Spine IQ Team

Christine Goertz DC, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Goertz received her Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in 1991 and her Ph.D. in Health Services Research, Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota in 1999. Her career in research has focused on clinical and health services research studies that are intended to answer questions directly relevant to the conservative management of spine-related disorders.

Tony Hamm, DC
Chief Clinical Officer
Dr. Hamm is a 1979 graduate of National University of Health Sciences and has earned diplomate status in chiropractic orthopedics and forensic sciences. For the past 37 + years he has directed a referral-based practice in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with special interests in assessment and management of adult musculoskeletal disorders and pain management. Other experiences include health care quality measures development, risk management, CPT/ICD coding and Medicare. He holds a Masters of Science in Health Sciences with a concentration in Healthcare Quality from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Richard Branson, DC
Board Member
Dr. Branson is a 1991 graduate of the University of Western States, where he obtained both his Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. He serves as the first staff chiropractor at the Minneapolis Veterans Health Care System and has served on numerous committees, including the Minnesota Department of Human Services Health Services Advisory Council, Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement Low Back Pain Advisory Committee, and as the clinical lead of care model redesign for low back pain in Fairview.

Larry Becker
Board Member
Lawrence Becker is former Director, Strategic Partnerships, Alliances and Analytics for Xerox Corporation. He is a member of the founding Board of Governors of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), chairs the Finance and Administration Committee, member of the Dissemination and Implementation Committee and a member of the Executive Compensation Committee. He is working with University of Pennsylvania on a funded project related to Centers of Excellence. Becker graduated from Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School with a bachelor of science degree.

Clay McDonald, DC, MBA, JD
Board Member
Clay McDonald, DC, MBA, JD became the seventh president of Logan University in March 2013. Dr. McDonald has more than 20 years of experience as a senior administrator at chiropractic institutions. After graduating from Logan with his chiropractic degree in August 1982, Dr. McDonald spent eight years in Eureka, Montana, where he co-owned a multidisciplinary clinic that linked medical, chiropractic, physical therapy and mental health. Dr. McDonald earned his Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in healthcare administration from St. Ambrose University in 1997. He received his Juris Doctorate in 2001 from Valparaiso University School of Law with a Healthcare and Elder Law Certificate and Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate. Dr. McDonald has participated in numerous accreditation activities through the Council on Chiropractic Education and was a CCE board/council member from 2005 to 2013. Currently, Dr. McDonald serves on the executive committee of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and is a board member for the Spine Institute for Quality.

Angela Kennedy DC, MBA
Chairman
Dr. Kennedy received her Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic West and her MBA from Loyola University, Chicago. Her career has focused on clinical process and quality improvement with extensive experience in clinical guidelines and measure development, accreditation, health policy, and registries. Dr. Kennedy is also an adjunct professor of Health Services Management at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).

Leah Hole-Marshall, JD
Board Member
Leah Hole Marshall, is General Counsel and Chief Strategist for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. In this role, she coordinates compliance, security, and privacy offices, advises the leadership team and board, and leads strategic planning efforts.
Previously, Hole-Marshall held health policy leadership roles at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and Health Care Authority. At Labor and Industries, she oversaw the office responsible for creating, implementing, disseminating, and enforcing medical policy to ensure high-quality health care for injured workers in Washington State. At Health Care Authority, she was the founding director of Washington’s Health Technology Assessment program, a nationally-recognized effort to purchase high-quality health care that is proven to be safe, effective, and cost-effective. She has also provided regulatory consulting and project management to state Medicaid agencies and the federal Department of Health and Human Services, with a focus on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and information technology projects, as a consultant with Fox Systems, Inc.
Hole-Marshall served as the state health policy representative on the PCORI Board of Governors from September 2010 to September 2018. Hole-Marshall earned a BA from Evergreen State College and a JD from Seattle University School of Law.