AMEN Northwest Conference | Health Ministries

AMEN Northwest Conference 2025

Unforgettable:

Dementia Prevention & Intervention

Registration

Register now for the AMEN Conference, hosted at Upper Columbia Conference.

March 7-9, 2025

Early Bird Discount $15 off: EarlyBird15

Pastor Discount of $60 off: Pastor60

Bible Worker Discount of $60 off: BibleWorker60

Coupon codes are valid until February 26, 2025

Lodging

Sleep Inn 3809 S Geiger Blvd Spokane WA 99224 (509) 315-8922

Ask for the Upper Columbia Conference discount

Schedule

Friday, March 7

1:00 – 2:15pm

"Lifetime Risk of Dementia:
Innovations in early detection, risk factor identification and intervention"

Keynote Address: Dr. Wes Youngberg*

Presentation slides

2:30 – 3:45pm

"What Does Alzheimer’s Look Like?"

Dr. David Emerson*

Presentation slides

4:00 – 5:15pm

"Dementia: Planning Ahead"

Francesca Stracke*

Presentation slides

5:30 – 6:30pm

Supper

7:00 – 8:30pm

"Vespers: He is Enthroned"

Elder Louis Torres

Sabbath, March 8

9:30 – 10:30am

Bible Study/Sabbath School: 

"The Greatest Health Commandment"

Dr. Wes Youngberg

10:45 – 12:00pm

Worship Service: 

"Grateful Debtors"

Elder Louis Torres

12:15 – 1:30pm

Lunch 

Walk the Jay Sloop Memorial Trail

1:30 – 2:45pm

"Soul Winning in the Context of Health Ministry"

Elder Louis Torres

3:00 – 4:00pm

"Choosing Between Hippocampal Life & Death, Neurogenesis or Atrophy"

Dr. Wes Youngberg

4:15 – 5:15pm

Sundown Meditation

"God’s Healing Questions"

Elder Louis Torres

6:00 – 7:30pm

Dinner with the Doctor:

Spokane Valley Adventist Church

1601 S Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley

Ten Steps to Prevent Alzheimer’s & Reverse Cognitive Decline

Dr. Wes Youngberg*

Presentation slides

Sunday, May 9

9:00 – 9:30am

"Morning Devotional"

Dr. David Emerson

9:30 – 10:45am

"Simple Ways to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk"

Dr. David Emerson*

Presentation slides

11:00 – 12:15pm

"Insulin Resistance, Diabetes & Alzheimer’s:
Clinical implications, risk assessment & intervention strategies"

Dr. Wes Youngberg*

Presentation slides 

*Continuing education credit for health care professionals, including 7.5 hours Category 1 CME

Resources

• Bulletin Insert (5.5 x 8.5)
• Bulletin Insert 2-up (11 x 8.5)

Featuring

Wes Youngberg, DrPH

Dr. Wes Youngberg is a practicing clinical nutritionist and lifestyle medicine specialist in Temecula, CA. He was trained at Loma Linda University where he earned a doctorate in clinical preventive care and a master’s degree in nutrition. He is on the clinical faculty of Loma Linda University and serves as assistant clinical professor for both the Department of Preventive Medicine at the School of Medicine and the Department of Health Promotion at the School of Public Health. Dr. Youngberg is a board Certified Nutrition Specialist, and is a founding director and fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Youngberg is the lead presenter in the Diabetes Undone Program – an interactive, video based series designed to support the doctor and the patient in achieving diabetes reversal. He has trained with Dr. Dale Bredesen (the director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UCLA) and is certified in the Bredesen Protocol – a comprehensive, lifestyle medicine based, assessment and intervention model, documented to reverse up to 88% of MCI and early Alzheimer’s. Currently, Dr. Youngberg is conducting 4-Day Bredesen Protocol Intensives at resorts in San Diego and Laguna Beach. Prior to opening his lifestyle and nutritional medicine clinic in Temecula, Dr. Youngberg spent 14 years on the island of Guam, researching the diabetes epidemic on the Micronesian islands of the Western Pacific region and directing the Wellness Center at the Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic. He traveled throughout the islands, providing public health education, screenings, and professional training for diabetes prevention and care. Dr. Youngberg was honored twice with the Heroes of the Pacific award by the Guam chapter of the American Diabetes Association. In 2007, he was awarded the Ancient Order of the Chamorri—the highest honor given by the governor of Guam for extraordinary contributions to the island community. Returning to California in 2008, he spent three years as medical nutritionist and Director of the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic and Wellness Center for Rancho Family Medical Group in Temecula.

