The Experts

Tia Aspra is the owner of The FIRM Services, Inc. As an accomplished professional with over 20 years of expertise in healthcare billing, credentialing, and compliance, her over 20 years of experience in working with practices throughout the United States.  Throughout my career, I have developed a deep understanding of the intricacies and complexities of the healthcare industry. My extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in medical billing procedures, insurance claims, and reimbursement processes have allowed me to consistently achieve high levels of accuracy and efficiency.

Tia is a highly sought-after speaker for state associations and professional groups across the country where she brings her practice approach and high standards for billing and coding to audiences of doctors and their administrative staff.

In addition to her expertise in medical billing, she is well-versed in credentialing and compliance requirements. Tia has successfully navigated through the ever-changing regulations and guidelines, ensuring that healthcare providers remain in compliance with industry standards.

Tia’s commitment to excellence and attention to detail have earned me a reputation for delivering exceptional results. She is dedicated to providing top-notch service to healthcare organizations, optimizing their revenue cycles, and ensuring their compliance with all relevant regulations.

Dr. Brian Bickerton was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, and relocated to Florida in 1980.  He served in the US Air Force, and Air Force Reserves, and received an Honorable Discharge.  While in the Air Force, Dr. Bickerton received his Bachelor’s Degree from Troy State University.  He later completed his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Life University in 1996 and moved to New Port Richey, Pasco County Florida.

Dr. Bickerton served as President of the North Suncoast Chiropractic Society, as well as holding all other positions within the Society over the past 23 years.  Dr. Bickerton has served on the FCA Board of Directors since 2010 and was elected as FCA President in 2020.

Dr. Brian has a Family Based Practice of more than 23 years, where he incorporates adjustments, Nutrition, as well as Laser Therapy in his office.  He is also certified in Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation, and works in conjunction with several local Veterinarian Practitioners, to provide VOM treatments to Dogs, Cats, and Horses.  Dr. Bickerton is a Volunteer Unit Leader with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Jeep Unit.  He also serves on his Neighborhood Board and currently holds the position of President.

Dr. Brian Bickerton has two daughters, Meghan and Olivia.  He resides with his Wife Holly.  He enjoys outside activities like running, biking, kayaking and camping.

Kimberly A. Driggers is the owner of Driggers Law, PA, where she represents the Florida Chiropractic Association as its General Counsel and serves as one of their Lobbyists.  For the prior twenty-plus years, Ms. Driggers was in private practice in Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida, initially representing the interests of insurance companies in their defense of injury and insurance claims.  After a number of years and for the majority of her practice, she put her insurance knowledge to use in representing medical providers, injured patients, and homeowners in the denial of insurance benefits, litigating insurance claims in courts throughout Florida.

Ms. Driggers is well known in the area of Personal Injury Protection insurance law (No-Fault or PIP insurance) and has authored numerous articles, testifies regularly in the Florida Legislature, and lectures for the Florida Chiropractic Association throughout the State of Florida.  She is a longstanding member of the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys.

In August 2019, Ms. Driggers became the first Non-Chiropractor and seventh woman since 1963, to be elected to the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the international testing agency for the chiropractic profession that develops, administers and scores standardized exams for the chiropractic profession.

She received her B.A. in Psychology Magna Cum Laude from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida in 1990.  Ms. Driggers attended the Florida State University College of Law, receiving her J.D. in 1994.

Dr. Steven G. Geanopulos is a chiropractor, speaker, writer, and leader in the world of functional neurology and is quickly becoming one of America’s leading experts in lifelong, optimized living & metabolic health. His experience and clinical approach has proven that diminished health and vitality can be reclaimed by just about any proactive person at any age.

Dr G. ‘s principles of practice cover the essential keys to resolving the underlying cause of health problems including; assessing the nervous system for interference, comprehensive metabolic assessment, nutrition and fitness.

Dr. G has completed his postgraduate studies in the field of Chiropractic Neurology and attained board certification through the Carrick Institute, a distinction shared by fewer than 700 people worldwide. Dr. G is a lifelong learner and has completed hundreds of hours of training in the field of chiropractic neurology and functional medicine.

