APTA 2008 Award Recipients
Catherine Worthingham Fellows of APTA
This award is given to either an active or life member of the Association, whose contributions to the profession through leadership, influence, and achievements, demonstrate frequent and sustained efforts to advance the profession for a period of not less than 15 years preceding the nomination for election.
Recipient: Linda Fetters, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Linda Fetters, PT, PhD, FAPTA is a professor at the University of Southern California. Dr Fetters has made major contributions to the education of physical therapists through her development of a unique distance learning approach and incorporation of evidence based practice into all aspects of the professional curriculum. She is highly valued by the physical therapy students she teaches and consistently receives outstanding ratings for her courses. Dr Fetters has contributed significantly to a basic understanding of motor development and of functional recovery of motor control in high-risk infant populations through her interdisciplinary research program. She has published numerous articles in referred journals and has written several book chapters. As an editor for the Section on Pediatrics' Pediatric Physical Therapy, Dr Fetters has developed and championed the Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) department of the journal, has promoted publication of CATs, and has assisted new authors in crafting their submissions. Dr Fetters continues to build a legacy through her education and mentorship of new researchers. She has been invited to present her work at meetings in dozens of US cities, as well as internationally in the countries of Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, and Sweden. She has been active on the national level of APTA for nearly 20 years, serving on numerous committees including the committees on Research, Annual Conference Programming, Screening Proposals and Abstracts and the Scientific Review Panel for the Foundation for Physical Therapy. The Section on Pediatrics and the Massachusetts Chapter have both recognized Dr Fetters with an award for research.
Recipient: Elizabeth J Protas, PT, PhD, FACSM, FAPTA
Elizabeth J Protas, PT, PhD, FACSM, FAPTA serves the profession in many different capacities, including interim dean, School of Allied Health Sciences Sealy Center on Aging Senior Fellow, researcher, and as a member of numerous national and university committees. During her career, Dr Protas' contributions to physical therapy research have been truly outstanding. She has been funded for nearly $12 million, with $10 million in funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) or National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and has received nearly another million in funding through the Veterans Administration. Dr Protas' seminal work has been in developing effective interventions to improve walking recovery in patients with Parkinson's disease, patients recovering from stroke, and with the elderly. Her years of pilot work culminated in a NIH grant to improve stepping, walking, and balance in Parkinson's disease patients. There are few physical therapists who can match her record of commitment to excellence and advancement of physical therapy education and research as demonstrated by her service as a primary or co-investigator on 11 NIH and Foundation training grants to create the next generation of physical therapist scholars. Dr Protas has published consistently since 1989, with 39 peer-reviewed articles in 20 different journals, and is a recognized expert in the areas of geriatrics, exercise capacity, mobility and gait, and adult neurological functional capacity. She has also served as a member of the Research Awards Committee of the Foundation for Physical Therapy, as a member of APTA's Post-doctoral Fellowship and Doctoral Scholarship Committee, and as APTA's liaison to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). As an active member of the Association and physical therapy faculty member, her contributions to the profession through leadership, influence, and achievements have demonstrated frequent and sustained efforts to advance the profession for more than 30 years. Dr Protas' overall research interests are to bridge the gap between science and practice by translating scientific information into practical application and empirically studying the science of translation. Dr Protas has been elected as a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, Academic Leadership Academy, and American Association of State Universities and Colleges, and is founding fellow of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
Recipient: Margaret Schenkman, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Margaret Schenkman, PT, PhD, FAPTA is program director for the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Colorado Denver and Assistant Dean of Allied Health. She has developed models of clinical decision-making for neurological physical therapy and conducted studies that relate to the examination and intervention of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). She was one of the first researchers to identify the importance of exercise for individuals with PD. A global understanding of PD and its impact not only on individuals with PD but also their caregivers represents Dr Schenkman’s comprehensive approach to research that deals with the individual in the context of society. She has been invited to speak across the country and at international meetings, and was one of the keynote speakers at the III Step Conference organized by the Neurology and Pediatrics sections. Dr Schenkman was one of the founding members of the editorial board of the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, and in this capacity she