Speak with an admissions advisor. 562-475-4604
Speak with an admissions advisor. 602-887-5780
Speak with an admissions advisor. 562-580-0525
Every year, the California Chiropractic Association (CalChiro) seeks to honor individuals, districts and student chapters who have shown exceptional leadership in the organization, chiropractic profession and the community.
The 2022 CalChiro award winners were recognized at CalChiro’s Fall Conference 2022 at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa on Saturday, Oct. 1.
Following are our Southern California University of Sciences (SCU) – Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (LACC) 2022 CalChiro Awardees:
EIRA PEREZ, SCU CalChiro President, ICPA TreasureThe CalChiro Student of the Year Award is presented to a chiropractic student who has performed outstanding service to his/her student body and the chiropractic profession and has excelled in his/her personal achievement.
“One of my biggest accomplishments serving as the current SCU Cal Chiro President is being able to advocate for our profession during Legislation Day,” said Eira. “It was my proudest moment because as a student I felt like I was able to make a difference by talking about patients’ testimony on how chiropractic care has changed there lives. My mission is to help students find their voice in legislation and help them to grow and connect with other chiropractic professionals.”
ABOUT EIRA:
This is the third year in a row that a SCU LACC student has been awarded CalChiro Student of the Year. Katie Sakamoto was the 2021 Student of the Year; and Jonathan Anthony Enriquez Carlos was the 2020 Student of the Year.
SHAYLA RAE HARTZThe Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship recipients will demonstrate a commitment to advocating for diversity and inclusion in their educational career as well as in the community at large.
“My favorite part about advocating for diversity and inclusion is creating a space for others to thrive and feel heard,” said Shayla. “I have personally spent weeks on the reservations back home connecting with other Native Americans and taking the time to hear their stories, goals, struggles, etc. I love being a part of letting them know they are seen and empowering them to take the first step towards their goal. For many, I am able to connect them with professionals that can act as their mentors. CalChiro has allowed me to expand this network, introducing me to individuals throughout the country.”
ABOUT SHAYLA:
CALCHIRO STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE YEAR: The CalChiro Student Chapter of the Year Award is given to the student chapter that has made outstanding accomplishments for the Chiropractic profession and/or fulfillment of CalChiro programs for the year.
2022 is the third consecutive year that SCU/LACC has received the CalChiro Student Chapter of the Year award. LACC also received the Most Improved Student Chapter award for 2022. In addition, LACC took the prize as the 2022 CalChiro Quiz Bowl winner!
Dr. Al Nunez, LACC Class of ’82The CalChiro Doctor of the Year Award is presented to the member doctor who has performed outstanding service to the profession.
Dr. Nunez (right) and his wife, Caron (left), posing with his CalChiro Doctor of the Year Award.
What does receiving the CCA Doctor of the Year award mean to you?
“Receiving the DOTY award was an acknowledgment of consistently and persistently over 40 years of commitment to constantly providing the best possible services that I could to my patients and to keep working on improving my techniques while eliminating methods that were not working! My dad used to say, “If what you’re doing doesn’t work, don’t keep doing it!” and I added, “try something else”. This led to my development of the 3D Chiropractic Technique which treats the front of the body as much as the back. I also wrote two books, one, a workbook that helps people to help themselves with muscle pain called “How to Keep Chiropractors Off Your Back” and the other is a book of sayings that I use to help patients remember important concepts and healthy habits. I have served as president of the local CCA district for the last three years and served on another district as a VP as well. Thank you to SCUHS for preparing me to do this great work of chiropractic on hurting patients and change their lives from feeling like a victim to being victorious over pain and disability. A big hello to my fellow students from the class of December 1982! Please call me to let me know how you are.”
Why did you choose Chiropractic?
“When I was early on in my marriage my wife suddenly and without warning developed severe neck pain! She couldn’t move and had tremendous pain and was terrified. We went to our MD who thought it was an allergic reaction and gave her Benadryl which did nothing. In desperation we looked in the phone book, the yellow pages, I guess that ages me! My wife liked a young guy with a big beard and a big ad but I said no way! Too young! Ha, ha. So, I found an old guy with a little ad and a face that was as plain and friendly as could be and I said, “that is the guy!” He opened his office in the evening and was very gentle with her and in 3 visits had her right as rain. His name was George Krug and I believe he was an LACC grad. The rest is history. Her bad neck opened my eyes to non-drug, non-surgical relief of severe pain and I had to try it.”
CALCHIRO SCU ALUMNI RECEPTION An SCU Alumni Dinner Reception was hosted during the CalChiro Conference on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 for alumni & friends to network, reconnect.
Among the attendees were Dr. John Scaringe, SCU President; Dr. Ana Facchinato, LACC Dean; SCU faculty alums: Dr. Robb Russell ’82; Dr. Xavier Ramirez ’18; Dr. Alan Nunez ’82, who received the 2022 CalChiro Doctor of the Year Award; Dr. Anne Lundquist ’90, CalChiro Director- Focusing on Membership/District Development; and Dr. Arash Aalem ’18, CalChiro Director- New Practitioner Director; as well as Dr. Melinda Turner.
Several current LACC students were also in attendance, including the winning LACC Quiz Bowl Team, as well as LACC Admin Coordinator Julie Gonzalez who assisted with the SCU/LACC booth at CalChiro.
“Our attendees were very happy to see SCU’s CalChiro presence and to have time to catch up with their alma mater, including the President, LACC Dean, and fellow classmates,” said Elizabeth Robledo, DACM, L.Ac, Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations . “Our guests were excited to hear from Dr. Scaringe that SCU/LACC plans to host an Alumni reception at all upcoming CalChiro Conferences.”
Dr. Scaringe also provided new program updates, introduced LACC faculty members, and LACC students who were present at the reception. Dr. Facchinato gave a speech in which she shared her excitement of seeing the LACC family together at the event. She provided updates on LACC’s growth, positive trends in retention, graduation and NBCE passage scores and boasted about LACC students winning the quiz bowl while alumni guests enjoyed hor d’oeuvres and cheered for the ongoing success and prosperity of LACC and SCU.