Homecoming Speaker Biographies

2019 Speakers (In alphabetical order)

Mary Frost, D.C., M.B.A., graduated from Palmer’s Davenport campus in 1996. She was in private practice with her husband for 11 years before joining the Davenport campus faculty in 2008. In 2010, she was a part of the business curriculum task force. More recently, she served as Senior Director of Accreditation and Licensure until she accepted the position of Senior Director of Continuing Education in 2018. Dr. Frost has regularly studied and reported on state laws affecting chiropractors, as well as serving as the College's Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission. She is also an advisor to the Palmer Center for Business Development.

Nate Hinkeldey, D.C., DACRB, is a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic and earned a degree in biology from Iowa State University. During his time at Palmer, he was a member of the Vogt Leadership Society and served as the president of Motion Palpation Club. Dr. Hinkeldey was chosen fora DoD/VA internship at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. This experience stressed the importance of service and evidenced-based multi-modal care models. After graduating, he opened Team Chiropractic and Rehabilitation in Johnston, Iowa. He also teaches at Des Moines Area Community College and is the chiropractor for Grand View University Sports Medicine Team, and he speaks nationally as an instructor for Graston Technique.

Dennis Marchiori, D.C., Ph.D., became chancellor of Palmer College of Chiropractic in December 2009 and was named chancellor and CEO in 2017. He graduated with his doctor of chiropractic degree from Palmer College in 1990, and went on to earn his M.S. degree in anatomy at Palmer in 1992. In 1995, he completed a three-year residency in radiology at Palmer College leading to diplomate status with the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology.Dr. Marchiori received his doctorate in policy, planning and leadership from the University of Iowa in 2005. He has had faculty appointments at Palmer College in the Research, and Diagnosis and Radiology departments. His administrative tenure at Palmer includes the roles of department chair, dean, vice president of academic affairs for the Davenport campus, and vice chancellor for academics for the College system. In addition to his teaching and administrative service, he has published numerous scientific articles and three editions of a comprehensive textbook in radiology, “Clinical Imaging with Skeletal, Chest and Abdomen Differentials.” He also serves as chair of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges.

Casey Okamoto, D.C., is a recent graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, where he graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian. During his time at Palmer, he clerked at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.V., prior to accepting a position as a chiropractic resident at the VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo, N.Y. He is the author of two papers in peer-reviewed literature.

Greg Rose, D.C. is a board certified Doctor of Chiropractic and holds an engineering degree from the University of Maryland. Dr. Rose specializes in sports biomechanics, strength and conditioning, manual therapy, rehabilitation, nutritional supplementation and therapeutic exercises as they each relate to sports. Combining an engineering background with an expertise on the human body, Greg helped pioneer the field of analyzing 3-dimensional motion capture models of athletes. That research has helped teaching professionals all over the world gain a better understanding of how the body works during athletic movements. Greg is the Co-Founder of the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), located in Oceanside, California. TPI is the world-renown research and testing facility built by Titleist, to help analyze, train and develop the best golfers in the world. TPI’s “Body-Swing Connection” seminar series has made Greg one of the most requested speakers in golf health and fitness. Greg was the co-host of The Golf Fitness Academy seen on the Golf Channel for 10 years and was shown in over 30 countries. Greg is also one of the co-developers of the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and co-owners of FMS (Functional Movement Systems). FMS has revolutionized the field of movement assessment and changed the way many sporting organizations and healthcare practitioner diagnose musculo-skeletal injuries. Recently, Greg founded and launched RacquetFit and OnBase University. RacquetFit is the first tennis-specific certification program offered by the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) for health and fitness professionals. While, OnBase University (OnBaseU) is the first baseball-softball specific certification program of its kind, offered for health and fitness professionals. 

Dan Weinert, D.C., Ph.D., DACRB, is the provost for Palmer College of Chiropractic. Prior to that appointment he served as Main campus provost, interim vice president for Academic Affairs, dean of Academic Affairs and department chair for the Diagnosis and Radiology Department. Dr. Weinert is a 1996 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. As a faculty member, he has taught Physiotherapy, Biomechanics, Anatomy and Physiology and Biochemistry. He’s currently a professor in the Division of Life Sciences. Dr. Weinert received six Thelma Fordyce Mack Faculty Incentive Awards for Teaching Excellence from 1999 through 2005. He was the recipient of the student body’s Faculty of the Year Award for second trimester each year from 2002 through 2010. His master’s degree is in exercise science from the University of Massachusetts, and he received his Ph.D. in higher education, leadership and policy from the University of Iowa. He’s a graduate of Palmer’s Rehabilitation and Sports Injury Residency Program, where he earned a Diplomate from the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board and passed the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist examination.

