Melissa & Phil Schreibfeder
Welcome! Here at Functional Nurse Academy we are proud to be family owned and operated!
Melissa Schreibfeder is the founder of Functional Nurse Academy, an experienced nurse educator, and the creator and instructor of the FNA curriculum. She is also an approved provider of continuing nursing education through the State of Florida. Melissa earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UT Health San Antonio and holds a multistate nursing license. She has completed advanced continuing education in functional medicine through multiple organizations, including the Institute for Functional Medicine and the School of Applied Functional Medicine, and regularly participates in professional conferences and ongoing training. She is board certified in functional medicine through the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners.
Phil is an engineer by trade and serves as the office manager and tech support for FNA.
They have been married for 10 years and have 3 beautiful children They reside in Franklin, TN and in their spare time they enjoy raising their children and travelling.
Melissa Schreibfeder is the founder of Functional Nurse Academy, an experienced nurse educator, and the creator and instructor of the FNA curriculum. She is also an approved provider of continuing nursing education through the State of Florida. Melissa earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UT Health San Antonio and holds a multistate nursing license. She has completed advanced continuing education in functional medicine through multiple organizations, including the Institute for Functional Medicine and the School of Applied Functional Medicine, and regularly participates in professional conferences and ongoing training. She is board certified in functional medicine through the American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners.
Phil is an engineer by trade and serves as the office manager and tech support for FNA.
They have been married for 10 years and have 3 beautiful children They reside in Franklin, TN and in their spare time they enjoy raising their children and travelling.
Phil and Melissa are deeply rooted in their Christian faith and are passionate about giving back and blessing others through the mission of Functional Nurse Academy. A portion of FNA enrollments is donated to a variety of charitable organizations and humanitarian outreach efforts.
10% of proceeds are donated to organizations including React19, which helps provide medical funding and support to individuals experiencing long-term effects following COVID-19 vaccination, as well as Elijah Streams, which supports humanitarian outreach initiatives through its partnership with Show Mercy International, including efforts that support victims of human trafficking and help fund clean water well projects in underserved communities throughout Africa.
Meet our Enrollment Specialists
All of our enrollment specialists are program graduates and active practitioners
Bonnie Ridge
With over 15 years of experience in healthcare, Bonnie is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Holistic Health Practitioner. A 4th generation medical professional, she integrates her conventional training with a deep passion for root-cause, integrative healing. After completing multiple programs in holistic health, functional medicine, and nutrition, she is grateful to be part of the team at Functional Nurse Academy.
Her journey into functional medicine began when her children were diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies and eczema. As she searched for safer ways to nourish and heal them, she became a passionate advocate for food allergy awareness and discovered the power of nutrition, detox support, and holistic care.
With a background in hematology/oncology/stem cell transplant and advanced training in functional medicine and nutrition, Bonnie helps people uncover the root causes of chronic symptoms—focusing on gut health, hormone balance, brain optimization, and skin wellness. She believes true healing begins when people are heard, supported, and empowered.
Her journey into functional medicine began when her children were diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies and eczema. As she searched for safer ways to nourish and heal them, she became a passionate advocate for food allergy awareness and discovered the power of nutrition, detox support, and holistic care.
With a background in hematology/oncology/stem cell transplant and advanced training in functional medicine and nutrition, Bonnie helps people uncover the root causes of chronic symptoms—focusing on gut health, hormone balance, brain optimization, and skin wellness. She believes true healing begins when people are heard, supported, and empowered.
Based in California, Bonnie is a former homeschooling mom of two who enjoys time with her family and working virtually to help others thrive.
Write your awesome label here.
Rachel Pope
Rachel is a Board Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner and BSN, RN with over 15 years of nursing experience, she is dedicated to helping women confidently navigate perimenopause. Her background in critical care, education, case management and same-day surgery-combined with her own struggle through severe perimenopausal symptoms led her to functional medicine and ultimately to the Functional Nurse Academy. What began as a search for her own healing became a passion for empowering women to power through the pause with root-cause, compassionate support.
She works exclusively with women, focusing on hormone shifts, weight changes, fatigue and cycle irregularities. Based in Middle Tennessee, she sees clients both in person and remotely. A mom of four and longtime homeschool educator, she currently teaches Health at a homeschool tutorial and serves as the Prayer Director at her church. When she's not supporting others on their journeys, she enjoys paddle boarding on the lake with her family and snuggling her mini goldendoodles.
Write your awesome label here.
To provide comprehensive
functional medicine education
that honors the body’s God-given design andaddresses the root causes of
disease.
What we Believe
The human body is magnificently and brilliantly designed by God and has the ability to heal.
Informed consent is a fundamental component of truly patient-centered, ethical, and informed healthcare.
We believe every individual is unique, and that a “one size fits all” approach is often ineffective.
We believe in creating personalized wellness plans guided by comprehensive assessments and clinical insights to help support each individual’s unique needs and goals.
Special interest groups often influence public health guidance.
We believe that research and discernment are necessary for identifying reliable information.
Functional Nurse Academy
Learn our effective methology in functional nursing and business formation
Functional Medicine Assessments
Learn how to accurately assess for nutrient depletions, toxicity, bacterial overgrowths, hormone imbalance, stealth infections and much more
Diagnostic Testing
Learn how to order diagnostic testing through our partnering lab and how to use diagnostic data to identify patterns of dysfunction and potential root causes of disease process.
Wellness Plans
Combine functional assessment and diagnostic data to create custom wellness plans for your clients
Receive your Functional Nurse Academy Credentials
Upon graduation you will receive your certificate of completion of Functional Nurse Academy, 90 CEU's and will be eligible for board certification through AANWP.
Claim your Free 2 Months of Functional Nurse Academy Monthly Mentorship
Join our mentorship community! This will be an opportunity to receive continuous mentorship and live sessions hosted by Melissa with the group of FNA students and graduates
Ready to Leave Sick-Care?
Join the Growing Profession of Functional Nurses Today!
Contact us
Thank you!
We are an online educational platform that helps nurses succeed in a parallel healthcare model.
