EcoMom Expert Dr. Stephenie Riley

Stephenie Riley started her career as a biomedical engineer, ultimately turning her career path full circle, returning to graduate school in 1999 to become a naturopathic doctor. She graduated from Bastyr University in 2004, with her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D.).

Her early career began with designing coronary angioplasty balloons and stents for the heart, then taking that technology and applying it for use in the spine. It was the combination of her experience over the course of 10 years in the classical medical industry, and her personal pursuit for optimal health, that inspired her to pursue medicine from a different perspective.

In school she developed a particular interest in “environmental medicine”, or the impact our environment has on our health. This interest was only heightened with her first pregnancy, and the birth of her son. “Our legacy to our children begins well before conception. I have learned a great deal through my own pregnancies and my children, seeing the changes in our health as a society and the health challenges we face today, I only feel more strongly about the impact the daily choices in our lives make in our long-term health and vitality.”

After getting to know EcoMom Alliance Founder Kimberly Danek Pinkson, it was only natural for Stephenie to become an integral part of the EcoMom Alliance. Her desire to educate and provide moms, and moms-to-be, with information and ideas about creating a legacy of health and environmental sustainability for our children walks hand-in-hand with the pursuits of EcoMom. “For most, our first step into motherhood begins at the time we make the conscious choice to pursue conceiving a child. It may seem a subtle shift in our world, with little implication at that time, but we have made a choice that will impact the world forever. Pregnancy unfolds, somewhat like a rite of passage, ultimately entering us into a new world with the birth of our child. This world of motherhood becomes the ultimate challenge in balance, not only in our daily life and shuttling kids, but making choices and doing our best to create a health and happy foundation for our children, all while living and participating in the world around us.”

One of Stephenie’s goals was to take the information she has learned and condense it into manageable content for other moms. Not only providing the issues, but also providing solutions. EcoMom’s In-home Workshops provide a perfect arena to discuss issues and provide local resources and solutions.