2019 Speakers

Mark Charrette, D.C., is a 1980 summa cum laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He wrote a book on extremity adjusting, produced an instructional video series, is a frequent guest speaker at various chiropractic colleges, and has taught more than 1,400 seminars worldwide. His lively seminars on extremity adjusting, biomechanics and spinal adjusting techniques emphasize a practical, hands-on approach.

Katherine Clark, D.C., graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2010 and was in private practice for four years before joining the Palmer faculty as a faculty clinician. She has extensive experience working with children, pregnant women, athletes and older adults. Her focus includes health and wellness as well as working with and learning from special-needs children.

Ashlee Drover, D.C., grew up in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. She attended Brown University in Providence, R.I., on an athletic scholarship for Women’s Ice Hockey. Following graduation, Dr. Drover spend a year playing hockey in the National Women’s Hockey League. After graduating from Palmer in 2011, Dr. Drover practiced full-time in Collingswood, New Jersey. She has training in several specific chiropractic techniques including NUCCA, Atlas Orthogonal, Activator, NIMMO and Flexion Distraction. Dr. Drover currently serves as an instructor in the diagnosis and radiology department at Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Michelle Barber-Drover, D.C., M.S.W., earned a Master of Social Work degree from Ohio State University in 1993 and worked in the child and family welfare field for seven years. She graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2000 and practiced for 16 years in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. She started her career at Palmer’s Davenport campus in 2006. In 2016 Dr. Barber was named Associate Dean for Life Sciences and Foundation. She has received the Faculty of the Year Award every year since 2008 and was named Palmer College’s Outstanding Faculty of the Year in 2011. She received the ICAA Female Chiropractic Achievement Award in 2010 and 2013, and the Sigma Phi Chi Chiropractic Service Award in 2014 and 2015.

Mary Frost, D.C., M.B.A., graduated from Palmer’s Davenport campus in 1996. She was in private practice with her husband for 11 years before joining the Davenport campus faculty in 2008. In 2010, she was a part of the business curriculum task force. More recently, she served as Senior Director of Accreditation and Licensure until she accepted the position of Senior Director of Continuing Education in 2018. Dr. Frost has regularly studied and reported on state laws affecting chiropractors, as well as serving as the College's Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission. She is also an advisor to the Palmer Center for Business Development.

Mario Fucinari, D.C., CCSP^®, graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1986. Dr. Fucinari has helped train doctors and staff for the last 20 years. He completed studies in chiropractic orthopedics and attained his certification as a chiropractic sports physician. Dr. Fucinari currently practices full-time in Decatur, Illinois, and is on the faculty and postgraduate faculty at Logan Chiropractic College. He is a certified medical compliance specialist and received the 2003 President’s Award from the Illinois Chiropractic Society for his work with education and training.

Bill Hemmer, D.C., owns and operates a successful chiropractic and functional-medicine practice in Tuscola, Ill. He also is a co-founder of Functional Wellness Systems, a comprehensive business system rooted in providing specific guidance on how to effectively integrate functional medicine into any existing health care practice.

Roger Hynes, D.C., D.Ph.C.S., is from St. John’s, Newfoundland. He is an associate professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic and teaches in the Technique Department where he is the instructor for Principles and Practice, the technique capstone class. In addition, he serves the Palmer Foundation for Chiropractic History and Undergraduate Studies programs. Dr. Hynes is a 1998 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. After graduation, Dr. Hynes practiced in Glasgow, Scotland, before returning to Iowa to teach at Palmer. He lives in Iowa with his wife, Rachelle, another Palmer faculty member, and their two children.

Sara Le Brun-Blashka is the Director of Education and Practitioner Engagement at Standard Process, where she led the team to launch a new educational website, holisticmatters.com. Sara is a nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and food science from Iowa State University and is finalizing her master’s in nutrition education at American University. She worked for several nutrition organizations over the course of the last 20 years, and also provided consulting services to a wide range of health-focused corporations. Sara is a member of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Sara has a passion for community supported agriculture and is an active on multiple charitable boards.

