Instructors

TRENT BRERETON, ND

Head Instructor

Trent graduated from National College of Naturopathic medicine in Portland Oregon in 1997 and moved to Cranbrook to start his practice. In 2008 he built a multidisciplinary clinic, Kootenay Health Centre, where he continues to practice today with a DC, RMT's, Physio and counsellors. In 2009 Liza and Trent tied the knot and in 2010 they welcomed their spitfire daughter Ella. When not working Trent enjoys all manner of outdoor activites including mountain biking, hiking, snowbiking and skiing. His practice focus is treating pain using ultrasound guided prolotherapy, PRP, prolozone, hyaluronic acid and cortisone (neural therapy and peri-neural therapy too). Trent enjoys teaching and is a Level 1 and Level 2 Lead Instructor for Sport Medicine Ultrasound Canada, an ultrasound training group started by Frank Johnson, MD, which teaches GPs, ER docs, specialists and NDs how to perform ultrasound guided injections. He's happy to be instructing with WCIT and looks forward to continue to learn and develop ultrasound guided injection practice with the naturopathic community.

MICHAEL TASSONE, ND

Instructor

Dr. Michael Tassone is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor and the Medical Director of West Kelowna Integrative Health Centre Inc. Dr. Tassone has a decade of advanced injection therapy experience with a clinical focus in acute and chronic pain management, sports injuries and rehabilitation. He takes to heart the Naturopathic principle “Doctor as Teacher” and encompasses this value in every aspect of his professional practice. He formerly taught Physical Medicine and Public Health at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (Boucher Campus), and is a past Instructor in the RMT Program at VCC-Kelowna. He is currently a Board Examiner for the College of Naturopathic Physicians of BC (CNPBC), a Director for the British Columbia Naturopathic Doctors (BCND), and sits on the National Advisory Board for Cyto-Matrix. Dr. Tassone's passion as an Educator keeps him up to date on emerging therapies and is the cornerstone of his approach to patient care. When not in the clinic or teaching, you can find Dr. Tassone camping with his family and enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle.

Myofascial Instructors

SEAN HESLER, ND

Myofascial Instructor

Sean Hesler, ND received his medical degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and he has been licensed in the State of Arizona since 2010. He is a founding member and the Executive Director of Naturopaths Without Borders and serves as adjunct faculty at AT Still University. Dr. Sean co-launched the first free-standing birth center in northern Haiti, served SCNM as Director of Community Medicine and associate professor of Nutrition and Community Medicine, he lectures throughout the United States and works with NWB in Phoenix, Mexico, Haiti and Thailand. His awards include the 2011 SCNM Alumni Award for Community Service, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians’ President’s Award in 2018 and 2019 Impact LIVEs Abundance Awards Community Leader Of The Year for his tireless dedication to underserved people around the globe. Beyond his academic and global health work, Dr. Sean teaches the Naturopathic Musculoskeletal and Nutrition Mastery series of courses for students and physicians. His approach to treatment combines a thorough history and examination, diagnostic testing, Naturopathic foundational treatment, manual therapy, acupuncture, cupping and advanced injection therapies including trigger point, neural, neuralprolotherapy, prolotherapy, PRP, and allograft

SARAH PRESTON HESLER, NMD

Myofascial and Cosmetic Procedure Instructor

Sarah Preston Hesler, ND is passionate about using regenerative therapies to relieve pain and help her patients look and feel their best, inside and out. She received her medical degree from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and brings 12+ years of direct patient care, having treated thousands of patients. Dr. Preston Hesler is an avid learner and has received specialized training in platelet rich plasma, prolotherapy, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, aesthetics, sexual dysfunction, trichology, peptides, and stem cell therapy and more. Dr. Preston Hesler loves to teach and regularly lectures around the country providing comprehensive musculoskeletal, aesthetics, sexual dysfunction and global health trainings as a co-founder of the Naturopathic Mastery Series to other providers and students. She is a former adjunct faculty member at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine where she taught nutrition, clinical skills and was an attending physician at a clinic for the underserved. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at AT Still University teaching Physician Assistant students there. Dr. Preston Hesler is also a founding member and the Director of Operations for Naturopaths Without Borders (NWB), a nonprofit organization. Through this work, she has been fortunate to lead volunteer teams in Haiti, Mexico, Thailand, India, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. She was a 2011 co-recipient of the SCNM Alumni Award for Community Service, was instrumental in winning the Emerson Grant for NWB in 2013, she received the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians’ President’s Award in 2018, the Impact Lives Abundance Award for Community Service in 2019, the Ballantine and Ibis Grants in 2019 for NWB and was nominated for the Impact Lives Paragon Award for Community Service in 2020. Dr. Preston Hesler believes that her role as a physician is to listen and to walk alongside her patients as they journey to better health. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her husband and rescue dog, cook, play the piano, travel, read, and practice yoga.

