2015 PPS Election
Notice of Nomination
Posted for your consideration is the slate of candidates unanimously selected and approved by the Nominating Committee to serve on the PPS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. After a careful review we believe the individuals slated possess the background, talent, and character needed to achieve the goals established in the Strategic Plan and to carry out the mission of the section.
Voting will take place at the 2015 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, FL, starting on Thursday, November 12, 2015 and ending on Friday, November 13, 2015 at 3:00 pm (ET).
Voting is an important membership benefit and we urge you to participate in this election.
Join us at the swearing-in ceremony taking place on Saturday, November 14, 2015 at the Plenary Keynote and Networking Breakfast starting at 8:00 AM (ET).
Candidates for Treasurer
Christopher Albanese, PT, MS, CSCS
2015 Candidate – Treasurer
Christopher Albanese, PT, MS, CSCS, is a founding partner of Access Physical Therapy & Wellness, a rehab organization with 18 locations across states of which he cofounded with his wife, brother, and sister-in-law. His main areas of focus lie in Strategy, Finance, Legal, IT, and Talent Acquisition and Retention. His passion is to develop leaders within ACCESS PT that can help us prosper in this challenging health care environment.
Candidate Statement:
As a deeply dedicated and longtime member of the American Physical Therapy Association and PPS, I’m asking for the opportunity to serve as your treasurer. My experience at my company and on the finance committee makes me uniquely qualified to take on the role of treasurer, and I have some great ideas that will ensure you see the full benefit of your membership.
I’m the longest serving member of the finance committee, and in the six years I’ve been part of that team, one of the most rewarding experiences has been reading the member surveys. It’s so helpful to review them right before budget time so that we can ensure that PPS is providing its members with the programming and experiences that will benefit them most. This includes third party payment, POPTS/HOPTS, increased lobbying efforts, and marketing support.
As treasurer, I’ll implement plans that will:
- Enable the board to better monitor our fiscal position;
- Use improved methods of reporting that would make our complex budget and financials easier to understand; and
- Make sure that every member gets a great return on his or her investment.
In 2003, I launched Access Physical Therapy & Wellness along with my brother, wife, and sister-in-law. Today, we have 19 locations in three states and a hospital contract with three locations. But it wasn’t so long ago that we were struggling to keep our doors open, support a handful of employees, and stay competitive in an aggressive marketplace. PPS gave me the tools, support, and connections that I was able to apply to my business to better serve our clients and support our staff. It has had a significant impact on our ability to succeed, and that’s an experience I want every PPS member to have.
With my talent and experience as a leader and in finance, which I oversee for our practice, along with my past 6 years on the PPS finance committee, I look forward to being able to give back and serve the section where I can best apply my talent and experience.
I am a father of three, husband, private practice owner, Assistant Scout Master and Eagle Scout. Since joining PPS while still in school almost 20 years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and get to know so many of you. We are a large and diverse group, but we have many things in common, including our commitment to building great private practices that truly help the communities we are blessed to serve live with less pain and improve quality of life. I am very proud of my work I have done on the finance committee and I look forward to expanding my duties and service as treasurer.
I hope that I can count on your vote for treasurer, and I look forward to working with you and on your behalf.
Angela Wilson Pennisi, PT, MS, OCS
2015 Candidate – Treasurer
Angela Wilson Pennisi, PT, MS, OCS, has been president of Lakeshore Sports Physical Therapy, PC, in Chicago since 2000. She was also president of Physioview, LLC, from 2004 until its sale in 2012. She has many years of involvement with PPS, including the Impact editorial board and finance committee, and was the managing editor of Impact. Angela has also served as the former president of her state private practice group and is its current Network Task Force chair.
Candidate Statement:
Serving as your treasurer over the past year has been an honor, and I thank you for your consideration in the upcoming election. I am passionate about promoting the mission of PPS, recognizing the influence of being a physical therapist in business on my own life.
I founded Lakeshore Sports Physical Therapy, PC, in Chicago only 3 years after graduation. Through the knowledge and growth I gained through involvement with PPS, I grew from a new solo practitioner to the sole owner of two clinics over 15 years, employing five other physical therapists and collaborating with two independent associates. I currently divide my time among practice management, staff development, and 20 to 25 hours per week of patient care.
