An educator, acupuncturist, and healer for over 40 years, Robert “Bob” M. Duggan is a pioneering leader in the emergence of complementary medicine and a groundbreaking voice for wellness in the United States. Duggan has dedicated his career to working with individuals, corporate and academic leaders, policymakers and legislators to bring a great diversity of healing options to the American people. Bringing a rich diversity of perspectives to his work, Duggan holds advanced degrees in philosophy, theology, human relations, intercultural communications, canon law, and acupuncture, and has served as a priest in the US and abroad.
In 1972, when Duggan started studying acupuncture, it was largely illegal across America. He played a leading role in paving the path to create certification, licensing, and accreditation, solidifying acupuncture as a profession and bringing it into the mainstream culture. He founded the Tai Sophia Institute, the first accredited acupuncture school in America, which today offers over a dozen master’s degree and certificate programs in the wellness field. Duggan continues to serve Tai Sophia as president emeritus and as a core faculty member.
A nationally recognized thought leader, speaker, and advisor to policymakers and organizations on complementary medicine and wellness, Duggan has testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as well as spoken at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and TEDx events.
Duggan holds an M.A. in Human Relations and Community Studies from New York University, an M.A. in Moral Theology from St. Joseph’s Seminary, and an M.A. in Acupuncture from the College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture in the United Kingdom. He is a nationally-certified Diplomate of Acupuncture and a licensed acupuncturist in the State of Maryland.