LAUREN RUEDA ND

Myofascial Instructor

Dr. Lauren Rueda earned her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Sonoran University of Health Sciences in 2023, following a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from Arizona State University in 2019. Her clinical training encompasses integrative pain management, mental health, and chronic conditions, reflecting her commitment to comprehensive, patient-centered care. She’s passionate about regenerative medicine & the art of injection therapies. Since 2023, she has served as a teaching assistant for Naturopathic Mastery, instructing on perineural, trigger point, and prolotherapy techniques. She currently practices at an integrative cancer clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Outside of her practice, Dr. Rueda is dedicated to volunteering with Naturopaths Without Borders, providing healthcare to underserved communities.

Teaching Assistants

ALEXANDER DEL DUCA, ND, RMSK

Teaching Assistant

Dr. Alex Del Duca grew up in Ontario where he completed his Bachelor of Arts with Honors from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. After his undergraduate degree, Dr. Del Duca attended the four year medical program at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto where he graduated in 2018. Dr. Del Duca has a specialized focus and passion for Pain Management and Sports Medicine-based interventional therapies. He is the first Naturopathic Physician in Canada to earn the distinguished RMSK certification, a designation that acknowledges him as an expert in musculoskeletal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided intervention by the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement (APCA). In his practice, Dr. Del Duca utilizes his training in ultrasound technologies to assist in diagnostics and in-office procedures. When working with patients, Dr. Del Duca strives to manage pain while also preserving the function and longevity of joints. He is extensively trained to perform both peripheral and spinal interventions. In addition to Dr. Del Duca’s private practice he also enjoys sharing his knowledge and often trains Medical Doctors, Surgeons, fellow Naturopathic Physicians, and Nurse Practitioners in the use of diagnostic ultrasound and interventional injections through various agencies across Canada. He is a current member of the Canadian Association of Orthopaedic Medicine and has presented at their annual conference. Dr.Del Duca enjoys all the hiking trails on Vancouver island, rock climbing and traveling Europe and South America.

JESS HOBSON, ND

Teaching Assistant

Dr. Hobson is a full-time practicing ND in BC who completed her 4 years of medical training at the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine after completing her Bachelor’s of Science with a Biology Major at the University of the Fraser Valley. She has been part-time faculty at the CCNM-Vancouver campus for almost 2 years as a core member of the Clinical Diagnosis and Clinical Medicine team. Additionally, she is a teaching associate for West Coast Injection Training who provides advanced injection training certificates approved by the CNPBC. Dr. Hobson believes in contributing to her community and serves as the CMO and attending physician of the Hope House Clinic in Surrey, a 1-year sobriety program that boasts some of the best remission rates in the country. She is also the Executive Director of the registered non-profit, The International Integrated Medicine Initiative that is dedicated to building and sustaining a global community that engages across sectors and medical disciplines to advance health equity and patient-centered evidence-informed education. Her areas of clinical focus include pain medicine, sports medicine, and general practice. She completed her ultrasound training with Sports Medicine Ultrasound Canada and is currently enrolled in their 2-year mentorship program. She is trained in advanced injection technique for both the axial and appendicular skeleton and has recently added therapeutic Botox to better serve her patient demographic.

SHAUNA FRASER, ND

Clinical Event Coordinator

Dr. Shauna Fraser believes that when a person is at their optimal health, there is no limit for what they can achieve. Since starting her practice in Vancouver, Dr. Shauna has taken a special interest in musculoskeletal conditions and pain management. She utilizes ultrasound guided injections therapies, such as prolotherapy, cortisone and hyaluronic acid, along with lifestyle, nutrition and intravenous therapies to help optimize patients' performance. Dr. Shauna practices out of Qi Integrated Health and enjoys working closely with a variety of healthcare professionals. When not in the clinic you can find her hiking through the mountains, biking around the city, or catching up on some reading near the ocean.

SHAUNA FRASER, ND

Clinical Event Coordinator

Dr. Shauna Fraser believes that when a person is at their optimal health, there is no limit for what they can achieve. Since starting her practice in Vancouver, Dr. Shauna has taken a special interest in musculoskeletal conditions and pain management. She utilizes ultrasound guided injections therapies, such as prolotherapy, cortisone and hyaluronic acid, along with lifestyle, nutrition and intravenous therapies to help optimize patients' performance. Dr. Shauna practices out of Qi Integrated Health and enjoys working closely with a variety of healthcare professionals. When not in the clinic you can find her hiking through the mountains, biking around the city, or catching up on some reading near the ocean.