Palmer College of Chiropractic

Erica Boland

Erica grew up in West Salem, Wisconsin. She and her husband Kyle had their first son, Terryn, in Wisconsin and then moved together to Davenport so Kyle could begin his chiropractic education in November 2007. Erica transferred to St. Ambrose University to continue her nursing education, which she started in Wisconsin. Originally she was interested in chiropractic, but had a strong inkling to care for infants and their mothers, so she pursued midwifery. After a short time in the nursing program she realized she wanted to be involved in a more holistic health care model and knew chiropractic would be perfect for her. Erica is currently a practicing Doula, so she now has the best of both worlds. Since their move to Iowa, Erica and Kyle have been blessed with another son, Canon. Erica currently serves as a student representative for the Motion Palpation Institute on campus and helps instruct other students on how to palpate and assess joints. When not on campus, Erica enjoys spending her free time with her boys as well as running, kayaking, biking, hunting, and she is a huge football fan (GO PACK GO). Erica is very excited to help families, especially women and children, and looks forward to moving back to Wisconsin where she and Kyle will open their practice. 

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Leah Hetebrueg

Vice President  

Leah grew up in southeast Wisconsin—Go Badgers, Go Pack! She received her B.S. in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Upon graduation she worked at a camp in the beautiful north woods of Wisconsin called Fort Wilderness where she recruited and hired volunteers, plus canoed, camped, hiked and thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors! She then entered the teaching profession and taught for three years, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that her career aspirations were leading her in a different direction. She’s always had an interest in natural, preventative health practices, and as she began to explore and experience the chiropractic profession, she came to see that it was exactly what she wanted to be doing. Outside of school Leah loves to spend time with family and friends; go camping and mountain biking; try new recipes; watch football; travel; and read. 

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Anton Keller

 Secretary 

Born in Iowa City while his father attended Palmer, Anton is the oldest of seven children. He grew up in the beautiful Silver Valley of North Idaho, but graduated from Liberty Union High School in Baltimore, Ohio, in 2004 after his family moved back to the area where his parents grew up. Anton holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science with a minor in chemistry from Brigham Young University-Idaho. He also spent two years as a full-time proselytizing missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Long Beach, Calif., and married his wife, Breanna, in 2010. Anton’s varied work experiences over the years taught him that his dream job was yet to come, and his Palmer education is preparing him to pursue it. 

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Jaclyn Andrews

 Treasurer 

Jaclyn Andrews grew up in Greensburg, Penn., a suburb of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Washington & Jefferson College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French. Although her background technically is not in science, Jaclyn has been interested in human anatomy from a young age and is following in the footsteps of her sister, who is also a Palmer graduate. Her love of chiropractic has its foundations in the benefits she has witnessed while working in her sister’s chiropractic clinic as well as the relief it has brought her. She hopes to create an awareness of the benefits of chiropractic and to provide optimal care for her community in the future. In her spare time, Jaclyn enjoys swimming, traveling, watching movies, spending time with friends and family, and of course watching the Steelers and Penguins.

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Hannah Jo Anderson

Raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Hannah Jo graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where she earned a bachelor of arts in biology. At Luther she met her husband, Alex, and found that her experience in the school’s state-of-the-art cadaver lab set fire to her love for human anatomy. Through spending several summers assisting at a chiropractic and wellness clinic in eastern Iowa, Hannah realized that chiropractic is an effective and essential component of holistic health care. Through chiropractic, she hopes to improve the lives of others by creating an awareness of the personal responsibility each person has for his or her state of being. 

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Annie Bernstein

Annie grew up on a pig farm in Clark Lake, Mich., with her parents and older sister. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design from Western Michigan University and upon graduation headed out to San Francisco to pursue a career. She worked for four years as an in-house graphic designer at a barbecue and patio-product development company in the Bay Area. Annie surfed, competed in dance, sampled all of the local cuisine and became good friends with a number of chiropractic students at Life West. At the time, she was feeling unfulfilled with her job and wanted to do something she could feel good about every day. After her interactions with her chiropractic friends, she knew that chiropractic was a way for her to achieve that. Prior to her return to school, Annie realized a lifelong goal of being a Peace Corps Volunteer. She served two years in the Ukraine as an English (TEFL) teacher at a secondary school in a small town called Boryslav. She was completely immersed in the culture and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the youth of another country. Annie also got to do a great deal of travelling, one of her favorite hobbies. She visited Krakow, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. During her time in the Peace Corps, she saw and felt the importance of helping others. She is continuing that service through chiropractic. 

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Kaitlin Bowen  

Kaitlin was born and raised in Glendale, Arizona, where her parents and younger brother still reside. Her biggest passion in life is riding and showing horses. Kaitlin has had the amazing honor to compete at the Appaloosa Horse Club National and World Championships, where she won multiple national and world championship titles. It was through horses that she actually discovered the power of chiropractic. Kaitlin fell in love with the idea of being able to help animals and people. She always knew she wanted to enter the health care field so she could help people live a healthy life. Chiropractic fit the bill, and the fact that she can help animals achieve optimum health at the same time is amazing. 

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Ryan Etherton

Ryan grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. With his mother passing away when he was six years old, he was raised in an all guy house and became heavily involved in athletics, especially wrestling. He competed at the University of Nebraska-Kearney while getting his degree in Exercise Science. He was also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Christian Student Fellowship (CSF). While attending FCA and CSF meetings, Ryan met a pretty girl from northwest Kansas named Crystal, whom he married in 2008. After graduating and looking at a few different schools, both he and Crystal knew Palmer was the right place for them. Ryan enjoys playing and watching sports, especially Nebraska football; spending time in the outdoors, fishing and hunting; and spending time with his lovely wife.

