Hello I am Dina the Proprietress of Anna’s Apothecary - turned Wise Roots.  I acquired Wise Roots in 2025 and am in deep gratitude for my staff, customers, and the Manitou community. I feel so very welcomed.

I am a weaver in spirit (and in reality). I weave together many experiences and I weave communities. After 15 years in a corporate role leading systems, process, and people, I left to pursue the healing arts. It is hard to believe but that was 24 years ago and I have been an entrepreneur in this space ever since. That would not have been possible without the support of my family. My husband Jason, my son Casey, and my mom Denise have always held the support I needed to open to possibility and say yes to the next steps on my journey as they presented themselves. 

My plant medicine training began in 1998 with Susun Weed and then later with Shelley Torgove in 2005 where I deepened into Community Herbalism and Women’s Traditional Healing practices. I am also a Certified Aromatherapist for both people and animals. I hold certifications in many modalities of bodywork, creating ritual and ceremony, as well as soul mentorship, energetic and spiritual coaching and spiritual companionship. In addition I have several leadership based certificates and a certificate in Instructional Design. I LOVE designing and teaching workshops, circles, and community rituals both in-person and online. I consider myself a servant and visionary leader. I work for my staff and customers, and I exist to shine a light on the gifts of all of those around me. Most importantly, I work for the Divine. And food, I work for excellent food. Which is my love language. I am Italian after all. 

My passion and study of the plants is the focus on the emotional, spiritual and ritual uses of the plants, as well as cross-cultural Folk Medicine and the stories of the plants and their ability to heal us on all levels that have passed from generation to generation. 
I also live to learn and am currently studying the plants and Folk Medicine and Spiritual Practices of my ancestors of Southern Italy.
I believe plants have an affinity with humans to help us access our consciousness, do our inner work at the deepest levels in order to remember our soul curriculum, and be of service to something larger than ourselves. Plants go way beyond physical healing. 

My spirit animal is Zebra- I am deeply curious, I live in the paradox, I am unconventional and I do it with joy and irreverence. 
My ancestral plant ally is Bay Laurel or Alloro in Italian. Bay teaches me to access my intuition, my intelligence and to bring the visions I receive into reality. She teaches me to speak what I see, and speak it into form. Listening to Bay is one of the reasons I decided to become the Proprietress of Anna’s.
One of my many favorite quotes: “No we breathe, we pulse, we regenerate. Our hearts beat, our minds create, our souls ingest.Thirty-seven seconds well used is a lifetime.” Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.