Michael J. Schneider, DC, PhD practiced as a Doctor of Chiropractic for over 25 years before becoming a full-time academic researcher and professor at Pitt and now director of the Doctor of Chiropractic program. He received his PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 and a Certificate in Clinical Research from the Institute for Clinical Research Education in 2009. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications. 

Schneider brings existing NIH funding to the Doctor of Chiropractic program to lead chiropractic research and oversee postdoctoral researchers. Schneider has a strong record of NIH funding from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes and Research Institute (PCORI) as both principal investigator and co-investigator.

Schneider has taught post-graduate chiropractic continuing education courses for over 25 years. Over the past six years, he has co-led the Pitt Primary Spine Practitioner certificate program that brings together physical therapists and chiropractors from around the country, Europe, and the Middle East to train as first-contact providers for patients with spinal problems. 

Schneider has received both the Presidential Award and Researcher of the Year Award from the American Chiropractic Association. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Public Health Association, Chiropractic Health Care Section.

Dr. Stevans is the Senior Implementation Scientist at the University of Pittsburgh Health Policy Institute. He also holds an appointment in the Department of Physical Therapy within the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh Dr. Stevans served as the Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Landmark Healthcare, Inc., a managed care organization specializing in the oversight of provider networks for group health insurers in 14 states.  In this role he was the senior leader responsible for Clinical Management, Quality Improvement, Informatics, and Provider Credentialing functions.  Working on behalf of many of the largest insurers in the country, Landmark implemented clinical management and quality improvement programs throughout a network of 6,500 rehabilitation providers covering a population of 7 million health plan enrollees.  These experiences afforded him keen insight into the many challenges inherent in the implementation of evidence-based clinical innovations in large provider and patient populations.  Before transitioning to Landmark Dr. Stevans was an early adopter of interprofessional care models.  While in full-time clinical practice he provided care with a team of physicians and rehabilitation specialists to improve the outcomes through better care coordination.

Dr. Will Evans is professor of public health and Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, GA. He holds a PhD from the University of Alabama and UAB in health promotion with concentration in epidemiology and a DC from Logan University. He is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist, and a Fellow of the Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute, the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program, and the Food Systems Leadership Institute. In 2020, he was named a Fellow of the International College of Chiropractors, Inc. His research interests include modification of health care provider behaviors related to patient health promotion, smoking cessation research, including smoking ordinance modification, infection control measures for manual therapists, and nutrition and health behaviors in sport. In 2017, he was honored with the Sara Mazelis Award for Outstanding Practice in Health Education, Health Promotion, and Health Communication by the American Public Health Association’s Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section. In 2023, he was selected for Lifetime Achiever by the Chiropractic Healthcare Section as well.

Dr. Leach earned his Master of Science degree in Health Education and became a Certified Health Education Specialist in 2006. Previously a recipient of numerous awards from the Mississippi Chiropractic Association, in 2007 he was named, “Health Educator of the Year” by the Mississippi Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (MAHPERD), and in 2020 became a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. A 1978 graduate of Life Chiropractic College, he has practiced continuously since 1979. His classic textbook, “The Chiropractic Theories,” used by chiropractic colleges around the world is now in its fourth edition, and he is credited with dozens of peer reviewed research papers, abstracts, and lectures throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has served as a Delphi Panelist for numerous published best practices guidelines in the past decade including recommendations for chiropractic care for infants, children and adolescents, for older adults, and for health promotion, disease prevention, and wellness. Dr. Leach is the Mississippi Delegate to the American Chiropractic Association HOD since 2013, and currently serves on the Public Health and Research Committees. In 2021 he was voted Chair Elect of the Chiropractic Section of the American Public Health Association.

Krista Ward, DC, MPH is a Research Specialist and Research Compliance Officer at Life Chiropractic College West. Her research interests include health disparities, non-pharmacological pain management, quality of life and well-being, and educational effectiveness. She is also an experienced educator in clinical, public health, and academic settings and has developed and implemented public health, epidemiology, and research literacy courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She earned her DC degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic West in 2003 and then gained skills in epidemiology and biostatistics through the Master in Public Health program at San Francisco State University. Since 2019, she has served on the leadership team of the Chiropractic Health Care Section of the American Public Health Association

Barbara Erny, MD, got her BA at Cornell University. She completed her medical school and residency training at Stanford before practicing as a board-certified ophthalmologist for over 25 years.  As an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Erny is a founding member of Stanford Climate Learning Initiative in Medical Education (CLIME), leading efforts to integrate climate change education into medical school curricula and all levels of physician training. She complements this work as a steering committee member with The Global Consortium on Climate Change Education.  Dr. Erny is on the editorial board of the Journal of Climate Change and Health, and she currently serves on the Steering Committee for the Medical Societies Consortium on Climate and Health representing the ophthalmology. Dr. Erny co-founded and is on the advisory board of EyeSustain, an initiative, website and app for decreasing waste in ophthalmology. She is also a member of the Climate Action Working Group of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and is a faculty fellow with Stanford’s Center for Innovation in Global Health. She has been volunteering in global health throughout her career and served as the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Foundation Medical Liaison for International Programs.

