From the Nominating Committee

By Karen Litzy, PT, DPT

Why did I get more involved in the Private Practice Section (PPS)? The answer is really simple… someone asked me.

I was a member of PPS for a few years, and I had attended two annual meetings. During those meetings, I was able to meet fellow business owners, create partnerships, and learn vital information to push my practice forward. But I still wasn’t that engaged with PPS. I didn’t know about the volunteer or committee opportunities available through the section. I didn’t know about the vast amount of resources available to physical therapy entrepreneurs of every size and in every stage of their career. I was regularly looking outside of PPS and the APTA for business advice instead of looking in my “own backyard.” This is not to say that those outside resources aren’t valuable, because they are, but to not take advantage of the knowledge of decades of physical therapy business owners was short-sighted on my part.

Flash forward to CSM in San Antonio, Texas, when I was approached by Rob Worth to run for the Nominating Committee of PPS. I wasn’t quite sure what that meant or what I would be required to do, but I was so happy that someone asked me to be more involved that I said yes without hesitation. Three years later, I am now the chair of the Nominating Committee during one of the most tumultuous times in our nation’s history. We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic that has forced businesses across the country to lay off employees, temporarily close, or in some cases, permanently close. Unfortunately, some of those businesses included private practice physical therapy clinics.

Anxiety, panic, fear, uncertainty, and confusion became part of both our professional and personal lives. It was during the early days of the pandemic, where I saw outstanding leadership, dedication, and resilience from PPS. They immediately created a pandemic response team that met daily! They provide free resources not only to PPS members but to all physical therapists in private practice that include regular COVID updates on everything from government assistance to messaging to telehealth options and more.

The mission statement of PPS is to “Champion the success of the physical therapist in business,” and throughout the pandemic, the PPS leadership has done precisely that.

As the chair of the Nominating Committee, it is my job to lead my team in finding the best possible candidates to serve the section and all of its members. We feel like we have presented our members with a slate of uniquely qualified individuals who are willing to volunteer their time and knowledge for the betterment of all physical therapists in private practice. PPS members, the ball is now in your court.

We are at a critical point in time for all physical therapy entrepreneurs, and it is up to you to VOTE!

• Let’s set a goal to have more than 10% of the section to vote on future leaders.
• Let’s set a goal to have more involvement in the section, whether that be volunteering for a committee, attending a webinar, or going to the annual conference.
• Let’s set a goal to reach out to just one person in the section to learn more.

I didn’t get involved in the section until someone asked. Don’t be like me. Take the initiative to get involved. That can be a small step like voting in this year’s election, or it can be a big step like running for the board. Your voice matters, but you have to use it! 

The next Board meeting will take place October 13, 2020, at 3 PM EST.