I opened a practice early in my career due to dissatisfaction with the status quo and a commitment to finding a better way—two qualities that define my approach to my work as a physical therapist. I knew I could offer my patients more than I was able to provide in a hospital system treating 19 patients a day, so I created that environment for my patients by opening a solo practice. While options for patient education materials may abound today, I created and founded one of the first online patient education programs more than a decade ago when few choices were available. Rather than accepting the world as it is presented to me, I bend the trajectory to where I believe we must go.
I am well qualified to serve as your treasurer through my history of service to PPS and the profession. I served on the editorial board for Impact for 8 years and as managing editor from 2011 to 2014. I was a member of the Finance Committee for two years and have held roles on a state level, as well. As your treasurer, I developed a deficit budget that both balances PPS’s priorities for supporting our members’ success in these challenging times with the need for ensuring financial stability for the future of PPS. While I fully understand where PPS has been, I also bring a fresh perspective to the board regarding where we may go as a section.
PPS is well positioned to address the most critical issue for our current and future members: preserving the path to private practice for physical therapists. However, private practice and business success for tomorrow’s physical therapist may not be identical to that of years past. I believe that PPS can serve as an incubator of innovation and leadership development that will ensure we accomplish our vision of society demanding access to physical therapists’ businesses.
Beyond innovation, we support the mission of PPS through targeted and strategic advocacy. As a Key Contact, I am well versed in government advocacy, but I believe that PPS also has a role to play in advocating with payers for policies that promote improved outcomes at a lower cost and meet the aligned needs of patients, payers, and providers.
Finally, PPS needs a steady hand on the finances over the next several years. PPS is fortunate to be in a healthy financial situation with reserves to buffer against changing tides while continuing to maximize benefits for our members. As your treasurer, I will keep a keen eye on the horizon and be prepared to adjust course for clouds or a squall over that next wave. I respectfully and appreciatively ask for your vote this November.
Candidates for Secretary
Amy Snyder, MPT, DPT
2015 Candidate – Director
Amy Snyder, MPT, DPT, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida. Following graduation, Amy worked briefly in Washington, D.C. After a year, she returned to her hometown of Milwaukee to work in private practice with her parents and husband. She returned to school in 2006 and received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Creighton University.
Candidate Statement:
I am honored to be slated to run for the position of Secretary for the Private Practice Section’s Board of Directors. My training as a private practice physical therapist began long before I intended. I am the daughter of two physical therapists who built their career in private practice. Shortly after graduation, I also married a physical therapist and we joined my parents as their business partners.
We own a mid-sized practice in southeastern Wisconsin. We support a Management Service Organization model with a total of 5 clinics. We offer wellness services, supporting a holistic approach to health care. I continue to treat patients, oversee marketing, and work on a variety of administrative tasks. We are working to diversify our income with growth in retail, wellness, and industry.
I am one of the founding members of the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association’s Private Practice Special Interest Group (WPTA’s PPSIG). From our by-laws to our website, I worked on a team to create the PPSIG. I have served as Secretary and currently as Chair. We negotiated group purchase rates to decrease the fixed costs of business for our members. We established income outside of membership dues, securing our financial position. We sponsor networking events and host nationally recognized speakers at our state meetings, elevating the knowledge and conversations amongst all physical therapists in Wisconsin. As a results, we also have more private practitioners than before holding leadership roles within our Chapter.
I served for the last 3 years on the Annual Conference Planning Committee for PPS. In those years we have seen continual growth in attendance. Participating in this process has left me inspired by the innovation and talent amongst our membership.
I am also a member of the PR and Marketing Task Force for the WPTA. We are launching a statewide campaign to promote direct access and consumer choice for physical therapy services.
The core issue we face as physical therapists is the changing health care environment. While gains have been made to move us to a doctoring profession, I am concerned that physical therapy remains a protocol-driven commodity that is not valued by the health care system or consumers. I believe that private practice physical therapists have the ability to lead the efforts to support autonomous practice and help to solidify our role as the primary care providers in the health care system.