Dr. Will Evans is professor of public health and Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, GA. He holds a PhD from the University of Alabama and UAB in health promotion with concentration in epidemiology and a DC from Logan University. He is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist, and a Fellow of the Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute, the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program, and the Food Systems Leadership Institute. In 2020, he was named a Fellow of the International College of Chiropractors, Inc. His research interests include modification of health care provider behaviors related to patient health promotion, smoking cessation research, including smoking ordinance modification, infection control measures for manual therapists, and nutrition and health behaviors in sport. In 2017, he was honored with the Sara Mazelis Award for Outstanding Practice in Health Education, Health Promotion, and Health Communication by the American Public Health Association’s Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section. In 2023, he was selected for Lifetime Achiever by the Chiropractic Healthcare Section as well.

A graduate of New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) and Fellow ofthe American College of Chiropractors, Dr. Ventimiglia served as dean of NYCCDepartment of Postgraduate and Continuing Education. In addition, he has servedas the chairperson of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, subcommittee onPostgraduate Education.

Dr. Ventimiglia coauthored "The Wellness Consultation: ACommunication Model for Improved Patient Outcomes." That was presented atthe NYCC Research Symposium in 2018. He was the principleinvestigator/conference director for the National Institutes of Health'sNational Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine R-13 ConferenceGrant on "Conference on Chiropractic and Allopathic Integration."

Although retired from a private practice after 40 years, heremains active in the profession as a member of the NCMIC Speakers Bureau., theAmerican Public Health Association's Chiropractic Health Care section and theFederation of International Chiropractic Sports.

Jevinne Khan is a chiropractic physician and clinical instructor at Logan University, with advanced post-graduate training in integrated healthcare. In her role as an educator, Dr. Khan guides chiropractic students on the critical role of chiropractic care in public and community health. Her professional practice spans Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Community Health Centers. She specializes in the management of chronic pain and neuro-musculoskeletal conditions, placing a strong emphasis on addressing social determinants of health to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care.

As a vital member of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, Dr. Khan works in close collaboration with primary care providers, social workers, and behavioral health specialists to deliver holistic and coordinated treatment. This team-based approach aims to reduce health disparities and improve clinical outcomes. Dr. Khan’s unwavering commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based care reflects her belief that equitable and compassionate healthcare is a fundamental right for all individuals.

Dr. Kelsey Lewis is a chiropractic physician practicing in integrated, federally qualified community health centers in the city of St. Louis. After graduating from Logan University, Dr. Lewis completed a residency in Integrated Spine Care where she went through a year of rigorous advanced clinical training, research, and developed an understanding of how the healthcare system works for the safety-net population. In her current role as staff chiropractor at Logan University, Dr. Lewis provides direct patient care and student and resident instruction. Additionally, as adjunct faculty, she participates in student didactic education as the lead instructor of 2 courses.

Dr. Lewis is passionate about improving access to, and providing, high-value, evidence-based, non-pharmacologic care for underserved patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions. She is dedicated to providing students with diverse and rigorous community-based clinical training experiences. 

Dr. Christie Kwon is a faculty member and Research Chair at Life University, and she has dedicated her career to serving the chiropractic profession through conducting, teaching, and supporting efforts in subluxation-centered research. She serves on the Alumni Council of Johns Hopkins University, and on the Boards of Directors of the Australian Spinal Research Foundation (ASRF), Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation, the Academy of Chiropractic Family Practice. She is also engaged with the Chiropractic Health Care section of the American Public Health Association.

Dr. Kwon’s research focuses on studying the epidemiology of vertebral subluxation as well as chiropractic and public health research on health equity and maternal and child health outcomes. She completed her DC degree within the Research Track at Life University, with Pi Tau Delta honors. She holds B.S. Biomedical Engineering and M.S. Biotechnology degrees from Johns Hopkins University, and an MPH from Emory University. Her research background includes work with the Emory Child Health and Mortality Prevention Study (CHAMPS). In 2021, she was named Chiropractic Researcher of the Year by the ICA’s Upper Cervical Council, and Chiropractic Researcher of the Year by the FVS in 2023. She has presented her work to chiropractors, educators, and other healthcare professionals from a diverse array of disciplines all over the world.