Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese, PT, EdD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Performing Arts Fellowship at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Programs in Physical Therapy in New York City. At Columbia, Dr. Abbruzzese teaches Clinical Geriatrics, Kinesiology & Biomechanics II, Professional Leadership & Practice I & II, as well as courses in the Performing Arts curriculum. She has over 25 years of clinical experience working with older adults across the continuum of care including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, sub-acute rehabilitation, outpatient physical therapy, and home care settings. Most recently, she served on an interprofesional collaborative care team, E-LINC, partnering with SAGE Senior centers in NY serving aging adults in the LGBTQ+ community. Dr. Abbruzzese is a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice and co-authored, “Special Concerns for the LGBT Aging Patient: What Rehab Professionals Should Know.” She has post-professional training and certifications in the FallProof™ balance and mobility program, Tai Chi for Arthritis, Tai Chi Fundamentals® Levels 1-2, TeamSTEPPS® Master Training, and APTA Geriatrics Certified Exercise Expert for Ageing Adults (CEEAA). Dr. Abbruzzese joined the CEEAA faculty in 2017, and helped to develop the Advanced CEEAA® course to provide clinicians the opportunity to further develop clinical reasoning skills related to ageing adults. In addition to Dr. Abbruzzese’s work with older adults, she serves as the president of the Performing Arts Special Interest Group of the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy and on multiple committees committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. She is co-PI of the FIERCE grant, Fostering Inclusive Excellence- addressing Racism and Culture in PT Education.

Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese, PT, EdD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Performing Arts Fellowship at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Programs in Physical Therapy in New York City. At Columbia, Dr. Abbruzzese teaches Clinical Geriatrics, Kinesiology & Biomechanics II, Professional Leadership & Practice I & II, as well as courses in the Performing Arts curriculum. She has over 25 years of clinical experience working with older adults across the continuum of care including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, sub-acute rehabilitation, outpatient physical therapy, and home care settings. Most recently, she served on an interprofesional collaborative care team, E-LINC, partnering with SAGE Senior centers in NY serving aging adults in the LGBTQ+ community. Dr. Abbruzzese is a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice and co-authored, “Special Concerns for the LGBT Aging Patient: What Rehab Professionals Should Know.” She has post-professional training and certifications in the FallProof™ balance and mobility program, Tai Chi for Arthritis, Tai Chi Fundamentals® Levels 1-2, TeamSTEPPS® Master Training, and APTA Geriatrics Certified Exercise Expert for Ageing Adults (CEEAA). Dr. Abbruzzese joined the CEEAA faculty in 2017, and helped to develop the Advanced CEEAA® course to provide clinicians the opportunity to further develop clinical reasoning skills related to ageing adults. In addition to Dr. Abbruzzese’s work with older adults, she serves as the president of the Performing Arts Special Interest Group of the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy and on multiple committees committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. She is co-PI of the FIERCE grant, Fostering Inclusive Excellence- addressing Racism and Culture in PT Education.

Brad obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from Cleveland State University and his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from A.T. Still University. Brad is also a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy and is an Advance Credentialed Exercise Expert for Aging Adults. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, Missouri Physical Therapy Association, and the APTA Geriatrics Section. He has presented at the Missouri Physical Therapy Association state conference and is pleased to be part of the faculty for the Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults through the APTA Geriatrics Section. Brad founded Mobile Physical Therapy in 2005, which is now a team of physical therapists dedicated to providing evidence based physical therapy house calls to older adults in the Greater Saint Louis area.

Richard Bohannon, DPT, EdD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT) and Principal of Physical Therapy Consultants (Fuquay-Varina, NC). He has also served as a faculty member at the University of Illinois and more recently Campbell University. Dr Bohannon is a licensed physical therapist with more than 40 years of clinical experience in diverse practice settings (acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, and home-care). He was board certified as a specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy from 1999 to 2019 and is currently a Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association, the American Society of Neurorehabilitation, the Gerontological Society of America, and the Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disorders. He is a prolific writer with over 500 publications in more than 50 different journals to his credit. According to Google Scholar his work has been cited nearly 40,000 times with more than 300 of his papers cited 10 or more times. In 1996 he received the American Physical Therapy Association’s Helen Hislop Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Professional Literature. In 2005 he was awarded the Association’s Marian Williams Award for Research in Physical Therapy and in 2008 he was honored with the Association’s Jules Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing. Dr Bohannon is presently Co-editor in Chief of the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. He served as Editor in chief of the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy for over 10 years. Dr. Bohannon serves on numerous editorial boards and has reviewed manuscripts for more than 100 different journals. Dr Bohannon’s interdisciplinary clinical practice, research and teaching is focused primarily on the measurement, implications, and treatment of impairments (most notably muscle weakness) and activity limitations (primarily mobility) in older adult and neurologic populations.

