April Anderson
Patient Research Coordinator

April received her Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administrations from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2008.  There she received three Chancellors Awards for academic excellence.  Prior to joining WHCCS in 2009, she held the position as an Assistant Manager of Sales from 2008-2009.  April is currently a Patient Research Coordinator at WHCCS.  She schedules evaluation and treatment visits and coordinates patient activities for several randomized clinical trials.

Roni Evans, DC, MS
Associate Professor
Dean of Research, Northwestern Health Sciences University
Director, Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies

Dr. Evans received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Winnipeg in 1989 and her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1993. She was the recipient of the Foundation of Chiropractic and Education's Peter Bommarito Research Residency Award (1995-1998) and completed her Master of Science degree in Clinical Research at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health in 2000.

Dr. Evans is the Dean of Research and the Director of the Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies (WHCCS) at Northwestern Health Sciences University. She has extensive experience implementing clinical research, and has managed study teams for over a decade. Dr. Evans has been co-investigator and coordinator of several randomized clinical trials investigating physical treatments for low back, neck and headache disorders, and has participated in several systematic reviews. She is the principal investigator of qualitative studies investigating patient beliefs, expectations, and preferences.

Dr. Evans has played a pivotal role in the design, grant-writing, and successful acquisition of five, on-going federally funded randomized clinical trials in collaboration with Dr. Bronfort and investigators from the Berman Center at Hennepin County Medical Center and the University of Minnesota. Her main areas of focus have been on multi-methods study design, grant acquisition and study implementation in the areas of back, neck pain and headache. She is also interested in applying research findings to clinical practice through the integration of evidence based health care into Northwestern's curricula and clinical settings.

Sarah Gottfried, NCTM
Research Fellow

Sarah Gottfried earned her Professional Certificate in Massage Therapy from the School of Massage Therapy at Northwestern Health Sciences University and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the College of Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, MN). In 2009, Sarah joined WHCCS as a research fellow in the Volunteers of America (VOA) program, where she provided care and developed the skills necessary to be part of an integrated team in VOA long term care and assisted living facilities. Upon completion of the VOA program in the Spring of 2010, she transitioned to the Evidence-Informed Practice program, where she is developing her skills in teaching evidence-informed practice coursework for Northwestern’s Massage Therapy Program. Sarah also works as a massage therapist in Northwestern’s Bloomington Natural Care Center. She is a professional member of the American Massage Therapy Association and is nationally certified in therapeutic massage.

Linda Hanson, DC
Research Fellow

Linda Hanson received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Victoria, Canada in 2006 and her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2009. As a student at NWHSU, she served as President of the Student Senate and received several academic and leadership scholarships. In 2010, Dr. Hanson was awarded a Public Health Leadership Fellowship at NWHSU and joined the Wolfe Harris Center for Clinical Studies. During her fellowship, Linda will gain practical clinical and research experience through participation in federally-funded randomized clinical trials and the NIH-funded CAM Research Education Project, and she will earn a Master’s of Public Health at the University of Minnesota.

Jake Herbst, MA
Exercise Therapist

Jake received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002 and his Master of Arts degree in Exercise Physiology in 2003, from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. He joined the WHCCS in 2004, where he serves as an Exercise Therapist/Research Assistant for several federally funded randomized clinical trials. In this role, he performs initial eligibility screening and informed consents with potential participants and provides supervision and guidance to patients in supervised rehabilitative exercise and home exercise programs.

Michelle Johnson
Data Manager

Michelle Johnson received a Bachelor of Science Degree with a double major in Mathematics and Statistics from St. Cloud State University, MN, in December 1994. Michelle's previous experience includes using statistical techniques to analyze data. She has experience with statistical software such as SAS and SPSS and is a SAS Certified Advanced Programmer. In 2009, Michelle joined the WHCCS Office of Data Management as a Data Manager. In this role, she assists with database design, data entry, data cleaning, and research reporting.

Kayla Kelly, MA
Exercise Therapist
Research Assistant

Kayla Kelly earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Northwestern College in Roseville, MN, majoring in Kinesiology and Bible with minors in psychology and counseling. She earned her Master of Arts degree in Exercise Physiology from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. While a graduate student, she was a SHAPE UP supervisor, creating exercise programs for students, faculty, staff, and the Sisters on campus. She completed her internship in cardiac rehabilitation at Mercy Hospital, MN. Kayla joined the WHCCS in 2007 as an Exercise Therapist. In this role, she performs balance, strength, and mobility tests for research participants in federally-funded randomized clinical studies of musculoskeletal conditions, and she supervises their rehabilitative exercise programs and patient self-education sessions. She also conducts phone screening and informed consent interviews of potential research participants.