Siri Leech, D.C., DACBR, is a native of both Montana and South Dakota. She earned her doctor of chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Davenport campus in 2011 and her diplomate from the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology in 2016. She was appointed to the Palmer faculty in 2016 as an assistant professor, teaching in the Life Sciences Department.

Peter Martin, D.C., graduated from the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy in 1964, then earned his doctor of chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1968. He served in faculty and administrative positions at Palmer College and Los Angeles College of Chiropractic from 1968 to 1978; owned a chiropractic equipment and supplies and had a private practice in Lancaster, California, from 1982 to 2000. Dr. Martin was president of Palmer College’s West campus from 1992 to 2000, when he accepted a position as dean of the College of Naturopathic Medicine at the University of Bridgeport. He returned to Palmer West in 2004 as interim president and was named president in February 2005. In July 2005, he assumed the additional duties of president of Palmer’s Florida campus, and since the appointment in November 2006 of Dr. William Meeker as president of Palmer West, has been serving as president of the Florida campus exclusively. Dr. Martin is a past president of the Council on Chiropractic Education and the California Chiropractic Association and is a former board member of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges.

Sherry McAllister, D.C., M.S. (Ed)., CCSP®, serves as executive vice president for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), the national public-relations organization creating billions of positive impressions of chiropractic each year. She also consulted with the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. A graduate of Palmer’s West campus, Dr. McAllister frequently serves as guest speaker, alumni ambassador, preceptor doctor, commencement speaker and community liaison. She is also a California qualified medical examiner and expert chiropractic witness. She has been in private practice in San Jose since 1996.

Mark Murdock, D.C., R.N. has served as a professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic for 10 years. He is a registered nurse and chiropractor who teaches on first aid, CPR, venipuncture and blood-borne pathogens. His experience in the emergency room combined with more than seven years of clinical practice will help you understand HIV in multifaceted way and provide practical information that you can use in your daily practice.

Matthew Richardson, D.C., DACBR, serves as director of Clinical Radiology at on Palmer’s Florida campus and provides diagnostic imaging interpretation services through Palmer Imaging Consultation Services. He completed his doctor of chiropractic degree at Palmer’s main campus in 2006. Dr. Richardson became board certified chiropractic radiologist (Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology) in 2010. He is published in peer reviewed literature and contributed to Skeletal Imaging: Atlas of the Spine and Extremities, Second Edition, and Clinical Imaging with Skeletal, Chest, and Abdomen Pattern Differentials, Third Edition.

Gina Sirchio-Lotus, D.C., CCN, graduated magna cum laude with her D.C. degree from National University of Health Sciences in 2005 and her post-graduate certification in clinical nutrition in 2007. She is the owner of the LG Institute of Health, LTD, an alternative health medical center located in Chicago’s Fulton River District. Dr. Sirchio-Lotus is also an avid educator and has lectured extensively throughout the nation. She also developed the accredited postgraduate program, “The Women's Health Series, an interdisciplinary approach to all aspects of women's health care.” She’s been in private practice for over 12 years.

Michael Shreeve, D.C., is a 1974 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Davenport campus. After 30 years of chiropractic practice in Tampa, Florida, he joined the faculty at Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Florida campus. He also maintains a part-time chiropractic practice in Port Orange, Florida. He wrote several articles published in peer-reviewed literature and is a past board member on the Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine. He is past-president of the Florida Chiropractic Society and currently vice president of the Gnostic Procedure Society. Dr. Shreve lectures internationally and was honored by the Florida Chiropractic Society with the Lifetime Achievement Award and by the Florida Board of Chiropractic with the Distinguished Service to the Chiropractic Profession Award.

Lora Tanis, D.C., DICCP, graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1989. In 1997 she received her diplomate from the International Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics, and she has served on the ICA Council on Pediatrics since 2001. Dr. Tanis lectures internationally on topics relating to pediatric chiropractic, and currently operates a private practice in West Milford, N.J., where she focuses on family and pediatric care.