Dr. Gwilliam, Clinical Director for PayDC Chiropractic Software, graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic as Valedictorian and is a Certified Professional Coding and ICD-10 Instructor, Medical Compliance Specialist, and Certified Professional Medical Auditor.  Because he is also a clinician with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master’s of Business Administration he is a sought-after seminar speaker.  He provides expert witness testimony, medical record audits, consulting, and education for health care providers and has authored and contributed to reference books and articles for multiple publications.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS/EXPERIENCE 

• INDUSTRIAL CONSULTANT 1982-1992 COORS BREWERY, INC. – Designed and controlled chiropractic benefits for 10,000 employees and 20,000 dependents nationwide, including price control, treatment guidelines, billing and document review, and professional consultation.
• PRIVATE PRACTICE 1983-Present APPLEWOOD CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CENTER, P.C. – President, Owner, and Doctor of Chiropractic
• CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, OWNER 1989-Present BACK TALK SYSTEMS, INC. – A company specializing in the creation and distribution of premier chiropractic patient communication tools and materials.
• PRESIDENT 2004-Present THOMPSON TECHNIQUE FOUNDATION  –  A foundation dedicated to the research, development, education, and presentation of certified Thompson Terminal Point Technique materials and curriculum.
• PRESIDENT, OWNER 2008-Present COLORLINE DIGITAL PRINTING  – A company specializing in top-quality, digital printing, graphic design, and bindery services to all individuals, businesses, and industries.
• CHIROPRACTOR OF THE YEAR 2008 PARKER FOUNDATION – Honored by the prestigious Parker Foundation as the Chiropractor of the Year

POSTGRADUATE TEACHING EXPERIENCE 

• Post-Graduate faculty instructor and CCE approved.
• International Teaching Experience: Japan, Ireland France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Scotland, United Kingdom.
• Level 1 Accreditation Workman’s Compensation treating 1991-Present physician
• Certified Independent Review Consultant for the State 1991 of Colorado, Colorado Chiropractic Association
• International Certified Continuing Education Instructor 1982-Present Chiropractic Technique

PUBLICATIONS 

• You Can Expect A Miracle With Chiropractic, Robert D. Jackson, D.C. and John Hinwood, D.C., July 2013
• Chiropractic Economics, “Perception is Reality”, July 2000, page 49.
• Today’s Chiropractic, “Developing Effective Patient Brochures and Newsletters”, July/August 2000.
• Chiropractic Economics, “Ready to Add Nutrition to Your Practice?”, March 2000, page 48.
• Alternative & Complementary Therapies, “Homeopathic Human Growth Hormone for Physiologic and Psychologic Health: Three Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Studies”, December 1999, page 373.
• Chiropractic Economics, “Is Your Patient Education Program Out of Whack?”, October 1999, page 80.
• Today’s Chiropractic, “Thompson Terminal Point Technique”, July/August 1987, page 73.
• The American Chiropractic, Supplement Nutrix/Diagnostix, Volume One, Number One. February, 1987, page 64.
• ACA Journal of Chiropractic, “Coors Officials Discuss Company Wellness Program”, Summey, D.C., Stephen R. September 1989, Volume 26, Number 9.

EDUCATION 

• LIFE CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE, Marietta, GA 1979-1982 Doctor of Chiropractic Degree 1982 President of the Thompson Technique Club 1981-1982
• BRENAU COLLEGE, Atlanta, GA 1981 Physical Therapy (120 hours)
• METROPOLITAN STATE COLLEGE, Denver, CO 1979 Pre-chiropractic undergraduate requirements
• FLORIDA BIBLE COLLEGE, Hollywood, FL 1978-1979 President’s List (4.0 GPA)
• MID-PLAINS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, North Platte, NE 1976-1978 Associate Degree
  • Honor Fraternity-Phi Theta Kapa
  • Athletic scholarship recipient (basketball)
• POMONA HIGH SCHOOL, Arvada, CO 1972-1976 National Honor Society 

