the rht story

Rebel Health Tribe (RHT) was founded in late 2014 after co-founders Michael Roesslein and Joe Rignola met in an online forum for Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioners (FDN-P), an intensive training program they’d recently completed.

Prior to this chance encounter, they’d both been operating their own wellness-based companies for a few years after leaving careers and work they found to be unfulfilling and unhealthy.

The story (which you can catch in full detail HERE on the podcast) goes a little something like this…

Michael had recently spent a year creating an online course, which he titled Natural Evolution (now the name of the RHT podcast) – and it covered everything about nutrition, movement, health, and wellness that he was teaching at workshops and with personal clients.
Unfortunately, he had no idea how to market this very robust and comprehensive online program – so it completely flopped. Discouraged, Michael was considering a return to the restaurant & bar industry where he’d worked for almost a decade previous.
Then, one afternoon, Joe messaged Michael and asked for an interview to discuss the misconceptions around stomach acid, reflux, and poor digestion. Confused, because he did not understand anything about online-based education/business, Michael agreed to the interview.
After hearing Joe explain how the video would be used, as part of an online-based educational series of digestion-focused interviews and content for his audience – Michael was blown away by the concept and went raving to his new partner (now wife), Mira.
Mira, being the wiser of the two, encouraged Michael to reconnect with Joe immediately, show him the digital course, and ask if he would be interested and willing to help with marketing the program online.
They didn’t know it… but at that moment, RHT was born.
Michael showed the course to Joe, he thought it was amazing, and the wheels were put in motion to clean it up, do a little rebranding (it became Primal90), and launch it with a massive hybrid online summit.
Joe had enough connections in the online health world to wrangle together some of the biggest names and brightest minds of the time – and they kicked everything off with a month-long online event attended by over 25,000 people in February of 2015.
Michael showed the course to Joe, he thought it was amazing, and the wheels were put in motion to clean it up, do a little rebranding (it became Primal90), and launch it with a massive hybrid online summit.
His interview was such a smash hit that RHT received dozens of requests for Megaspore and for “more Kiran!”. This led to the Microbiome Series of live webinars – at least a dozen over the course of 18 months, which became rather famous in the functional health world, introduced Kiran (now one of the most sought-after speakers in the industry) and Megaspore (now used by 20k+ practitioners worldwide) to thousands of health seekers and hundreds of health practitioners around the globe.
Joe had enough connections in the online health world to wrangle together some of the biggest names and brightest minds of the time – and they kicked everything off with a month-long online event attended by over 25,000 people in February of 2015.
One of the speakers at the Primal90 launch event was microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, who, at the time, was the chief science officer at Physician’s Exclusive (now Microbiome Labs) – a little-known company producing a brand new probiotic called Megasporebiotic.
His interview was such a smash hit that RHT received dozens of requests for Megaspore and for “more Kiran!”. This led to the Microbiome Series of live webinars – at least a dozen over the course of 18 months, which became rather famous in the functional health world, introduced Kiran (now one of the most sought-after speakers in the industry) and Megaspore (now used by 20k+ practitioners worldwide) to thousands of health seekers and hundreds of health practitioners around the globe.

the team behind rht

Rebel Health Tribe (RHT) was founded in late 2014 after co-founders Michael Roesslein and Joe Rignola met in an online forum for Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioners (FDN-P), an intensive training program they’d recently completed

MICHAEL ROESSLEIN, MS, FDN-P, CHEK

CO-FOUNDER

Michael Roesslein holds a Master’s Degree in Exercise Science & Health Promotion, is a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, and a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach. He also holds multiple personal training certifications and has completed both the 2-year training program at the Luminous Awareness Institute, and Dr. Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry professional training for therapists.

Michael’s journey has been one of deepening levels of healing & transformation – from fitness to nutrition to functional health coaching, and now into the world of mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic well-being.
This was not only born out of a natural curiosity, but out of necessity.
Michael has suffered from severe depression and anxiety for most of his life, along with significant ADD/ADHD – all of which led to self-medication, unhealthy and dangerous coping and avoidance tactics, and on several occasions, suicidal ideations.
By applying what he has learned over the last 15 years in many advanced training programs, along with mentorships under several of the most brilliant practitioners across the full spectrum of healing, Michael has been able to experience radical improvements in quality of life and resilience during difficult times.
Originally from the Chicago area, Michael now lives in Montepulciano, a small town in the beautiful hills of southern Tuscany (Italy) with his wife Mira and their dog, Nica.

JOE RIGNOLA

CO-FOUNDER

Joe Rignola is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and best-selling author. He began his own health journey about 15 years ago while dealing with depression, anxiety, severe digestive issues, weight gain, and blood sugar dysregulation.

