Falls Church, VA — We’re excited to introduce Dr. Neil Cohen as the ICA’s new Membership Ambassador! In this important role, Dr. Cohen will be working closely with our student ICA programs at affiliated schools, inspiring the next generation of chiropractors to embrace ICA’s mission and values. 

He will also be actively recruiting new members, helping young graduates transition smoothly into full doctor-level membership, and ensuring they remain active and engaged throughout their careers for full ICA benefits. 

Dr. Cohen will be working hand-in-hand with our CEO, Dr. Edwin Cordero, to strengthen and grow our ICA community—just as he did as Executive Vice President of Sherman College of Chiropractic, where together they advanced the college’s standing as a leader in principled chiropractic education.

Dr. Cohen joined Sherman College in 2014 and served there for nearly 10 years, helping guide its growth and impact. He is a 1986 graduate of Life Chiropractic College, where he was deeply inspired by Dr. Sid Williams’ passion for chiropractic’s unique philosophy—a passion that sparked a lifelong commitment to principled chiropractic care. 

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Cohen practiced alongside his wife, Randi, in South Florida, earning a reputation for his genuine care and for helping countless patients experience the transformative power of chiropractic. He’s always believed that, by God’s design, the body has an incredible ability to heal itself, and he’s dedicated his life to sharing that truth.

Dr. Cohen’s leadership, communication skills, and unwavering commitment to chiropractic’s core philosophy make him a perfect fit for this role. We can’t wait to see the positive impact he’ll bring to our ICA community.

For more information about the ICA and its leadership, visit www.chiropractic.org. 

Media Contact: 
Beth Clay, Executive Director 
bclay@chiropractic.org 

Falls Church, VA — The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) is proud to announce the election of Dr. Joseph Betz as its new president. The election took place during the ICA’s 99th Annual Convention, held April 3–5, 2025, in Clearwater, Florida. Dr. Betz succeeds Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson, who served with distinction for two terms from 2021 to 2025. Dr. Betz previously served as ICA Vice President under Dr. Sigafoose-Jackson’s leadership. 

“I am truly honored and beyond excited for the opportunity to serve as the next president of the ICA,” said Dr. Betz. “I am passionate about leading this incredible organization into a future grounded in unity, integrity, and the advancement of chiropractic worldwide. 

“As the new ICA President, I see tremendous opportunity in this changing healthcare landscape, where more people are seeking natural, drug-free solutions for their health. With focus and hard work, we will see public acceptance of chiropractic and an opportunity to take its rightful place at the forefront of a healthier, more proactive model of healthcare.” 

The ICA also announced the election of additional officers to serve on the Board of Directors: 

• Dr. Jon Stucky, Vice President 

• Dr. Brian Moriarty, Treasurer 

• Dr. H. Michael Gibson, Secretary

The ICA thanks Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to the mission of chiropractic during her tenure as president. 

With a renewed sense of purpose and strong leadership in place, the ICA remains committed to promoting health and health freedom, supporting practitioners, and advancing chiropractic as an essential part of the future of healthcare. 

For more information about the ICA and its leadership, visit www.chiropractic.org. 

Media Contact: 
Beth Clay, Executive Director 
bclay@chiropractic.org 

Falls Church, VA – The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) is proud to announce Dr. Joseph Betz as the recipient of the Chiropractor of the Year award for 2023. This award is the highest recognition bestowed upon a chiropractor each year and is voted on by the Fellows of the ICA. Dr. Betz was honored at the Annual Convention in Las Vegas during the Awards Banquet on April 22.

Dr. Joseph Betz is a highly accomplished chiropractor with over 15 years of experience in Boise, Idaho. He completed his undergraduate studies in Biological Science at the University of Pittsburgh, and continued his education to receive a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Life University in Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout his career, Dr. Betz has established several successful corrective chiropractic clinics, furthering the reach and impact of chiropractic care in his community.

Dr. Betz is a leader in his industry and makes the health of his patients his top professional priority. “Seeing the impact chiropractic care has on my patients has always been the driving force behind doing all the things I do for the profession. Miracles happen all the time in chiropractic offices around the world. Now we just need further research to try to understand and describe how these amazing results occur,” said Dr. Betz.

Dr. Betz has been an active member of the ICA since 1997, and his contributions to the organization have been substantial. As the Chair of the ICA Research Committee, he has focused on defending radiography in chiropractic through the publication of peer-reviewed research.

