By Dr. Amanda Wilson-Echeverria, AVP, Student & Alumni Affairs, and Dr. Melinda Connor, AMU Alumna
Is education always a straight line? Dr. Melinda Connor, a graduate of American Military University’s Master of Arts in Strategic Intelligence program, is living proof that it isn’t.
Dr. Connor’s path through academia – and life – has been anything but conventional, but every step in her academic journey has served a purpose. Today, she is a globally recognized figure in the fields of holistic medicine, research and integrative health.
Dr. Connor says that her time at AMU helped her through a critical juncture in her career. “I loved it,” she says. “I did my degree in nine months and was lucky to have some amazing professors who supported my vision and work. My thesis focused on identifying the neural structures in the brain that influence a person to become a terrorist.”
For a healer and researcher with a deeply human-centered career, this thesis topic might seem like an unusual focus. But for Dr. Connor, it made perfect sense. “I had a theory about neurostructures, and I wanted to be able to write in the language and style that would allow the right people to use that information.”
Educational Background
Raised in Massachusetts, Dr. Connor was no stranger to academia. Her father taught at Harvard Medical School, developing the field of forensics in auto fatalities, and her mother was a Boston University Medical School psychiatrist. Her upbringing around academic rigor and medical ethics spurred her research interests in psychoneuroimmunology, energy healing, and trauma recovery.
However, her educational path was convoluted and took time. As a military spouse, Dr. Connor earned an associate degree in extension studies (psychology) at Harvard University. In addition, she received a bachelor’s degree in English and theater at Wellesley College and completed a holistic health program at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing.
Over the years, she worked in theatre, did temporary work as a secretary and learned computer programming. Later, Dr. Connor joined IBM, where she was known as the “Sniffer Queen” (a “sniffer” is a network general packet analyzer in the tech industry) and received awards for her high-level troubleshooting and customer service.
IBM funded her master’s degree in psychology, recognizing that the most successful tech specialists needed the ability to connect with people. Later, she received her master’s in clinical counseling and applied psychology from the University of San Francisco.
Dr. Connor then enrolled in California Coast University for a Ph.D. in clinical psychology while simultaneously serving as a telemedicine specialist for a community health center. Her doctoral research created a telemedicine treatment model for developmentally delayed children, which was adopted by the state of California.
Dr. Connor also completed a National Institutes of Health T32 postdoctoral fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona. At a time when few people outside of conventional medicine were researching energy healing, Dr. Connor was already writing empirical test protocols and leading studies in the field.
In addition to all of these degrees, Dr. Connor earned a master’s and a doctoral degree in religion from the University of San Francisco.
Despite her impressive list of degrees, Dr. Connor remains humble. “I’m a chop wood, carry water kind of person,” she says. “I just keep going.”
That philosophy has carried her far. Dr. Connor is the founder and CEO of Earthsongs Holistic Consulting, a research-driven organization that provides personalized solutions in integrative health.
Earthsongs has conducted research that ranges from microplastics detoxification to the neurological effects of spiritual music, often using academic, clinical, and corporate partners as stakeholders. Her motto – “Exceptional solutions for exceptional situations” – guides every project, paper, and patient interaction.
Dr. Connor also serves as Executive Director of the International Journal of Healing and Caring, which provides peer-reviewed, open-access research in alternative and integrative medicine. She previously served as Director of Research and Professor Emerita at Akamai University and has trained and mentored students across multiple universities and health disciplines.
Research Awards and Other Accolades
Dr. Connor’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In recent years, Dr. Connor has received several high-profile accolades, including the:
- 2021 Scientist of the Year from the California Legislature Assembly for her work with the World Congress on Qigong, Tai Chi and Traditional Chinese Medicine
- 2023 Consultant Award for Holistic Research and Consulting-USA from CEO Today
- 2023-2024 Who’s Who in America award from The Marquis Who’s Who
- 2024 Empowered Woman of the Year from the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), a philanthropic organization
- 2024 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from The Marquis Who’s Who
- 2025 Top Holistic Consultant Award from Finance Monthly
In June 2025, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from IAOTP, which was displayed on a digital marquee in New York City’s Times Square.
Still, she insists, “There are many people in the world more gifted than I am. All my siblings are smarter than I am.”
Breaking New Ground in Health Research
Today, her research continues to break new ground. Among her current studies is one investigating detoxification protocols for microplastics – a growing concern in public health.
Dr. Connor has authored 10 books and plans to write more in the future. She remains committed to mentoring the next generation of practitioners and researchers in energy medicine.
Advice to Other Students
Dr. Connor’s advice for students and emerging professionals is simple: “Stay determined. Just keep at it. You don’t stop. You find another way to get the process done.”
She credits her perseverance to an early mentor, Olympic-level horse trainer Joseph Arigo, who once told her, “Keep your focus. Do not be swayed by the noise around you. You are there to do a job. Do it.”
Future Plans
When she’s not researching or publishing, Dr. Connor is an accomplished singer, equestrian, and ballet choreographer. She has choreographed more than 20 ballets, founded a city ballet company in Northern California, and continues to perform and direct theatrical works.
In the future, Dr. Connor plans to keep writing, keep researching and hopefully enjoy being a grandmother someday.
From the theater stage to the research lab, the corporate world, and international medicine, Dr. Connor shows that it’s never too late to create a life of extraordinary impact.
About the Author
Dr. Amanda Wilson-Echeverria is the Associate Vice President of Student and Alumni Affairs and has been with the University for 17 years. Amanda has a B.S. in English and political science from Radford University, an MBA from American Public University, and a DBA from Walden University. Amanda is a published author and poet, as well as an active mentor, volunteer, and campus leader.
About Our Department
The AMU and APU Alumni Affairs Office is dedicated to sustaining lifelong relationships with university alumni by providing engaging opportunities to stay involved and connected. We work closely with various stakeholders to strengthen the alumni experience and offer numerous benefits, services, activities, and events throughout the year.
As a team, the Alumni Affairs team works to build and sustain relationships with alumni along their personal and professional journeys. We actively look for ways to recognize and showcase alumni, telling their stories to motivate and encourage students to pursue their goals.
If you are an alumni community member and looking for ways to remain actively involved, please get in touch with alumni@apus.edu and speak with a team member.
Comments are closed.