Dr Melva Martin was born into a farming family. She began her career as a nurse and midwife. During time raising a family she questioned the cost and excessive use of pharmaceutical medicine compared with many effective natural remedies. By establishing the Naturopathic College of New Zealand and the Osteopathic College of New Zealand Melva was a pioneer in the education and clinical development of natural therapies. She earned a BA, MEdAdmin, and MPhil from Massey University and a doctorate in education from Monash University. Melva spent many years in clinical practice and education and was involved with advisory groups in setting national NZQA natural therapies unit standards. From 2001 - 2003 she was appointed to a NZ Ministerial Advisory Committee on Complementary and Alternative Health (MACCAH). She currently practices and promotes permaculture as a way for future regeneration of the earth and a means of sustainability for universal wellness.
