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. Dr. Lance is a graduate of Marshall University where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a concentration in Journalism. Following a three year stint in the workforce, he began to feel drawn to a greater calling. The universe brought him full circle back to his calling with the merge of his passion for learning and natural healthcare he followed this path to Cleveland University in Overland Park, Kansas where we earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic. 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 was soon improved with regular chiropractic care.
Dr. Lance is active in the local chiropractic community and serves as Treasurer 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, hiking or otherwise having fun with his wife, Dr. Aliya and their two active boys.
Dr. Aliya was born in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. She was involved in classical ballet from an early age and developed her sense of determination and grit at an early age. Always fascinated by relationships and people, she attended the University of Southern Maine where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. After five years in corporate America she took a deep dive into her yoga practice, and studied to be a teacher in extensively Los Angeles and India. Following a back injury, Dr. Aliya was enlightened to the benefits of chiropractic care and found the congruency with what she was already learning both inspiring and astounding. Five years later, she received her Doctorate of Chiropractic also from Cleveland University in Overland Park, Kansas. Dr. Aliya holds additional certification from Acupuncture Society of America, Webster Technique for pregnancy, and pediatric chiropractic study from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. She is active in the North Carolina Chiropractic Society and sits on the Physicians Advisory Board for Health Network Solutions. Dr. Aliya is passionate about chiropractic, nutrition and all things natural to help people reach their fullest potential. When she's not in the office she's volunteering her time at her son's school, doing CrossFit, enjoying hikes and open water, or reading about ways to improve life and health.
Jennifer started with us as our Intake Coordinator for two years, and is now the Office Manager and Certified Clinical Chiropractic Assistant. She loves when she gets a chance to help at the Reception Desk and stay connected with our patients! Jennifer is originally from Greenville, NC and moved here in 2010 to attend NCSU where she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology. While Jennifer will always have a love for animals, she enjoys working in the healthcare field and wants to pursue a career in medical office management or billing. In her free time you can find her reading a good book, jamming to Shania Twain, and spending time with her fiance, John and their three cats, Missy, Sampson and Karma.
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.
Siara started working at Gard Wellness Center after graduating from a Crisis Care plan herself! She was born in Charleston, SC and is the oldest of five siblings. She is passionate about holistic wellness, equality, families, and spreading kindness. She completed an internship with an extension that focused on Above & Beyond Customer Service at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. While she originally envisioned a career in law, working with Gard Wellness Center has brought forth the realization that she wants to pursue a career in holistic medicine! Siara keeps herself busy and any free time is spent cooking for others, traveling, dancing, & spending time with her partner, Nika, and their dog, Siren.
We are thrilled to have Melissa as our most recent staff addition! Originally from Winterville, NC, she relocated to Raleigh because she loves this city so much-and maybe to be closer to her sister, too 😉. She graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in University Studies with a concentration in Childhood Development. She loves peppermint tea, going to the gym, and her cat, Tucker. On her days off, you can find her soaking up some sunshine, out hanging with friends, and playing board games!