Claire Legendre
Project Coordinator

Claire Legendre received her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire in 2000. After that she worked as an Administrative Coordinator and Materials Manager at the Science Museum of Minnesota: Adult Computer Education Center. From 2004-2005, Claire was the Research Administrative Assistant for the WHCCS. She then assumed the roles of Research Assistant and Patient Coordinator. She is responsible for several study related activities including conducting informed consent and qualitative interviews, transcribing qualitative data, and coordinating and scheduling evaluation and treatment visits for patients in several randomized clinical trials.

Brent Leininger, DC
Research Fellow

Brent Leininger received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from South Dakota State University in 2003 and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2006.  In 2009, Dr. Leininger was awarded a Clinical Research Fellowship and joined the Wolfe Harris Center for Clinical Studies. Dr. Leininger is involved in the production of systematic reviews and evidence reports regarding the efficacy of manual treatment as well as the design and implementation of clinical trials investigating the treatments and mechanisms of headache and chronic low back pain. He is also involved in the implementation of an evidence-informed practice curriculum at NWHSU. Dr. Leininger is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research at the University of Minnesota. 

Dr. Leininger's research interests include the effectiveness and mechanisms of various non-pharmacological treatments for headache and the reliability and validity of diagnostic procedures and historical signs and symptoms as they relate to the effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments. Dr. Leininger is also interested in the integration of research evidence into clinical practice decisions.

Michele Maiers, DC, MPH
Associate Dean of Research and Knowledge Transfer

Dr. Maiers is an Assistant Professor at the WHCCS. She received both her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Chiropractic degrees from Northwestern Health Sciences University (NWHSU) in 2000. Dr. Maiers completed her Masters of Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health in January 2006. Since her employment at the WHCCS in 1999, she has worked on several research studies at NWHSU.

Currently, Dr. Maiers is the co-principal investigator of the Integrated Care for Low Back Pain Study, funded by the U.S. Health Services and Resources Administration. She is also co-investigator of three additional federally funded randomized clinical trials investigating chiropractic and exercise for seniors with low back and neck pain, and chiropractic for back-related leg pain. Dr. Maiers is also the lead investigator of the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Data Collection Project, and co-investigator of several unique qualitative research studies evaluating patient perceptions and expectations of treatment for back and neck conditions.

As the Associate Dean of Research, she provides leadership and management for knowledge transfer related activities including design and pursuit of funding for new programs and projects.

Edward Owens, DC
Director, Office of Data Management

Dr. Owens took his undergraduate and graduate training in Engineering Science & Mechanics at Georgia Tech, with an emphasis on Biomechanics. He earned his DC degree in 1986 from Life University. Dr. Owens has worked in chiropractic research for more than 25 years. His work has included research of tools for measuring the forces of adjustment, postural control, and thermal and brain-wave reactions to chiropractic adjustment.

A life-long southerner, Dr. Owens began moving northward in 2003, taking a position in the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research in Davenport, Iowa. He worked in the area of clinical biomechanics helping run 2 federally-funded projects on spinal manipulation for patients with low back pain. He also participated in the development of 4 new projects funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative medicine (NCCAM).

Dr. Owens is now the Director of the Office of Data Management (ODM), at the Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies, which is responsible for all of the center's research data needs. Dr. Owens is responsible for designing and maintaining a clinical data management infrastructure for the WHCCS, overseeing all web and database application development, data safety and monitoring, and other essential data support activities. His most recent research efforts include spinal motion assessment of the cervical spine, and functional performance evaluation of senior and adolescent back pain sufferers.

Michael Przeslawski, DC
Professor
Research Clinician

Dr. Przeslawski received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University and his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern College of Chiropractic. From 1984 to 2004, he served as a full-time faculty member in the Clinical Sciences Division at Northwestern, actively integrating the latest research literature into his coursework. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he also worked part-time for the WHCCS, performing dynamic spinal motion, strength and endurance assessments of study participants in several federally funded randomized clinical trials. In 2004, he was invited to join the WHCCS as a full-time Associate Professor of Research. Since that time he has played a critical role in clinical trial implementation, evaluating patients for eligibility, providing chiropractic treatment, leading self-care sessions, and refining study protocols. His interests include spinal biomechanics and the integration of research into Northwestern's curriculum.

Craig Schulz, DC, MS
Assistant Professor

Dr. Schulz received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 1999. In 2008, he completed his Master of Science degree in Clinical Research at the University of Minnesota 's School of Public Health . Since joining the WHCCS in 2001, Dr. Schulz has worked in various roles on nine randomized clinical trials; he is currently a co-investigator on several federally-funded randomized clinical trials investigating conservative treatments for musculoskeletal back and neck pain.

Key roles for Dr. Schulz include facilitating the development of extramural collaborations, study start up, and implementation of multi-site trials. Currently, as a co-investigator on a pilot study funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Schulz oversees activities with the future aim of evolving the project into a full-scale clinical trial. He is also a co-investigator on the federally funded back-related leg pain study being conducted jointly with the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, which aims to identify effective conservative treatment options for patients with leg pain.

