Palmer College’s Alumni Awards showcase the strength — and heart — of the College’s global chiropractic community. Celebrating outstanding graduates, these prestigious honors recognize visionary leaders, dedicated professionals, entrepreneurial trailblazers, and rising stars who embody Palmer’s legacy of excellence. This year’s recipients inspire through their transformative service, groundbreaking research, and remarkable professional success. Palmer’s more than 32,000 alumni continually uplift each other, foster meaningful connections, and, through all their work, amplify one shared vision: a world of unlimited health and human potential.

2025 Palmer Alumni Award Winners

Dr. Paul Hetrick.

Distinguished Service Award

Paul Hetrick, D.C. (’77)
Dr. Hetrick has dedicated his career to elevating chiropractic through generosity, innovation, and advocacy. As founder of HydroWorx and a former president of the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association, he has transformed rehabilitation practices while giving back to Palmer through a $1 million endowment to support sports and rehabilitation residencies.

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Dr. Louis Sportelli.

Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award

Louis Sportelli, D.C. (’62)
For more than six decades, Dr. Sportelli has been a tireless advocate for chiropractic and a model of ethical leadership. From defending the profession at the national level to serving more than 30 years on his local hospital board, he has advanced healthcare integrity and patient trust while mentoring future generations of chiropractors.

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Charles “Chuck” Gibson, D.C. ('55).

Entrepreneurship Award

Charles “Chuck” Gibson, D.C. (’55)
A respected mentor and global leader in chiropractic business development, Dr. Gibson has shaped thousands of careers through his consultancy, Gibson Management Consultants. His six-decade career reflects a deep commitment to advancing the profession and guiding future entrepreneurs toward success.

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10-under-10 Awards

Jessie Bexley, D.C. (’17)

Jessie Bexley, D.C. (’17)

Dr. Bexley, recent recipient of the Press Ganey Patient Experience Quarterly Award, Dr. Bexley plays a leading role in the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain, and Spine at the University of South Florida, where she bridges clinical care, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She also serves as the chiropractic physician for the USF Athletics Department and is part of the medical staff for the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club. Dr. Bexley is a recent graduate of Leadership Tampa Bay class of 2025.

Tyler Collins, D.C. (’18)

Tyler Collins, D.C. (’18)

Since joining the Arkansas Chiropractic Physicians Association (ACPA) Board in 2022, Dr. Collins has been an active force in legislative advocacy, showing what it truly means to be involved and invested in chiropractic’s future. He received the Dr. Stan Heard Memorial Award in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for outstanding commitment and political action in advancing the chiropractic profession. 

Megan Epps, D.C. (’20)

Megan Epps, D.C. (’20)

Dr. Epps is a passionate champion for women’s health, with a special focus on prenatal and pediatric care. She co-owns two thriving Delaware practices, uplifts her local business community through her 302 Podcast, which creates camaraderie among fellow local entrepreneurs, and advocates for holistic women’s health through her Innate Women blog. 

Alexandra Fonseca, D.C., CCSP (’18) 

Alexandra Fonseca, D.C., CCSP (’18) 

Dr. Fonseca is a sought-after chiropractic expert in the San Francisco area, trusted by professional athletes, Oscar-nominated actors, and even members of the U.S. Secret Service. As one of the few women in the Bay Area at this level, she is redefining sports chiropractic through clinical mastery and a commitment to elevating care in elite settings. 

Cameron Gholampour, D.C., M.S. (’20)

Cameron Gholampour, D.C., M.S. (’20)

Dr. Gholampour provides chiropractic medical oversight for USA Volleyball-Florida Region. His impact extends to the global stage, where he proudly represented the profession in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, and the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China. 

Rachel Huston, D.C. (’19)

Rachel Huston, D.C. (’19)

Dr. Huston is the visionary founder and owner of The Body Lab and The Body Lab Recovery in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she is refining the standard of care by leading a multidisciplinary team offering chiropractic, physical therapy, nutrition, and recovery services.  

Jae Oh, D.C. (’17)

Jae Oh, D.C. (’17)

Dr. Oh has been recognized as a Top Physician by Orlando publications since 2019 and was honored with the OrlandoStyle Magazine's Top Chiropractor Award in 2025. He has built a powerful referral network among neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, and pain specialists in central Florida, helping shift perceptions of chiropractic as essential, physician-level care. 

Casey Okamoto, D.C. (’15)

Casey Okamoto, D.C. (’15)

Dr. Okamoto, valedictorian of his Palmer College graduating class, is living up to his academic excellence as a national leader in chronic pain innovation for the VA health system. His work shaping the VA/DoD Low Back Pain Clinical Practice Guidelines, serving as a treating clinician in the Palmer-affiliated VERDICT trial, and leading the national ADEPT training initiative to improve interdisciplinary pain care is redefining how chronic pain is understood and treated across the U.S.

Brian Plummer, D.C. (’18)

Brian Plummer, D.C. (’18)

Dr. Plummer is a leader in integrated care, blending chiropractic and acupuncture expertise with a collaborative approach at the nationally renowned Cleveland Clinic Akron’s General Pain Management Department. A newly minted diplomate in neuromusculoskeletal medicine, he also serves as an associate professor at a local medical school and recently published a case report in the Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic.

Kyle Richmond, D.C. (’21)

Kyle Richmond, D.C. (’21)

Dr. Richmond is a social media force, sharing his passion for the profession with an impressive 125,000-plus followers on Instagram. With a global client base — including NFL, MLS, and MLB athletes — he was voted Southland’s Best Chiropractor in 2024.