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Brian R. Hall 

Brian Hall was born and raised in Bay City, Mich., where nearly all of his family still lives. During high school, he met the love of his life, Rachelle, and they are getting married in June 2014. He attended the University of Michigan, receiving a degree in biology and a minor in philosophy. He decided to go into chiropractic for numerous reasons, ranging from the positive effects it had on his athletic performance to the increased quality of life for family members with chronic diseases. Brian loves spending time being active playing sports and particularly loves marathon running and mountain biking. Also, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing and camping with family and friends. He plans to return to Michigan to practice after graduating from Palmer.

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Jennifer L. Katzer

Jennifer L. Katzer is elated to be pursuing the path of chiropractic. Her journey to chiropractic began on farm, where her parents taught her and her younger brother the value of working hard and having respect for themselves and others. “These values were my foundation as I pursued sports and academics in high school, where I also met my best friend, who later would become my husband, Nathan,” says Jennifer. After high school, she played collegiate volleyball and earned an A.S. in biotechnology from Ellsworth Community College (Iowa Falls, Iowa) and a B.S. in psychology from Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa). Jennifer has worked as a microbiology technician, a clinical researcher, a nurse aid in a geriatric rehabilitation unit, and a cancer researcher. She decided to pursue a career in chiropractic after her mother introduced her to a chiropractor in Southern Iowa. Of the experience, she says, “I immediately knew this was the kind of doctor I wanted to become, and was ready to begin my career at Palmer.” Jennifer lives in Orion, Ill., with her husband, Nathan, and their son, Gavin. 

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Yoon Mi (Lisa) Kim

Lisa was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her parents decided to move to Canada at a young age to provide a better education and environment. She grew up in Langley, a small city in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia. Lisa majored in cell and molecular biology and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from Simon Frasier University. Her supportive parents and sister pushed her to finish up her studies and enter the chiropractic program. While at school, she participated in several different clubs. From her experience with the clubs and her background studies, she knew she wanted to be in a healthcare profession, but she wasn’t interested in medicine. After seeing her mom have great chiropractic results, she pursued care for herself. Lisa observed several chiropractors and made the choice to come to Palmer. She feels very lucky to be able to study with her sister who is also in the doctor of chiropractic program here. Lisa likes to play golf, read books, watch movies, and hang out with friends. She especially enjoys spending time with her family and cooking for them.

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Grant Lemire

Grant grew up in the northern end of Androscoggin County, Maine, in a small town called Livermore Falls. Growing up around his father's chiropractic practice exposed him at a very early age to all the benefits of chiropractic care. He decided to go into computer science and worked as a network engineer for five years designing and maintaining fiber optic networks in the Maine and New Hampshire area. His passion for wellness eventually led him back to chiropractic, and after much soul-searching and reflection, he left information technologies behind. He followed his heart to Davenport, IA to begin his journey at the Fountainhead of the profession, Palmer College of Chiropractic. Grant enjoys exercising and staying active, reading and computers, and he is a huge New England sports fan!

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Devan Lysen 

Devan was born and raised in Andover, Kansas, which is a suburb of Wichita. Her parents, Jena and Scott, still live there, along with one older brother, Braden, and one younger brother, Dylan. She attended Kansas State University, where she received a B.S. in Nutrition and also Kinesiology. She was an active member of her sorority and served on the executive board during her junior year. It was around that same time that she shadowed a sports chiropractor and decided that chiropractic was for her. Devan has numerous hobbies. She loves to be active and especially loves running. She also enjoys cooking and loves to eat, with pizza being her favorite!

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Branden J. Miller

Branden is the oldest of three brothers. He was born in Davenport while his father attended Palmer and his mother worked in the clinic. Branden grew up around his father’s chiropractic office in Jefferson, Iowa, and was exposed at an early age to the benefits of chiropractic care—so he knew early on that his passion in life was to help people live healthy and fulfilling lives. He and his wife, Kristen, married in 2009, are graduates of the University of Northern Iowa. In his free time, Branden enjoys spending time with his wife, church, climbing, mountain running, snowboarding and the outdoors. 

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Samuel O'Tool

Samuel O’Tool grew up in Carroll, Iowa, and he received his first chiropractic adjustment before he was a month old. “Our family chiropractor could fix any and every health problem,” says Sam. “Just like our family chiropractor, I want to be able to care for the health needs of people so that they can have a better standard of health.” Sam grew up with eight siblings, and he was dual-enrolled through high school—meaning that his mother taught him at home, while he also took classes and played sports at Carroll High School. He attended Des Moines Area Community College before coming to Palmer. For Sam, “it is the opportunity of caring for people by helping them maintain their health, while still having the ability to spend time with my family, that really continues to draw me to chiropractic.” 

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Devanni Partridge

Devanni is the middle of three sisters born and raised in the gorgeous state of Washington. She was a member of the 100^th graduating class from Auburn High School and the third generation of her family to do so. She went on to attend Western Washington University and majored in Exercise Science. Prior to coming to Palmer, Devanni competed in pageants and in 2009 was honored with the title of Miss Washington. Pageants taught her many life and professional skills and it’s also where she discovered her passion for serving others. Devanni wants to be a Doctor of Chiropractic because of her strong desire to help others achieve the greatest quality of life possible and she’s confident that Palmer is the best place to learn how to do so. She loves doing anything outdoors including hiking, disc golf, barbequing, and playing yard games. 

