What the 2026 ACA Awards Reveal About the Future of Chiropractic

And why outcomes, integration, and data are no longer optional

TL;DR

• The 2026 American Chiropractic Association awards aren’t about hype or technique wars—they signal where real credibility in chiropractic is coming from.
• This year rewarded research, integration, cost-effectiveness, data, and outcomes.
• Chiropractor of the Year highlighted economic proof + research alignment, not philosophy.
• VA and academic awards reinforced that trust is earned inside systems, not on social media.
• Machine learning, informatics, and outcomes research are becoming the new credentials.
• The clear shift: what can be measured, validated, and integrated wins.
• Big takeaway for Chiropractic Results: the profession is moving toward an outcomes-first, data-backed future—and platforms that verify results will matter more than ever.

The announcements coming out of the 2026 Annual Awards from the American Chiropractic Association aren’t just recognition pieces. They’re signals.

Signals about where credibility in chiropractic is being earned. Signals about what kind of work is being rewarded. And signals about how the profession is being evaluated—by health systems, researchers, policymakers, and increasingly, by data-driven platforms.

At Chiropractic Results, we don’t just ask who won awards. We ask why those individuals were elevated—and what that tells us about the direction of real-world chiropractic impact.

Here’s what this year’s honors actually reveal.

Chiropractor of the Year: Research, Integration, and Economic Proof

Ronald Farabaugh, DC (Westerville, Ohio)

Dr. Farabaugh received the ACA’s highest honor not for technique innovation or philosophical leadership—but for something far more consequential: advancing chiropractic through research, integration, and evidence-based credibility.

His work includes:

• Authoring peer-reviewed research on clinical best practices and care management
• Publishing a systematic review comparing the cost of chiropractic care versus medical care for spine-related musculoskeletal pain
• Leading efforts to ensure external clinical guidelines accurately reflect current chiropractic research

Why this matters

Cost-effectiveness, guideline alignment, and research literacy are becoming the language of legitimacy in modern health care. Chiropractic’s future isn’t just about outcomes—it’s about outcomes that hold up under scrutiny.

Chiropractic Results takeaway: When outcomes data intersects with cost efficiency, chiropractic becomes defensible at scale—to employers, payers, policymakers, and integrated health systems.

Humanitarian of the Year: Trust Is Built Inside Systems

Valerie Johnson, DC (Los Angeles, California)

Dr. Johnson’s recognition reflects over two decades of leadership inside the Veterans Administration health care system, where chiropractic has steadily gained ground—not through marketing, but through consistent clinical performance and professional credibility.

Her impact includes:

• Leading chiropractic services within the VA system
• Mentoring chiropractors inside a federal health environment
• Helping normalize chiropractic as a standard component of veteran-centered care

Why this matters

The VA doesn’t expand services based on hype. It expands based on trust, outcomes, and reliability.

Chiropractic Results takeaway: When chiropractic earns its place inside complex systems, it’s because results speak louder than branding.

Researcher of the Year: Data Is Becoming the New Credential

Brian Coleman, DC, MHS (Old Saybrook, Connecticut) Nathan Schilaty, DC, PhD (Tampa, Florida)

This year’s shared research award may be the clearest signal of all.

Dr. Coleman, a clinician-scientist and assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, conducted the first study using machine learning on chiropractic data to predict service utilization.

Dr. Schilaty, the Lincoln Endowed Chair of Biomechanics and Chiropractic Research at the University of South Florida, has advanced the science of nonsurgical spinal decompression through neuromechanics research.

Why this matters

Predictive modeling, informatics, and outcomes-based research are no longer fringe ideas. They’re becoming the infrastructure of health care decision-making.

Chiropractic Results takeaway: The chiropractors who can measure, predict, and validate outcomes will be the ones AI systems, health networks, and future patients trust first.

Academician of the Year: Education Is Going Clinical

Patrick Battaglia, DC (Camas, Washington)

As associate vice president of clinical services and community-based education at the University of Western States, Dr. Battaglia plays a pivotal role in bridging education with integrated care.

His work includes moderating VA-linked virtual grand rounds focused on real-world, interdisciplinary clinical discussions.

Why this matters

Chiropractic education is moving away from isolated silos and toward clinical relevance inside integrated systems.

Chiropractic Results takeaway: Future chiropractors will be evaluated not just on philosophy or skill—but on how well they operate within broader health ecosystems.

Leadership & Delegates: Governance Still Matters

The ACA also recognized leaders within its House of Delegates, including:

• Brad Russell, DC – Delegate of the Year
• Paul Dupuis, DC – Alternate Delegate of the Year
• Caitlin Simpson, DC – Flynn-Lynch Award recipient

Why this matters

Policy, advocacy, and internal governance shape how chiropractic is represented externally. Leadership consistency ensures the profession can move forward without fragmenting.

The Bigger Pattern: Outcomes Are the Common Thread

Across every award category, a pattern emerges:

• Research over rhetoric
• Integration over isolation
• Data over anecdotes
• Outcomes over ideology

This is the environment chiropractic is entering—whether the profession is ready or not.

At Chiropractic Results, this is exactly why verified outcomes matter. Not for trophies. Not for marketing claims. But because the future of visibility, trust, and growth will be built on proof.

Final Thought

Awards don’t change professions. What gets rewarded does.

And in 2026, chiropractic is being rewarded for credibility, data, and demonstrable impact.

That’s not a trend. That’s a direction.

— Chiropractic Results Tracking what works. Proving what matters.