FMCA names September 2026 scholarship recipients

By AI, Created 7:55 PM UTC, May 21, 2026, /AGP/ – Functional Medicine Coaching Academy has selected three full-tuition scholarship recipients for its September 2026 Health Coach Certification Program after reviewing more than 600 applications. The awards aim to expand access to functional medicine training for leaders focused on health equity, postpartum care and culturally rooted wellness.

Why it matters: - FMCA is directing full-tuition support to three leaders working in underserved communities. - The scholarships are designed to expand access to functional medicine health coaching in settings where personalized, root-cause care is often limited. - FMCA says the training can help graduates launch private practices and build careers across healthcare and wellness settings.

What happened: - Functional Medicine Coaching Academy announced the recipients of its Community Impact Scholarships for the September 2026 Health Coach Certification Program. - More than 600 people applied this spring. - FMCA selected three recipients for full-tuition scholarships. - The recipients are Ghadeer Garcia of Kansas City, Missouri; Natasha Dillahunt of New York City; and Johana Castillo of West Palm Beach, Florida.

The details: - Ghadeer Garcia is a community leader, organizational consultant and coach with more than 15 years of experience in leadership development, behavioral change and community impact. - Garcia co-founded Ally Lab, where she has helped design and facilitate curriculum for more than 200 leaders across sectors. - Garcia has coached senior leaders through burnout, restructuring and culture change. - Garcia’s work also includes roles in substance use recovery with SAVE, Inc., entrepreneurship support with Keystone Community Corporation and nonprofit leadership in Kansas City. - Natasha Dillahunt is a certified advanced postpartum doula and lactation counselor with more than 14 years of experience. - Dillahunt supports families through the “Fourth Trimester,” including in-home care and virtual support groups. - Dillahunt works with BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities across New York City. - Dillahunt’s background includes early exposure to functional medicine in Ireland and a focus on gaps in conventional postpartum care. - Johana Castillo is a Colombian-born community herbalist, educator and founder of Mama Tortuga LLC. - Castillo’s practice is based in South Florida and draws on ancestral traditions from Colombia and the Caribbean. - Castillo integrates medicinal plant education, somatic healing and community wellness in her work. - Castillo serves Latino, Caribbean, LGBTQ+ and multicultural communities. - Castillo is bilingual and works to bridge language and access gaps in wellness care. - Castillo said her path was shaped by chronic stress, intergenerational trauma and healthcare systems that did not reflect her identity. - Castillo was a finalist for an FMCA scholarship before receiving this award. - FMCA is a global health coach education provider backed by The Institute for Functional Medicine. - FMCA recently launched a 6-month accelerated program that offers the same education in a shorter format. - FMCA says the program is built around functional medicine principles and prepares graduates for personalized, root-cause care. - FMCA’s website and scholarship information are available here. - FMCA also provided social media links for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Between the lines: - The scholarship pool suggests strong demand for FMCA’s training among candidates focused on equity and community-based care. - The recipient profiles show a clear emphasis on culturally competent support for postpartum care, community leadership and ancestral healing traditions. - FMCA is positioning health coaching as a career path that blends mission-driven work with private practice potential.

What’s next: - The three recipients will begin training in FMCA’s September 2026 certification program. - FMCA says more scholarship opportunities may be announced through its health coach certification program. - The academy is continuing to promote its accelerated 6-month program for applicants who need a more flexible schedule.

The bottom line: - FMCA is using scholarships to funnel training toward leaders who can extend personalized wellness support into communities that conventional care often misses.