About Denise Cusack
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I’m a Clinical Herbalist, Certified Aromatherapist (MIFPA), Permaculture & Advanced Social Systems Designer, and Natural Perfumer with over 19 years of clinical experience, blending expertise in herbalism, aromatherapy, permaculture design, hydrosols, flower essences, and first aid with a passion for holistic health and regenerative agriculture. My work interweaves mental health, trauma response, disaster relief, and health justice into transformative products and practices that spotlight aromatic and medicinal plants across gardens, kitchens, and natural perfumery.
My life is dedicated to accessible aromatherapy and herbalism for all, and creating resilient and adaptable communities through holistic wellness, education, outreach, and knowledge sharing. Find out more at Herbalists Without Borders. I am the Program Director for global programs, and run the US Donation Network, Mentoring Program and more. Beyond the lab and the garden, I bring over 40 years of business management experience in nonprofit management, marketing, and brand design—from spearheading strategic campaigns for Fortune 50 companies to nurturing local, eco-friendly ventures. As an artist, writer, photographer, educator, and leader, I fuse creative expression with sustainable practices to drive impactful change. Dedicated to cultivating wild and cultivated medicine and preserving our cultural legacy, I strive to transform spaces and lives through innovative design, compelling storytelling, and a deep commitment to a healthier, more equitable future. I work all around the world on programs to support empowering, educating, and engaging collaborative and resilient community building via holistic wellness and health justice, and working to integrate herbalism and aromatherapy into integrative practices. |
Experience
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OWNER, NATURAL PERFUMER, ANALU PERFUME | CURRENT
OWNER, Facilitator/Educator, Analu Wellness Studio OWNER, WHOLLY ROOTED, LLC | Current • Founded and manage a unique permaculture and regenerative living farm dedicated to sustainable development and active community education. • Write and contribute to print and digital magazines on herbal health and aromatherapy, sharing research-backed, innovative practices in medicinal herb cultivation and plant sustainability. • Develop and lead diverse educational programs, including hands‐on plant walks, workshops on growing medicinal herbs, and sustainability seminars. • Cultivate and donate medicinal herbs through strategic partnerships with the HWB US Donation Network. • Attain recognized status as a United Plant Savers (UpS) Botanical Sanctuary and Certified Wildlife Habitat, protecting endangered and at-risk medicinal plants. • Serve as the heart of an herbal and plant education center committed to nurturing both community wellbeing and environmental stewardship. HERBALISTS WITHOUT BORDERS | Executive Director (2017-2022, 2024-2026) VOLUNTEER Co-Executive Director (April 2025 – Current) • Direct the vision and daily operations of an international nonprofit dedicated to providing holistic herbal care. • Manage comprehensive programs that encompass governance, daily programmatic work, volunteers, disaster relief, free clinics, fundraising, grant writing, and community outreach. • Spearhead initiatives such as the US Seed Grant Program and the US Donation Distribution Network, achieving dramatic growth in membership (600%+ increase) and fundraising (1,300%+ increase) along with significant social media expansion (59,900 Instagram followers, 27,000 Facebook followers). • Recognized with the Daily Point of Light Award for sustained excellence in community service. VETERANS RESILIENCY HOLISTIC CLINIC | Clinical Herbalist (November 2017 – September 2022) • Volunteered as a Clinical Herbalist and Aromatherapist to support veterans coping with PTSD, combining clinical expertise with compassionate care. • Adapted service delivery during COVID-19 by seamlessly transitioning from in-person sessions to virtual consultations and care packages, ensuring veterans received consistent, tailored herbal support. WRITING & CREATIVE SERVICES • Provide professional writing, editing, and content creation for a spectrum of businesses, developing custom articles, recipes, product descriptions, press releases, and social media content. • Blend creative storytelling with technical precision across various mediums, ensuring every project resonates with clarity and impact. CREATIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING DIRECTOR, & ART DIRECTOR (1999–2025) • Lead creative strategy and visual communication for direct marketing, print advertising, website design, branding, packaging, and retail interior design. • Guid end-to-end projects—from initial concept and storyboarding through production and launch—for Fortune 50 corporations as well as local, eco-oriented businesses. • Execute robust visual design, copywriting, content creation, and multimedia editing projects using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, DaVinci Resolve, GarageBand, iMovie, and other essential platforms. • Leverage over 30 years of industry experience to manage creative teams and drive successful campaigns that elevate brand presence and market position. EDUCATION • Bachelor of Arts in Management Columbia College Chicago – Minors: Fine Art/Design, Audio Engineering – Focus on the intersection of arts, entertainment, and nonprofit management • Professional Nonprofit Management Certificate, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 2021-2023 • Grantsmanship Training Program, The Grantsmanship Center • Permaculture and Advanced Social Systems Design Program |
Certified Permaculture and Social Systems DesignerAwards:Daily Point of Light Award, 2021
https://www.pointsoflight.org/awards/herbalist-dedicates-life-to-providing-accessible-health-and-wellness-to-the-worlds-underserved/ 
Volunteer & Board Work2025-Present