Kathryn Brewer, PT, DPT, MEd earned her entry level PT degree from the Ohio State University, a masters in education from the University of Cincinnati and DPT from Temple University. She has been a GCS since 1994 and completed the CEEAA in 2010. Kathy works for Mayo Clinic in Phoenix Arizona serving as the Therapy Clinical Education Specialist and program director for the Geriatric Residency program. She practices primarily in hospital based out-patient care with specific clinical interests in osteoporosis, fall prevention, functional assessment and wellness screening. Her prior clinical settings include home health, skilled nursing and public health.

Patty Brick, PT, MS, who began her career in pediatrics at Children’s Seashore House in Atlantic City, has now been board certified twice as a (GCS) Geriatric Clinical Specialist and more recently as a (CEEAA) Certified Exercise Expert for the Aging Adult. In all, Patty has been practicing for over 40 years, first as a physical therapy assistant, and later as a physical therapist, after graduating from Neumann University in 1999.

She has worked in many places including Special Service schools, Day Training centers, free-standing and hospital-based outpatient practices. She has directed a sub-acute rehab unit in a skilled nursing facility, worked PRN from homecare agencies and worked PRN and Saturdays at Bacharach. Patty also taught in the former Physical Therapist Assistant program at Atlantic Cape Community College for 12 years. Her experience in a wide variety of settings has given her a unique perspective.

Cathy Ciolek , PT, DPT, FAPTA received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Ithaca College and her DPT from AT Still University. She has been board certified as a geriatric clinical specialist since 1996 with and she completed the CEEAA in 2014. She is currently President of Living Well With Dementia, LLC providing consultation and education for facilities, organizations and individuals. She is currently serving APTA Geriatrics as President and has been honored as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy ACouldssociation.

 Linda Eargle, PT, DPT, MInEd is a graduate of the University of Florida, Clemson University and Regis University. She completed the CEEAA certificate program in 2010. She is a trainer for both the APTA Basic and Advanced Clinical Instructor courses, serves as a part time Executive Director for the Carolina Clinical Education Consortium and provides consultation for PT/PTA education. She retired from Western Carolina University as the Director of Clinical Education at the end of 2008. She is a member of the APTA Nominating Committee and has served in various appointed positions for APTA and the Academy and the Health Promotion and Wellness SIG.

Tamara N. Gravano, PT, DPT, EdD is the Assistant Director of Curriculum and Assessment and an Associate Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, FL. She earned her BHS, MSPT, and transitional DPT from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and completed her EdD in Leadership Studies (emphasis in Higher Education Administration) from Marshall University. Dr. Gravano is one of the first two graduates of the first Geriatric Physical Therapy Residency Program and serves her profession in many ways: She is a certified Basic Life Support Instructor, Director on the Board of APTA-Geriatrics, Director of Professional Development for APTA-Education, and is a Certified Clinical Instructor Trainer for the APTA. She is a past Chair of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties Geriatric Council, a former Board member of the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE), and a former Item Writer for the National Physical Therapy Board Examination of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Dr. Gravano is the co-director and faculty member for the APTA-Geriatrics Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA) and faculty for the Advanced Credentialed Exercise Expert for Aging Adults course series.

Dr. Gravano has taught geriatrics and integumentary system courses for over 12 years. Her clinical practice is per diem in skilled nursing. She has contributed to book chapters, published multiple articles, and presents nationally and internationally in her research areas of interest: Leadership development, Sociocultural Competence, and Geriatric rehabilitation.

Jill Heitzman, PT, DPT, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Program Director at Maryville University in St Louis and has a history of teaching courses in geriatrics, neurological physical therapy, integumentary and research. She has been actively involved in the APTA Geriatrics holding various elected offices including VP, Director and Nominating Committee as well as various committee chairs including CSM Programming for 10 years. She serves on the Geri Notes editorial board, as a reviewer for the JGPT and as the course coordinator of the CEEAA course series. Dr. Heitzman is board certified by the ABPTS in both geriatric and neurological physical therapy as well as having an AAWM certification as a clinical wound specialist. She serves as a geriatric and neurological content expert for ABPTRF site review team, serves as the ACAPT liaison to APTA Fellowship in Academic Leadership, has served on FSBPT for over 10 years as an Item Writer for the NPTE, and was recently elected to the nomination committee for ACAPT. She completed her research PhD in physical therapy at Nova SE University on the impact of height on the Forward Functional Reach test. She received the Joan Mills Award from the APTA Geriatrics, twice recipient of the President’s award and received the APTA Lucy Blair Service Award. Dr. Heitzman wrote the chapter on Integumentary in Staples Geriatric PT: A Case Study Approach, and has written numerous educational monographs, published peer reviewed articles, and presented on various topics related to the aging adult at the state, national and international level.

Lawrence Hochreiter, PT Retired. Over 29 years of experience in Home Health Care. A long-time member of the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy and Home Health Section, and an active member of the Northeast District of the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association, Larry has served as Director of Testing and Rehabilitation at the Pocono Medical Center with additional experience in Private Practice and Skilled Nursing settings. He received his BA in Biology from SUNY at Oswego in 1976, and a BS in Physical Therapy from SUNY at Upstate Medical University in 1980. He earned the Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults in 2010 and Advanced Certified Exercise for Aging Adults 2018.