was an essential advisor as the Journal’s Board sought and obtained MEDLINE indexing. Dr Schenkman’s lasting contributions to the physical therapy profession are the substantial body of publications both in PD research and in clinical decision-making. In addition to her peer-reviewed articles and book chapter, she has produced videotapes containing exercise programs for individuals with PD. During her career, she has received a total of 11 grants, for seven of which she served as a principal investigator. Dr Schenkman has also mentored a generation of physical therapists to be clinician scientists by finding a way to develop entry-level physical therapist students, master’s level students, and junior faculty members into researchers. Dr Schenkman was co-chair of the group that developed the Compendium on Teaching Neurologic Physical Therapy. She is truly committed to neurologic physical therapist education and spends untold hours giving feedback to the students regarding their cases. She has shared her expertise in this area in the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, and internationally, including several seminars in Japan. Dr Schenkman has been published in a variety of prestigious journals, including the Journal of Gerontology, Journal of Biomechanics, and Physical Therapy. Dr Schenkman’s grant history is also impressive and includes a current five-year federal grant award for approximately $1.1 million in direct costs. For her many contributions to the profession, Dr Schenkman has been recognized with APTA’s Jack Walker Award, the Marian Williams Award for Research in Physical Therapy, and the Jules M Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing. From the Neurology Section, she received its Research Award; from the Colorado Chapter, she was honored with the Bob Doctor Service Award.
Recipient: Jessie Van Swearingen, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Jessie Van Swearingen, PT, PhD, FAPTA is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr Van Swearingen has built a career around two main themes -- geriatric rehabilitation with a focus on the neuroscience and clinical management of gait and balance disorders, and facial nerve paralysis. She is known as an innovator who integrates exceptional clinical expertise with enthusiastic commitment to education. Dr Van Swearingen has developed and led coursework related to geriatrics at the University of Pittsburgh in both undergraduate and graduate physical therapy programs. Dr Van Swearingen’s contributions in the areas of clinical neurology, facial nerve dysfunction, geriatric outcomes research, and gait assessment of physically frail older adults with mobility deficits has been extraordinary. In collaboration with colleagues, she has helped to define reliable and valid assessment tools and has developed and documented optimal rehabilitation strategies for older adults with mobility deficits and gait impairments. The impact of the development of such tools in these areas has allowed physical therapy practice to advance through the documentation and reporting of the outcomes after rehabilitation of impairments in adults with neurological dysfunctions or age-related functional decline. Dr Van Swearingen’s sustained contributions to this profession’s body of evidence, as well as her service to the profession through her publications and mentoring of future physical therapists and their preparation as clinical scientists, is her most profound legacy to date. For her service, Dr Van Swearingen has received the Manuscript Reviewer of the Year for Physical Therapy and APTA’s Chattanooga Research Award. She has also received the Excellence in Neurology Award for being an outstanding clinician and scholar in the area of neurological physical therapy, and the Research Presentation Award from the Pennsylvania Chapter.
Dorothy Briggs Memorial Scientific Inquiry Award
In 1969, the Dorothy Briggs Memorial Scientific Inquiry Award was established. The award now recognizes student members who have demonstrated the ability to prepare a well conceived, suitably designed, and clearly expressed article published in Physical Therapy. The purpose is to give recognition to a physical therapist member of the APTA for an outstanding article in Physical Therapy prepared while a student.
Recipient: Larisa Hoffman, PT, MS
Larisa Reed Hoffman, PT, MS, is the post-professional doctoral student author of the award-winning article in the February 2007 issue of Physical Therapy, titled "Cortical Reorganization Following Bimanual Training and Somatosensory Stimulation in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report." Ms Hoffman is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Coral Gables, Florida. Co-author Edell C Field-Fote, PT, PhD, is an associate professor, also in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Miami. Injury to the cervical spinal cord results in complete or partial loss of hand and arm function, severely limiting performance of daily activities. Many individuals with tetraplegia cite recovery of arm and hand function as their most important goal during rehabilitation. Deficits in upper-extremity function in individuals with tetraplegia are primarily due to the loss of motor pathways. Detrimental cortical reorganization, however, may create further loss of function. The purpose of this case report is to describe the cortical changes associated with a combination intervention using bimanual massed practice training with somatosensory stimulation. This was the first documented case in which changes in the size and location of the cortical map were associated with an intervention and improvement in function in an individual with tetraplegia. This case suggests that an intensive training intervention may induce both functional and neurophysiological changes.
