Minneapolis
American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis
Amora Wellness & Gifts, Michigan
Angelic Organics Learning Center, Illinois
Apple Acres Farm, Michigan
Back of the Moon-Women's Retreat Center
Back to Basics, Wisconsin
Beaver Creek Reserve, Wisconsin
Bolton Refuge House
Borders Books, United States
Boreal Community Media
Breast Cancer Survivors Support Groups, Midwest US
Caregiver Conferences, WITC, Northwood campuses
Center for Healing Arts
Center for Sexual and Domestic Abuse
Chippewa County Tourism Council
Chippewa Falls School Board
Chippewa Valley Citizens for Choice
Chippewa Valley MOMS Group
Chippewa Valley Nature Festival
Choices and Challenges for Girls
Clearwater Counseling & Personal Growth Center
Conversations on Health and Well-Being
Cook County Whole Foods Coop
Countryside Magazine
Cross River Heritage Center
Cumberland Community Education Program
Danish American Center, Minneapolis
Down to Earth CSA
Downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin Homesteading
Duluth Folk School
Duluth News Tribune
Earth Day Celebrations
Earthways Gathering
Eau Claire (WI) Area School District
Embrace, Anti-Violence Program
Entelechy Leadership Stories
Epilepsy Center of Wisconsin
Fairlawn Mansion, Lake Superior
Family Resource Centers (numerous locales Midwest)
Family Support Center
Fertile Underground, Providence, RI
Fire Dog Lake
Flambeau Falls Massage & Wellness Center
Folklore Village
Free Radio, International
Fresh From the Vines, Education Center, PA
Garden Talks at Fairlawn
Globe University, United States
Golden Light Retreat Center
Gordon Correctional Center
Grand Marais School District & Community Center
Grand Marais Public Library
Great Lakes Herb Faire
Green Wisdom School of Natural & Botanical Medicine
Greenhorns Wordpress
Healing Journeys--Radio Minneapolis
Health and Harmony Network--Radio broadcast international
HearthSpeak
Herbal Action Podcast--international
Herbal Highway Podcase, Berkeley, CA
Herbalists Without Borders International
Herbalists Without Borders Podcast
Hub, The
Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary
Kinni-Women's Health Center
KFAI Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul
KPFA Radio, Berkeley, CA
Lakeville Area MN Gardening Club
L.E. Phillips Public Library
Lost Creek Adventures & School for Wilderness Living Skills
Lutheran Social Services, Upper Midwest US
Main Street Coop
Main Street Market
Maple Hill Farm, Wisconsin
Marshfield Clinic
Master Gardener Groups, Midwest States
Mayo Clinic, Holistic Health & Well-being Nursing Conference, Plenary Presenter:
Rochester, MN, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL
Meet the Green
Minneapolis Community Education Programs
Minnesota State University-Winona
Minnesota Women's Press
Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Telethon
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Trauma Training, US
Nightbird's Journey
North Country Herbalists Guild, Minneapolis
North Country Masters Gardeners
North House Folk School, Grand Marais, MN
Northern Sustainability Symposium
Northern Thunder, Environmental and Social Justice
Northern Wilds Magazine
Northwood Technical College System-Wisconsin
Notes from Dry Creek Farm, McKenzie, TN
Nurse-Midwives in Minnesota
Planetary Health Film Lab, York University, Toronto & Ecuador
Oak Leaf Massage Therapy School
Old Schoolhouse Gardens, metro Chicago
Organic Resource Directory
Portage Lake District Library
Potter's Farm & Retreat Center
Pure Water Paddlers
Quarterly of Women's Studies Resources
River Prairie Apothecary
Rowley Creek Lavender Farm
School of Yoga and Nature Arts Events Center & Lodging, Lake Superior
Senior Americans Conferences
Servite Center
Sexual Violence Bibliography
Shirley's Place, Health-Wellness Store
Silent Sports Magazine
Soul Fusion Café, Oneness Talk Radio International
Soul Source Retreat Center
Soulstice Wellness Center, Wisconsin
St. Louis River Alliance
Stargazen Sanctuary-Women's Retreat Center
Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center
Superior Public Library
Sustainability Gathering
Sweet Remedy Radio
Take Back the Night Rallies
The E C Center, Eau Claire, WI
Thursdays at the U, University of WI Barron Campus
Two Birches Herbal Education & Wellness Center, metro Chicago
Trauma Trainer, Herbalists Without Borders Intl
Twin Cities Wellness Magazine
United Plant Savers North America Conference, Minneapolis
Unity Center
University of Minnesota System
University of Wisconsin System
Violence Prevention Center, MN
Volume One Magazine
Washburn County Tourism Dept
Water Divas
West Central Domestic Abuse Center
White Bear Center for the Arts, Minneapolis
Wild Earth Eco Tours
Willow Curthoys, Retreat Silver Bay, Ontario, CA
Winterer's Gathering & Arctic Film Fest
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
WEAU Television, Eau Claire, WI
WPR--Wisconsin Public Radio
Wholly Rooted
Wild River Apothecary
Wisconsin State Bar Association
Wisconsin Technical College System (Now Northwood-above)
Witness for Peace
Women Against Poverty Conference
Women's Environmental Institute
Women Reaching Women Programs
WELY-FM
WOJB Woodland Community Public Radio
WTIP Community Public Radio
WQOW TV
YMCA
and many others during past decades
You will also find Gigi as a frequent instructor at the following venues this year:
American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis
Duluth Folk School, Duluth, MN
Golden Light Healing, Green Bay, WI/Lake Michigan region
Green Wisdom School of Natural & Botanical Medicine, North America
Herbalists Without Borders, National and International
North House Folk School, Grand Marais, MN & North Shore Lake Superior
Northwood Tech College, NW WI
Women's Environmental Institute, Minneapolis-North Branch, MN
with new venues added monthly!
Gigi's Past & Present Writing Venues:
Aurora, A Violence Against Women Journal Founder, Editor
Back of the Moon Contributing Writer
Herbalists Without Borders International News Founder, Regular Writer
Hidden Treasures, Regular Writer
Home Herbalist, Contributing Writer
Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation Guest Writer
Inner Voice Contributing Writer
Local-Global Forum Staff Writer
Northern Thunder Contributing Writer
Turtle River Press Guest Writer
and numerous other magazines to media projects
Schedule Gigi as a presenter for your organization or event.
Begin by contacting our scheduler about programs that spark your interest: [email protected]
