About ARAC
The Admissions Review Advisory Committee (ARAC) is a Board-appointed advisory committee composed of Registered Herbalist (RH) members of the American Herbalists Guild. ARAC reviews and scores RH applications to assess applicants’ clinical knowledge, competency, and ability to practice safely. All scores submitted by ARAC reviewers are final. The AHG does not offer an appeals process for RH application review decisions.
ARAC members are experienced clinical herbalists who have been in practice for at least 20 years and have held RH membership for a minimum of five years.
Committee members serve as volunteers for two-year terms and may be appointed to serve additional terms.
The Admissions Coordinator
ARAC works closely with the Admissions Coordinator, the primary point of contact for all RH applicants, and coordinates the application and review process.
The Admissions Coordinator supports applicants throughout the application process and is responsible for:
- Part 1 Review: Reviewing all Part 1 applications to determine whether applicants meet the established RH Application Criteria before advancing to Part 2.
- Part 2 Review: Checking applications for completeness before assigning each application to at least three ARAC members for independent review and scoring.
- Part 3 Interviews: Conducting live interviews with applicants as part of the final assessment process.
- Committee Coordination: Organizing and coordinating ARAC’s application reviews and related activities.
The current Admissions Coordinator is Patricia Kyritsi Howell, RH (AHG).
The Admissions Coordinator is a paid contractor who works closely with the AHG operations team and David Winston, RH (AHG), Chair of both the Registered Herbalist Oversight Committee and the AHG Board of Directors.
Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest
To protect the integrity and impartiality of the review process, ARAC members are required to recuse themselves from reviewing any applicant with whom they have a prior personal or professional relationship.
The identities of individual ARAC reviewers are not disclosed to applicants to maintain the confidentiality and independence of the review process. All ARAC members must maintain complete confidentiality about all applicants and applications.
ARAC Members
Current Committee Members – November 2026
Andrew Appello, Todd Caldecott, Thomas Easley, Patricia Gaines, Feather Jones, Althea Northage-Orr & JoAnna Sanchez
Additional Committee Members – Beginning in 2027
Kerry Adams, Betzy Bancroft & Benjamin Zappin