Rebekah Wilks, DC is a chiropractor, educator, and global health policy leader dedicated to advancing spinal health through evidence-informed, person-centered care. A graduate of the University of Western States (USA), she serves as a staff chiropractor at the Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Florida and as adjunct faculty at multiple chiropractic institutions. She holds a B.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology and a B.A. in Business, Chemistry, and Communications from the Texas Tech University Honors College. Rebekah is a strong advocate for patient education, physical literacy, and collaborative, interprofessional approaches to spine care across the lifespan. She also serves as Director of Strategy and Policy for the World Federation of Chiropractic and represents the profession within the World Health Organization’s World Rehabilitation Alliance, where she is Workforce Workstream Chair.
Danielle Wiesner is an evidence-based chiropractor committed to advancing global spinal health through patient-centred care, education, and interprofessional collaboration. She holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology from Brock University and a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, where she completed an internship at St. Michael’s Hospital. As a Past President of the World Congress of Chiropractic Students, she has represented the World Federation of Chiropractic and the International Federation of Medical Students Associations at the World Health Assembly, promoting equitable access to spinal care and non-communicable disease prevention. In addition to her work as a spinal health advocate, Danielle is in private practice in Ontario, Canada. She currently serves on the World Health Organization World Rehabilitation Alliance Advocacy & Communications Task Force.
Rebecca Bauer graduated from Brock University with a degree in Biomedical Sciences. Rebecca went on to graduate from Northeast College of Health Sciences (formerly New York Chiropractic College) with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, and a Masters of Applied Clinical Nutrition degree. She is passionate about unifying and advancing the chiropractic profession by increasing awareness, access to care and enhancing interprofessional collaboration. Rebecca practiced for 5 years in Niagara Falls Canada before committing to her full time Faculty role at Northeast College of Health Sciences. Rebecca enjoys teaching evidence-based case management, integrative healthcare practices, and clinical nutrition. As a former national level gymnast, Rebecca enjoys treating local NCAA athletes addressing proper biomechanics and performance optimization. She began the RAND REACH Scholar program in September 2025.
Florian Allix is a French chiropractor who graduated in 2024. He is the first chiropractor in France to obtain a university diploma in pain management, reflecting his strong academic and clinical interest in the field of chronic pain. In addition, he is the first chiropractor in the country to be officially certified by the French Ministry of Health for his knowledge and clinical competencies in the management of endometriosis, highlighting his commitment to advancing women’s health within chiropractic care. Beyond his academic achievements, Florian has been actively engaged in international student leadership. As an alumnus of the World Congress of Chiropractic Students (WCCS), he served as Director of External Affairs, where he contributed to strengthening the organisation’s global presence and fostering collaboration between chiropractic students and healthcare institutions worldwide.
Lykke Holst Hoffbeck is a Danish chiropractor currently completing her internship year at Kiropraktorerne Kongevej in Southern Denmark. She earned her chiropractic degree from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), where she was actively engaged in student life and served as president of the Nordic chiropractic student association. Through this role, she gained valuable experience in leadership, collaboration, and promoting the chiropractic profession among peers. She is enthusiastic about connecting with colleagues worldwide and helping to strengthen the visibility and impact of spinal health. With her dedication and enthusiasm, she looks forward to contributing to the World Spine Day Global Executive Committee and supporting its mission.
Hayden Thomas, of Nelson, New Zealand, graduated with a BSc in physiology from the University of Auckland in 1999 and from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic in 2001. He is a practicing chiropractor and co-director of a multi-disciplinary practice. Between 2009 and 2023 Hayden served in a number of capacities on the council of the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association including as its president for six years, where he represented the association at WFC events around the world. He has also served as co-chair on the board of Allied Health Aotearoa NZ, a group representing over 30 allied health associations and 30,000 healthcare professionals.
John graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa in 1977. Since 1978 he has been in continuous private practice in Blythe, California. Throughout his professional career John has been active at the state and national levels involving legislation, education and licensure. He has also served in different leadership positions including two terms as the President of the International Chiropractors Association (2005-2009) and as Chairman of the Board (2009-2013). John is past president of the Distinguished Fellows of the ICA. In his home state of California he has served as president of the ICA of California (ICAC) and is currently on their Board of Directors. John is an experienced speaker and his lectures include topics on geriatrics, disc pathology, chiropractic ethics, and technique applications. In 2003 he was named Educator of the Year by the ICAC and in 2007 was further recognized as Chiropractor of the Year by the International Chiropractors Association. Dr. Maltby and his wife Debbie have a son, also a chiropractor, a daughter and several grandchildren.
Dinesh was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland. Dinesh is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, and researcher. While in medical school, he was involved in a car accident that caused a spinal cord injury. Dinesh has completed a Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the College of Law, Emergency Medicine Certificate at the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, and Doctor of Medicine and Griffith University. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors under a Disability Leadership Scholarship. Dinesh works in the emergency department at the Gold Coast University Hospital. He is a researcher and senior lecturer at the Griffith University. Dinesh is a researcher in spinal cord injury, co-leading the BioSpine research team. He is a doctor for the Gold Coast Titans physical disability rugby team. Dinesh was a senior advisor to the Disability Royal Commission. He is an ambassador to the Human Rights Commission’s Includeability program. He is a founding member of Doctors with Disabilities Australia. He is an advisory board member to HealthyLife, a Woolworths company. Dinesh is a John Monash Scholar. He is an independent non-executive director of George Steuart & Co, one of the oldest companies in the world and oldest in Sri Lanka. Dinesh is a non-executive director of the Housing Hub, started by the Summers Foundation. Dinesh was the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service’s Junior Doctor of the Year in 2018. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019. He was the third Australian to be awarded a Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. He was the 2021 Griffith University Young Alumnus of the Year. Dinesh was the Queensland Australian of the Year for 2021. In 2022, Dinesh was listed as number 33 in the Courier Mail’s top 100 power list for Queensland’s most influential in health and wellbeing. His autobiography, Stronger, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2022.