The upcoming years will also bring change of administration in Washington, D.C. PPS needs to continue efforts to be present on the Hill and to support the PT PAC. We also need continued support of research not only on the value and outcomes that physical therapy provides, but also on the cost savings.
Lastly, we face a branding issue. If consumers remain unaware of how and when to access physical therapy services, our practices remain at a disadvantage. We need to take our message of quality outcomes and cost savings directly to the consumer. I believe that PPS can serve as a vehicle for consistent message and content that can systematically be distributed by each of our practices and span across our states.
As in my practice, I believe that the knowledge of the past partnered with an optimistic view of the future will serve our section and membership well. My experiences and background make me uniquely qualified to serve on the PPS Board of Directors. I pledge to each of you my commitment to elevating our profession, protecting each of your practices, and helping to lead this section as we face changes in the health care system.
Amanda Somers, DPT
2015 Candidate – Secretary
Amanda Somers, DPT (Greer, SC) is co-owner of Sports Spine & Industrial, with two locations in upstate South Carolina, one which houses their 400-member health club. Amanda is a longtime political advocate successfully battling POPTs in SC and a regular visitor on “The Hill.” Amanda has an unrelenting passion for physical therapist–owned practice. Amanda’s strengths of strategy, vision, and “woo” have served PPS well during her 5 years on the BOD and will assist her in successfully serving on the Executive Committee and as your Secretary.
Candidate Statement:
I am excited about the opportunity given to me by the nominating committee to serve as Secretary and on the Executive Committee of PPS. I have an unrelenting passion for physical therapist–owned practices. Even though many fear our practices may “not fit” with the proposed health care changes, I disagree. Small businesses are the backbone of our country and even though the environment is challenging, our ability as practice owners to be nimble, creative, community driven, and think outside the box are just some of the qualities that will help us prevail. PPS continuing to provide benefits, services, and tools will also be vital to our success. There is strength in numbers. And as colleagues that work in similar settings continue networking at PPS events and sharing experiences our entrepreneurial spirits will continue to be boosted as we remember we are not alone in this fight.
During the last 4 years that I have served on the Board, all of us have seen drastic changes in the health care environment. My practice is located in a community where 95 percent of the physicians are employed by the hospital systems. HOPTS have replaced the threats of POPTS. After almost having to close our doors 2 years ago, we have been able to restructure and grow in these conditions. I know many of your practices suffer under similar conditions in addition to declining reimbursement. That is why I believe that it is imperative that PPS continue aggressively lobbying on Capitol Hill for elimination of the therapy cap, locum tenens, and inclusion in all health care bills that affect our patients and businesses. I, like others, grow weary in these battles but we must maintain our strong presence on the Hill and continue to grow our grassroots program. I also believe that PPS must continue to offer education and tools for our members to use in marketing, business development, payment, and compliance. In addition, we need to continue to search for outside partners to assist us in the navigation of these uncertain times. I am excited to learn of opportunities when the board-directed task force presents its findings. And I am even more excited about taking action when the opportunities become available.
I am the founder and co-owner of Sports Spine & Industrial, a 2-office practice with one office incorporating a full-service health club serving over 400 members. I continue to treat patients 2 days a week in addition to the many hats I wear administratively. I am very involved in my community and serve as VP for a Christian-based Free Medical Clinic and VP of my City’s Park & Recreation Board of Trustees. In the past, I have served as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and as board member for several organizations. I am currently in my second term as a Director for the PPS Board. I have served as the liaison to the marketing and PR committee since its conception and oversaw the section’s last major by-laws review. I am highly involved in my home state of South Carolina’s fight to keep POPTS illegal and in lobbying federal issues.
I credit much of my success as a practice owner to the relationships I have obtained within PPS. Also the programming at the annual conference and webinar topics have increased my business knowledge and assisted with practice growth.
I would like the opportunity to continue giving back to the section that has given me so much. If elected Secretary, I will use my experience and passion to lead our section and practices to a better future.
