Northeast Community Lobbies on Capitol Hill During ACA Engage 2025 Conference
More than 25 representatives from Northeast College of Health Sciences traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby US Congress in support of the chiropractic profession and attend the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Engage conference Jan. 23-25, 2025.
In addition to bringing the chiropractic community together, the annual event features cutting-edge education, networking, leadership opportunities and a day to convene on Capitol Hill. With help setting up meetings from alumna Caitlin Simpson (D.C. 18), Northeast students and faculty from New York visited the offices of 11 congressional representatives from the state. Students from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Hampshire visited reps from their home states.
#NortheastBlue Support Each Other and Profession, Current and Future
The topic of discussion was the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act (H.R. 539/S. 106), rereleased one week before the annual conference in D.C. And the Northeast community was armed with issue briefs and prepared with statistics and data to demonstrate the need for better access to chiropractic services for current and future patients.
Dr. Bill Lauretti, Northeast professor and SACA advisor for the College organization, noted one reason why expanding access to chiropractic care is so important. “It offers a safe, natural, drug- and surgery-free approach to healthcare, including chronic pain management,” Lauretti said. “Compare that to the opioid crisis, with so many people prescribed strong drugs that are not that effective for managing pain. The contrast makes our brand of healthcare very attractive, not only to the public, but even more so to healthcare leaders."
Faculty, alumni and administrators, including Northeast College President Dr. Michael Mestan, Associate Provost Dr. J. Todd Knudsen and Assistant Vice President Dr. Jean-Nicholas Poirier joined Professor Lauretti and Assistant Professor Dr. Laura Passamonte who supported Northeast students during the three-day conference, also full of opportunities for professional camaraderie and networking with doctors and industry leaders.
#NortheastBlue Students Alumni Receive ACA Leadership Awards
Among the awards presented during the ACA conference, Northeast students Cassie Cavell (D.C. ‘26) won the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) Leadership Recognition Award for leading the SACA research committee and Jade Carbuccia (D.C. ’26) won the Diversity Equity and Inclusion scholarship. Northeast alum Kathryn Kennedy (D.C. ‘22) of South Burlington Vermont won the ACA Alternative Delegate of the Year award, and Brooke Green (D.C ‘24) and Lauren Williams (D.C. ‘24) were recognized for completing their terms as SACA national chair and vice-chair, respectively.
The trip was made possible by the generous contributions of many Northeast alumni and friends, particularly the New York State Chiropractic Association, and Northeast chiropractic students who attended are so grateful for the opportunity.