Dan Weinert, D.C., Ph.D., DACRB, is the provost for Palmer College of Chiropractic. Prior to that appointment he served as Main campus provost, interim vice president for Academic Affairs, dean of Academic Affairs and department chair for the Diagnosis and Radiology Department. Dr. Weinert is a 1996 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. As a faculty member, he has taught Physiotherapy, Biomechanics, Anatomy and Physiology and Biochemistry. He’s currently a professor in the Division of Life Sciences. Dr. Weinert received six Thelma Fordyce Mack Faculty Incentive Awards for Teaching Excellence from 1999 through 2005. He was the recipient of the student body’s Faculty of the Year Award for second trimester each year from 2002 through 2010. His master’s degree is in exercise science from the University of Massachusetts, and he received his Ph.D. in higher education, leadership and policy from the University of Iowa. He’s a graduate of Palmer’s Rehabilitation and Sports Injury Residency Program, where he earned a Diplomate from the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board and passed the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist examination.

Susan Welsh, D.C., DACBSP, F.P.A.C., is a 1980 graduate of Palmer’s Davenport Campus. Dr. Welsh practices in Florida and has extensive experience caring for Tampa Bay teams such as the NHL’s Lightning, the NFL’s Buccaneers, the AFL’s Storm, and the MLS’s Mutiny. In 2015, Dr. Welsh joined the clinical faculty at the University of South Florida (USF) in the Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair. Although she continues to practice full-time in the USF Morsani Health Center, she also mentors 4th-year medical students, teaching them about chiropractic in an integrative setting.

Mark Williams, D.C. is a 2008 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Florida Campus. He practices in an integrative health care setting at Rosen Medical Center, established by Rosen Hotels and Resorts in Orlando, Florida. The center includes medical doctors, nurse practitioners and chiropractors, all working together for the good of their patients. Florida hotelier Harris Rosen founded the center 25 years ago.

2019 Speakers

Michelle Barber-Drover, D.C., M.S.W., earned a Master of Social Work degree from the Ohio State University in 1993 and worked in the child and family welfare field for seven years. She graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2000 and practiced for 16 years in Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa. She started her career at Palmer’s Davenport campus in 2006. In 2016 Dr. Barber was named Associate Dean for Life Sciences and Foundation. She has received the Faculty of the Year Award every year since 2008 and was named Palmer College’s Outstanding Faculty of the Year in 2011. She received the ICAA Female Chiropractic Achievement Award in 2010 and 2013, and the Sigma Phi Chi Chiropractic Service Award in 2014 and 2015

Steven Capobianco, D.C., M.A., DACRB, PES, is a proud 2003 Palmer West graduate currently practicing part time along with his duties as Senior Director of Medical Education for RockTape, Trigger Point Therapy, and Sklz. He is a self-proclaimed "Movement Advocate" and strives to provide his patients and athletes with the necessary environment to move authentically for the task at hand. He uses a myriad of tools and techniques to accomplish the mutual goal of pain free and functional movement. In his spare time, Dr. Capo is a "semiprofessional" (in his own mind) mountain biker and hockey player but if he was to be labeled as anything it would be the "best" dad he can for his 10-year-old daughter, Madeline

Tammi Clark, D.C., is a 1994 valedictorian-graduate and Clinical Excellence honoree of Palmer’s West campus.  She was appointed to the faculty in 1998 and currently holds the rank of professor. In addition, she serves as Coordinator of Curriculum and supervises the clinical competency exams that measure and assess student skills at different junctures of the Palmer West program.   She has served on the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners test writing committees for Parts II and IV.  Concurrent with her teaching duties, Dr. Clark has maintained a private practice for over 20 years.  Her passion for providing chiropractic care to underserved populations has taken her to Mexico, Fiji, India, Costa Rica, and most recently to Laos where she served alongside her friend and colleague, Dr. Theresa Whitney.  Closer to home, Dr. Clark recently provided care for first responders at the 2018 Northern California fires and for many years has volunteered care to inmates at San Quentin Prison.  Dr. Clark enjoys the outdoors and appreciates the numerous adventures she has shared with her husband and their twin boys

Robert Cooperstein, D.C., M.A. graduated from Life Chiropractic College West in 1985 and has a master’s degree from the University of California Berkeley. He is a professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic’s West campus and is the director of Technique and Research. He has written many articles for peer-reviewed publications and co-authored a book titled “Technique Systems in Chiropractic