Candidates for Director
Stacey Alberts, PT, OCS, CSCS
2015 Candidate – Director
Stacey Alberts, PT, OCS, CSCS, was the chair of the Annual Conference Program Work Group 2012–2014 and is owner of Total Rehab-Orthopedic & Sports Specialists with two locations in Iowa. Stacey has been active in legislative and payment policy initiatives for Iowa, regionally, and nationally, and has held several leadership roles with the IPTA and PPS. Stacey brings with her experience from other leadership opportunities in the areas of finance. She can be reached at stacey@totalrehab-pt.com.
Candidate Statement:
My name is Stacey Alberts and I am running for a Board of Director position with the Private Practice Section of the APTA.
I am the owner of Total Rehab, which has two clinic locations in central Iowa. Total Rehab primarily deals with an outpatient orthopedic population in which my main role is 60 percent administrative and 40 percent clinical. I made decisions early in my practices to refrain from signing substandard contracts. Our clinics have utilized direct access to market to the public, which has been critical in withstanding the changes with health care reform and health care consolidation. About 70 percent of our clinic referrals now come from word of mouth. Our clinics have been very specific with the services we offer as a way to maintain our quality while being extremely cost efficient.
Annual Conference 2014 was my third year as chairperson for the conference and fourth year as part of the annual conference committee. Attendance for the conference in this time rose by 10 percent each year. During my term, I had the opportunity to interact with PPS staff, the PPS board, most of the PPS committees and task force chairs, and numerous members and nonmembers. I have been active on the state and national level, which includes being past president for our state Special Interest Group, organization of the Midwest Therapy Network where I am a director, several APTA and PPS Capitol Hill visits, previous State Policy and Payment Reform Forums, state reimbursement committee and government affairs committee, and am the current Iowa Physical Therapy Association Treasurer. Other leadership positions outside of PPS and APTA include: Church Foundation President, Board of Directors for First State Bank, and Head Varsity Softball Coach, Lynnville Sully High School.
The most critical issues affecting us in the private practice section are health care consolidation and restructuring of the payment system. Generally, health care consolidation poses a risk to small business in that referral networks and the pressure for cost containment can restrict outside services such as physical therapy in an effort to control the spend on a consumer. There has already been much groundwork in restructuring the payment system from members of the Private Practice Section. We continue to see more and more reduction in insurance payments with the multiple procedure reductions. I believe in the coming years, there will be a greater movement to per diem payments, bundled payments, and cash pay services. Establishing a value for our practices and professional services will be necessary to thrive in the coming years.
Thank you for your time and consideration, I would greatly appreciate your vote this fall for Board of Director of the Private Practice Section.
Brian J. Boyle, PT, DPT
2015 Candidate – Director
Brian J. Boyle, PT, DPT, an entrepreneur, a helper, a connector, a futurist, an investor, a public speaker and a Doctor of Physical Therapy. I am all of these and yet defined by no single one. I live in Utah with my wife, Brittney, and our 3 boys. I have 11 years of private practice experience, 17 years of PT experience, and 39 years of experience in storytelling.
Candidate Statement:
It all started as a High School Senior. In the early fall of 1992, I turned down an appointment to the Naval Academy and dashed my Mom’s dreams of having two sons in Annapolis and no student loans. I took a blind leap of faith in hoping that I would get early admission or any admission at all for that matter, into an entry-level PT program. There was no turning back; I was determined to make it.
In 2004, I opened my first PT private practice. It allowed me to realize my dream of practicing PT how I wanted to practice. As with all good things though, they eventually come to an end. Those highest of highs were replaced by the lowest of lows in 2012 when we made the difficult decision to close the practices we had spent almost every waking day building over the prior 8 years. It was at that time, I joined with Mountain Land Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation and we moved to Utah, where I am currently working as the Director of Industrial Rehabilitation. I had left a company with 10 employees and joined a private practice with almost 1,000 employees almost overnight. I now have experience working in both small and large PT practices. I know the struggles you are going through and I believe this sets me apart.
