Physicians & Leadership

At Senara

At the heart of our exceptional care are our esteemed leadership team and dedicated physicians. With a shared passion for healing and a commitment to excellence, our collective expertise ensures that you are in the best possible hands. Whether you are seeking preventative care or specialized treatment, our accomplished team at Senara Health and Healing Center & Spa is equipped to provide the highest level of personalized care, tailored to your unique needs.

Get to know our team of physicians and leadership below. Explore what motivated Senara’s physicians to follow their calling to help others in their quest for optimal health and well-being. Read about their education and experience, and get to know them a little better on a personal level as you work with them in our Peoria wellness center. They’ve all got a story to tell that we think you’ll find interesting.

At the heart of our exceptional care are our esteemed leadership team and dedicated physicians. With a shared passion for healing and a commitment to excellence, our collective expertise ensures that you are in the best possible hands. Whether you are seeking preventative care or specialized treatment, our accomplished team at Senara Health and Healing Center & Spa is equipped to provide the highest level of personalized care, tailored to your unique needs.

Get to know our team of physicians and leadership below. Explore what motivated Senara’s physicians to follow their calling to help others in their quest for optimal health and well-being. Read about their education and experience, and get to know them a little better on a personal level as you work with them in our Peoria wellness center. They’ve all got a story to tell that we think you’ll find interesting.

Dr. Keith Kramer

Doc

Dr. Keith Kramer grew up on his family’s farm in Iowa. He learned early on that business success takes a lot of hard work, when at the tender age of four he started helping with the chores. Throughout his youth, he rose before dawn each day and took hard work seriously, and today he remains an early riser and tenacious in getting things done.

He also credits his independent spirit to growing up on the farm. He thrived on being held personally accountable for finishing his chores. It also made him understand how fulfilling owning a family business can be, so it was only a matter of time, education, and a clear purpose before he set out on his own.

While attending Iowa State University, where he met his wife, Penny, Dr. Kramer saw firsthand how chiropractic care helped people to feel better. From this, he discovered his career path and continued on to Palmer College of Chiropractic, earning his Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Following his graduation, the Kramers moved to Peoria after Dr. Kramer received an offer to join a highly respected chiropractic group. In 2002, he left the group to open his own practice, Kramer Chiropractic, along with Penny who also joined him in the family business.

While growing the practice, Dr. Kramer continued to focus on what he could do to help others “Live Life Well.” He kept learning everything he could about the healing power of holistic and natural medicines and techniques, which led to adding health and healing guest services, from acupuncture and massage therapies to nutritional counseling and physical therapy. That meant further growth, including added staff and the need to build the spacious Senara facility in 2011, which is when the business transitioned from operating under the Kramer name to Senara.

Dr. Kramer is as passionate about living a healthy lifestyle as he is about spreading the message of how to “Live Life Well” to others.

“Working out is my meditation, and eating right fuels my body, and I feel great,” he said. “I want that for everyone. That’s why it is so fulfilling for me to see that what we do at Senara makes a difference in the quality of our guests’ lives.”

Dr. Kramer is Certified in Functional Medicine through the Functional Medicine University. For over 12 years, he has been practicing functional medicine in the realm of adrenal stress, hormone balance, and food sensitivities. He is currently enrolled simultaneously in the prestigious Institute for Functional Medicine programs for functional medicine, A4M antiaging, and AARM restorative medicine. These programs will deepen his knowledge in the production and utilization of hormones, toxin diagnosis and treatment, and how this affects both biochemistry and physiology. To date, Dr Kramer has completed over 1000 studies, trainings, and case studies as part of his certification at Functional Medicine University and Institute for Functional Medicine.

In 2015, Dr Kramer expanded Senara’s health and healing services further with the addition of a dedicated Center for Functional Medicine, Weight Loss, and Anti-Aging treatments, Senara Medical Weight Loss and Anti-Aging Center.

The Kramers’ daughter, Grace, was born in 2002. The family spends their spare time together working out, reading, and traveling. Dr. Kramer likes to golf, and he and Grace also enjoy learning to play guitar together.

Penny Kramer, CEO

Penny

Senara’s co-founder and CEO, Penny Kramer, is filled with energy that never stops. She also has an innate curiosity to learn new things and a strong will to take on tough challenges. The tougher the challenge, the more Penny thrives.

Penny brings every ounce of her endless energy and enthusiasm, and her extraordinary multi-tasking skills to her role as CEO of Senara. “Keith’s job is to take care of our guests’ health,” said Penny. “To focus on that, he needs to know that everything else is taken care of — and that’s my job.” Penny’s strengths are people and systems. She sees all the pieces of the puzzle and then puts them together. That means she’s in charge of everything from human resources and training to marketing and the technology Senara uses.

She also understands how important it is to get out from behind the desk, and Penny can be seen everywhere at Senara. She especially enjoys greeting guests to make them feel at home, just as she did when the first Kramer Chiropractic office opened in 2002. Back then, when she joined Dr. Kramer in the family business, Penny said goodbye to a promising marketing career without any regrets.

“I’m here because I share Keith’s passion for spreading the message about how to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Penny, who also had primary responsibility for overseeing the Senara building’s construction. “It means so much to us both knowing that what we do can make a difference in the quality of someone’s life. And that’s really why we built Senara. It gives us the space and the ideal environment to offer different services that help our guests ‘Live Life Well’.”

The Kramers met at Iowa State University, their alma mater, and they married in 1995. After Dr. Kramer graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, the couple moved to embrace Peoria as their new home.

Their daughter, Grace, has been the center and light in their life since her birth in 2002. Penny and Grace also love to bake, do art projects, and decorate together. In addition, Penny offers her time and expertise to several professional organizations, including holding various leadership positions with the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and Central Illinois Tee It Up For the Troops.