Ian Coulter, Ph.D., is a senior health policy analyst at the RAND Corporation, where he has also held the Samueli Institute Chair in Policy for Integrative Medicine. He is a professor Emeritus at UCLA where he was a professor in the School of Dentistry, a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, and a research professor at the Southern California University of Health Sciences. Coulter has published over 200 articles, chapters, and books. He is the past Vice President for Integrative Medicine at the Samueli Institute

His recent grants include NIH grants for an Evidenced-Based Practices program in CAM; evaluation of hospital-based integrative medicine; the context effects on the health encounter; and Center of Excellence grant to study Appropriateness of Care in CAM. He also holds a grant from the DoD to conduct comparative effectiveness trials of chiropractic in military facilities; and completed an evaluation of the creation, implementation, and evaluation of health policies in Health Affairs for the DoD and recently published a study of an Integrative Pain Clinic in a military health facility. 
Coulter was born in New Zealand and holds degrees in sociology from the University of Canterbury (B.A., M.A. Honors) and the London School of Economics & Political Science (Ph.D.) and an honorary doctorate in humanities from the Southern California University of Health Sciences. He was a Pew Fellow at the RAND/ University of California at Los Angeles, Center for Health Policy Study from which he received a certificate in health policy analysis. Additional qualifications include a diploma in educational management from the Institute of Educational Management, Harvard University. He is past President of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Dr. Coulter is internationally recognized as an expert in Chiropractic, CAM and IM and is one of the most experienced researchers in these fields. He was recently awarded the Humanitarian of the Year award by the ACA

Edward Cremata, D.C., R.N., QME, has been in private practice in Fremont, Calif. for 28 years. He is a continuing education instructor for both the Division of Workers Compensation and Life Chiropractic College West. He is a fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians and the Academy of Forensic and Industrial Chiropractic Consultants. He has been a Qualified Medical Examiner since the inception of the program. Dr. Cremata has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT)

Ashlee Drover, D.C., grew up in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. She attended Brown University in Providence, R.I., on an athletic scholarship for Women’s Ice Hockey. Following graduation, Dr. Drover spent a year playing hockey in the National Women’s Hockey League. After graduating from Palmer in 2011, Dr. Drover practiced full-time in Collingswood, New Jersey. She has training in several specific chiropractic techniques including NUCCA, Atlas Orthogonal, Activator, NIMMO and Flexion Distraction. Dr. Drover currently serves as an instructor in the diagnosis and radiology department at Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Mary Frost, D.C., M.B.A., graduated from Palmer’s Davenport campus in 1996. She was in private practice with her husband for 11 years before joining the Davenport campus faculty in 2008. In 2010, she was a part of the business curriculum task force. More recently, she served as Senior Director of Accreditation and Licensure until she accepted the position of Senior Director of Continuing Education in 2018. Dr. Frost has regularly studied and reported on state laws affecting chiropractors, as well as serving as the College's Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission. She is also an advisor to the Palmer Center for Business Development.

Nichelle Gurule, D.C., is a chiropractor, personal trainer, birth doula, and a mom.  She specializes in women’s health with a focus on prenatal and postpartum chiropractic care, rehab therapy, and fitness. She is the owner of Gaia Health: Women and Family Centered Care and creator of Goddess Theory Rehab + Fitness. Dr. Nichelle began focusing on women’s health because she saw huge deficits in the care provided to women, especially during their postpartum phase of life. This has prompted her to research the field of study and the highly specialized experts working with postpartum moms in rehabbing their diastasis recti, pelvic floor dysfunctions, and returning moms to fitness. From this she has developed a protocol for treating the prenatal and postpartum mom. Her mission is to educate women and empower them to take care of their body, both physically and mentally.  Dr. Nichelle earned her bachelors at the University of Colorado in Integrative Physiology and Psychology and received her doctorate as Summa Cum Laude from Palmer College of Chiropractic. 