Serve on Program Advisory Council, Herbal Medicine & Aromatherapy Departments, ACHS Lilium Initiative, 2023-2026 Board of Directors, President Ex Chair, Communication Committee Ex Chair, Plant Conservation Committee IFPA, International Federation of Professional Aromatherapy TRUSTEE 2024-2026, Marketing Committee ICAN, Fellow - current Fellow on the ICAN professional aromatherapy community, Co-Moderator of the AromaConnect Group - working with children and young people. Herbalists Without Borders - 2017-present Currently Volunteer as US Donation Distribution Coordinator, US Seed Grant Coordinator and Mentor Program Coordinator. I am a Certified Aromatherapist and Clinical Herbalist and formulate aromatherapy products for US distribution throughout network several times per month. Chief Editor, Without Borders Magazine I manage a quarterly 100+ page magazine including managing writers, articles, themes, deadlines, and design of the publication. I also contribute articles each issue and edit the articles of all submissions with a team of volunteers. Veterans Resiliency Holistic Clinic 2017-2022 Volunteer Clinical Herbalist & Aromatherapist, VRHC I volunteered in this free clinic, working with veterans who have experienced PTSD, monthly for 5 years, as herbalist & aromatherapist. November 2017-September 2022 American Herbalists Guild, 2020-2025, Ethics Review Advisory Committee AHG Board of Directors, 2022 Chair (stepped down in 2022 after the death of my mom) 2020-2021 Assistant Chair 2018-2021 Secretary 2018-2022 Co-Chair Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee 2018-2022 Governance Committee IM4US, Board of Directors, 2020-2022 Co-Chair Membership Committee, 2021-2022 #happyflowerproject 2015-2017 |
Education/Experience
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I have thousands of hours of education in nonprofit management, herbalism, permaculture, aromatherapy, plant conservation, environmental education, design, health justice, diversity and inclusion, crisis management, first aid, CPR, psychological first aid, international aid, trauma, and more. This listing is just a few.
Courses:Mental Health / Trauma-Informed Practice
Sustainability:
This Is just a few of the courses and programs I have completed. I have over 23 years and over 5,000 additional hours of continuing education in hydrosols, herbalism, aromatherapy, aromatic medicine, holistic nutrition/natural nutrition, whole foods, trauma, holistic health, youth education, permaculture, humanitarian aid, CPR/AED certified, first aid training, clinical experience, nonprofit work, and more. I am usually enrolled in a few classes at a time, and am always on a quest to learn more. If you are interested in a full CV listing of completed coursework, schools of herbal and aromatherapy education, and experience hours, please email me. Software: I have experience in many design, management, and marketing communication applications including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, iMovie, Garage Band, DaVinci Resolve, Canva, Weebly, Wordpress, PowerPoint, KeyNote, Procreate, Mailchimp, Adobe Lightroom, Google Suite, and so on. |
(Social Permaculture, Regenerative Agriculture
Teaching/Interviews
Courses: Nutrition/Food
Courses: Conference Education & Intensives
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Random Bits
~I am almost six feet tall.
~I volunteer for health justice and herbal nonprofits
~I use permaculture and organic principles in life and garden
~I embroider, work with clay, can, pickle, preserve, paint, draw, sing, write music, knit, dye, and make things.
~I worked as Creative Director for decades - magazines, direct marketing, interactive design, illustration, and print design.
~I grow hundreds of varieties of plants - including medicinals - every year in my gardens.
~We roast our own coffee.
~I am a speed reader, so I can get through dozens of books per week. And I do.
~I am INTJ.
~My husband is 10 years younger than me.
~My husband is a genius. Literally.
~I have RA, Sjogrens, and Lupus.
~I have a BA from Columbia College in Business Administration with specializations in music, fine art & audio engineering and Nonprofit Cert from UW-Milwaukee.
~I have a photographic memory.
~I was 35 when my first was born, 37 for my second.
~I respect my kids, love my kids, and LIKE my kids.
~My adult kids still like to hang out with me.
~I am a synesthete.
~I see everything in pictures.
~I volunteer for health justice and herbal nonprofits
~I use permaculture and organic principles in life and garden
~I embroider, work with clay, can, pickle, preserve, paint, draw, sing, write music, knit, dye, and make things.
~I worked as Creative Director for decades - magazines, direct marketing, interactive design, illustration, and print design.
~I grow hundreds of varieties of plants - including medicinals - every year in my gardens.
~We roast our own coffee.
~I am a speed reader, so I can get through dozens of books per week. And I do.
~I am INTJ.
~My husband is 10 years younger than me.
~My husband is a genius. Literally.
~I have RA, Sjogrens, and Lupus.
~I have a BA from Columbia College in Business Administration with specializations in music, fine art & audio engineering and Nonprofit Cert from UW-Milwaukee.
~I have a photographic memory.
~I was 35 when my first was born, 37 for my second.
~I respect my kids, love my kids, and LIKE my kids.
~My adult kids still like to hang out with me.
~I am a synesthete.
~I see everything in pictures.
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Memberships
Alliance of International Aromatherapists- Professional Member National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy- Professional Member |
United Plant Savers - Botanical Sanctuary & Partner in Education Member Herbalists without Borders American Herbalists Guild - Associate Member |
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I am insured through Alternative Balance.
Work With Denisecommunity work |
offeringsDenise's workLibrary |
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All material provided on this website is provided for informational or educational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your healthcare professional or physician.