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 Brooke Peters 

Brooke was born and raised in Green Bay, Wis. (Go, Pack, Go!) She earned her B.S. in Communication Studies from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Soon after graduation she moved to Boulder, Colo., where she now calls home. Here she enjoyed mountain biking, camping, snowboarding, hiking “fourteeners” and many other outdoor pursuits that the “Mile High” state has to offer. For the past nine years she has worked as a marketing manager for a major software company. Although she was finding success in her career, she couldn’t shake the feeling that marketing wasn’t her calling. She had always had the desire to help people, but it wasn’t until she visited her best friend, a student at Palmer, that she realized her calling was to be a chiropractor. When she’s not on campus, you can find her on the local mountain bike trails, camping, spending time with family and friends, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers.

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Lacey Pletchette

Originally from Winterset, Iowa, Lacey received her undergraduate education from the University of Northern Iowa. Her long-time goal has been to attend chiropractic school, and Lacey is excited to further her education at Palmer. 

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Kelly Serra

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Matt Sharples  

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Kaileigh Strath

Kaileigh grew up in Souris, Manitoba, with supportive parents and three awesome brothers for whom she is very grateful. Kaileigh has two passions in life: learning about the incredible human body and how to keep it healthy—and the sport of curling. She always has been interested in healthy eating and nutrition, and the philosophy of chiropractic complements that quite nicely. Kaileigh enjoys curling, softball, the gym, hot yoga, learning about the business world, cooking, laughing at Dane Cook and Will Ferrell, and hanging out with friends. Currently she has put her curling career on hold in order to experience Palmer to the fullest and get her practice set up, yet she plans to pick up where she left off once she is back in Canada. 

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Stephanie Tronnes
 

Stephanie grew up in the small town of Edgerton, Wis., with her older brother, Matthew, and her parents, Vern and Tracy. She credits her family for making her the person she is today. After graduating from Edgerton High School, Stephanie headed off to college at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. At UW-Platteville she majored in biology with bio-health emphasis all while playing for the women’s volleyball team. Her education and athletic experience at Platteville made her love for chiropractic grow and affirmed her decision to pursue a career in chiropractic. Outside of school, she enjoys working out and spending time family and friends. Stephanie also loves spending time with her fiancé, Zach, and cannot wait to get married.

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Ida Abraham
 

Ida Abraham finished her B.S. in Pre-Medicine and Biology when she was just 20 years old. After graduation, she shadowed several doctors and became interested in chiropractic after seeing the effectiveness of care. She then began researching chiropractic and applied to Palmer. In her spare time—when she’s not studying—Ida enjoys spending time at the beach, airboating, fishing, jet skiing, star-gazing and watching old black-and-white movies.

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Annesah
Baker

Annesah Baker is a native of Buffalo, New York, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from "The Great" Bethune- Cookman University, and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix. She became interested in chiropractic during her undergraduate career, in which she had the pleasure of discussing chiropractic with a Palmer Campus Guide. Annesah’s chiropractic experiences and lifelong commitment to serving others led her to pursue a career in chiropractic. Palmer College was the obvious choice for her chiropractic education because it was the leading institution in preparing students to function as competent doctors. Annesah wanted to be surrounded by the unique learning opportunities and academic challenges. Annesah’s interests include participating in youth sport activities with her three boys, traveling with her husband and volunteering in her community. 

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Kurt
Barnhill

Kurt Barnhill was born and raised in Gainesville, Fla. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Science in exercise science. Kurt worked at the fitness center on campus as a personal trainer promoting excellent health to clients and students. Having a passion for health and human performance, as well as learning the anatomy and physiology of the body for four years, Kurt fell in love with chiropractic and the benefits it has to offer. He believes it is crucial to keep the body healthy, flexible and always performing optimally. Because he has lived all his life as a Floridian, it would have been difficult for him not to choose Palmer’s Florida Campus, located in beautiful Port Orange. Kurt is excited to further his education as a doctor of chiropractic and help improve many lives both functionally and holistically. In addition to excelling in his chiropractic studies, Kurt was president of his class. He enjoys triathlons, surfing, learning, educating and spending time with family and friends.  

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 Nancy Bertelmann

Nancy Bertelmann grew up in Saint Bernard Parish, which is located just south of New Orleans, Louisiana. She obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Xavier University in New Orleans and was a practicing pharmacist for 16 years. She grew up with a chiropractor as her primary care physician and feels her decision to obtain her Doctor of Chiropractic degree is a course correction, not a change of heart. As a Pharmacist, she often recommended her patients seek out a chiropractor for natural remedies vs. chemical medications with potential side effects. Now she will be able to be that chiropractor and help patients obtain optimum health naturally. Outside of school she enjoys spending time with her husband Al and puppies Chewbacca (Chewy) and Sasquatch (Sassy); she’s also the owner of a Cessna 150 aircraft and is working on completing her private pilots training.

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 David Davis III

David Davis III was born in Orlando and raised in Clermont, Fla. Growing up in a small town, David did not know what he wanted to do with his life, yet he knew he had a passion for helping people. After an injury playing football he arrived at his first visit to the local chiropractor. The doctor had David back out on the field in two weeks and he felt better than he ever had before! After attending college for a few years he was still uncertain as to what to do career wise. While coming home for holiday breaks in college he continued to visit Dr. Sorchy. After many conversations David was convinced that a career in the profession of chiropractic was meant to be. From that day forward he never looked back and has no regrets about the decision made that day. Chiropractic has helped him as an individual in so many ways that he hopes to help others the same way, by giving people the freedom to live their optimal life.