His research interests include: investigating the biomechanical mechanisms related to manual treatment of musculoskeletal spinal pain, assessing the effectiveness of commonly used conservative treatments, and exploring diagnostic assessment tools that identify unique characteristics of patients with spinal pain to better target therapeutic efforts.

Sara Swanson, DC
Research Clinician

Dr. Swanson received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 1993 and completed additional coursework in Exercise Science at the College of St. Catherine. She received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2001. Prior to joining WHCCS in 2008, Dr. Swanson was in private practice in Edina, MN. Her focus within the department is on the evaluation and chiropractic treatment of patients for the clinical trials.

Kristin Swartz
Project Manager

Kristin Swartz earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Studies and Spanish with a minor in Leadership from the University of Minnesota in 2008. While at the University of Minnesota, she spent a year researching, interning, and studying in the Minnesota Studies in International Development program in Ecuador. Upon completing her degree, she continued to volunteer with the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota and attended the 2008 Ways of Knowing Conference at Dolce Conference Center in Chaska, Minnesota. In June 2008, Kristin joined WHCCS as Project Manager for the CAM Research Education Partnership Project, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

Barry Taylor, DC
Research Clinic Director

Dr. Taylor received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of North Dakota in 1996 and his Doctor of Chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 2004. He is a member of the Minnesota Chiropractic Association, the American Chiropractic Association, the Minnesota Public Health Association, the American Public Health Association, and is a founding board member of World Altering Medicine. Dr. Taylor is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at the University of Minnesota. He is the lead instructor for the CAM Research Education Partnership Project which is funded by the National Institutes of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Blong Vang, DC, FACO
Assistant Professor

From September 2002 to 2006, Dr. Vang worked at the Wolfe Harris Center for Clinical Studies as an Objective Examiner and Research Associate performing phone screening, biomechanical exams, and physical exams for several of their clinical trials. Since January 2004, Dr. Vang has practiced chiropractic in his St. Paul clinic. He rejoined WHCCS in January 2008 as an Assistant Professor and currently performs phone screenings, evaluates patients for eligibility, and conducts dynamic spinal motion, strength, and endurance assessments in the WHCCS biomechanics lab. Dr. Vang is Fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists, and a member of the American Chiropractic Association.

Corrie Vihstadt, MOm
Research Fellow

Corrie Vihstadt earned a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's in Oriental Medicine from Northwestern Health Sciences University. As a student, she was involved with research activities at the National College of Natural Medicine/Helfgott Research Institute and the Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies. After graduating from NWHSU in August 2008, Corrie joined WHCCS as a Project Manager. In this role, she coordinates and manages research data collection activities within the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine clinics and collaborating institutions. She received her Diplomate in Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and License of Acupuncture certification.

Kristine Westrom, MD, MS
Associate Professor

Dr. Westrom received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1979 and her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota in 1985. She completed a three year Family Practice residency at Bethesda hospital in Saint Paul in 1988. From 1988 to 2002, Dr. Westrom worked as a family physician in Saint Cloud, MN, where her interests led her to combine complementary and alternative therapies with traditional family practice. In 2002, she was awarded a fellowship from the Minnesota Consortium for CAM Clinical Research through funding provided by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health. She is currently completing her Masters degree in Clinical Research at the University of Minnesota.

Since joining the WHCCS in 2006, Dr. Westrom has participated in two federally funded studies investigating back and neck pain in seniors. She is also a participating clinician in the recent Back-Related Leg Pain Study, funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and a co-investigator of the innovative Integrated Care for Low Back Pain Study, also funded by HRSA. Dr. Westrom is currently the principal investigator of a collaborative demonstration project with Volunteers of America to integrate Chiropractic, AOM and Massage Therapy into assisted living and long term care facilities.

Dr. Westrom has a Masters degree in Clinical Research from the University of Minnesota.

Sarah Zwagerman
Research Clinic Administrator

Sarah Zwagerman received her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology from the College of St. Scholastica in 1997. Prior to joining the WHCCS team, she worked as a therapist in fitness and sports medicine settings and was an Assistant Director of therapeutic recreation in St. Louis Park , MN until October 2001. Sarah joined the team at the WHCCS as an Exercise Therapist and a Project Manager for an NIH-funded randomized clinical trial investigating medical care, spinal manipulation, and self-care for acute neck pain. In 2002, Sarah was named Extramural Clinics Coordinator, assuming responsibility for study implementation at non-WHCCS clinic sites. Drawing on her previous experience working with older populations, Sarah was an exercise therapist on two recently completed senior studies funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. In addition, Sarah coordinates and manages clinic related activities including clinic scheduling, clinic resources, supervision of staff (PCs) and coordination with outside clinics.