As for my involvement in the profession, I am currently a member of the PPS Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and since joining that committee in 2014 I have taken multiple trips to lobby on Capitol Hill and countless times, before and after, have contacted my elected officials at their local offices to fight for issues such as the therapy cap, SGR, and locum tenens. Prior to my involvement on the GAC, I was elected to and served a 3-year term on the PPS Nominating Committee and I have served in leadership positions with numerous non-profit organizations over the last 10 years.
The three priority areas we must address over the next 3 years, in my opinion, are membership, defining value of physical therapy in the health care open market, and payment for the services we provide. While there are other areas for sure, I believe based on the 80/20 principle, these three areas make up 80 percent of our ability to stay in business and help guide this organization.
Members and their willingness to volunteer and be a part of this organization are paramount to the success of any initiatives we set forth. We must continue to develop leaders as part of this organization if we wish to sustain the efforts we have made so far. As for value, if we do not define our own value, we will have it defined for us. We cannot and must not allow this to happen. We must show the value in the services we provide and allow ourselves to be able to compete within the health care market. And lastly payment and payment policy must continue to be rigorously analyzed; we must remain in constant discussion and contact with payer sources, and continue to be diligent with any legislative efforts to ensure payment reflects the value we provide.
In closing, as I look back, amongst all of the change and different directions my life has taken me, the one constant was and has always been physical therapy. I am as committed today as I was 22 years ago when I entered into PT school. I will bring that same determination and commitment to the PPS Board of Directors, but only if I have earned your vote.
Mike Horsfield, PT, MBA
2015 Candidate – Director
Mike Horsfield, PT, MBA, received his master of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Iowa in 1993. He joined Rock Valley Physical following graduation and has enjoyed his many roles with them since that time. Mike is currently a partner with Rock Valley and serves as their president and chief executive officer. His prior responsibilities within Rock Valley included clinic manager, director, and chief operations officer. Mike received his MBA from the University of Iowa in 2001 and enjoys teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Bradley University, St. Ambrose University, and the University of Iowa. He is an active member of the PPS Education Committee and is a partner in PT1 and Midwest Therapy Network. Mike enjoys helping the children of his community through his work with the Rock Valley Philanthropic Committee, HAVlife Foundation and the Davenport Noon Optimist Foundation. He spends his free time biking, golfing, and relaxing with family and friends.
Candidate Statement:
My passion for therapist ownership in our profession and the belief that these dynamic times are filled with great opportunity for private practices has led me to run for Director of PPS.
Growing up on a farm with a self-employed father taught me that hard work, discipline and stewardship accompany ownership. After graduating from the University of Iowa in 1993 I joined Rock Valley Physical Therapy. This position provided both an opportunity to advance my clinical skills and an ownership pathway. In 2001 I received my MBA from the University of Iowa and became a partner in Rock Valley. Since 2011 I have been serving as their CEO. During this time Rock Valley has experienced rapid growth and now has 11 owners (all PTs) and 27 locations throughout Iowa and western Illinois. My current roles include: strategic planning, leadership development, practice growth, enhancing our culture, providing patient care, and ensuring that we are good stewards of this wonderful profession we have inherited.
In addition to Rock Valley I am also privileged to be a partner in PT1 and cofounder of Midwest Therapy Network. These organizations were established to ensure private practices succeed during these challenging times.
My involvement with PPS began with membership in 2003. More recently I have volunteered on the PR and Marketing Committee and am currently serving on the Education Committee where I have the privilege of chairing the Peer Advisory Group task force. This past year I was also honored to be invited to participate in the PPS Strategic Planning process. Serving alongside so many talented and passionate professionals has been a truly humbling and inspiring experience.
My love for education extends into my adjunct faculty roles at Bradley University, St. Ambrose University, and the University of Iowa. These positions allow me to share business insight and professional development principles with our profession’s future leaders.
In order to thrive in this dynamic health care world PPS must work to ensure private practices have the following:
Access to Customers
Given a level playing field my money will always be on the PT entrepreneur. Unfortunately ACOs, narrow insurance panels, HOPTs and POPTs have unleveled the playing field by restricting customer access for many in private practice. We must work to ensure that practice owners are armed with current information, innovative business models, and the collaborative strategies necessary to be successful in navigating this rapidly changing world of vertical integration. Expanded efforts to brand the benefits of the therapist-owned practice will also help ensure we grow our customer base.