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Brittany Garcia

Brittany Garcia grew up in a small town in New Hampshire. For her undergraduate studies, she attended Vanderbilt University, where she was a contributing member of the NCAA Division 1 Varsity Women’s Bowling Team. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in medicine, health, and society—an interdisciplinary major focusing on the study of health, health management systems and health policy in its social and cultural contexts. This degree prepared her for a career in health care, but she knew that she did not want to practice traditional medicine. As someone who received regular adjustments almost her entire life, Brittany saw firsthand the benefits of chiropractic care not only for herself but also for her entire family. After an internship at a chiropractor’s office over several summers, she further realized the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment for patients.  It is with her experiences and these ideas in mind that Brittany decided to dedicate her life to changing lives through chiropractic. When she is not studying, Brittany enjoys bowling competitively and spending time with her friends, family, and her cat, T-Rex.

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Caleb Halulkos 

Caleb Halulkos' life has been an adventure and taken him many places. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Education, he spent the past eight years trying to prove to himself he was a teacher. Caleb spent years teaching in China, Chicago and, most recently, Denver. However, his passion for sports, caring for people, education, nutrition and health could never be implemented fully as a school teacher. Caleb knew there was always something different he was purposed to do. Chiropractic was always a field and area which fascinated him, as it encompassed each of these areas. As he did more research on education, the more it became a possibility and a reality. He has truly enjoyed his time at Palmer thus far and is thrilled to learn so much more on his road to becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic. 

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 Joe Herring 

Joseph Herring was born in Gainesville, Fla., and is the youngest of three. He grew up right outside Gainesville on his family’s horse farm. During those years he played a variety of sports that included soccer, basketball, football, and of course, horseback riding. After high school Joe decided to join the military, to not only serve our country honorably but to help further his education that would have otherwise been financially impossible. After five years and two combat deployments to the desert, Joe decided to depart from the military to focus on education full time. Carrying on the family tradition, he attended the University of Georgia. While studying for his undergraduate degree, based on his military experience as hospital corpsman, he knew he wanted to be in the health field, but not emergency medicine. It wasn’t until his mom asked for a ride to the chiropractor that Joe was introduced to the wonders that it works. Seeing the relief after her visit and several shadowing visits at Dr. Chance’s office, Joe knew it was what he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing. Being from Florida he also knew the Florida Campus was the place for him.

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Ashley
Hughes
 

Ashley Hughes grew up in the small town of Boaz, Alabama into a chiropractic family and was always taught to heal the body with natural remedies. She completed her B.S. in Exercise Science at Auburn University; with exercise, health and nutrition as major interests. As a competitive cheerleader in high school and college, the wonders of chiropractic helped her through many injuries and ultimately sparked her interest in the profession. Ashley fell even more in love with chiropractic after working as a Chiropractic Assistant during her undergrad. Palmer Florida’s beautiful campus and positive energy was what solidified her choice in beginning her chiropractic journey. During her free time she enjoys working with Daytona Xtreme All-Starz cheerleading and spending time at the beach.

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Kris Kondrad
 

Kris Kondrad is from the small but great state of Delaware. He played sports in high school and excelled in basketball and baseball. During training, Kris was injured and in severe pain for several weeks. Due to the injury, he had his first experience with chiropractic. He calls his injury a “blessing in disguise.” He then attended the University of Delaware, where he majored in Biological Sciences. Having studied physiology and anatomy for several years, Kris was able to discover an appreciation for the human body. With his experience with chiropractic and knowledge of the body’s natural processes, Kris decided to dedicate himself to chiropractic. Kris is happy to be on the way to a career that allows him to continue to gain knowledge of the body while giving him the capability to help others as he once was helped. Apart from chiropractic, Kris loves to spend time with his family and friends, stay active in sports, listen to music of all different genres, and enjoy the occasional trip to the beach.

Cynthia
Mangla

Cynthia Mangla was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology. Having family members in the medical field, Cynthia always had a passion for healthcare and helping those in need. During a medical mission trip in college, she was thrilled with the experience to serve others, but disappointed knowing the patients were receiving temporary relief of pain from medication they did not have access to. While researching more holistic areas of healthcare, Cynthia shadowed a chiropractor and immediately fell in love with the profession. After seeing firsthand the wide scope of benefits that can be obtained from chiropractic care, she knew this was the right path. She chose Palmer College of Chiropractic because of its excellent reputation. When she is not furthering her chiropractic education, Cynthia enjoys hiking, water sports, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

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Jaqueline McGrew

Jacqueline McGrew grew up on the west coast of Florida and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Central Florida. She was inspired to become a chiropractor as she witnessed her father recover from a debilitating automobile accident under the care of a chiropractor. After attending many medical seminars and shadowing several local chiropractors, she was further committed to joining this outstanding field. She chose Palmer’s Florida Campus because of its excellent reputation and beautiful location in Port Orange, Fla. She enjoys watching and playing all types of sports, relaxing at the beach, and spending time with family and friends.   

Kanema Morrison

Kanema Morrison, a native of Queens, N.Y., chose to attend Palmer College of Chiropractic for many reasons, including its international reputation and its focus on the body as integrated unit. In addition to encouraging academic excellence, Palmer fosters compassion in students. Here, Kanema feels that she is able to explore her personal philosophy toward patient care and reflect on ethical and political issues concerning the practice of chiropractic. Palmer also has reinforced her desire to address the specific health challenges confronting underserved communities.