Dr. Betz’s commitment to subluxation-based chiropractic and the ICA mission has been unwavering. “The mission of the ICA to protect and promote subluxation-based chiropractic is the reason why I have always supported the ICA since my time as a student at Life University. No other organization in the world has this mission. I believe the correction of the subluxation is what makes chiropractic unique and the main factor that can propel chiropractic throughout the world as a distinct health care profession,” said Dr. Betz.

“I have always admired the commitment of individuals to serve as part of a team that brings together chiropractors of different backgrounds with the common goal of advancing subluxation-based chiropractic. Just to be a part of the ICA team, along with every member across the globe, is an honor in itself,” added Dr. Betz.

Looking to the future, Dr. Betz anticipates the growth and acceptance of subluxation-based chiropractic within the healthcare community. He envisions a profession that garners universal respect and recognition, saying, “I look forward to seeing the profession evolve into one that embraces universal respect within our profession. Subluxation-based chiropractic will be recognized and accepted as both scientific-based and patient-focused within the greater healthcare community.”

ICA President Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson also recognized Dr. Betz’s exceptional talent and commitment, saying, “There were many deserving nominees for Chiropractor of the Year this year. Ultimately, Dr. Betz received the award based on his integrity, willingness to serve, dedication to this profession, support and loyalty to the ICA, his extraordinary depth of knowledge and understanding of the history of chiropractic… Need I say more? It is my privilege and honor to serve with this man and to say congratulations.”

The ICA congratulates Dr. Joseph Betz on receiving the Chiropractor of the Year award for 2023 and commends his tireless dedication to advancing the field of chiropractic and his commitment to his patients.

First In-Person Annual Meeting Since 2019

Falls Church, VA (April 22, 2022) The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) conducted its 96^th Annual meeting in Spartanburg, SC this month in conjunction with a Continuing Education Program – Whole Person Health and Subluxation Chiropractic – the Science, Art, Philosophy, and Regulation held at Sherman College of Chiropractic April 7-9.

In addition to the conference attendees, the ICA Board, and members of the Representative Assembly, four prior ICA Presidents attended – Dr. Robert Braile, Dr. Gary Walsemann, Dr. George Curry, and Dr. Stephen Welsh.

Dr. Selina Sigafoose Jackson, current ICA Board President stated, “It is a statement to the dedication of our membership and leadership to have held such a successful gathering where the focus was on keeping chiropractic in the lane of chiropractic while working to expand the availability of chiropractic care worldwide and promoting the opportunity of becoming a chiropractor. We had four past presidents in attendance throughout the weekend, engaging with our Assembly and Board. They stayed on and attended our Continuing Education program. This level of participation is a testament to the dedication of these individuals to the ICA.”

Continuing Education Program:  Dr. Edwin Cordero offered the keynote address to launch the continuing education program, sharing words of wisdom regarding the importance of leadership, reflection on his time serving in the Navy, his roots in Puerto Rico, on increasing diversity in the profession, and integrating the philosophical principles of chiropractic into the care of patients.

The continuing education program included top experts in the profession including Dr. Selina Sigafoose Jackson, Dr. Jamie Browning, Dr. Christine Theodossis, Dr. Lora Tanis, Dr. George Curry, Dr. Karlos Boghosian, Dr. Joseph Betz, Dr. Todd McDougle, Dr. Tim Young, Dr. Michael Longyear, and Dr. Meaghan McGinnity Longyear.

ICA Board Officers Elected:  The Board conducted its elections, Dr. Selina Sigafoose Jackson continues in her role as President, Dr. Joseph Betz was elected Vice President, Dr. Brian Moriarty was elected Secretary, and Dr. Jon Stucky was re-elected as Treasurer.

Fellows of the ICA:  The Fellows of the ICA (FICA) held their annual breakfast and inducted two news Fellows. Dr. Brian Moriarty of Stuart, Florida and Dr. Edwin Cordero, President of Sherman College of Chiropractic of Orlando, Florida. They also held the vote for Chiropractor of the Year which was announced at the Saturday Evening Awards Banquet.

Awards Banquet: The ICA was honored to have Mr. Kenneth Stethem, as our Banquet Keynote. Mr. Stethem, a retired Navy SEAL and Senior EOD technician has over 40 years in the military and defense industries. Mr. Stethem is currently the CEO of Aegis Industries, LLC. The mission of Aegis Industries is to defend, protect, and preserve life.

Mr. Stethem spoke about his family’s extensive history with the U.S. Navy, the importance of duty, and the ultimate sacrifice his brother Robert made during the hijacking of TWA 847 in 1985. Mr. Stethem also spoke about the significant role regular chiropractic care has played in his life and the life of other special warfare operators as well.

