Our staff of trained herbalists is here to help
Railyard Apothecary is a cooperative of herbalists dedicated to sharing their knowledge of plants in order to guide our community towards health. In our apothecary, we answer your questions and serve you high-quality, local and imported herbs. In our classes we share our knowledge. In our clinic, we work together and collaborate on cases to give you the best care from a collective wealth of knowledge and experience.

Susan Staley
Susan Staley is a joyful witness to the ways in which plants support her communities and humanity at large. By recognizing this relationship, we find valuable insights into the possibility for transformation and greater health. As a community and clinical herbalist, Susan works to bring people and plants closer together. She enjoys seeing individuals with a variety of health goals; including improved digestive, immunity and lymphatic support, and support of vitality and equanimity. She values the environment of the herbal clinic for the safety it offers people to explore their life’s journey of health more deeply within the context of plant-based support. Susan continues to study and discover the depth of working with plants to support people (and our planet) at this dynamic time on earth. Susan is a graduate of Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism’s Three Year Clinical Training Program.
Susan Staley is a joyful witness to the ways in which plants support her communities and humanity at large. By recognizing this relationship, we find valuable insights into the possibility for transformation and greater health. As a community and clinical herbalist, Susan works to bring people and plants closer together. She enjoys seeing individuals with a variety of health goals; including improved digestive, immunity and lymphatic support, and support of vitality and equanimity. She values the environment of the herbal clinic for the safety it offers people to explore their life’s journey of health more deeply within the context of plant-based support. Susan continues to study and discover the depth of working with plants to support people (and our planet) at this dynamic time on earth. Susan is a graduate of Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism’s Three Year Clinical Training Program.

Nick Cavanaugh
Nick Cavanaugh believes that nature is full of remedies for helping people with their ailments large and small. As a clinical herbalist, he is excited to introduce people to those things that can improve their well-being, including herbs, food, diet, lifestyle, exercise and meditation.
Nick works with:
Nick’s education includes a three-year clinical herbalist training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (VCIH) in Montpelier, VT, an internship at Herb Pharm, and a Community Herbalism Intensive at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine.
Nick Cavanaugh believes that nature is full of remedies for helping people with their ailments large and small. As a clinical herbalist, he is excited to introduce people to those things that can improve their well-being, including herbs, food, diet, lifestyle, exercise and meditation.
Nick works with:
- young adults who are seeking ways to manage stress and lessen anxiety or depression
- those experiencing digestive difficulties who want to find relief and enjoy their meals
- people of all neurological diversities, including those diagnosed with disabilities
Nick’s education includes a three-year clinical herbalist training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism (VCIH) in Montpelier, VT, an internship at Herb Pharm, and a Community Herbalism Intensive at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine.
Meet Nick

Katherine Elmer
Katherine Elmer grew up in the green hills of Central Vermont and revels in the opportunity to connect with clients around a shared love of place and nature through whole foods nutrition and herbal medicine via her clinical work at the Burlington Herb Clinic and her community education efforts at Spoonful Herbals (spoonfulherbals.org). Although Katherine welcomes clients of all genders, she specializes in supporting clients who identify as women to access their highest potential and quality of life through their healing journey. She has supported many clients to enhance their vitality and bring relief from digestive health concerns, allergies and autoimmune conditions, healing post-injury or surgery, and energy/sleep issues. Katherine teaches Herbal Medicine and advises the Student Herbalism Club at the University of Vermont. She also participates in the UVM Medical Center's Integrative Health Program (http://www.uvm.edu/medicine/pih/). In addition to her efforts as a clinically-trained Community Herbalist, she is a childbirth mentor (Birthing from Within), and a mom to her 9 year old son, Liam, and a labradoodle named Maatje. Katherine is a graduate of Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism’s Three Year Clinical Training Program.
Katherine Elmer grew up in the green hills of Central Vermont and revels in the opportunity to connect with clients around a shared love of place and nature through whole foods nutrition and herbal medicine via her clinical work at the Burlington Herb Clinic and her community education efforts at Spoonful Herbals (spoonfulherbals.org). Although Katherine welcomes clients of all genders, she specializes in supporting clients who identify as women to access their highest potential and quality of life through their healing journey. She has supported many clients to enhance their vitality and bring relief from digestive health concerns, allergies and autoimmune conditions, healing post-injury or surgery, and energy/sleep issues. Katherine teaches Herbal Medicine and advises the Student Herbalism Club at the University of Vermont. She also participates in the UVM Medical Center's Integrative Health Program (http://www.uvm.edu/medicine/pih/). In addition to her efforts as a clinically-trained Community Herbalist, she is a childbirth mentor (Birthing from Within), and a mom to her 9 year old son, Liam, and a labradoodle named Maatje. Katherine is a graduate of Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism’s Three Year Clinical Training Program.

Guido Masé
Guido has been involved with medicinal plants since before moving to Vermont in 1996. He was one of the founding members of the Sage Mountain Free Herbal Clinic in 2001 and has been working with folks one-on-one ever since. He approaches his work from the biomedical perspective as well as from the mythological and energetic context offered by the Western herbal tradition. He works with plants in the garden and forest, and contributes writing and research to the field of herbal medicine through conferences, publications, and speaking engagements. He believes in the inherent worth of plants to heal people, communities, and even the culture at large.
Specific areas of focus include:
- GI tract and microbiome health
- Herbal support for cancer treatment
- Work with mood, vitality, and spirit
- Fertility and endocrine balance for all bodies
- Allergies and hypersensititives
After twenty years of direct work with clients, Guido transitioned into a support, management, research and coordination role here at the herbal clinic. This means that, while you can’t book an appointment to work with Guido directly, he still actively participates in case review, provides supportive clinical context and literature reviews for the clinical practice, and brings his experience to the assessment, planning, and formulation that you’ll be working on with your herbalist. As a client of our collaborative practice, you get the benefit and insight of all members – including Guido – when you book an appointment and we review your case.
Guido has been involved with medicinal plants since before moving to Vermont in 1996. He was one of the founding members of the Sage Mountain Free Herbal Clinic in 2001 and has been working with folks one-on-one ever since. He approaches his work from the biomedical perspective as well as from the mythological and energetic context offered by the Western herbal tradition. He works with plants in the garden and forest, and contributes writing and research to the field of herbal medicine through conferences, publications, and speaking engagements. He believes in the inherent worth of plants to heal people, communities, and even the culture at large.
Specific areas of focus include:
- GI tract and microbiome health
- Herbal support for cancer treatment
- Work with mood, vitality, and spirit
- Fertility and endocrine balance for all bodies
- Allergies and hypersensititives
After twenty years of direct work with clients, Guido transitioned into a support, management, research and coordination role here at the herbal clinic. This means that, while you can’t book an appointment to work with Guido directly, he still actively participates in case review, provides supportive clinical context and literature reviews for the clinical practice, and brings his experience to the assessment, planning, and formulation that you’ll be working on with your herbalist. As a client of our collaborative practice, you get the benefit and insight of all members – including Guido – when you book an appointment and we review your case.