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Sean Padgett

Sean Padgett grew up in a small town, just south of Tallahassee, Fla. A sports-related injury during his freshman year of high school served to provide him with his first exposure to chiropractic. Sean liked the outlook of the chiropractor, how the treatment seemed to be aimed at the source of the problem rather that the symptoms, and chiropractic’s reliance on the body’s natural ability to return to harmony. Based on this experience, he decided to pursue chiropractic. Sean graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science in December 2010 and began at Palmer in January 2011. Since then Sean has found the decision he made back in high school to be a very good one, and Palmer to be the perfect place to continue his pursuit. Apart from chiropractic, he has practiced karate-do since he was young. Karate-do is an art form and way of life that Sean feels connects to chiropractic.   

Rachel Settles

Rachel Settles hails from the Land of Enchantment, where she grew up in a small town near the Four Corners in the Northwest part of New Mexico. Athletics were a key part of her life growing up, which allowed her the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level in softball and golf. She attended Arizona State University and obtained her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology in 2003. Chiropractic has always been the way of life in Rachel's family. She was introduced to chiropractic at a young age by her parents and credits it with her successes on and off the field. The local chiropractor was her primary care physician and her best friend's father. Rachel's chiropractic philosophy is simple: treat the problem rather than mask the symptoms. She believes adjusting the spine allows individuals to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle and lets their bodies’ innate intelligence be the guide to their own healing. Rachel plans to pursue a diplomate in pediatrics and open a family practice upon completion of her studies. When it came time to choose a school, Rachel followed her best friend's lead—now a third generation chiropractor and palmer alum—to Palmer because she taught her that “Palmer is Chiropractic." In her free time, Rachel enjoys traveling the globe, SCUBA diving with sharks, photography, talking about chiropractic and cheering on the Denver Broncos. Rachel also is the Florida Campus’ Intramural Sports Coordinator.

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Brandi Towne 

Brandi Towne was born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She received her undergraduate degree in marketing from Northwood University in West Palm Beach, and after graduation she worked for a chiropractor, first as a chiropractic assistant and then as an office manager. After working there for seven years and seeing how amazing chiropractic is in helping improve and maintain overall health—both in patients' lives and her own—she decided to go to chiropractic school. While obtaining her prerequisites, she continued to work for a chiropractor part-time doing patient education and going into the community to teach people about chiropractic. Brandi's interests include soccer, watching football, reading Green books and learning more about the science, art, and philosophy of chiropractic.

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Brian Banman

Brian Banman is a Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada native who earned his Bachelor's of Business Administration (BBA) from Trinity Western University in 2007 prior to initiating his chiropractic studies at the West Campus in 2011. Drawn to a healthcare career from a young age, Brian ultimately decided to pursue a career in chiropractic after “seeing firsthand how doctors of chiropractic are able to help their patients achieve optimal health. Once he made his career choice, choosing a college was easy. “I knew about Palmer’s respected reputation, and decided on the West Campus because living in sunny California was also quite appealing!” Brian is active in a variety of clubs at the West Campus, including Gonstead and AK/SOT, and he also plays on the Palmer basketball team. He looks forward to the journey of completing his chiropractic degree and to exploring all the practice options along the way. "My goal is to practice where there is a need for chiropractic—and since that is everywhere, it will be exciting to explore all windows of opportunity.” 

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Amanda Dluzniewski

Amanda Dluzniewskiis an Allen Park, Mich., native who earned her B.S. at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Michigan. She majored in health professions, with a minor in economics. After enrolling in GVSU’s pre-med program, she decided to take a different path. “I realized I wanted a career that would allow me to treat a patient rather than a disease,” says Amanda, who is president of the West Campus student chapter of the American Chiropractic Association (SACA), treasurer of the West Sports Council, and secretary of the Healthy Kids Club. “After talking to a few chiropractors, I knew (chiropractic) was the exact profession I wanted to be a part of—one that is passionate and embraces a holistic approach to health care.” Amanda chose Palmer because of its evidence-based curriculum, the scope of extra-curricular activities, and the West Coast location. Amanda enjoys running with her dog, Toby; watching movies; and spending time with family and friends. She hopes to join the growing list of DCs serving active members of the military by earning an appointment at one of the many U.S. Department of Defense healthcare facilities that provide chiropractic care.  

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CJ Epstein

CJ Epstein is a Glendale, Ariz., native who earned his B.S. (kinesiology) from Arizona State University. “My motivation for pursuing a chiropractic career came down to the fact that I wanted to work in a field that provided me with the optimal means by which to improve the health of my patients by utilizing a ‘hands-on’ approach, figuratively and literally, rather than through the use of drugs and surgery,” said CJ, who also serves as his class’ representative on the West Campus Associated Student Government. A member of the West Campus soccer team and the Soft Tissue Club, CJ chose Palmer because of its “prestigious reputation as a leader in the chiropractic profession; the welcoming feel that I received from the administration and students; and the West Campus’ strong sports chiropractic programs, especially the Sports Council.” In addition to soccer, CJ’s other recreational interests include weightlifting, snowboarding, and “hanging out at the pool or beach.” 