Bill Hemmer, D.C., owns and operates a successful chiropractic and functional-medicine practice in Tuscola, Ill. He also is a co-founder of Functional Wellness Systems, a comprehensive business system rooted in providing specific guidance on how to effectively integrate functional medicine into any existing health care practice

Ashley Hook, D.C., DACBR, has been a Professor of Radiology at Palmer College of Chiropractic West since February 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Science magna cum laude from Carleton University majoring in Biochemistry and Neuroscience. She earned a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree magna cum laude from New York Chiropractic College where she was inducted into the Phi Chi Omega Chiropractic Honor Society and received the Distinguished Accomplishment in Diagnostic Imaging and Clinical Diagnoses Courses Awards, as well as the Lorraine Welch Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence. She subsequently completed a diagnostic radiology residency at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College where she won awards for her Clinical Grand Rounds presentations and teaching accomplishments. She earned a Master of Science in Human Anatomy and Physiology from New York Chiropractic College. She has a special interest in neuroimaging. Dr. Hook considers herself a lifelong learner and is excited to merge her passions for learning, teaching, and radiology through interactive lecture sessions

Steven Huybrecht, D.C., was raised in northern Wisconsin and earned his B.S. in Exercise Sport Science from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He continued his education at Northwestern Health Sciences University completing a doctorate in chiropractic. During his time at NWHSU, Dr. Huybrecht was involved in various clubs, most notably with the Student American Chiropractic Association. There he held multiple chapter roles, including president, before being elected as the National Chair for the 2013-14 term. During his last trimester at NWHSU he worked in physical medicine and rehabilitation at High Point Regional hospital in High Point, NC under the direction of Todd Reiter, M.D., D.C.  He’s served on the Wisconsin Chiropractic Association’s Government Affairs Committee, the American Chiropractic Association’s Membership Committee, and Millennial Think Tank, along with participating in the ACA’s Leadership Apprentice and Mentor Program.  Dr. Huybrecht completed the Integrated Clinical Practice Residency at the VA St. Louis Health Care System under program director Pamela Wakefield, D.C. in June of 2018.  He currently works as a staff chiropractor for VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Stockton and Modesto, CA. Dr. Huybrecht’s professional interests include chronic pain management for veterans, organizational leadership, and fostering interprofessional collaboration.

Siri Leech, D.C., DACBR, is a native of both Montana and South Dakota. She earned her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Davenport campus in 2011 and her diplomate from the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology in 2016. She was appointed to the Palmer faculty in 2016 as an assistant professor, teaching in the Life Sciences Department.

Anthony Lisi, D.C., received a B.A. degree from Fordham University in New York, N.Y., and his D.C. degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic’s West campus in San Jose, Calif. In 2007, Dr. Lisi was named director of chiropractic services for the Veterans Health Administration. In this role, he oversees all national programmatic issues related to the integration of chiropractic services into the largest health-care system in the United States. In 2004, he became the first chiropractor appointed to the medical staff of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, where he developed processes for integrating hospital-based clinical services and interprofessional clinical education for CAM and traditional medical trainees. He’s currently the chief of Chiropractic Service at the VA Connecticut facility and associate professor of clinical sciences at the University of Bridgeport. Dr. Lisi has authored and co-authored more than 25 peer-reviewed publications and presented over 25 abstracts at scientific conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Thomas Lotus, D.C., FACO, Cert. MDT, received his Doctor of Chiropractic from National University of Health Sciences in 2003. He holds fellowship status as a board-certified chiropractic orthopedist (DACO)with the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists and serves as a member of their Board of Directors.  He is also a candidate for diplomate status within the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board. Dr. Lotus is fully credentialed in the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy. In the U.S. and internationally Dr. Lotus teaches courses on classification, non-surgical orthopedics, rehabilitation, biomechanics and pain from the chiropractic perspective. He is also a full-time attending Chiropractic Physician at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, based in Chicago, Illinois. His role within the setting is that of a “Gatekeeper”, working side by side with Orthopedic Surgeons and Physiatrists. Dr. Lotus is also enrolled in the Primary Spine Physician program through the University of Pittsburgh and is working toward expanding the Non-Surgical Division of the Spine Team at MOR. 

