Sarah B. Scruggs, PHD

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

CCBHC Project Director

Dr. Scruggs holds a Ph.D. in Physiology and Biophysics from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Medicine, and postdoctoral training in functional omics sciences and data science at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She is also certified in general yoga instruction and in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Dr. Scruggs worked as a Project Scientist at UCLA on several National Institutes of Health-funded projects that discovered novel mechanisms underlying complex disease pathogenesis. In 2017, Dr. Scruggs relocated to central Illinois and founded the Arukah Institute, with the goal of bringing holistic and innovative methods of behavioral healthcare to rural communities. Dr. Scruggs has 18+ peer-reviewed publications and several digital research products. She is a strong proponent of team science and collaborative work  to accomplish a common goal.