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Mecca Fayad

 Mecca Fayad is an Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native who earned her B.S. from the University of Alberta. Mecca developed a strong interest in helping others at an early age. As she fine-tuned the focus of her health career options, Mecca quickly realized that chiropractic was her calling because it is a proactive rather than reactive form of health care. While academically satisfying, attending a large university was ultimately "a very alienating experience," said Mecca. The experience factored into her decision to attend Palmer's West Campus. "From the moment I walked on to the campus, I knew I would be a part of a community. I appreciated the small classes sizes, the supportive academic environment, and, of course, the opportunity to get involved. In addition, as an Albertan, I couldn't think of a better place to live for three years!" At the West Campus, Mecca is active in a variety of clubs and student groups, including the Sports Council, the Yoga Club, the Community Supported Agriculture Program, and the Ski and Snow Club. Mecca has worked as a professional makeup artist and customer service representative for the past three years. Her hobbies include piano, singing, reading, yoga, rollerblading, baking, and traveling. 

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Nichelle Francavilla

Nichelle Francavilla is a Littleton, Colo., native who earned her B.S. at the University of Colorado in integrative physiology and psychology prior to coming to Palmer in October 2010. Nichelle was drawn to a career in chiropractic because of her belief that the profession provides patients with an alternate and often more effective means of health care to achieve optimal wellness without surgery or medications. “To be able to use hands-on skills to solve numerous musculoskeletal problems is absolutely amazing,” says Nichelle, an active athlete whose recreational interests include rock climbing, hiking, triathlons, snowboarding, and biking. Nichelle has served as class representative and is a member or officer with multiple West Campus student clubs, including Sports Council, Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA), Student California Chiropractic Association (SCCA), Healthy Kids Club, Sun and Snow Club, Pediatrics Club and Gonstead Club. Nichelle plans to return to the Boulder, Colo. area to practice. 

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Baljinder Gill
 

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Antonio Gurule

Antonio Gurule grew up in Boulder, Colo., where he earned his B.S. (integrative physiology) from the University of Colorado prior to initiating his chiropractic studies at Palmer’s West Campus in 2012. Antonio says that once he made the decision to enter the healthcare field, whatever practitioner path he pursued would have had to be in synch with his personal health practices. He found chiropractic to be his calling, in large part due to the profession’s focus on correcting the root problem of a patient’s source of pain or discomfort, rather than simply treating the symptoms. Antonio chose to attend Palmer’s West Campus because of its Sports Council program, the evidence-based curriculum, and the close community of students. Antonio is an active member of the West community. In addition to the Campus Guides, Antonio is vice president of the West Campus student chapter of the American Chiropractic Association (SACA), and a member of the Palmer soccer team. Antonio enjoys hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing. Antonio says he hopes to return to Colorado and practice in the Boulder area.

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Wil Holdsworth

 Wil Holdsworth was introduced to chiropractic as a junior in high school, when he began job shadowing his cousin as she cared for patients at her Andover, New Jersey-based practice. “As I spent more time at the office, I became increasingly intrigued with chiropractic, and wanted to learn more,” said Wil, who attended Montclair State University, where he earned a B.S. in biology, with a minor in nutrition. “Once I decided to become a chiropractor, I knew I wanted to be a Palmer graduate. I decided on the West Campus because of their emphasis on evidence-based chiropractic. Plus, the California location also was quite appealing!” Wil serves as Associated Student Government class representative and also is a student worker for the West Campus Continuing Education Office. He plays trombone in the nearby Milpitas community band with other hobbies including guitar, snowboarding, longboarding, and cooking. 

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Orlando Hubbell

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Ajay Iselin

Ajay Iselin is a Seattle, Wash., native who earned his B.S. (exercise science) from Central Washington University (CWU) prior to initiating his chiropractic studies at Palmer’s West Campus in 2012. Ajay played soccer at CWU, where chiropractic care enabled him to endure the physical wear-and-tear of collegiate sports while completing his studies. His personal experiences motivated Ajay to pursue a career that would enable him to help others achieve their health goals in life, from a similar drug- and surgery-free approach. Once Ajay made the decision to enter the chiropractic field, he knew exactly which college to attend. “The reputation of Palmer is undisputed, so it was my first and only choice,” he says. In addition to the Campus Guides, Ajay is active in the Sports Council, as well as the Soft Tissue, Motion Palpation, Neuroscience, and SPEAK clubs. Ajay also plays goalie on the Palmer soccer team, and is in the process of starting a new Palmer fitness club. Following graduation, Ajay says he hopes to move back to the Pacific Northwest and practice closer to home.

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Steven Kaiser

Steven Kaiser is a Vancouver, B.C., Canada native who earned his B.H.K. (bachelor’s in human kinetics) from Trinity Western University in Vancouver. From his first visit to a chiropractor in the fifth grade, Steven says he knew that health care was his calling. He wanted to choose a career that was natural and impactful, which made chiropractic an easy decision. Another easy choice? Leaving Canada for California to begin his chiropractic studies in January 2011. “The primary reason I chose to attend Palmer’s West Campus is for its respected reputation,” says Steven, who plays on several West Campus sports teams, including the Palmer Pride ice hockey team, which has won three consecutive division championships in the San Jose Sharks Adult Hockey League. “Whether it’s alumni, professors, students, or even other chiropractic colleges, Palmer’s West Campus is highly regarded by all. Blending a good mixture of philosophy and academic focus was important to me. And when you factor in the countless number of extracurricular activities in which students are able to participate—and the fact that the Bay Area is a mecca of health and wellness—the West Campus was a great choice.” Steven is considering a return to Canada, but California also holds great appeal. His long-term goal is to establish an auxiliary chiropractic clinic in Peru. 