Dr. Chester Wilk was awarded the Preserving the Profession Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contribution to the ICA and Chiropractic across his lifetime including never giving up in the landmark case, Wilk vs. the AMA. As we go to press, the ICA has learned from the family that Dr. Wilk passed away on the afternoon of April 21, 2022. The entire profession is indebted to Dr. Wilk and those who fought with him for 12 long years in the federal courts to finally win against the most powerful medical organization in the country who had conspired to restrain the trade of chiropractors across the country.

Chiropractor of the Year Award:  Dr. Lorenzo E. “Larry” Marchese of Nutley, NJ was awarded the ICA Chiropractor of the Year for 2022. Dr. Marchese has a long history of volunteerism within the chiropractic profession and the ICA. He currently serves on the ICA Board of Directors, where he is a member of the Executive Committee. He previously served as Chairman of the ICA Representative Assembly, having been elected by his peers when he served as the Representative for New Jersey. As Chairman, he mentored representatives from all 50 states, and over 52 countries where the ICA has membership.  A 1983 graduate of Life University Dr. Marchese is a past member of the Board of Trustees of Life University.

About the Award:  The ICA Chiropractor of the Year Award was created by ICA’s Founder  Dr. BJ Palmer in 1950 and presented annually to one exceptional individual who has distinguished themselves throughout their career through extraordinary service to the ICA and the chiropractic profession. Its recipient is elected during the annual meeting of the Distinguished Fellows of the ICA held in conjunction with the Association’s annual meetings.

Herbert Ross Reaver Award:  The ICA Board voted unanimously to award Dr. Timothy Meng the Herbert Ross Reaver Award for his more than thirty years of leadership and service to the ICA and chiropractic profession. Dr. Meng served as a member of the Representative Assembly before being asked by Dr. Sid Williams to serve as the ICA Secretary in 1982, when Dr. Williams was elected as ICA President. Dr. Meng has continued his service on the Board for most of the last 30 years, most recently serving as the Chairman of the Governance Committee. A graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College. Dr. Meng is active in his local community including on the Eagle Scout Board, and for many years he has served on the Cleveland University Board of Trustees, including as Chairman.

The Herbert Ross Reaver Award is named to honor former ICA Vice President to the first ICA President and Founder, Dr. B.J. Palmer. Dr. Reaver was known during his lifetime as the most jailed man in the history of chiropractic, having been arrested 12 times in the 1930s and ’40s. His principled focus on refusing to plead out on charges that he was ‘practicing medicine without a license’ played a pivotal role in the licensing of chiropractic across the states as a separate and distinct profession.

A number of other awards were issued during the banquet by Dr. Sigafoose-Jackson:

Dr. Irene Adamczuk of New York was awarded the Unsung Hero Award for her diligence in always showing up, always being willing to say yes when asked to serve.

Dr. Gary Walsemann of Alabama was awarded the Spirit of Chiropractic Award for 50 years of service to the ICA and Chiropractic.

Dr. Hugo V. Gibson of Missouri was awarded the Spirit of Chiropractic Award for 50 years of service to the ICA and Chiropractic.

Dr. Amit (Jimmy) Nanda of Toronto, Canada was awarded the International Missions Service Award in recognition for his service to the ICA and Chiropractic in arranging chiropractic mission trips to India.

Dr. Brant Hulsebus of Illinois was awarded the Bob Hulsebus Legislative Leadership Award in recognition of his service in advocacy for the ICA and Chiropractic at the state and federal levels. The award is named after his father who like Brant devoted countless hours advocating for state and federal legislation to improve chiropractic policies.

Dr. Robert De Bonis of the US Virgin Islands was awarded the Endless Passion Award in recognition of his significant service to the ICA and Chiropractic including years as a member of the Representative Assembly and his numerous trips to China to promote Chiropractic on behalf of ICA.

Dr. Chris Ehlich of South Carolina was awarded the Bruce Ehlich Service Award for his long and dedicated service to the ICA and Chiropractic, especially in his most recent role as Parliamentarian of the Representative Assembly. The award is named for his father, Bruce Ehlich. His mother, Dr. Judith Ehlich, a chiropractor for more than 50 years was in attendance to see her son receive the award.

Dr. Gene Cretsinger of Iowa received the ICA Perseverance Award in recognition of his service to the ICA and Chiropractic for his countless acts of service.

