To give, to do, to love and to serve from a place of abundance. These principles of Lasting Purpose guide Life Chiropractic College West, encouraging and promoting a culture of diversity, generosity, and community responsibility. This tenet is just not fostered at the student level but is a code of character nurtured by staff and faculty alike.
It is, in fact, the college’s Lasting Purpose that first attracted Dani Lorta, the new Student Life Manager, to Life West. She has a passion for helping people achieve both their personal and academic goals.
Commitment to health and wellness
With a great-grandfather who was an original homesteader in Mount Shasta City, Lorta is proud to be a third-generation native Californian. However, she is equally proud of her roots in Mexico—her great-grandmother was an herbal healer in a small town south of the border. When her grandmother immigrated to the U.S. in the 1940’s, she brought the remedies and approaches to health and wellness passed down from her own mother, wisdom she devotedly imparted to her granddaughter.
Lorta grew up and attended school in the Bay Area, studying counseling and psychology at St. Mary’s College. As a student without health coverage, her interest in her grandmother’s holistic approach to health and wellness peaked, sparking a lifelong commitment to educating herself on natural health promotion. She made lifestyle changes and implemented natural interventions to optimize her own health. Acute pain during her second pregnancy prompted an attraction to the benefits of chiropractic, aligning seamlessly with her own ideologies.
Leading to Life West
After earning her Master of Arts degree in Counseling, Lorta took on several endeavors spanning a wide scope of health and educational expertise. From a counselor in a community health agency, to a field representative for a member of Congress, to a certified executive function coach, to a practitioner of traditional nutrition, each of her roles propelled her pursuit of wellness in both life and work. This commitment is extended to others—Lorta has worked closely with high school students over the years, including counseling pregnant and parenting teens.
Most recently, she was the program manager and summer school principal at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California. She set her standards high—the next move would be one that would fulfill her unique interests while allowing her to support her family.
The slipper fits, but big shoes to fill
To give, to do, to love and to serve from a place of abundance. As Lorta learned more about the Life West campus, she learned that this mantra “underpins all of the work, all of the programs—it is vital to what Student Life does.” Lorta began her career at Life West under the tutelage of Jackie Biron, Director of Student Life. A fixture at the school for more than 20 years, “Mamma Jackie” guided Lorta through the first few months on the job, priming her for what was to come—Biron’s retirement.
“It’s a big job, a lot of responsibility,” Lorta said. “Most of the programs we have in Student Life were created by Jackie. I take those responsibilities seriously. It’s an honor to be behind her desk and allow her vision to grow and blossom into the next generation.”
Biron’s vision is one of the focal points for her role at Life West, but Lorta has other goals to achieve as student life manager. To enrich and expand the school’s various programs, Life West is enhancing its data collection. Lorta will spearhead these efforts to capture vital metrics and increase the reach, intent, and impact of campus programs.
Personally speaking
Lorta is a hard-working mom of two—one daughter, one son—who continues to view health holistically. With paleo principles guiding her diet, Lorta teaches a love for cooking and knowledge about healthy choices to her children. When she’s not actively Mom-ing or involved in her job at Life West, she is catching a quick read or may even be found on stage at the local karaoke bar, singing her heart out.
Join us in welcoming Lorta to campus—stop by her office and say hi, offer some words of encouragement or even let her know about any ideas you may have for expanding or improving student programs.