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Jason Kim

Jason Kim displayed “good hands” as a smooth-fielding second-baseman during his high school and college baseball career. Now the Issaquah, Wash., native is hoping to develop equally “good hands” as a Palmer chiropractor. Jason earned his B.S. in exercise science from Central Washington University. Following his graduation from CWU, Jason worked as a health and fitness instructor at Valley Medical Center in Renton, Wash., where he developed specialized exercise programs for patients ranging from Olympic athletes to senior citizens. “I started to think about chiropractic as a career after graduating from CWU, because I thought it would be a good fit with my undergrad degree,” said Jason. “I decided to attend Palmer’s West Campus due to a strong recommendation from alumnus Dr. David Lee. With Dr. Lee’s endorsement of Palmer, and after visiting the campus, it was an easy choice.” Jason serves as Associated Student Government class representative, and is an active member of the Soft Tissue Club. In addition to playing on the West Campus softball team, Jason also plays on the San Jose Phillies of the San Jose Men’s Baseball League (SJMBL).   

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Shawn Larkin

 
Shawn Larkin is a Las Vegas, Nev., native who earned his B.S. degree (kinesiology) from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, prior to initiating his chiropractic studies at Palmer’s West Campus in 2012. “I’ve always been interested in the healthcare field, and I like helping people. I wanted a career that allows me to have my own business. Chiropractic offers me such a career. The sky’s the limit!” As for selecting the West Campus, Shawn says, “The thing that I liked about this school more than any other was the Sports Council. Another is the focus on the research. I also like the student to teacher ratio, and, of course, the location.” Shawn is active in several other clubs, including the Sports Council. Shawn is the father of three-year-old twins (Crew and Lily), and there’s nothing he enjoys more than spending time with his wife (Allyson) and children. When he takes a break from the books, Shawn looks forward to riding his Harley, his dirt bike, or powerboat—“basically, anything that goes fast!” Shawn plans to return to Las Vegas, with the goal of opening a family-focused practice.

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Carolyn O'Meara

Carolyn O’Meara, a native of Brockville, Ontario, Canada, attended the University of Iowa, where she earned dual degrees in journalism and health and sports studies, while also competing as a member of the Hawkeyes’ women’s rowing team. Following graduation, Carolyn returned to Brockville where she worked as a personal trainer. She began to notice a pattern among her clients who mentioned they were also receiving chiropractic care. “I knew they wouldn’t have achieved this transformation without chiropractic care—and that’s when I knew I wanted to go the next level and become a chiropractor” said Carolyn. Carolyn considered a return to Iowa to attend Palmer’s Davenport Campus. However, given her desire to establish a sports-oriented practice, and after visiting the California campus, she decided to head west. “I chose the West Campus because of its outstanding reputation in the field of sports chiropractic,” said Carolyn, an executive officer of the West Sports Council and a member of the West Public Health Club. “Even more important, I knew that I would always be able to proudly say, ‘I’m a Palmer graduate!’ no matter where in the world I ultimately decide to practice.” 

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Jeffrey Payne
 

The more Jeffrey Payne learned about chiropractic, the more he was drawn to this unique branch of the healing arts. “I pursued a career in chiropractic because I have always wanted to be able to help people live a healthier life,” says Jeffrey, a member of the Palmer Pride ice hockey team and Sports Council. The Calgary native benefited from chiropractic care as a young man, and “after weighing my options in the medical field, I learned more about the philosophy of chiropractic, and Palmer, specifically. I was amazed to see how similar the Palmer philosophy is to my personal beliefs of health. … After talking with Admissions staff at the West Campus and reading the Palmer tenants, I knew that this was the school I wanted to attend,” he says. Jeffrey also likes Palmer’s small class sizes and the strong reputation of the faculty.

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Morgan Rovetti

Morgan Rovetti is a Reno, Nev., native who completed her Palmer prerequisites at the University of Nevada at Reno, and at Brigham Young University. Morgan’s father is a Dr. David Rovetti, a 1985 West Campus alumnus, so she grew up in a chiropractic family. However, she gained a whole new appreciation for chiropractic while playing on the U20 women’s rugby team, featuring the top women rugby players in the country. “Chiropractic care has been so beneficial in my life; I’m excited about becoming a part of the profession, and being able to help others enjoy the same health benefits,” says Morgan. In addition to her father being a West alumn, Morgan says she chose to attend the West Campus due to its California location, along with Palmer’s respected reputation for setting the highest standards of clinical and academic excellence. In addition to the Campus Guides, Morgan is involved with other campus clubs, including SPEAK and the Sports Council. Morgan enjoys playing various sports and camping. Following graduation, Morgan will return to Nevada, where she plans to open an acute-care practice in Reno.

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Courtenay
Schroeder

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Rebecca Schroeder

When Rebecca Schroeder graduates from Palmer’s West Campus in 2014, she will be the fourth chiropractor of her immediate family—and D.C. number 75 in the extended Schroeder family of chiropractors! Rebecca’s father, Dr. Tom Schroeder, is a 1980 Palmer Davenport Campus graduate, and her sister, Dr. Allison Schroeder Mankey, is a 2011 West Campus graduate. Rebecca’s chiropractic cousins include current West Campus student Torrey Schroder and Dr. Terry Schroeder, ’86 alumnus and coach of the U.S. men’s water polo team. “I grew up in a chiropractic family, and watching the healing take place around me was incredible! It didn’t take long for me to see the magnitude of chiropractic, and I was quickly inspired to become a chiropractor myself,” said Rebecca, who will join her father’s practice in Fresno. Selecting the college to attend was as easy of a decision for Rebecca as was her career choice. “I chose Palmer’s West Campus because of the admiration and respect I have for all the successful doctors I know who’ve graduated from Palmer,” said Rebecca, who is president of the Maximized Living Club, and a member of the Sports Council as well as the Sun and Snow, Pediatrics, and SOT/AK clubs. Rebecca’s recreational interests include soccer, snow sports and wakesurfing. 

