Today we’d like to introduce you to Livia Kell.
Livia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Livia O. Kell, FNP-C is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Founder of Rooted Health Integrative Medicine. She graduated with high honors from South University in Savannah, Georgia.
With a strong focus on integrative and functional medicine, Livia completed a postgraduate program in Nutritional Adequacy and Maintenance of Homeostasis — Prevention and Treatment of Age-Related Diseases at UNINGÁ (Brazil) through the Dr. Lair Ribeiro Program. Livia is certified in Ozone Therapy and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ozonotherapy (AAOT). She is also currently pursuing advanced education through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM).
Her path into functional medicine was shaped by both academic training and diverse clinical experiences. While in remote Alaska, Livia cared for Native populations with high rates of renal and metabolic disease, gaining deep insight into how chronic illness develops and the influence environment, genetics, lifestyle, and social determinants has on individual health. Later, her time in the Brazilian Amazon with Ribeirinho communities revealed a striking paradox: despite very limited access to healthcare, many individuals demonstrated strong health, resilience, and notable longevity, supported by deep-rooted community ties. Driven by a passion for delivering deeper, root-cause focused care, Livia founded Rooted Health Integrative Medicine in 2025. Here Livia, in collaboration with Dr. Christian Ohagwu, integrates Western evidence-based medicine with functional and integrative strategies to restore physiologic balance, optimize health, and empower patients toward long-term vitality and resilience.
She provides clinical care across the lifespan including pediatric and adolescent metabolic health. She has contributed to the care of patients with cardiometabolic conditions, including metabolic-related cardiomyopathy, in collaboration with Children’s Cardiovascular Medicine.
Livia also delivers concierge, home-based care throughout Atlanta, emphasizing personalized, science-based, patient-centered preventive medicine to optimize health and promote longevity.
Mackenzie Schoolmaster RN, BSN is a dedicated Registered Nurse (RN) with 16 years of experience rooted in the emergency/urgent care settings.
Completing both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Georgia Baptist College of Nursing at Mercer University and Master of Science in Health Law at Nova Southeastern University, Mackenzie holds a Compact State Nursing License (RN-C) and is board certified as a Functional Medicine Nurse Specialist. Mackenzie contributes a practical approach to optimal wellness with her clinical knowledge and a passion for holistic care.
Frustrated by the fast-paced, insurance-driven, revolving door of traditional allopathic medicine, Mackenzie sought a better way, co-founding Rooted Health Integrative Medicine to offer personalized, “root-cause focused” functional medicine with an integrative method for the whole person, mind and body.
At Rooted Health, Mackenzie is excited to help Livia, in collaboration with Dr. Ohagwu, to offer individualized care plans that prioritize natural healing, lifestyle optimization, and minimal reliance on pharmaceuticals. With no insurance “red tape”, we can empower our Smyrna/Vinings community and beyond to truly thrive, not just survive!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to building Rooted Health Integrative Medicine hasn’t been without its bumps, actually far from it; But honestly, that’s what makes the journey so exhilarating. Mackenzie and I launched this small but fiercely dedicated clinic in 2025 with a clear vision: to deliver truly personalized, root-cause-focused care that blends evidence-based Western medicine with functional and restorative therapies. Every challenge we’ve faced has felt like an invitation to grow stronger as a team and to serve our clients even better.
One of the biggest hurdles we anticipated and still navigate, is our cash-based model. We knew going in that asking clients to invest out-of-pocket, especially when they’re already paying hefty premiums for insurance that often doesn’t cover the kind of in-depth, collaborative care we provide, could be a tough sell. It’s frustrating to watch people feel “stuck” in rushed, insurance-dictated appointments that treat symptoms rather than uncovering the deeper imbalances. But here’s the magic: once clients experience the difference at Rooted Health, the unrushed time, the tailored plans, the true partnership in their healing, they light up. They realize this isn’t just another “doctor’s visit”; it’s an investment in truly feeling better and more resilient. That “aha” moment, when someone says, “This is what real care feels like,” makes every conversation about their health investment worth it.
We’ve also embraced the adventure of mastering social media marketing in a world that changes overnight. We’re committed to keeping things organic, authentic, and comfortable, both online and in our welcoming Smyrna space. We want to ensure that people feel heard and inspired rather than bombarded. It’s a constant learning curve, but it keeps us creative and connected to our community.
Through it all, the struggles aren’t roadblocks; they’re fuel. Because we call the shots, we get to pivot quickly, innovate together, and keep our focus laser-sharp on what matters most: empowering our clients toward lasting health and wellness. It’s been rewarding, eye-opening, and incredibly fulfilling. We wouldn’t trade a single step of it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Rooted Health Integrative Medicine is a concierge, integrative medicine office that combines functional medical care with restorative therapies, offering a unique experience designed to rejuvenate your body with root cause analysis addressing the whole body! Our mission is to deliver concierge, personalized care that integrates evidence-based Western medicine with functional and restorative therapies, focusing on root-cause analysis to restore physiologic balance, optimize health across the lifespan, and empower patients toward vitality and resilience.
Rooted Health is comprised of community members here to help clients understand that they do not need to be defined by a diagnosis or to continue the status quo of managing unnecessary and preventable symptoms. Rooted Health provides the opportunity to truly feel better, where clients can begin to feel comfortable in their own bodies, supported and encouraged by practitioners who care; This is where Rooted Health stands above. Chronic disease does not start overnight, and it cannot be fixed by taking a pill for the rest of your life.
By providing a thorough evaluation of their health history to determine what lifestyle influences are contributing to their symptoms and/or diagnoses, clients realize that our genuine supportive team helps them navigate manageable changes and improve overall health and wellbeing.
Rooted Health provides an integrative services approach alongside the functional medicine piece, including massage therapy that comprises specialized lymphatic drainage (including post-surgical), deep tissue and sports massage services. We offer intravenous (IV) hydration and nutrient supplementation assisting with ailments such as migraines and stomach flu to supportive therapies like energy boosts and immune support. We also offer relaxing Head Spa services that encourage scalp detoxification and hair growth support with very own our cosmetologist providing these luxurious services.
We cannot discuss functional medicine without mentioning the gut and gut health. We recognize that gut health is a cornerstone of overall well-being. One of our flagship services is our colon hydrotherapy. This service is practitioner guided via a closed system with an FDA approved machine that provides continuous controlled water pressure and temperature. This supports digestive comfort, waste elimination and improved natural detoxification.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson we’ve learned on this journey is that authenticity is everything.
In today’s world, flooded with AI-generated content, filtered social media, and influencer-driven health trends, people are hungry for something real. Clients don’t just want advice or treatments; they want to be truly seen, heard, and supported as individuals on their own health and longevity path.
That’s why Rooted Health exists: to be a trusted, honest resource where our community can cut through the noise and discover what actually works for sustainable, realistic change. We focus on root causes, evidence-based care, and personalized support, without the hype.
Being locally owned and operated by people who live and breathe in the Smyrna and greater Atlanta community makes this possible. It’s not just a business tagline; it’s how we build real trust and connection. In an industry full of impersonal systems and quick fixes, being rooted in wellness feels like a breath of fresh air.
At the end of the day, this journey has taught us that when you lead with genuine care and human connection, you don’t just help people feel better, you help them transform their lives for the long term.