Fair Payment
The value we bring to the health care experience is clear. Unfortunately most payers still only focus on the cost side and neglect the benefit portion of the value proposition (Value=Benefit/Cost). Changes in payment with the Physical Therapy Classification and Payment System, risk-sharing models, and pay for performance plans will alter the payment landscape dramatically over the years ahead. We must actively engage in this process and work toward ensuring fair payment for the value we bring to the health care team.
Decreased Administrative Burden
In addition to receiving fair pay we must work to minimize the escalating administrative burden. Much of this red tape provides no value to the customer, increases the cost of care, and takes therapists away from doing what they love—caring for customers.
With your help I will work to ensure we are good stewards of the “PPS land” and leave our profession in a better place than we found it. Thanks for your time and consideration. It would be a pleasure and honor to serve you as a PPS Director.
Candidates for Nominating Committee
Jerry Durham, PT
2015 Candidate – Nominating Committee
Jerry Durham, PT, has been a physical therapist for 22 years. Over the past 14 years, along with my cofounder and partner Sturdy McKee, I have grown San Francisco Sport and Spine Physical Therapy from one location to three, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. I am passionate about creating and driving the customer experience component of the business through building relationships.
Candidate Statement:
I have always been passionate about meeting people and developing mutually beneficial relationships. From my start as a treating physical therapist to my current ability to connect globally with health care professionals and consumers, I have networked with individuals who are as passionate about driving change in society as I am. In my experience, there is a great deal of value in connecting with not only physical therapists and health care providers, but also leaders outside our industry. There is much we can learn from innovative thinkers in the fields of general business, hotel and restaurant management, marketing, branding, and technology. My strengths lie in seeking out these relationships and nurturing them, sometimes taking the lead on projects, but other times playing a supporting role on the team. I believe that all of these characteristics make me an excellent candidate for election to the Nominating Committee.
I have been an active member of the Private Practice Section for 7 years. During that time I have not only attended annual conference, but also presented there on 4 occasions, including this year. Additionally, I have both attended and presented webinars for PPS. My involvement with PPS has led to connections with several people who remain my closest friends to this day. My active role in the section has allowed me to build relationships with members from all over the country, who regularly assist me in my personal and professional growth. Our discussions focus not only on my current practice, but also on the wider topic of moving private practice physical therapy forward on a larger scale nationwide. Through challenging each other’s ideas and perceptions, we have robust discussions that catalyze change. I find it important to focus these discussions on solutions, rather than rehashing problems and complaining. My goal is to drive change through new thinking and new solutions.
I believe that PPS serves as a hub for forward-thinking individuals who want to continue to position physical therapists as the expert in musculoskeletal issues. PPS is only as strong as the collective voice of its members. We need to continue to motivate each member to lend their particular skill set to the collective voice of the section.
Over the next three years, I believe it is vital to educate and inspire private practice owners to challenge the status quo. As part of the Nominating Committee, I will recommend focusing on bringing out the unique skills of current members prior to a focus on driving membership. Once we instill a sense of culture and value in current section members, the members themselves will drive new membership. I believe that the leadership of PPS can drive the culture, and as a member of the Nominating Committee, I will focus on identifying individuals who possess the skills to engage and inspire our membership. These leaders will keep our focus on moving forward as a profession and a section, because they will inherently know that looking backward is no longer an option.
Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy.
