Faculty and students from the CU Physical Therapy Program, along with members of the local physical therapy community, participated in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Leadership Congress in Washington, D.C. on August 14-15, 2022. This annual event is a gathering of the APTA's leadership groups to advance the association through policymaking by the APTA House of Delegates and formal meetings with the APTA Board of Directors, chapters, sections, and academies.

The APTA Leadership Congress had several notable presenters, including United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, and keynote speaker Stephanie J. Creary, PhD, Assistant Professor of Management with the University of Pennsylvania. Several members of the Colorado physical therapy community were in attendance including CU PT faculty member Tami Struessel, Kayla Homner, Jessica K. Cozine-Lehman, Doug Emerson, Christopher Edmundson, Erin Hayden, Rebekah Griffith (Colorado Chief Delegate and CU DPT Class of 2008 graduate), Frannie Westlake (CU Clinical Faculty and Chief Delegate of the Oncology Section), Ben Swink, James Spencer (Chief Delegate of the Orthopedic Section from Vail, CO), Orlando Mosley (CU Class of 2022 student and student usher), and Ian Nay.

Notably, the APTA Leadership Congress awards ceremony included the recognition of CU PT faculty. Dr. Michael Harris-Love was named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA, which is the association’s highest membership category. Also, Drs. Michael Bade and Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley shared a research publication award with CU Rehabilitation Sciences PhD program alumnus, Dr. Jay Falvey. The authors of the paper, “Poor Recovery of Activities-of-Daily-Living Function Is Associated with Higher Rates of Postsurgical Hospitalization after Total Joint Arthroplasty” (published in the journal, Physical Therapy), received the Jack Walker Award for a published study in association’s journal that presents novel and innovative research related to patient care and advances clinical science within the physical therapy profession.


Drs. Michael Harris-Love and fellow FAPTA award winner Lisa VanHoose.

Most of the Colorado delegation plus Chief Delegates from the Oncology Section and Ortho Section who are from Colorado.
Top row left to right: Tami Struessel, Kayla Homner, Jessica K. Cozine-Lehman, Ian Nay, Doug Emerson, Christopher Edmundson, Erin Hayden, Rebekah Griffith Colorado Chief Delegate and CU DPT Graduate of 2008
Bottom row left to right: Frannie Westlake (CU Clinical Faculty and Chief Delegate of the Oncology Section, Ben Swink, Kayla Homner, James Spencer Chief Delegate Orthopedic Section from Vail, CO, Orlando Mosley (CU Class of 2022 and Student Usher)