After researching alternatives to the medications he was on, Joe was able to take control of his health and lose over 45 pounds by changing his diet and lifestyle. Filled with gratitude for his newfound health and energy, Joe went back to school to study health and nutrition so he could help others along their journey.
He is the founder of WellConnected.tv, a health education platform with a community of over 150,000 people.
In 2009 he founded Wellness Punks and began coaching clients 1-on-1, and in 2011 he launched his first online event called The Primal Cooking Workshop. This innovative event was part health summit, part cooking show, and featured some of the most well-known names in the paleo and primal space.
After reaching tens of thousands of people with that single event, Joe dove headfirst into online events. He’s since launched, founded, and co-founded some of the most successful brands, companies, and events in wellness over the past decade.
Visit WellConnected.tv to learn more about his latest projects

FEDERICA MARINELLI, MD

MEDICAL ADVISORY & REVIEW

Federica Marinelli, MD, received her medical degree from the University Campus Bio Medico in Rome, Italy in 2005. She subsequently completed a Masters in Clinical Nutrition (2013) and in Aesthetic Medicine (2009).

In 2014, Dr. Marinelli discovered her interest in functional medicine while trying to determine the root cause of her own illness. This resulted in hours of self education and flying frequently to the United States IFM Conferences. By 2017, she became the first and only physician certified in functional medicine in Italy, by the Institute for Functional Medicine.

Dr. Frederica Marinelli, MD has lectured for Metagenics Italia, with Nutrined BV, at the Functional Medicine Symposium in Italy, and at the International SIME (International Society of Aesthetic Medicine) conference. She has presented and educated for the IFM AIC Annual International Conference and Italian SMNF (School of Functional Medicine and Nutrition). Her contributions to the functional medicine community extend further through literature. She wrote the preface of the translated Italian edition of “FOOD: What the Heck Should I Eat” by Dr. Mark Hyman and has written various articles in Italian Newspapers. Dr. Marinelli has been invited on Odeon TV, Buongiorno Benessere on Rai Uno and Radio Roma Capitale.
Currently, Dr. Marinelli owns and operates Centro SEB, a private practice that specializes in functional medicine and has recently collaborated with Pleyo Molecular Path, which focuses on preventative care.

WHITNEY PRUDDEN

NINJA - OPERATIONS

Whitney Prudden is the do-all-the-things ninja that makes RHT function. She’s been part of the team for 6 years, and has been absolutely instrumental in the continued growth of the company and community.

If you’ve ever interacted with RHT from a customer service standpoint, you probably know Whitney – and know that she always goes above and beyond to make sure your experience with RHT is a good one!.
Whitney is a small business enthusiast & health educator. She holds multiple degrees in the field of Business Management & Operations. Her team at Prudden Consulting provides operational support to small businesses.
Her holistic health background comes from being a collegiate athlete & coach, which later transitioned into operating several well known integrative health companies.
When she is not answering your inquiries or juggling business development projects, she’s creating new recipes in the kitchen, gardening, or trying to complete a home improvement project.

DAFFNEE COHEN

SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

Daffnee Cohen owns and operates a full service digital marketing firm, hosts the podcast Better with Daffnee, and offers one-on-one coaching and consulting for people in all places in their careers and businesses. While the firm focuses on functional and integrative medicine, we service businesses in all industries.

Daffnee has helped take businesses, including her own, from $0 in revenue to 6 and 7 figures through managing marketing strategies as well as one-on-one coaching and consulting.
Daffnee has presented and been published on platforms like MindBodyGreen, The Huffington Post, The Orlando Sentinel, and more.
Daffnee also works as a Zumba instructor and private lacrosse coach. She spends her free time at the beach with her husband and two daughters, reading, and hanging with her two rescue pups

LIZZY SWICK

CONTENT & COPYWRITING

Lizzy Swick is a registered dietitian specializing in a root cause approach to women’s health.

She is the owner of Lizzy Swick Nutrition and together with her team of seven other highly skilled and experienced nutritionists, provides 1:1 clinical care to women throughout their life cycle with a patient-centered and compassionate approach.

Lizzy and her team also provide evidenced-based content to help physicians and other health platforms (like RHT) thrive. You can learn more about Lizzy and her team here.

DEREK STROH

PAID TRAFFIC & DIGITAL MARKETING

Derek Stroh is the founder of Horizons Digital Marketing, a Vancouver-based ecommerce growth partner.

Derek and his team partner with established D2C ecommerce brands to help them scale, predominantly using paid ads. By taking a results-driven approach to marketing.
Derek and the team help ecommerce brands scale from 6-figures to 7 and 8 figures, profitably.

COURTNEY CHANDLER

CONTENT & COPYWRITING

Courtney Chandler is a Registered Nurse, researcher, and expert Copywriter in the health and wellness space.

She helps them bring their message and mission to life online so they can stand out and focus on what they do best – changing lives, healing others from the inside out, and inspiring vibrant health.