Sherry McAllister, D.C., M.S. (Ed)., CCSP®, serves as executive vice president for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), the national public-relations organization creating billions of positive impressions of chiropractic each year. She also consulted with the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. A graduate of Palmer’s West campus, Dr. McAllister frequently serves as guest speaker, alumni ambassador, preceptor doctor, commencement speaker, and community liaison. She is also a California qualified medical examiner and expert chiropractic witness. She has been in private practice in San Jose since 199

Stephen Perle, D.C., M.S., joined the inaugural faculty of the University of Bridgeport School of Chiropractic in 1991. He is a Professor of Clinical Sciences. He has taught a wide range of chiropractic courses, as well as teaching undergraduate and graduate courses for other programs at the university.  After graduation from Texas Chiropractic College in 1983, he practiced specializing in sports chiropractic in New York City until 1991.  In 1986, he qualified as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician® from American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians™ (ACBSP®), which he was a member of from 1990-1994, and in 2002 he earned a M.S. in Exercise Science from Southern Connecticut State University. He currently serves as the Research Commission chair and the North American Representative to the Executive Council of the Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS – International Federation of Sports Chiropractic).

Dr. Perle has published more than a half dozen textbook chapters and over 40 peer reviewed publications. He has been an associate editor of Chiropractic & Manual Therapies (Chiropractic & Osteopathy) since 2008 and has been on the editorial board since the journal started in 2005.  He is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium of Evidence-Informed Practice Educators.  In 2004, he was honored as the American Chiropractic Association’s Academic of the Year and has twice received an ACA Presidential Leadership Award.  He is the chairperson of ACA’s Research Advisory Board.  In 2018, he was the ACA’s McAndrews Leadership Lecturer.  

Gina Sirchio-Lotus, D.C., CCN, graduated magna cum laude with her D.C. degree from National University of Health Sciences in 2005 and her post-graduate certification in clinical nutrition in 2007. She is the owner of the LG Institute of Health, LTD, an alternative health medical center located in Chicago’s Fulton River District. Dr. Sirchio-Lotus is also an avid educator and has lectured extensively throughout the nation. She also developed the accredited postgraduate program, “The Women's Health Series, an interdisciplinary approach to all aspects of women's health care.” She’s been in private practice for more than 12 years. 

Matthew Skalski, D.C., DACBR, is a consulting musculoskeletal radiologist and assistant professor of radiology at Palmer College of Chiropractic West. He has presented at a variety of large international scientific meetings and won more than 15 awards for these exhibitions. Dr. Skalski also has authored numerous research articles throughout radiology literature and made significant contributions to Radiopaedia.org, the world’s largest free, online radiology resource, where he is a senior editor. In addition, he is fellowship-trained in musculoskeletal MRI, a professional medical illustrator, and an award-winning professional landscape photographer.

Thomas Souza, D.C., is author of two textbooks. Sports Injuries of the Shoulder and Differential Diagnosis and Management for the Chiropractor, now in its fifth edition. He speaks nationally and internationally. He was a dean at Palmer's West campus for 20 years. He also served as an associate editor for Topics in Clinical Chiropractic. He serves as a consultant to numerous groups and was the team lead for the Upper Extremity section of CCGPP. He has created a website focused on important literature publications using video reviews at the Evidence-Informed Chiropractor.

Susan St. Claire, D.C., M.S., DCBCN, CCN, has a passion for all aspects of nutrition. She is a chiropractor with 30 years of patient experience. She has a master’s degree and diplomate in clinical nutrition. Dr. St. Claire has taught nutrition and related subjects for colleges, state associations, the USDA, supplement companies, and local public and business organizations. She has created a series of approved on-line continuing education courses. She has published extensively in journals and several textbook chapters. Dr. St. Claire travels the world studying food. This includes farming and manufacturing production and practices, marketing, purchasing, preparation, and eating rituals/behaviors. She integrates all of this with historical, political, and cultural perspectives about food. 

Theresa Whitney, D.C., is a 1995 graduate of Palmer’s West campus who has served as a member of the faculty since 1996 and currently holds the rank of professor.  Dr. Whitney has mentored decades of students through their educational growth process, in both academic and clinical settings.  She has served on the Part III National Board of Chiropractic Examiners test writing committee.  For more than 20 years, Dr. Whitney has maintained a rewarding private practice in Sunnyvale, California.  She has had the honor to provide chiropractic care to populations in Brazil, Madagascar, India, and most recently in Laos alongside her friend and colleague, Dr. Tammi Clark.  With her husband, Dr. Whitney enjoys the performing arts and for many years they have been members of local choirs, Stanford Symphonic Chorus, and West Bay Opera Chorus.  Together, they also share a passion for local and international travel.