Dr. Evan Katz is an East Coast native and has an uncle and a cousin who are also chiropractors. He was a Life Chiropractic College West graduate in 2000. Evan started a solo practice in Boulder, (as a big skier he dreamed of living in Colorado). Almost 20 years later Dr. Katz and his wife have a busy practice, their focus is on improving the normal structure and function of patient’s spines. Evan has served on numerous boards and non-profits. Colorado Chiropractic Association, COCSA, Spinal Injury Foundation, and the Regenexx board to name a few. He has presented at many spinal conferences around the world. Dr. Katz has testified as an expert in court over 20 times explaining the complex, sometimes devastating injuries that happen in car crashes and the importance of chiropractic care. He was awarded CBP Chiropractor of the Year in 2016, and Researcher of the Year in 2020 and 2021 “Innovator of the Year” by the Colorado Chiropractic Association. Dr. Katz has published in multiple peer-reviewed journals. As of 2023, he has been published in the journal Brain Circulation, and in 2020 published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on spinal instability in injured vs non-injured population.  Dr. Katz was one of the primaries establishing the new 2019 ICA certification program AMTI. Evan started Professionallyintegrated.com which allows doctors to have access to spinal information to help educate, document, and improve patient outcomes. 

In his free time, he loves being with his family, fly fishing, and is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Dr. Jeff Lewin is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician and a graduate of New York Chiropractic College.  He established his practice in Coral Springs, Florida in 1990 and soon after created one of the first multidisciplinary practices in the country combining chiropractic with medical physicians and physical therapists all under one roof.  This type of coordinated care combined the best of all disciplines for the betterment of his patients and became the model for hundreds of similar practices around the United States.

Dr. Lewin has been a practice and business coach to thousands of doctors around the world helping them build successful practices that deliver outstanding clinical outcomes.  He presents at conferences throughout the United States as well as Canada, Mexico, Israel, and the Caribbean helping doctors build practices that are also successful businesses.

Dr. Lewin has served on the medical staff of numerous athletic competitions including American Volleyball Professionals tournaments as well as 19th Maccabiah Games held in Israel.

Dr. Lewin resides in Parkland, Florida with his wife, Susan where they have raised their four sons.

John E. Lewis, Ph.D. is the Founder and President of Dr Lewis Nutrition™ (https://www.drlewisnutrition.com) and past full-time and current Voluntary Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is a Diplomate, Faculty Member, and Advisor of the Medical Wellness Association. He has been the principal investigator of over 30 different studies in his research career. During that time, he either directly raised or indirectly supported raising over $23 million in grants, gifts, and contracts for research studies and clinical trials, and educational programs for medical students. Much of his research has focused on evaluating the effects of nutrition, dietary supplementation, exercise, and medical devices on various aspects of human health and disease. He and his colleagues have been continually searching for ways to help people achieve and maintain health through natural treatments that align with our physiology.

In addition to his research, Dr. Lewis has been an invited national and international lecturer and guest speaker at conferences and workshops and as a guest on television shows, where he discusses not only the findings of his research but to provide guidance and recommendations as an expert in the field of health and wellness. Furthermore, he has over 180 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals, where his work has first appeared in print, including some of the leading scientific journals, such as AIDS and Behavior, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Journal of Public Health, Journal of the International AIDS Society, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Nutrition, and Cancer: An International Journal, Sports Medicine, Stroke, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and The Gerontologist. He has also mentored many different students, from undergraduates to post-doctoral trainees, in how to conduct clinical research and apply the principles of health promotion into daily practice.  His seminal publication from the study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, not only spurred him to leave academics and pursue a science-based business career but also enabled him to be selected for a widely-acclaimed TEDxMiami talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOJr0sxmxGI) about how dietary supplementation can improve brain health.