Dorothy E Baethke-Eleanor J Carlin Award for Excellence In Academic Teaching
The Dorothy E. Baethke-Eleanor J. Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching started in 1981 to honor individuals who showed excellence within the field of physical therapy education. The award is in memory of Dorothy E. Baethke who was trained in physical therapy at the Mayo Clinic as well as the University of Minnesota and Northwestern University. Dorothy E. Baethke was Chair of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Allied Medical Professions. The award is also given in memory of Eleanor J. Carlin who was also a respected member of the physical therapy education community. The purpose is to acknowledge an individual who has made significant contributions to physical therapy education through excellence in academic teaching as exemplified in the professional and teaching careers of Dorothy E Baethke and Eleanor J Carlin.
Recipient: Lisa K Saladin, PT, PhD
Lisa K Saladin, PT, PhD serves as interim chair and associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. She began her career in physical therapy by completing a bachelor's degree from the University of Manitoba. This was followed by a master's of science inanatomy and a PhD in physical therapy. Dr Saladin has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in professional physical therapy education as a full-time faculty member at the Medical University of South Carolina since 1990. In addition to her role as a faculty member, she also has provided educational leadership, serving as acting director and director of the Physical Therapy Program and most recently as interim chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. Over the course of the past 17 years, she has clearly shown her exceptional commitment and dedication to promoting the future of the physical therapy profession through education. In addition to her role as an educator, Dr Saladin has made significant contributions to the advancement of the profession through scholarship and professional service. She has been instrumental in advancing the body of knowledge in the areas of community based service learning, health disparities, and neuropathology/neurological rehabilitation. In 2001, she was awarded the Golden Synapse Award for best journal publication by the Neurology Section in recognition of her efforts in this area. Dr Saladin has also demonstrated a sustained commitment to professional service. Most recently, she completed a 4-year term as president of the South Carolina Chapter, where she served as a strong advocate for student membership and active participation in professional service. As further testament to her value as an educator, Dr Saladin has been recognized by her peers and students with numerous teaching awards, including three University Teaching Excellence Awards and the South Carolina Governor's Distinguished Professor Award. Letters of support for Dr Saladin's nomination repeatedly illustrate her commitment and dedication to her students: "Dr Saladin's dedication to teaching and learning is most effectively demonstrated in the time and energy she devotes to all students, her ability to embrace innovative instructional approaches, and her desire to offer students meaningful interdisciplinary experiences."
Signe Brunnstrom Award for Excellence In Clinical Teaching
In 1986, the Signe Brunnström Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching was established to recognize excellence in teaching effectiveness in the physical therapy clinical setting. The purpose is to acknowledge an individual who has made significant contributions to physical therapy clinical education through excellence in clinical teaching, has served as a role model in clinical teaching, and has demonstrated expertise in at least one area of practice to which the clinical teaching has been directed as exemplified in the professional and teaching career of Signe Brunnström.
Recipient: Heidi Dunfee, PT, DScPT
Heidi Dunfee, PT, DScPT is the center coordinator of clinical education at the Mayo Clinic, where she is a clinician and clinical administrator responsible for numerous Mayo Clinic-Rochester sites. Dr Dunfee holds adjunct clinical faculty positions at the University of North Dakota, and the Department of Health Professions at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Dr Dunfee is an instructor in the College of Medicine with the Program in Physical Therapy at the Mayo School of Health Sciences. Dr Dunfee obtained a BA degree in physical therapy from the College of St Scholastica, Duluth, MN, and a DScPT from the University of Maryland-Baltimore. Her area of clinical expertise is in neurorehabilitation. Dr Dunfee has been a clinical educator for more than 24 years and during this time has made a lasting impact by providing affiliation opportunities for many physical therapy programs across the nation. She has been a mentor, guide, and facilitator of best clinical education practices. Dr Dunfee's expertise in clinical education is clear. She plays a significant role in promoting best practice in clinical education through her volunteer roles within the Association as a basic and advanced clinical instructor/trainer. Dr Dunfee is known for innovative approaches for clinical education and exhibits the dedication to clinical excellence, the passion for clinical teaching, and the strong commitment to share her knowledge to advance the practice of physical therapy exemplified by Signe Brunnstrom. Dr Dunfee is an exemplary clinical teacher dedicated to the advancement of physical therapy practice through mentorship, innovation, and service to the profession.
