Faculty

Charlotte R. Watts earned her Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Colorado Chinese Medicine University® in April of 2009. This 2,800-hour program consists of Biosciences, TCM Theory and Technique, Internship, Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic, and Chinese Herbal Medicine. This includes certification in Clean Needle Technique and Chinese Herbology.  In July of 2011, Charlotte completed an additional 500 hour/three year program, in-depth study of Five-Element Acupuncture, that provided her information and experience to fully understand and embody the Five Element principles in such a way that it can be effectively used with her TCM training and practices. 

Charlotte was also certified in Auriculomedicine through the Institute of Bioenergetic Medicine in October of 2008, and completed 339 hours of study in yoga asana, shat-karma, anatomy, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy with the Denver Institute of Integrated Yoga in January of 2005. Charlotte has also received extensive training in functional blood chemistry and nutrition through Dr. Datis Kharrazian, and has completed a private internship in nutrition and herbology with Dr. Michael Gaeta, sponsored by Standard Process West. 

Charlotte R. Watts is licensed in Acupuncture by the State of Colorado and the NCCAOM. She has been in private practice since June of 2009, currently in Parker Colorado, and specializes in trauma patients. She had privileges at Children’s Hospital Colorado from 2012 to 2017, and worked on a grant in the BMT division of the cancer department with hospice and pain patients. She also worked as a volunteer with elderly home hospice patients in Colorado Springs in 2009-2011. Charlotte also presented to doctors and nurses, teaching them about acupuncture and how it can be utilized with Western medicine for better patient outcomes. Charlotte has also taught in the student clinic at the Colorado Chinese Medicine University®, and in January 2022, she started her first online course for personal mentorship and Five Element Acupuncture training for health care providers. 

Previous to finishing acupuncture school, she was a career firefighter/paramedic for 14 years and retired from Castle Rock Fire Department after seven years of service in Colorado. She also spent seven years in Tucson Arizona working for Mount Lemon Fire Department, Rural Metro Fire Department, and also worked at Northwest Hospital in the Emergency Room. Charlotte spent her summers in Arizona working for the United States Forest Service as a wildland firefighter and a tree feller on hand crews.

Rebecca earned her Masters of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) from CCMU in 2012. She is a Nationally Certified Diplomate in Acupuncture through the NCCAOM. She earned her BA from Fort Lewis College in 1995. Most recently, she earned a 100-hour certificate in Applied Clinical Nutrition from Texas Chiropractic College. Rebecca enjoys mountain biking and hiking. She has a private practice in Castle Rock, CO where she utilizes acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, nutrition and Reiki. She specializes in treating people with brain injury and migraines.

Joe earned his Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the CCMU in 2006. Currently a clinic supervisor and faculty member at CSTCM, Joe is also on faculty at the University of Denver. An internationally recognized expert on healthy aging, Joe has spent over 25 years teaching t’ai chi, qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine at the University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center, the University of Denver, and Metropolitan State University. Former columnist on healthy aging for the Rocky Mountain News, he has presented at many scientific and medical conferences including at the Harvard Medical School’s Osher Institute on Integrative Medicine and has twice been a featured presenter at the Oxford Roundtable at Harris Manchester College in the University of Oxford U.K. He currently runs his own clinic in Denver Colorado.

Dr. Dean S. Cunningham earned his Medical Doctorate in 1985 from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, after having completed Ph.D. studies in Immunology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, in 1979; and his dual-bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Psychology from the University of California Riverside campus in 1976. Dr. Cunningham has facilitated and participated in medicine world wide. Academic and professional appointments have taken him around the the world as Dean of Curriculum (online) and Professor of Medicine at Oceania University of Medicine in Apia, Western Samoa (2010 – 2021), Medical Director of the Free Clinic in Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico (2003-07), Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Howard University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. (1994 – 1997), and onboard U.S. naval craft as a General Medical Officer and Department Head (1986 – 1968) while on tour of duty. Dr. Cunningham has maintained private practice throughout the years, and continues to write and edit medical contributions for various journals and publications.

Jon has been a holistic warrior in Denver since 1996. He graduated with honors from the Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado. Jon went on to attend South West Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colorado. He served his acupuncture externship at the Boulder County AIDS project. In addition, he spent 135 hours studying trigger point dry needling and sports acupuncture. Jon graduated in 2001 with an MSOM. From 2003 to 2011, Jon was a lead therapist for a huge State of Colorado wellness program devoted to identifying and treating potential worker’s comp patients. This experience has given him a vast reservoir of hands-on clinical experience with treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. In 2020, Jon completed his Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine with the Pacific College of Health and Science, including a 60-hour internship with UC Health Anschutz Hospital’s Internal Medicine Resident’s clinic at the CU School of Medicine. Jon maintains a practice specializing in myofascial, musculoskeletal, and sports medicine conditions. Jon has been a professor at CCMU since 2017.

Chris graduated from Colorado Chinese Medicine University® in 1993 and completed a clinical internship at Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Harbin, China. She is a Nationally Certified Diplomate in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology through the NCCAOM and is licensed in Colorado and Hawaii. Since graduation she also was involved in a research study on treating pelvic pain with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Chris has also taught various Traditional Chinese Medicine subjects at other Colorado Oriental medicine schools. She specializes in Chinese herbal medicine, women’s health care and sports medicine.

Yi Cao is a third generation Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor who graduated from Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He has published many articles in the Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion, has been invited to many international conferences and has won many awards in China. Yi has taught acupuncture and supervised clinic interns at the university and in the hospital before coming to the United States. He is a Nationally Certified Diplomate in Acupuncture through the NCCAOM and is a licensed acupuncturist in Colorado. He specializes in the areas of neurological and psychological problems and currently has a private practice in Denver, Colorado.

Greg graduated from the Florida Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The idea of being a healer “is a way of life” was the original draw for Greg to study Traditional Chinese Medicine. A healer is someone who uses the tools they have to assist and teach others ways of improving their lives. He is a Nationally Certified Diplomate in Acupuncture through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and is a L.Ac. in Colorado. He is currently using his skills to treat patients of all ages and also massages horses. He has studied auriculotherapy intensively for the past five years. He is in private practice in Lakewood, Colorado.

Nicholas Conte, PharmD, MAc worked as a Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist for 13 years before enrolling at CCMU. Dr. Conte graduated from CCMU with a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture in 2024. He also completed both his 200 hour Yoga Teacher certification (2017) and Ayurvedic Health Counselor certification (2019) in Asheville, NC.

Dr. Conte is relocating back to Asheville, where he plans to open a family acupuncture practice with his wife. He enjoys cooking, playing music and spending time with his dog.