Dr. Claire Welsh was awarded the ICA Unstoppable Award for all her work including on the  Assembly, before her service on the ICA Board, her work with the Adam Apfelblat Development Fund, the China chiropractic promotion program and most importantly, ICA membership recruitment.

Dr. Edwin Cordero was awarded the ICA Principled Leadership Award in recognition of his service to the ICA and Chiropractic. Dr. Cordero, US Navy Veteran, who practiced in Florida for many years has spent the last 10 years as President of Sherman Chiropractic College, where he doubled the enrollment, increased diversity of the student body population significantly, and expanded the campus.

Save The Dates:  The ICA has set the dates for the next four years Annual Conventions:

April 20-23, 2023,      April 11-13, 2024,      April 3-5, 2025

The 100^th ICA Anniversary Celebration April 16-18, 2026

ICA Executive Director, Beth Clay stated, “The ICA is incredibly appreciative of the warm South Carolina welcome we received at the Sherman College of Chiropractic, the staff and most especially, the College’s President, Dr. Edwin Cordero. Sherman’s new meeting facility was the perfect place for our continuing education program. We also appreciate the contributions of our speakers, our leadership and our honored guest, Mr. Kenneth Stethem. For those who were not able to attend the continuing education program in person, an opportunity access this will be made available in the very near future through the ICA Website.

About the ICA:  The International Chiropractors Association is the oldest continuously active international chiropractic organization. Established in 1926 by the developer of chiropractic, Dr. B.J. Palmer, the ICA represents practitioners, educators, students, and lay persons worldwide who are dedicated to the chiropractic profession. The ICA has traditionally been and continues to be recognized as representing the moderate voice of the chiropractic profession. The ICA represents and promotes the interests of chiropractic, chiropractors, and the patients they serve through advocacy, research, communication, and education. The ICA Mission is to protect and promote chiropractic throughout the world as a distinct health care profession predicated upon its unique philosophy, science, and art of subluxation detection and correction.

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Falls Church, VA (April 21, 2022) The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Lorenzo E. “Larry” Marchese has been awarded the organization’s highest honor, the ICA Chiropractor of the Year for 2022 during the ICA Annual Convention this month. Dr. Marchese maintains an active chiropractic practice in Nutley, NJ where he resides with his wife, Debbie.

Dr. Marchese has a long history of volunteerism within the chiropractic profession and the ICA. He currently serves on the ICA Board of Directors, where he is a member of the Executive Committee. He previously served as Chairman of the ICA Representative Assembly, having been elected by his peers when he served as the Representative for New Jersey. As Chairman, he mentored representatives from every state, and over 52 countries where the ICA has membership.  Dr. Marchese received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1983 from Life University and is a past member of their Board of Trustees.

Upon the selection, Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson, ICA Board President stated, “Dr. Marchese is one of the finest, shining examples of Give, Love, Serve, Do. I felt honored to have witnessed Dr. Larry receive the award and, in his nature, and fashion, he was shocked and humbled. I am so proud to call him a colleague and more so friend. Much deserved.”

Professor Hugo V. Gibson, DC, FICA President of the Distinguished Fellows of the ICA provided, “To be nominated by your peers for the Chiropractor of the Year is an honor all by itself. To be elected by the members of the Distinguished Fellows of the ICA to be the Chiropractor of the Year is indeed a very special honor.  It is the highest honor that a chiropractor can be accorded in the world. Sincere congratulations to Dr. Larry Marchese on having been elected as the 2022 ICA Chiropractor of the Year.”

About the Award:  The ICA Chiropractor of the Year Award was created by ICA’s Founder  Dr. BJ Palmer in 1950 and presented annually to one exceptional individual who has distinguished themselves throughout their career through extraordinary service to the ICA and the chiropractic profession. Its recipient is elected during the annual meeting of the Distinguished Fellows of the ICA held in conjunction with the Association’s annual meetings.

About the ICA:  The International Chiropractors Association is the oldest continuously active international chiropractic organization. Established in 1926 by the developer of chiropractic,   Dr. B.J. Palmer, the ICA represents practitioners, educators, students, and lay persons worldwide who are dedicated to the chiropractic profession. The ICA has traditionally been and continues to be recognized as representing the moderate voice of the chiropractic profession.

The ICA represents and promotes the interests of chiropractic, chiropractors, and the patients they serve through advocacy, research, communication, and education. The ICA Mission is to protect and promote chiropractic throughout the world as a distinct health care profession predicated upon its unique philosophy, science, and art of subluxation detection and correction.

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