Lucy Blair Service Award
In 1969, the Lucy Blair Service Award was established to honor the contributions of Lucy Blair, who served the American Physical Therapy Association from 1950-1969 as Poliomyelitis Consultant, Chief of Professional Services, Associate Director, and Executive Director. The purpose is to acknowledge and honor physical therapist members of the Association whose contributions to the Association as a whole, at both the Association level and the component level, like those of Lucy Blair, have been of exceptional value.
Recipient: Judith Deutsch, PT, PhD
Judith Deutsch, PT, PhD serves as an associate professor at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Director of Research in the Virtual Environments and Rehabilitation Sciences (RIVER) Lab. Dr Deutsch has tirelessly served the Section for Neurology. As editor of the Neurology Section Journal, she has accomplished the task of having the journal distributed with a bound edge and referenced on MEDLINE. She also developed an editorial board for the journal and has been an exceptional mentor for the cadre of reviewers that are critical to its success. Dr Deutsch has participated in a number of initiatives to improve the link between theory and practice, including the position of chair of the Committee on Curricular Recommendations of the Task Force Studying Application of Theory to Practice, the Compendium for Teaching Neurological Physical Therapy, and the development of the III-Step symposium. Dr Deutsch has demonstrated an outstanding willingness to contribute to the growth and scientific basis of the physical therapy profession, to share knowledge with the clinical community, and to work with clinical colleagues to help them to integrate new perspectives into clinical practice. She has shared her expertise related to examination and intervention for persons with neuromuscular disorders at local, national, and international meetings. For her service, Dr Deutsch has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Alumni of the Year from University of Southern California, the Jack Walker Award from APTA, the Service Award from the Neurology Section, and the Outstanding Service Award from the New Jersey Chapter.
Recipient: Katherine Sullivan, PT, PhD, FAHA
Katherine J Sullivan, PT, PhD, FAHA, is director of the Professional Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program and associate professor at the University of Southern California. Dr Sullivan has 19 continuous years of service to the Neurology Section. During that time, she has served in four elected positions and has just recently been re-elected to her second term as section president. Her tenure has been characterized by initiatives that have included restructuring the section's governance and expanding the special interest groups and committees to have greater accountability between elected and appointed section members, developing a marketing and publicity program for the section that resulted in the "branding" of the section, the adoption of its now well-recognized logo/color scheme, transitioning the section to Web-based electronic voting, and the development of a complete revision of the Section's strategic plan, which has revitalized the section, including a 25% growth in its membership. In addition, Dr Sullivan is committed to advocacy efforts that promote access to healthcare. In support of APTA's Government Affairs efforts to oppose the Medicare cap, she was lead author on the American Physical Therapy Association Issues Brief: Healthcare Needs for Prevention and Recovery from Stroke that was distributed to every senator and congressman on the hill. Dr Sullivan is dedicated to the translation of research into practice, which is reflected in both her professional teaching commitments and research agenda. Over the course of her career, she has disseminated this knowledge through 25 peer-reviewed publications, 33 peer-reviewed research presentations, 16 national and international invited lectures, and 40 presentations distributed across APTA annual conferences, Combined Section Meetings, section regional courses, state component meetings, and two student-sponsored Pittsburgh-Marquette Challenge education events.
Henry O and Florence P Kendall Practice Award
In 1976, the Henry O. Kendall and Florence P. Kendall Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Practice were established by the Maryland Chapter to recognize excellence in clinical practice. The Kendalls were outstanding physical therapist clinicians in Maryland for more than 50 years. They have shared their expertise with their colleagues and the public through their many publications, films, and workshops on muscle testing and posture, and through their advocacy of proper measurements and exercise regimens for physical fitness. The purpose is to acknowledge an individual who has made outstanding and enduring contributions to the practice of physical therapy as exemplified in the professional careers of Henry O. and Florence P. Kendall.
