OUR TEAM MEMBERS

Louise Carder

Founder and Managing Director

BA (Hons), BSc Nutr. Med., PgDip., mNNA, CNHC Reg., IFMCP, mBSEM

Louise is a Nutritional Medicine BSc graduate of the University of West London. She holds memberships with the Naturopathic Nutrition Association (NNA), the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), National Association of Phlebotomists (NAP) and the British Society of Ecological Medicine (BSEM). Louise is a Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) Registrant and is also an Associate of the Royal Society of Medicine. Louise previously held posts as Director and inaugural Head of Communications at The British Association of Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT), and was also Chair of the BANT Regulatory Committee. Louise has authored articles and chapters for various publications.

Louise runs a private practice in Lincoln where she specialises in Nutrition whilst utilising the Functional Medicine framework in which she has undertaken several years of post-graduate study including certification with the IFM. Louise is also certified in the Shoemaker Protocol, becoming the first practitioner in Europe to hold this status. Through the education arm of Colab Services Louise has gathered an integrative education team together to train over 50 practitioners in CIRS in Europe. In 2024 Louise was invited to join the CIRSX Research Committee due to her research relating to histamine in chronic inflammation.

Helen Jenkinson

Sales and Office Manager

Helen joined Colab in February 2023 as Sales & Office Manager, with 20 years of experience as a Personal Assistant, Marketing and Office Manager roles. She enjoys the challenges and rewards that come with the daily operations of an office. She is adept at wearing many hats and managing multiple scenarios. Helen attributes her success to her ability to listen to customers and always put their needs first, as well as that of her colleagues. She is passionate about developing and maintaining strong relationships, and working collaboratively to support the continuous development of the organisation, ensuring the effective delivery and service.

Helen lives in Lincoln with her Husband and 18-month-old Jack Russell, Ally. She and her family enjoy finding new places for dog walks and travelling in the UK in their camper van.

Karina Athwal

Education and Clinical Support Lead

Karina is a nutritional therapist with more than 14 years experience in clinical practice. She has trained in clinical psychoneuroimmunology (CPNI) with Dr Leo Pruimboom and has also completed NLP master training. Karina is an experienced educator and has presented to students, practitioners, and corporates alike. Her approach is deeply rooted in CPNI exploring the interactions between the neurological, endocrine, immune and metabolic systems taking into account the broader psychological, social and ecological context of a person’s health. She has a special interest in tick born disease/biotoxin illness.

Emma Edwards

Administrative Assistant

Emma joined Colab Services in April 2025 as an Administrative Assistant. Emma has worked in administration roles, specifically for 2 years now, prior to that she spent over 20 years working in the Finance Industry in Banking and Mortgages. Emma prides herself on her customer service and doing all that she can to exceed what is expected and believes that building relationships is one of the most important parts of business and in life. Emma is proud to be part of such a wonderful company that is led by strong women, who not only strive to be the best that they can be in the industry, but is also a heart centred business, who put people first.

Emma loves to learn new things and is a qualified hypnotherapist, a Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming and a Reiki Master. The connection between the body and mind interests her deeply and she thoroughly enjoys doing what she can to learn more about this. Emma lives in North Hykeham with her husband, two children and their dog, Teddy.

Sheila Richards

Medical Advisor

Sheila brings a unique blend of medical expertise and a deep passion for holistic health to our COLABS team. Trained at St. George's Hospital Medical School in London, she has been a practicing GP for over 25 years, always with a keen interest in Complementary Medicine and a holistic approach to patient care. Sheila is a fully certified IFM Functional Medicine Doctor, holding a Diploma in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, and a member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society. Additionally, she has trained in Homeopathy, Neurolinguistic Programming, HeartMath, and Medical Cannabis.

Sheila is dedicated to educating and empowering her patients to address the root causes of their health issues, promoting long-term well-being by integrating physical, mental, and emotional health. Her passion lies in fostering a healing partnership with her patients, recently deepening her focus on the transformative Psycho-Neuro-Immunology approach to harness the power of the mind on health.