Lucy Jones, PT, DPT, MHA is a Geriatric Certified Specialist and Certified Exercise Expert for the Aging Adult. She has worked in a variety of geriatric surroundings from inpatient to outpatient, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, adult medical day centers, home health, and several mission locales. She is a Geriatric Specialist practicing in southern New Jersey, and served in Titanyen, Haiti with Mission of Hope Haiti in their prosthetic and hospital based clinic; Belize, Central America with PT students and local staff in geriatric care facilities; and Jericho, Palestine, with Unto and their vison and mobiity clinic . She taught Geriatrics in the Drexel University Physical Therapy program. Her goal in practice is to use best practice to guide and support individuals to achieve their best outcomes, living lives of value and substance. She lives in Blackwood, New Jersey.

Kenneth L Miller, PT, DPT, is a board-certified geriatric specialist, certified exercise expert for aging adults and credentialed clinical instructor from APTA. He has over 22 years of clinical practice with the older adult population. Dr. Miller is an assistant professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center serving in the department of physical therapy. His clinical focus is on best practices and optimal care of the pre-frail and frail populations. He is an international and national speaker presenting topics related to gerontology in Australia and across the United States at national level conferences including the combined sections meeting and NEXT conferences of the American Physical Therapy Association. He has multiple peer-reviewed publications on clinical pharmacology and has recently been a guest editor for the Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation peer-reviewed journal issue focusing on medications and nutrition.

He serves the physical therapy profession as director of practice for the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy and additionally as the Chair of the Practice Committee for the Home Health Section of the APTA. In this capacity, he led the development of the Providing Physical Therapy in the Home handbook and other resources such as home health student roadmap and toolkit and the home health section’s objective test toolbox.

Myla (Myles) Quiben, PT, PhD, DPT, MS, is Associate Dean of the School of Health Professions and Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, TX teaching cardiopulmonary, neurorehabilitation, geriatrics and clinical medicine. She is a dual certified clinical specialist in Neurologic and Geriatric Physical Therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). She earned her PhD in Physical Therapy and post-professional DPT from the University of Central Arkansas, BS in Physical Therapy from the University of the Philippines, and Geriatric Research Fellowship with an MS in Clinical Investigation from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX. Her clinical experience in a wide variety of settings; current practice at the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation at Fort Worth. Dr. Quiben served in the ABPTS, Geriatric Specialty Council and Specialization Academy of Content Experts, the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy Board of Directors, and is an APTA Trainer for the Credentialed Clinical Instructor Programs. She has been awarded the Distinguished Educator Award, Joan Mills Award for Outstanding Service, and the President’s Award from APTA Geriatrics, and the Baethke-Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching and Lucy Blair Service Award from the American Physical Therapy Association.

Dr. Schroeder presently works as a full-time clinician at Stanford Healthcare in California, specializing in the treatment of patients with multi-morbidity. She is board certified in both Orthopedics and Geriatrics. Robin is also a certified lymphedema therapist and is working towards her cancer care specialty. She presently serves on the orthopedic residency committee and is a faculty member of the Stanford Orthopedic Clinical Residency program. Robin has worked in a variety of setting over her career, including cardiac rehab, organ transplant, management, acute care, ergonomics educator and consultant, aquatic therapy and cancer care and survivorship.

William Staples, PT, DHSc, DPT, FAPTA is an Associate Professor at the Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis. He earned his Doctor of Science and Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis. He originally received his geriatric specialist certification (GCS) in 1995 and recertified in 2005 and again in 2014. He served as the President of the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy until February of 2018, and previously served on the Board of Directors for nine years including Treasurer for six years. He also served on both the Geriatric Specialty Council and on American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties for four years and currently serves on the ABPTRF site review team. Bill was awarded the Lucy Blair Service Award from the APTA in 2014 and is also the recipient of the APTA Geriatrics Joan Mills Award. Bill has lectured nationally on a variety of geriatric physical therapy issues and is an instructor in the Certification for Exercise Experts for Aging Adults program. His research has investigated exercise and Parkinson’s disease, fear of falling, the relationship between mood and physical function, and attitudes toward working with patients with dementia. He is the editor and primary author of a text entitled “Case Studies in Geriatric Physical Therapy”. Bill maintains his clinical skills by working part-time in a rehab hospital.

 Susan “Sue” Wenker, PT, PhD, GCS-Emeritus is the Director of UW-Madison DPT program and Assistant Professor (CHS) int the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She earned her BS at UW-La Crosse and her Masters and PhD degrees at UW-Madison through the School of Education. She is actively involved in the APTA Geriatrics and teaches in the University of Wisconsin-Madison DPT program. Additionally, she teaches the Credentialed Clinical Instructor Course and serves on multiple campus committees for interprofessional teaching, leadership, and programming.