Dr. Lewis also embodies the model of health and wellness by eating a whole-food, plant-based diet for over 26 years, taking certain key dietary supplements, and through a rigorous, daily exercise training program. John has a passion for educating others about the value of nutrition, exercise, and health, and he will continue to study the application of clinical nutrition for the benefit of mankind.

Dr. John Lockenour is a 1977 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic.  After completing his graduate degree, he completed a diplomat through the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedist.  Additional certification in chiropractic rehabilitation, manipulation under anesthesia, and applied diagnostic testing, along with a fellowship in the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture give him a vast background  that he brings to teaching and consulting.  Over the last 28 years of full-time practice, Dr. Lockenour built one of the largest and most successful chiropractic practices in the State of Indiana.  As vice president of the Indiana State chiropractic Association, he was the only doctor to receive chiropractor of the year on two occasions, once in 1991 and again in 2000.  For the last 20 years, Dr. Lockenour has taught postgraduate courses in orthopedics, whiplash injuries, physical therapy, nutrition, and practice management. A previous  Assistant Professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida. His informative and motivational style of speaking makes him a very popular speaker and sought-after consultant.

By the age 28, Dr. CJ Mertz had already built his own Waiting List Practice. Serving a thousand patient’s visits per week, Dr. Mertz devised the most power and complete practice strategy ever known. His cash-like system was both affordable for patients and highly profitable. Dr. CJ’s patient education and communication systems inspired his patients to continue beyond corrective care plans, into proactive wellness care. Through an outpouring of peer requests worldwide, Dr. CJ Mertz founded The Waiting List Practice and Full Potential Leadership training programs. Since 1984 he has traveled almost four million miles, teaching more than 700 seminars, trained with nearly 16,000 doctors while visiting over 3600 private practices all over the globe. The award winning XLR8TM system has successfully built more practices serving greater than 400 patients per week profitably, than any other coaching program in history. Dr. Mertz is continually studying and researching business in the key areas that lead to new practice breakthroughs. “Now that these coaching tools are developed, troubleshooting to serve more people in your community has become a science for XLR8 clients around the world to reach their full potential.”

Mr. Musallam began his career working for a Fortune 100 company and a mid-size medical device organization prior to founding Excite Medical. He is a healthcare entrepreneur that has traveled across the United States and to over 50 foreign countries, providing training and sharing his company’s non-surgical spinal decompression equipment. As a result, Excite Medical’s technologies are utilized in over 1,000 healthcare centers in the U.S. alone and have treated over a million patients suffering from herniated/bulging discs and degenerative disc disease. Mr. Musallam possesses a strong passion for bringing awareness of validated alternative medicine options to the traditional medical community. This passion has lead him to pursue a graduate degree in Healthcare Systems Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University, where he is currently enrolled.  Additionally, Mr. Musallam is a member of the American Public Health Association & American Society for Healthcare Engineering amongst other notable organizations.

Attorney Michael G. Silverman is a founding partner of Silverman Bain, LLP, whose practice focuses on advising healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs on all aspects of their business operations, from startups through ongoing operations and sales.

Born and raised in South Florida into a chiropractic household, Michael obtained his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and his juris doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law.

Michael regularly lectures at healthcare industry and trade events nationwide, where he enjoys engaging with the audience to provide practical regulatory education. When not consumed by his passion for law and business, Michael is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys spending time with his loved ones and golden retrievers.

Dr. Steele is currently in private practice at Premier Rehab in the greater St. Louis area.  He began his career with a post-graduate residency at The Central Institute for Human Performance. During this unique opportunity, he was able to create and implement rehabilitation programs for members of the St. Louis Cardinals, Rams, and Blues. Dr. Steele currently lectures extensively on evidence-based treatment of musculoskeletal disorders for the University of Bridgeport’s diplomate in orthopedics program.  He serves on the executive board of the Illinois Chiropractic Society.  He is a Diplomate and Fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists (FACO). His mission in practice is to get people in and out of pain as fast as possible; then give each patient the education and rehabilitation to never see them again. Dr. Steele is also the co-founder ofChiroUp.com, a resource used around the world by practicing chiropractors and colleges.