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Torrey Schroeder

Torrey Schroeder is a Clovis, Calif., native who attended the University of Texas at Austin for three years before completing her health sciences degree at New Mexico State University. Torrey was a Division I softball pitcher all four years. Torrey joins her cousin Becca (also a Campus Guide) at the West Campus. She will graduate as a fourth-generation chiropractor in her immediate family, and as the 75th D.C. in the collective group of Schroeder chiropractors, which includes several West alumni. “Palmer’s West Campus does a remarkable job at combining the science, art and philosophy of our profession into a curriculum that challenges students to become better doctors. Plus, we get the traditions of Palmer’s history, while enjoying the San Francisco Bay Area.” Torrey is active in the SPEAK and Soft Tissue clubs, and she also serves as her class’ student government representative. Torrey enjoys playing beach and court volleyball, and she remains active on the softball field, as a personal instructor teaching the art of pitching. Torrey plans to join the Fresno-based practice of her father, Dr. Andy Schroeder, Davenport ’77.

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Daniel Skinner

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Damir Simunac

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Joe Sullivan

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Justin Tan

Justin Tan is an Alberta, Canada native who studied biology sciences at the University of Calgary for two years before moving to Melbourne, Australia, where he enrolled in the Health Science Program offered at Latrobe University’s Bundoora Campus. The chiropractic profession appealed to his goals of becoming an established doctor, a community leader and a well-resourced and educated “lifestyle coach” for his patients. He chose at Palmer’s West Campus because of the warm and friendly student body; the opportunity to be an active member of the West Campus Sports Council; and the pride and honor of joining the most principled and well-educated doctors in the chiropractic profession as a Palmer College graduate. Justin has been active in a variety of student clubs and extracurricular activities, including the Sports Council, the Motion Palpation Club, the Applied Kinesiology Club, the Soft Tissue Club, the West Campus Kidnetics Program, the SPEAK (Student Patient Education and Knowledge) Club, and Yoga Club. He enjoys creating music with friends on his guitar and cajon (hand drum), yoga, working out, and swimming laps. He says, “My objectives as a Doctor of Chiropractic are to achieve and promote optimal spine health, as well as to educate my patients, friends and family on how to live a healthier, well-balanced and ultimately more enjoyable lives. Palmer's West Campus offers great opportunities that give me the tools to fulfill my goals as a healthcare provider."   

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Brandon Thomas

Brandon Thomas is a Covington, Ky., native who attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned a dual bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology prior to commencing his chiropractic studies at Palmer’s West Campus in 2011. “My education, health-consciousness, and upbringing in a diverse medical family led me to explore this profession, and introduced me to a career that I could genuinely devote myself to: chiropractic,” says Brandon. “The more time I spent observing the benefits of chiropractic care, the more I fell in love with the idea of helping my own patients.” He decided to attend the West Campus based on the Bay Area location, the Sports Council program, and the evidence-based curriculum. Brandon is the president of the West chapter of the International Federation of Chiropractors & Organizations (FICO), as well as an assistant Sports Council event coordinator. Brandon also helped the Sports Council develop a new web site: http://palmerwestsports.com/. In addition to other campus clubs, Brandon enjoys wakeboarding, skydiving, scuba diving, and hiking. Following graduation, Brandon plans to combine his love of travel and chiropractic to explore international practice opportunities.

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Tomilyn Thornberry

Tomilyn Thornberry grew up in a health-conscious family in Wilmington, Ohio, where she received chiropractic care from a young age and throughout her career as a long-distance runner at Xavier University, where she earned her B.S. (biology). After earning her M.Ed from the University of Notre Dame, Tomilyn worked as a middle-school science and high school biology teacher for three years. She earned a Fulbright Group Scholarship, which provided the opportunity to visit schools in Brazil. "The collective experiences of college athletics, working with children, and spending time in a developing nation, solidified my interest in pursuing a chiropractic career," said Tomilyn. In addition to the comfortable year-round climate, other key factors which factored into Tomilyn’s decision to attend the West Campus include Palmer's reputation as "the trusted leader," small class sizes, and excellent sports chiropractic programs. “As a former teacher, I know how valuable intimately-sized classroom settings are to the learning process, and that is a huge advantage the West Campus has over all other chiropractic colleges." Tomilyn coaches the track and cross-country teams at St. Lawrence Academy, and she’s active with the Kidnetics Project. Tomilyn hopes to develop a small-community practice in Ohio serving women, families and athletes. 

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 Trent Wittal
 

Trent Wittal is a native of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, where he earned his B.S. in kinesiology at the University of the Fraser Valley, with an emphasis in exercise physiology and rehabilitation. During the three years prior to initiating his chiropractic career, Trent worked as a personal trainer, designing programs that were built to help improve postural instabilities. During his final year at UFV, Trent volunteered at a local multidisciplinary clinic, where he learned the degree to which chiropractic can have such an immediate impact and positive influence on the patient’s health and wellness. “That experience motivated me to pursue a chiropractic career, because I’ve always wanted to help people achieve optimal health with my hands, and to positively affect the quality of their life.” Once Trent recognized chiropractic was his calling, the next step was deciding where to go to school. Trent participates in many clubs including Gonstead, Motion Palpation, and Soft Tissue, as well as playing on the Palmer Pride ice hockey team. Following graduation, Trent plans to start a multidisciplinary practice, with an emphasis on acute-injury management.

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