Jennifer E. Green-Wilson, PT, Ed.D, MBA
2015 Candidate – Nominating Committee
Jennifer E. Green-Wilson, PT, Ed.D, MBA, is a principal of the Institute for Business Literacy and Leadership (also referred to as the Leadership Institute); formerly the director of the Institute for Leadership in Physical Therapy (LAMP) for HPA the catalyst of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), as well as a member of the Private Practice Section (PPS) Education Committee of the APTA. Recently serving as a director on the Board of Directors of the APTA, she speaks nationally and internationally on topics related to leadership, business literacy, and management in health care; has been invited to submit short articles for APTA’s Business Sense section of PT in Motion; and was awarded a national research grant from the HPA Section in 2009. Additionally, she was awarded HPA the Catalyst’s LAMPLighter Leadership Award in February 2014. Dr. Green-Wilson works with several entry-level physical therapist programs and diverse health care organizations across the country, helping to strengthen the development of practice management, business literacy, and leadership skills at entry level and in contemporary practice. She is experienced in igniting faculty development efforts in order to implement sustainable change and innovation in education and has been working with F.A. Davis on a new leadership textbook for physical therapy students (which will be released in 2016). Dr. Green-Wilson also serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Rochester Hearing and Speech Center in Rochester, New York. Dr. Green-Wilson holds an Ed.D. degree in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY, a MBA degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and a BS degree in physical therapy from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Candidate Statement:
I am self-employed as a principal/consultant for the Institute for Business Literacy and Leadership located in Rochester, New York. I work directly with private practitioners and physical therapy/health care organizations across the country to develop fundamental business, management, and leadership skills, and to increase their leadership and entrepreneurial capacity. In addition, I work with a variety of DPT programs to strengthen the integration of business, management, and leadership skill development at entry level. Recently, I was appointed as the Chair of the Private Practice Special Interest Group (SIG) for the Pennsylvania Chapter (PPTA).
I am a member of PPS, HPA the Catalyst, and the Education sections because I believe that these sections are facilitating vital—and sometimes coinciding—conversations about the many critical areas upon which we need to focus and enhance to keep physical therapist practice advancing. By working within each section in different ways, I am constantly looking for opportunities in which we can support or augment each other’s work and in which to collaborate.
I served as Director on APTA’s Board of Directors (BOD) from 2011–2014; was the director for the new beginning for HPA-LAMP’s Institute for Leadership in Physical Therapy from 2009–2012 and continue to serve as faculty; and served on HPA the Catalyst’s Nominating Committee from 2009–2012. Currently, I am the vice chair of the Rochester Hearing & Speech Center’s BOD in Rochester, NY and chair of its Long Range Planning Committee.
I worked diligently from 2010–2012 as one of the founding members of the PPS Education Committee to: help develop a curricular framework for education within PPS; develop, coordinate, and deliver specific courses sponsored by PPS; and coauthor a chapter in the newly published How to Start a Private Practice. I was accepted to present the following topics at several PPS annual conferences: “Superior Benefits of Integrating Students in Private Practice” (2007), “How to Build Your Business: Getting Your Employees to Think More Like an Entrepreneur” (2009), “How to Build Your Business: Implementing Innovation to Renew Your Practice” (2010), and “Igniting Women and Men in Leadership: Overcoming Gender Bias in Physical Therapist Practice to Strengthen Collaboration” (2015). I have participated in the Institute for PPS Annual Graham Sessions from 2011–2015.
For my doctoral studies, I investigated: “Expanding the Role of the Physical Therapist by Integrating Practice Management Skills into Entry-Level Physical Therapist Preparation in the United States” and currently, I’m in the process of submitting this manuscript for publication in one of our peer-reviewed journals.
Priority #1 for PPS: Staying relevant for PPS members in delivering our value; being nimble enough and truly innovative to produce and provide timely and vital support information, education, mentorship, resources, and tools, for owners and practitioners in private practice.
Priority #2 for PPS: Leaders drive change and innovation. It’s up to us to invent our future. I believe physical therapists have a tremendous capacity for leadership at all levels in practice because we have IQ and EQ and the evidence suggests that highly effective leaders have a high degree of emotional intelligence (EQ).
As a member of the PPS Nominating Committee, I see my role as four fold: (1) to foster a culture of inclusivity; (2) to encourage and recruit members to run for formal leadership positions within PPS and beyond; (3) to strengthen membership engagement within PPS by integrating intentional networking, mentoring, and coaching into the work that we do. I believe it’s up to each one of us to reach out and invite others to become an integral part of a dynamic and connected membership actively engaged in PPS; and (4) to boost leadership development efforts explicitly within PPS.