He has lectured to medical conferences throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. His passion is the full integration of physical and emotional risk factors in the assessment and intervention of health concerns. Dr. Youngberg has done post doctoral studies with the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.  He is the co-host of the Hope Channel’s “Naturally Gourmet” with Karen Houghton, and has produced various DVD video series, including: “Transforming Sickness into Health” and “Controlling Cravings with Contentment”. He has published several books including, The Path to Health & Healing, Goodbye Diabetes – preventing and reversing diabetes the natural way, and most recently, Hello Healthy.

Dr. Youngberg has over 30 years of clinical nutrition and lifestyle medicine experience using integrative therapies for diabetes control, depression recovery, cardiovascular disease reversal, optimizing digestive health and effective management of many chronic health conditions.  Wes and his wife Betsy live in Temecula California (near San Diego) where they work at the Youngberg Lifestyle Medicine Clinic.

Louis R. Torres, DMin, dhl

Pastor Louis R. Torres is an international evangelist, author, trainer, and recording artist. Before giving his life to the Lord, Pastor Torres was the bass guitarist for the world famous “Bill Haley and the Comets.” Since devoting His life to the Lord’s work, he has traveled around the world bringing thousands to a Christ-centered life. He has worked as a pastor, evangelist, administrator, and trainer. Dr. Torres previously served as director of training and evangelism for North American Division ASI (Adventist Laymen’s Services & Industries), the executive secretary of the Greater New York Conference, and president of Guam-Micronesia Mission. His wife Carol and he founded and operated Black Hills Mission College of Evangelism from which AFCOE, ARISE, JOSIA, and many other centers of evangelism sprouted. He served as a medic during the Vietnam War and was trained in health evangelism at Loma Linda University School of Public Health. He is currently the assistant to the president for evangelism of AWR (Adventist World Radio) and also recently served as board chair for SOLI. He has published 10 books and has spoken extensively around the world, with appearances on the global 3ABN, Hope Channel and many others. 

David Emerson, MD

David Emerson, MD, is an international speaker on lifestyle approach to illnesses including cancer. He has also given talks on three ABN, a satellite broadcasting network with worldwide coverage. He graduated from medical school in 1988 and was board certified in internal medicine after finishing residency at Kettering Medical Center in Ohio. Following residency, he and his new bride, Oleta went to serve at Guam Adventist mission clinic for 8 1/2 years. There he treated patients, both in/out of the hospital and helped start an outpatient NEWSTART like lifestyle program for those with lifestyle related diseases. This is where their two children were born, Johanna & Jonathan. Returning to the states in 2002 they opened a private practice in internal medicine in Ardmore, OK with an outpatient NEWSTART like lifestyle program. In 2009 they accepted a call to be medical director at Eden Valley Lifestyle Center in Loveland, CO where they worked with many cancer patients. Following this they moved to the East Coast to help his aging parents. Here they set up an internal medicine practice in their ancestral farmhouse on their large farm in Myersville which lies between Frederick & Hagerstown, MD. They currently treat lifestyle related illnesses and give cancer support to complement a patient’s current program. They also offer a 3 day intensive for cancer support. In addition, he works closely with Hartland Institute in their lifestyle & cancer support program, seeing the guests and doing lifestyle education.

Francesca Stracke, DNP

Francesca Stracke, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, ACHPN, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and her advanced nursing degrees through Pacific Lutheran University. She volunteered at nursing homes at an early age and gained a love and care for people facing serious and complex illness. Francesca is currently employed in palliative care at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital and MultiCare Valley Hospital in Spokane Washington. She feels this is her calling, and she is blessed to have found it so early in life! Outside of work, she enjoys cooking (especially baking), long walks, and spending time with her family, friends, and faith community. 

“I believe it is necessary to attend to the physical, functional, psychological, practical, and spiritual complexities of navigating serious or complex illness at all stages. It is essential to explore with individuals and their loved ones what they understand, what they want to understand better, what their worries and fears are, and what their hopes and wishes are for their future and their health care. This has become complex in our health care system and deserves personalized time and attention."