LAURA MURPHY, MSN, APN, FNP-C

Laura

It was a book report in second grade that solidified Laura Murphy’s dream of becoming a nurse. Since that young age, Laura has held on to that book report; saved as a memento of living her life’s dream. Laura is a Central Illinois native, born in Peoria, and living in Morton for the majority of her life. Her childhood summers were spent traveling and camping.

In 1997, Laura graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (RN, BSN) from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing. She went on to work as a nurse at OSF St Francis Medical Center, specializing in Cardiology. After 18 years in hospital, she decided she wanted to do more with her career, focusing on preventative care.

In 2010, Laura completed her MSN and began to focus on teaching. Soon after, she realized she missed taking care of patients and returned to school. She received the Master of Science in Nursing for Family Nurse Practitioner from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing in Peoria, Illinois in May 2014. Since completing training, graduating, and successfully passing the board-certified exam, Laura has become a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C).

Laura enjoys practicing physical and functional medicine, as well as medical aesthetics. Before she arrived at Senara she spent several years practicing both physical and functional medicine and medical weight loss.

“I want everyone to be healthy and be able to function at their 100 percent potential,” she says. “I drove by Senara one day and said what an amazing place; I would love to work there. I knew that I did not want to work at a traditional medical office and wanted to focus on the promotion of health and prevention of illness, so everyone can be healthy from the inside out. This is Senara’s primary focus and mission to —“Live Life Well” as is mine.”

Laura is a member of several professional organizations including the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Illinois Society of Advanced Practice Nurses. She is also certified in Advanced Cardiac Life support.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family — husband Shane, two daughters Natalie and Isabelle, stepson Braden, and labradoodle Charlie. Shane has worked for the Village of Peoria Heights/ Peoria Heights Police Department for over 20 years as the Communications Supervisor. Their children are active in the Morton marching bands and volleyball. Laura is also fond of traveling, cooking, and DIY projects.

MEGAN SCHMIDT, APN, CFNP

Megan

For Megan Schmidt, being a Nurse Practitioner is all about connecting with and listening to her patients. She believes everyone deserves kindness and compassion, and she does her part to make the world a little kinder in her work and day-to-day life. As a Nurse Practitioner, she fulfills that objective by treating her patients with an open ear and open heart to give them the best care possible.

A native of nearby Eureka, IL, Megan began her career as a CNA at a local nursing home. She loved the challenge of the field, working with patients, and studying biology and anatomy; this drove her to pursue her nursing career further. She received her BSN from Bradley University, in Peoria, IL, and completed her MSN, FNP-C degree at the Mennonite College of Nursing, at Illinois State University.

Before coming to Senara, Megan worked as a Nurse Practitioner in an urgent care setting. She was looking to connect with her patients in a more meaningful way, and Senara’s care culture was a perfect fit. The “Live Life Well” mantra at Senara fits in with her philosophy of enjoying life and how important it is to reward ourselves once in a while.

When not treating patients, Megan keeps active with her husband, three boys, and two dogs. They love to travel and spend time in warm places, relaxing, and scuba diving whenever possible. She is also a talented singer and can be seen lending her voice in worship services at her church from time to time.

TINA LISOWSKI, MSN, FNP-BC

Tina

“Live a life you love.” That’s the personal mantra of Christina (Tina) Lisowski, MSN, FNP-BC. And for her, it’s what drives her as a nurse practitioner to help people do that every day through their healthcare. Growing up in the south suburbs of Chicago, Tina was always active. From gymnastics and cheerleading to diving and competitive tumbling, she was always involved in athletics of some sort.

Her love for exercise and her experience with athletic trainers who helped her recover after an ACL injury, led her to earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from Illinois State University. As she finished her undergraduate work, she realized she wanted to go further in helping people and providing care at a deeper level. With this in mind, and with the encouragement of her friends and family, she decided to become a nurse. Tina continued her studies in the nursing program at Illinois State University, Mennonite College of Nursing earning her Nurse Practitioner designation.

After earning her BSN degree, Tina worked in the Pediatric ICU at OSF Children’s Hospital, which was very rewarding for her. It was her discovery of Functional Medicine, however, that ultimately led to her pursuing her Nurse Practitioner designation. She realized that through the practice of Functional Medicine, she could combine both her nursing and Exercise Science degrees to truly help people live their best lives.

Upon completion of her Nurse Practitioner License, Tina joined a practice in Bloomington that provided both Functional Medicine and Cosmetic Aesthetic treatments. With that experience, Tina was drawn to Senara, where she could further her skills in both areas. Tina says that she loves “seeing the satisfaction on people’s faces when we help improve their lives. When we give them something they may not have known was possible.” Being able to focus on prevention and promotion of health with patients is something that she looks forward to doing with all of her patients at Senara.

Tina keeps active in her free time with her daughter, Lillian, who she describes as her “mini-me and bestie,” and her cat named Luna. She also travels to visit her extended family in Chicagoland often. Always the athlete, Tina now participates in competitive bodybuilding and personal trains clients through strength and nutrition coaching. Her other hobby is planning Disney vacations for not only herself and Lillian but her friends too.

At Senara, we are proud to have an exceptional team of physicians and leadership who are dedicated to your health and well-being. Our physicians are highly skilled and experienced in their respective specialties, providing top-notch care to all our patients. With their expertise and leadership, we have created a nurturing and patient-centered medical spa in Peoria where your health is our priority. Take the first step towards a healthier you and book an appointment with our esteemed team at Senara today. Your health and wellness journey starts here.