President: Nancy Fell, PT, PhD*

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN

Nancy Fell, PT, MHS, PhD is UC Foundation and Guerry Professor and Department Head for Physical Therapy at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). She received her entry-level physical therapy degree from St. Louis University, advanced master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and PhD in motor behavior and motor learning from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She was board certified as a clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy from 1995-2015, and now holds emeritus status. Nancy has treated individuals with neurologic conditions in acute care, home health, inpatient rehab, and outpatient settings. She entered academia full-time in 1995, teaching PT management of adults and elders with neurologic dysfunction until 2019. She currently teaches neuroscience and serves as the DPT program’s department head. 

* Dr. Fell is Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist-Emeritus.

Vice-President: Dennis Fell, PT, MD

University of South Alabama Dept of Physical Therapy Mobile, AL

Dennis Fell, MD, PT is Professor and Chair of the Department ofn Physical Therapy at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. Dennis is a licensed physical therapist with a background and degree in medicine. His career has focused on individuals with neuromuscular pathology. Dennis has 23 years of clinical PT practice, pro bono physical therapy services for individuals with stroke, brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases, Neurorehabilitation curriculum and consultation, international PT education, international collaboration, consultant to develop new PT curriculum for Taibah University (Saudi Arabia), served on numerous dissertation committees, numerous legal consultations, invited session chairperson for WCPT conferences, numerous continuing education courses nationally and internationally, including invited course in neurology at the WCPT World Congress in Amsterdam.

Secretary: Kate Kugler, PT, DPT*

Creighton University Program in Physical Therapy Omaha, NE

Kate Kugler, PT, DPT, Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist is an Assistant Professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, teaching primarily in an Integrated Lab setting and on the clinical education team. Her primary area of expertise and practice is in acute care, working primarily on a neuroscience unit. Kate completed her professional degree as well as her neurologic physical therapy residency at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy and her primary areas of expertise and interest in practice are working with patients with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, functional movement disorders, and balance and fall prevention in the older adult.

* Dr. Kugler is a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist.

Treasurer: Joni G. Barry, PT, DPT*

Maryville University Program in Physical Therapy St. Louis, Missouri

Joni G Barry PT, DPT, Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialists is a Professor of Physical Therapy at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri where she has taught full time since 2004.  She received her MS in PT from Arcadia University (Beaver College) and her tDPT from MGH-IHP.  She has been board certified in neurologic physical therapy since 1997.  She has treated individuals with neurologic conditions in acute care, inpatient rehab and outpatient settings.  She was previously a member of the ABPTS Neurologic Specialty Council as well as item-writer for the Specialization Academy of Content Experts. Her research agenda has focused on clinical area such as management of chronic hemiparesis and balance after acoustic neuroma resection as well as looking at using technology and games in neuroanatomy education. 

* Dr. Barry is a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist.

Director of Communications:  Timothy Nordahl, PT

Boston University Center for Neurorehabilitation Parkinson Disease Program Boston, MA

Timothy (Tim) Nordahl is a clinical research physical therapist at the Boston University Center for Neurorehabilitation. There, he provides physical therapy services for people with neurologic disorders, primarily Parkinson disease; and assists in the conducting of research studies investigating physical therapy and PD. He has previously worked in a hospital outpatient rehabilitation setting for people with vestibular disorders, impaired balance, and a variety of other conditions.

Director of Education:  Sue Perry, PT, DPT, MS

Chatham University Pittsburgh, PA

Dr. Susan Perry, PT, DPT, MS is a Chatham University associate professor of physical therapy.  She has over 30 years of clinical experience and 20 years as a educator/clinician.  A researcher in neurologic rehabilitation and fall/fracture prevention, Dr. Perry has had multiple publications and presentations at the national level.  In addition she is a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy and Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.  Dr. Perry received her BS in physical therapy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, her Advanced Master of Science Degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Chatham College.

Director of Knowledge Synthesis: Irene Ward, PT, DPT*

Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation West Orange, NJ

Irene Ward, PT, DPT, Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist is the research coordinator for the Brain Injury Program at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation where she collaborates with an inter-professional team of rehabilitation professionals to develop research projects and facilitates evidence-based practice through knowledge translation efforts focused on adults with acquired brain injury.  Her presentations and publications reflect her work in this area.  Dr. Ward received her Master and Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees from Temple University in 2001 and 2003 respectively. She is an adjunct instructor for Seton Hall University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in courses on the methods and application of evidence based practice.  Dr. Ward has had the privilege of working on several knowledge synthesis initiatives for the ANPT over the past ten years including the development of the Evidence Based Document Manual, clinical practice guidelines and EDGE documents.  

*Dr. Ward is a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist

Director of Practice: Wendy Romney, PT, DPT, PhD,*

Sacred Heart University Assistant Professor Fairfield, CT

Wendy Romney, PT, DPT, PhD, Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science at Sacred Heart University. She teaches physical therapy examination and treatment of patients with neurological disease and dysfunction and medically complex issues.  Her research is focused on knowledge translation and improving the use of outcome measures in physical therapy practice. She is a Board-Certified Specialist in Neurological Physical Therapy and continues to practice at the Center of Excellence for Neurological Health at Sacred Heart University.

* Dr. Romney is a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist.

University of Pittsburgh Co-Director and Associate Professor, DPT-PhD in Bio-Engineering Program Pittsburgh, PA

Patrick Sparto, PT, PhD is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and founding co-director of the DPT-PhD in Bioengineering program at the University of Pittsburgh. He teaches in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and is graduate faculty in the SHRS PhD program in Rehabilitation Science. His current areas of research include the investigation of postural control in older adults, with an emphasis on studying neural and biomechanical control of step initiation. 

Considering running for an ANPT Board position? Click here for information on Board roles and responsibilities.