IAN SHIELL

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION & ORGANIC TRAFFIC GROWTH

 

Ian Shiell is the founder of LTD SEO, a Florida-based boutique digital marketing company specializing in data-driven, results-oriented SEO/SEM strategies.

In layman’s terms, they help make sure the right people find the educational content and professional products here at RHT!

PETER RICCI

WEB & TECH

Peter Ricci is the CEO of Yakadanda, and a seasoned technology entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the sector. Over the years he has successfully launched and divested in a number of technology companies, and today he splits his time between Italy and the USA.

Peter’s passion is for developing Internet technologies, and he has a particular interest in innovative ecommerce platforms.
When he’s not working on new business ventures, Peter enjoys spending time with his family, working on his farm, riding his motorbike and playing tennis.

high level education

Rebel Health Tribe (RHT) was founded in late 2014 after co-founders Michael Roesslein and Joe Rignola met in an online forum for Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioners (FDN-P), an intensive training program they’d recently completed.
RHT has established itself as one of the leading sources of cutting-edge functional health education via dozens of free webinars and interviews, two excellent podcasts, three professional-level virtual masterclass events, and countless high-quality blog articles – all featuring many of the leading experts, researchers, and practitioners in the functional health world.
One of the speakers at the Primal90 launch event was microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, who, at the time, was the chief science officer at Physician’s Exclusive (now Microbiome Labs) – a little-known company producing a brand new probiotic called Megasporebiotic.
Here is an incomplete list including some of the amazing experts you’ll find featured here at RHT:
Whether you like to read (blog), listen (podcast), watch (webinars, interviews), or take a deep dive into a subject (masterclasses), we’ve got you covered!
We also have some excellent professional content writers here at RHT to make sure what you’re learning about on the blog/on our site is top notch.
Up until recently, most of our educational content has been focused on gut health, digestion, and the microbiome – but we are now expanding to focus more on autoimmunity, brain & nervous system health, environmental toxicity and detoxification, fertility, mental health, and much more!!

CLICK HERE to start check out all the education RHT has to offer, and HERE if you’d like to dive into the Natural Evolution Podcast!

high-quality products

Rebel Health Tribe (RHT) was founded in late 2014 after co-founders Michael Roesslein and Joe Rignola met in an online forum for Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioners (FDN-P), an intensive training program they’d recently completed
This all started (somewhat by accident) with Megasporebiotic, which is now the leading probiotic in the functional medicine world, and has now grown to include over 40 products from many leading producers in the industry.
Here at RHT, we believe education is power, and that is especially true when it comes to choosing the right nutritional supplements for you and your family. That is why we’ve always provided the highest level of in-depth education around every product and formula that’s been found in our shop.
From deep-dive educational webinars with the formulators, to detailed blog posts and thorough best-use instructions, it’s important to us that you are able to make safe and informed decisions.
Our quality standards are second-to-none, and we only retail products if we can offer competitive prices with other online sources. Brands we feature include Microbiome Labs, Healthy Gut, Quicksilver Scientific, Gaia Professional, Cymbiotika, BioImmersion, EcoNugenics, and Cellcore Biosciences.
These are the products you will find in the offices of the best functional health practitioners, and we feel they are some of the most effective natural products on the market – with unique formulas and the highest-quality ingredients available.

CLICK HERE to check out the featured products in our shop and let us know if you have any questions!

In addition to our retail shop, we also have curated a special area on our site which includes information and links to many of our absolute favorite health & wellness-related products, services, tools, and resources.

It can be overwhelming to find the best options out there – so we’ve decided to save you a ton of time, money, and energy by recommending the things we use and love ourselves! We’ve tried it all, so you don’t have to!

CLICK HERE to check out our favorite products, services, tools, and resources for building and maintaining a state of health and well-being!

community & connection

Since the initial growth of RHT on the functional health scene, we have been known as a resource for people to learn about and acquire some of the highest-quality professional-grade nutritional supplements on the market.
In addition to being a resource for some of the best health-related education, products, and tools available anywhere on the web – RHT also features an amazing community of like-minded health-seekers, coaches, authors, and practitioners.
These are the products you will find in the offices of the best functional health practitioners, and we feel they are some of the most effective natural products on the market – with unique formulas and the highest-quality ingredients available.

The RHT Facebook Group is a supportive and engaging community of thousands – including many of the featured expert collaborators we’ve worked with over the years to create education content. If you’re looking for a place for people who share your passion for health & wellness over on Facebook –come join us!

We’ve also hosted tens of thousands of health-seekers on countless live webinars, interviews, and events – some of whom have been consistent attendees for 8+ years! RHT has always felt more like a family to us than a business – and we’d love to give a shout to the folks out there who have been with us since Day 1, making this such a fun and rewarding adventure to be on! 

Connection and community is an often-overlooked, yet absolutely essential aspect of health and well-being, and we’re fortunate to have so much of this important “nutrient” here at RHT – including you!
Welcome!