Dr. Lance was born and raised in Parkersburg, West Virginia. As an avid soccer player and champion weightlifter he was always drawn to sports and recreation. From a young age he was drawn to athletics and pushing the edge of his physical capabilities, (and to this DAY! he's worked out five days a week since the age of 14!) Dr. Lance is a graduate of Marshall University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a concentration in Journalism. Not really having a clear picture of what he wanted, he entered the workforce and through the process of elimination, he figured out the things he didn't want to do! After three years of building and home and home sales to mortgages, he knew he needed change and wanted to make a greater impact. In 2010 he listened to a soul nudge that brought him back to the idea of chiropractic care and how it can change a life, a seed that was planted ten years before! Four years later he graduated with honors from Cleveland University in Overland Park, Kansas where we earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic and met his wife, Dr. Aliya Gard with whom he practices with today! Dr. Lance has seen first hand in his own life with injuries and accidents how chiropractic helped with pain, but more importantly, he came to understand how it helped him function better. Every facet of life has improved with regular chiropractic care.
Dr. Lance is active in the local chiropractic community and serves on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association. He holds advanced training and certification by the Council on Extremity Adjusting, Chiropractic Wellness Specialist, Activator Method adjusting, Flexion Distraction and diversified techniques. In addition to chiropractic care, Dr. Lance is excited about performance nutrition, fast and loud cars, and pushing himself to physical limits in CrossFit. When he's not in the office, you can find him at the beach, boating at the lake, fixing things for fun, hiking or otherwise adventuring with his wife, Dr. Aliya and their two active boys.
Dr. Aliya Gard hails from the rolling hills of Western Massachusetts. Always fascinated by people and patterns, she completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology at the University of Southern Maine. Without a driving desire for a specific career, she joined the corporate ranks at a Fortune 500 insurance company and devoted the next five years to the corporate ladder. To balance the demands and stress she found in this world, she dove deep into yoga, a pivot which would later change the course of her career. Mindfulness and presence led to clarity and the realization that corporate life was not for her, so she broke away from that life to travel and take deep dives into her yoga and the body mind connection. After some time abroad she returned to the states, where her path crossed with chiropractic and a mentor that would lead her to a whole new world of health and understanding of the human body, and bing! it was that lightbulb moment when she finally realized what she wanted to be when she grew up! In 2010 she received her Doctorate of Chiropractic from Cleveland Chiropractic College, where she also met her husband and business partner, Dr. Lance Gard.
Dr. Aliya’s primary role at Gard Wellness Center is chiropractic care for prenatal and pediatric patients, acupuncture, and head of the Functional Medicine program. She is a living example of what she preaches and came to each of her specialties on the heals of personal experience and amazing results! She knows the power and vitality that exists when our bodies and minds are well-nourished, properly exercised, and expertly aligned (thanks Dr. Lance) Her passion is delivering that knowledge and power to others!
Dr. Aliya holds certification in acupuncture, from the Society of America, in Webster Technique for pregnancy from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), and has completed over 200 hours of advanced study for the CCACP certification in Pediatrics and Pregnancy chiropractic, also from the ICPA. Her Functional Medicine training has been ongoing since 2018 with over 500 combined hours from the Institute of Functional Medicine, Apex Seminars, and FMFT. She is an active Rotarian at the Cary-Kildaire club, a business start-up mentor with LaunchCary, an active member of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association and sits on local boards including the Physicians Advisory Board for Health Network Solutions.
When she and Dr. Lance are not in the office you can find them parenting two active boys, doing CrossFit, hiking, wakeboarding, exploring and reading about ways to improve life and health.
Emma is one of our Certified Clinical Chiropractic Assistants, and our lead Radiology Technician. She returned to her hometown of Raleigh, NC after graduating from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science. She enjoys working out with her friends at Camp Gladiator, and spending as much time outside as possible. When she's not at work she can be found exploring the Greenway trails and breweries of the Raleigh/Cary area.
You'll see Amy's smiling face at the Front Desk with Kyleigh. Amy moved back to Raleigh after deciding to pursue a career in healthcare. She is pursuing a degree in Nursing and Anesthesiology. She has been in traditional healthcare for almost two years now and has decided to adjust her scope to include more holistic practices. In her free time you will find her hiking with her dog and visiting family at the beach in the Outer Banks.
Here's what Amy loves about chiropractic:
My favorite thing about natural healthcare and chiropractic is how they leverage the body's natural ability to heal. I am an active person and chiropractic has been essential throughout my life. I rode horses for over 12 years and routine chiropractic care helped me stay balanced and move properly. Getting adjusted helped my body function properly and recover quickly from all the strain and stress of working with horses on a daily basis.
Fun fact:
Amy used to ride horses professionally!
Justin is a native born and raised in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Growing up with a tremendous work ethic and driven by results, he's always gravitated to fitness and wellness. Justin's love for helping people and belief in healthy living led him to the art of healing people through touch. After completing the Massage Therapy program at the top of his class at Miller-Motte College in 2015, he worked in the MMC clinic working with people in all walks of life seeking healing help. Soon after, he began with Gard Wellness Center doing corporate and event chair massages. After the school closed in 2018, Justin was added to the Gard Wellness in-house team. When not weightlifting or healing people, he's found spending time with loved ones, learning or researching, watching a good movie or somewhere outside.
Bryan is a Florida native, born and raised in Coral Springs. He attended the University of South Florida to play college baseball and after a series of knee surgeries and career changes, received a degree in Health Sciences. With a passion for anatomy and helping others stay healthy, Bryan later joined Cortiva Institute’s Massage Therapy program. Through massage, he hopes to help others feel their physical best and live a healthy life. When he’s not working, you can find Bryan at the gym, playing video games, or watching sports.
Carlos Gallegos moved from Bolivia to the U.S. in 2013 to play college soccer and pursue a degree in exercise science at The University of Southern Indiana. After he finished his college career, he resided in Nashville, TN and worked as a physical therapy technician. In 2020, Carlos moved to the Raleigh/Durham area. Here he met his girlfriend and moved in with his two dogs, Nena and Choco. When he’s not at work, you can find him playing or watching soccer, taking his dogs to the park, or exploring new restaurants.
I have a lot of things that I like about chiropractic, and one of them is that it treats injuries naturally without the addition of surgery or medication/steroids. Another thing that I like about chiropractic is that it enhances my sports performance. I am a very active person who loves playing soccer, and chiropractic adjustments have been helping me increase my range of motion and definitely reduce muscle stiffness.
Fun Fact:
Carlos used to have six toes on his left foot!