Recipient: Susan Ryerson, PT, DSc
Susan D Ryerson, PT, DSc, has been in continuous clinical practice for more than 38 years, and during this time has shared her passion, knowledge, and love of the profession with many colleagues and students, and has touched the lives of more than 10,000 patients. Early in her career, she found her niche in neurological physical therapy and studied with Berta Bobath and taught neurodevelopmental treatment courses both nationally and internationally. Never one to stand still, Dr Ryerson incorporated current findings in neurobiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, orthopedics, and orthotics into her own practice and lectures, pursued her Doctor of Science degree and continues to encourage the translation of research findings into clinical practice. She has presented at numerous state conferences, APTA annual conferences and Combined Sections Meetings, and in various countries abroad. In addition to owning a private practice that focuses on adult neurological rehabilitation, Dr Ryerson is a research associate at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. As a consultant to more than 200 physical therapy departments and practices, Dr Ryerson has shared her expertise in problem-solving in neurological rehabilitation, helping clinicians to understand how research can and should impact their daily practice. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in numerous physical therapy education programs and has authored articles and book chapters on hemiplegia and stroke rehabilitation. Dr Ryerson continues to be a reviewer for the Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy, the Journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and Physical Therapy. As an active APTA member for four decades, Dr Ryerson served as the District of Columbia Chapter president, vice president, chief delegate, newsletter editor, and program chair. She received the Award for Clinical Excellence in Neurology from the Neurology Section and was honored for distinguished service by the American Heart Association.
Marian Williams Award for Research in Physical Therapy
The award is named in honor of Marian Williams (deceased 1964), whose life was dedicated to promoting the profession of physical therapy through teaching, writing, and research. The purpose is to acknowledge an individual who has made significant contributions to physical therapy through excellence in research as exemplified by the professional and research career of Marian Williams.
Recipient: Richard Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Richard Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA, is professor and director of graduate studies at the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Iowa and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Iowa Medical Center. He also maintains a joint appointment with the Clinical Department of Rehabilitation Therapies, enabling him to provide routine clinical consultation for patients with impaired human performance. Dr Shields has made significant contributions to the profession through his translational research in motor control. He developed an innovative method that enables individuals with spinal cord injury to stress their paralyzed extremities in order to prevent secondary complications, such as osteoporosis and muscle atrophy. He continues to examine how the neuromuscular system responds to various forms of stress, including fatigue, unexpected perturbations, surgery, joint instability, vibration, and heat. Dr Shields has more than 55 peer-reviewed publications in a variety of clinical and science journals. Dr Shields served on the Scientific Review Committee and the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for Physical Therapy since 1998. He is currently president of the Foundation for Physical Therapy.
Jules Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing
Richard Bohannon, PT, EdD, DPT, NCS, FAPTA, FAHA
Richard Bohannon, PT, EdD, DPT, NCS, FAPTA, FAHA, is professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Connecticut. Over the past 25 years, he has contributed to Physical Therapy as a reviewer, Editorial Board member and author. During this time he has published in the journal a total of 66 papers, letters and suggestions from the field and has authored 46 full-length publications. Dr Bohannon's publications have confronted questions of concern to the profession that range from measurement of muscle performance to the utility of exercise interventions to interventions for individuals with neurological disorders to productivity in clinical practice. His work has provided practicing clinicians with information essential to engagement in evidence-based practice. Dr Bohannon is best known for his extensive contributions to the gerontology, neurology, and clinical measurement literature. His publication record includes more than 300 research papers, case reports, commentaries, and communications in more than 30 different journals. Dr Bohannon's national recognition as a scholar and research scientist is a result of his extensive and varied publication record in the primary areas of clinical measurement and muscle performance.
Mary McMillan Scholarship Award - Professional Education Level
Christina Lapp Holladay, SPT, MA, CSCS
Mahlon Stewart, SPT
Valerie J Willia, SPT
Minority Scholarship Award for Academic Excellence - PT Students
Christine Snipes, SPT, Youngstown State University