The Engage 2026 Conference Daily brings you information and announcements to help maximize your ACA Engage experience, along with highlights from the day’s events.
Updates & Reminders
Education Participants: Turn in Your CE Attendance Cards
Don’t forget to return your CE attendance card to Lori Hall in the Alexandria Room or drop it off at the Registration Desk on Saturday before you travel home.
SACA and NextGen Invited to Deliberative Discussion
SACA and NextGen members are invited to attend the deliberative discussion that will take place at the House of Delegates meeting on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Delegates will discuss “The Changing Landscape of Chiropractic Employment,” exploring changes taking place that offer both exciting opportunities and new challenges.
PAC Raffle: Drawing on Saturday
The PAC raffle drawing will be tomorrow when the House of Delegates adjourns. You don’t need to be present to win, so be sure to donate and get a ticket and a chance to win.
Room & Time Changes to Pediatric Workshop
The Pediatric Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 24, has been moved from Salon 1–3 to the Fairfax Room on the 2nd level. The time has also changed to 12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Download the Conference App
To make the most of your conference experience, download the Engage app for iPhone or Android. Once installed, use the code “engage2026” to launch the app and access a wealth of information.
Education: Innovative Topics, Tailored to Different Learning Styles
Engage 2026 education programming features a mixture of topics and formats to suit different interests and learning styles, along with up to 16 CE credits. In addition to the Pediatric Workshop, attendees can choose from Available are 6 pre-recorded sessions (available Jan. 21-Feb. 11 on Learn ACA) and 6 in-person education sessions. Check the conference app for details.
Engage with ACA on Social Media: #ACAEngage2026
Please share Engage photos on social media – especially your photos on Capitol Hill — with the hashtag #ACAEngage2026 and tag ACA so that we can see and reshare your posts.
- Instagram & X (Twitter): @acatoday
- Facebook & LinkedIn: American Chiropractic Association
Friday, Jan. 23 News in Brief
ACA Annual Awards Presented
Every year, ACA honors individual members for their exceptional leadership, accomplishments and service on behalf of the chiropractic profession. Congratulations to winners of the 2026 Annual Awards:
Ronald Farabaugh, DC, received ACA’s highest honor, the Chiropractor of the Year Award, honoring his efforts to increase chiropractic integration via research. In addition to his other published research, Dr. Farabaugh recently authored a much-anticipated systemic review examining the cost of chiropractic care vs. medical care for spine-related musculoskeletal pain.
Valerie Johnson, DC, received ACA’s Humanitarian of the Year Award in recognition of her 20 years of service as a staff chiropractor and then supervisor in the VA healthcare system, where she provided exceptional and empathetic care to veterans and set a standard of excellence.
Brian Coleman, DC, MHS, and Nathan Schilaty, DC, PhD, share this year’s George B. McClelland Researcher of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals for developing, refining and/or expanding the body of knowledge in chiropractic.
Patrick Battaglia, DC, received the Academician of the Year Award, which recognizes an individual for their efforts in advancing the profession through academic or educational excellence.
Brad Russell, DC and Paul Dupuis, DC, received the Delegate and Alternate Delegate of the Year Awards, respectively. Both awards recognize members of the ACA House of Delegates who have demonstrated exceptional service, achievement and/or leadership.
Caitlin Simpson, DC, received the Flynn Lynch Award, which recognizes an outstanding member with no more than five years of experience serving in the House of Delegates.
McAndrews Leadership Lecture
David Elton, DC, CEO of Arete Networks and co-founder of Arete Healthcare, a mission-driven organization dedicated to supporting independent, evidence-based outpatient practices, presented this year’s McAndrews Leadership Lecture. With more than 25 years of experience in healthcare innovation, Dr. Elton brings deep expertise from past leadership roles within organizations such as UnitedHealth Group. He chose to focus his presentation today on the structures, incentives and systems holding back the chiropractic profession. He offered a fascinating look behind the curtain of healthcare network “intermediaries” that, he says, profit from keeping the chiropractic profession isolated — despite the fact that for more than 30 years research has provided solid evidence of its cost savings and effectiveness in resolving musculoskeletal complaints. Dr. Elton emphasized the need for more uniformity in EHR systems among chiropractors as an important step in enabling the profession to do more direct and fair contracting with health plans. “The market wants what you do,” he said. “They just need it in a form they are used to consuming.”
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House of Delegates Convenes
The ACA House of Delegates (HoD) gathered during Engage 2026 today to conduct elections, hear reports and engage in other discussions. Below are highlights:
Board of Governors Elections
Members of the ACA House of Delegates (HoD) today voted to fill two open seats on the association’s seven-member Board of Governors (BoG). Marc Nynas, DC, and Maithy Ta, DC, whose terms were expiring, were both re-elected. They join returning members:
- Kris Anderson, DC
- Robert Ault, DC, MBA
- Michael Massey, DC
- Adrian Stratton, MBA
- Michael Welker, DC
Note: Members of the BoG will meet tomorrow to elect the president and vice president for the next year.
Nominating Committee: House Elects New Member
The House of Delegates elected Crystal Zagwyn, DC, to the Nominating Committee. Dr. Zagwyn takes the seat held by Cindy Howard, DC, whose three-year term concluded. She joins current members of the committee:
- Jodi Dorpinghaus, DC
- Marcus Nynas, DC
State presidents and executive directors met during Engage to discuss shared challenges and opportunities. - David Paris, DC
- Michael Massey, DC
President’s Awards
ACA President Marc Nynas, DC, presented awards to five individuals who have been especially supportive of him and ACA during his tenure as president. Congratulations to:
- Carlos Guadagno, DC
- James Martin, DC
- Adrian Stratton, MBA
- Mike Welker, DC
- Karen Silberman, CAE
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State Advocacy Task Force Meets
Earlier today, the State Advocacy Task Force hosted a round table discussion with representatives from Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin focusing on Medicaid issues and how states are working to extend and restore access to chiropractic services.
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Upcoming Events on Saturday, Jan. 24
Schedule at a Glance
- 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m. Breakfast
- 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m. Legislative Committee/PAC Meeting
- 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Closing General Session, Keynote: Brian Coleman, DC, MHS
- 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Continuing Education
- 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. House of Delegates Meeting
- 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Panel Discussion: Collaboration in Chiropractic
- 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Pediatrics Workshop (registration required)
View the full schedule in the conference app (use the code “engage2026”).
Special Thanks to Engage 2026 Sponsors:
