As a preventive medicine specialist, Dr. Peters is a renowned preventive medicine expert and serves as medical director to the St. Helena Hospital's Center for Health. Dr. Peters helps patients optimize health and wellbeing through the power of prevention, integrative medicine, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. He received his medical degree from Loma Linda University, where he completed his residency in Preventive Medicine. He holds a second doctorate in Public Health with special emphasis in health promotion and prevention. He also has a Masters in Public Health in epidemiology, which focuses on the factors that cause health or disease. In addition, he is a Registered Dietitian and is a Registered Respiratory Therapist. Dr. Peters is Board Certified in Preventive Medicine. Dr. Peters has extensive experience in primary care medicine and diagnostic experience.
Dr. Peters is a member of the Napa County Medical Society, the California Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the American Diabetes Association, the American College of Preventive Medicine, the American Dietetic Association, the American Association of Respiratory Care, and is a founding member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Dr. Peters promotes healing, well-being and optimal health by focusing on the treatment of the whole person: physical, mental, social, and spiritual-drawing on his expertise in the areas of nutrition, lifestyle and integrative medicine. Lifestyle medicine utilizes the best of traditional medicine and integrates evidence-based interventions from nutrition, botanicals, and natural methods when appropriate.
Dr. Peters is passionate about educating and motivating people to make healthier lifestyle choices for lifelong health and healing. Dr. Peters offers lifestyle medicine for both residential and outpatient health and lifestyle programs to help people achieve lifelong health and healing.
John E. Hodgkin, MD
Dr. Hodgkin is a renowned pulmonary rehabilitation expert and serves as medical director to the Smoke-Free Life® Program at the Center for Health. Dr. Hodgkin has been published in over 200 journals and books on the subject of respiratory care, pulmonary rehabilitation and pulmonary medicine, and is the lead editor of the foremost clinical textbook on pulmonary rehabilitation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Guidelines to Success. The book is used by medical schools, physicians, nurses and allied health professionals. Dr. Hodgkin is a co-editor of the third edition of Fundamentals of Heart and Lung Sounds, published in 2004. In 2007 he was awarded the Outstanding Clinician of the Year Award from the California Thoracic Society.
Dr. Hodgkin earned his medical degree at Loma Linda University Medical Center and completed a pulmonary fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Hodgkin is a Past-President and Founding Fellow of the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. He is Board Certified in Internal medicine, Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine.
Cheryl Thomas Peters, DCN(c), RD
Cheryl Peters is an expert in using evidence-based research to determine the optimal diet and lifestyle habits for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome. Clinical Manager of Lifestyle Medicine at St. Helena Hospital's Center for Health and author of four best-selling cookbooks focused on making healthy, disease-preventing foods taste great, Ms. Peters believes in using nutrition and lifestyle as medicine for the first line of treatment in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases and health conditions.
Cheryl Peters is completing a Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and is a registered dietitian from Loma Linda University. Ms. Peters doctoral research will analyze how lifestyle habits and a diet score can assess risk of cardiovascular disease.
Lisa Hinz, PhD, ATR, Clinical Psychologist
Lisa Hinz brings a wealth of knowledge of the psychological aspects of eating to St. Helena Center for Health. She is a clinical psychiatrist and a registered art therapist. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a doctorate in psychology and earned a PhD from Louisiana State University where she was part of an active eating disorder research team. Her dissertation examined the physiological correlates of the behavioral aspects of Bulimia Nervosa.
Dr. Hinz earned a post-doctoral certificate in art therapy at the University of Louisville where her research focused on the use of art in assessing and treating acute stress conditions. Dr. Hinz often uses the creative process to allow clients to access their inner wisdom. Her current research interests include the many ways in which art and creativity can facilitate change.
She is currently an adjunct professor in the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Master of Arts degree program in art therapy. She is the author of many professional publications, including two books, Drawing from Within: Using Art to Treat Eating Disorders and Expressive Therapies Continuum: A Framework for Using Art in Therapy.
Mary Jane Franus, MS, MFT, Rehabilitation Therapist
With extensive training and experience in addiction disease, family of origin and family dynamics, Mary Jane brings compassion, enthusiasm and expertise to the Smoke-Free Program. She is a licensed psychotherapist who received her master's degree at San Francisco State University and has worked with people of all ages and backgrounds.
Russell Melgar, BA, CPT, CFT, Fitness Specialist
Russell Melgar brings an extensive background of instructing various sports and fitness activities as well as practical and theoretical training in rehabilitation, exercise and massage to our hospital. He received his undergraduate degree from San Francisco State University in Broadcast Communication Arts. He holds a second-degree black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate. He is also a certified personal trainer, certified fitness therapist and a certified massage therapist/health educator.
Susan Raring, FNP, MSN
Ms. Raring has been a board certified family nurse practitioner for 21 years and an RN for 37 years. Sue earned her bachelor's degree from Upstate New York Keuka College's highly regarded nursing program and completed her master's degree in Nursing at Sonoma State University. She has experience in addiction medicine, psychiatry, occupational health, family practice, geriatrics and cosmetic surgery. As an ex-smoker, she is grateful for every deep breath she takes while hiking and speed walking on the treadmill.
Vicki Saunders, MS, RD, Nutrition Educator
For 25 years Vicki Saunders has been counseling individuals and organizations on optimal nutrition. Ms. Saunders is an expert in diet behavior modification, having helped thousands make a comfortable, step-by-step transition to healthful eating. Ms. Saunders received her MS in Medical Dietetics from Ohio State University. She began her career as a dietician in Tennessee and joined the St. Helena Center for Health in 1979. She has extensive experience with therapeutic diets, vegetarian diets and eating disorders. In addition to her counseling work for the program, she lectures on nutrition and teaches cooking classes.
Arlene Taylor, PhD, RN
Dr. Taylor is founder and president of Realizations Inc., a non-profit corporation that promotes brain-function research and related educational resources. A brain-function consultant, author and speaker, she is creator of The Brain Program. Taylor holds an MS in Epidemiology and Health Education, as well as two doctorates in Health and Human Services and Clinical Counseling. She also holds a BS degree in Nursing from Loma Linda University, California.
Susan Witt, Executive Chef
For 21 years Susan Witt has been creating delectable cuisine for clients across the United States such as Julia Childs and former President Bill Clinton. She holds a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Before venturing west, Susan worked as the Chef de Cuisine at Agora, a posh Providence hotel restaurant, and cooked for the James Beard House in New York City.
Falling in love with the quaint town of St. Helena, Ms. Witt ventured to the Napa Valley where she worked as resident chef for Berringer Vineyards. She has worked for the St. Helena Hospital for more than three years and loves teaching cooking classes.

