A historic meeting between chiropractic and Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) leadership took place on March 10th, 2026, in Washington, D.C., featuring representatives from chiropractic national organizations, professional associations and policy principals. The collective goal: advancing the role of chiropractic in improving the health of Americans. Meeting participants focused on long-standing issues that have affected the chiropractic profession for decades, including access to care, reimbursement parity, and ensuring DCs have an appropriate role in national health policy discussions.
| Digital ExclusiveSherman College of Chiropractic Names Faculty, Staff Member of Year
Dr. Ron Castellucci and enrollment services professional Kristy Shepherd were recently honored by Sherman College of Chiropractic in appreciation of their contributions, time and commitment to the college.
An associate professor of clinical sciences at the college, Dr. Castellucci was named Faculty Member of the Year. "Dr. Castellucci is always there for his students," said Dean of Clinical Sciences, Joe J. Donofrio, DC, ACP. "His skill in teaching chiropractic technique and his ability to draw students in is exceptional. We are very lucky to have him on our faculty."
Dr. Castellucci maintains a wellness-oriented family practice in Hendersonville, N.C. He is a 1988 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic and a member of the Academy of Chiropractic Philosophers. After 10 years of successful practice in Lexington, Mass., Dr. Castellucci moved south to join the Sherman College faculty in 1998. He teaches full-spine techniques, spinal palpation and patient education.
Dr. Castellucci also teaches pediatric adjusting techniques worldwide for the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). In addition to his passion for teaching, Dr. Castellucci enjoys an active, outdoor lifestyle in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains with his wife, Doreen, and two children, Nicholas and Amy Lynn.
Shepherd, director of admissions and international student advisor, was named Staff Member of the Year. "Kristy Shepherd is an integral member of the admissions team," said Vice President for Enrollment Services, Kelley Jones Ashcraft, MBA. "She continually looks for and finds creative solutions to the challenges our department faces, but she is much more than an idea person. She also implements the solutions, taking care of numerous details, while providing exemplary customer service to our prospective and current students. She is a primary force behind our recent surge in enrollment."
Shepherd joined the Sherman staff in 2008 as an admission counselor and was soon promoted to director of admission. She serves as advisor to the college's many international students. Shepherd earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Winthrop University in 1996 and is pursuing a master's degree in organizational change and leadership at Columbia College in Columbia, S.C. She completed the Leadership Spartanburg program in 2013.
Kristy and her husband, Frank, live in Boiling Springs with their 7-year-old daughter, Grace.
Source: Sherman College of Chiropractic