Brian Duke, SPT
Candidate for President
My name is Brian Duke and I love being an active member of
APTA. The current members of the APTA student assembly
have motivated me to transform society and grow the profession
of physical therapy and it is my goal to continue this mission and
provide motivation for others. In my time as my program’s class
president, APTA project committee member, and president of the
Washington Student Special Interest Group I have had the
opportunity to serve in many different capacities and I am
dedicated to continuing this service in all areas of the physical therapy profession. I am a very
outgoing, passionate, and motivated person and I intend to utilize these attributes in leadership
positions with the student assembly. If elected to the APTA student assembly board, my mission
will be focused on three main goals—improving the quality of what the APTA and student
assembly offers to students, increasing student membership and continuance of membership
following graduation, and providing avenues where future students can be involved in order to
further advance our profession. I want to improve an already impressive following that the
student assembly board has. By incorporating entertaining, informative, and inspiring content
from our assembly we can increase the amount of people who actively participate in the student
assembly which will ultimately improve our profession as a whole. As the student assembly’s
following increases, our next goal is to express the many benefits to membership. By doing so,
improved membership rates and continuation rates as professionals will help strengthen all areas
of the APTA which will ensure continued growth of the profession. Finally, for those who have
viewed the student assembly’s informative content and have made the pledge to serve our
profession by joining the APTA, the final step is to create an environment that encourages
further involvement in leadership capacities. By motivating the next generation of leaders and
making leadership involvement an accessible option for students, we can ensure that our
profession is in good hands moving forward. If I am elected to the APTA student assembly board
of directors I promise that I will bring my outgoing, passionate, and motivated personality to
every challenge that I am faced with. I hope to inspire the next generation of students, just as I
was inspired by members of the student assembly in the past. I believe my past leadership
experience, my upbeat personality, and my vision for the future of the student assembly makes
me an exceptional candidate for the APTA student assembly board of directors and I thank you
for your consideration.
Beth Horn, SPT
Candidate for President
As students we are faced with demanding academic programs that
make it daunting to step out of the shadows of academia and get
involved in our professional organization. It is my goal as President
to inspire, empower, and create opportunities for students across the
country to step out of the shadows and to join me in creating a
culture of involvement and continuous improvement. It is an
exciting time to enter the profession of physical therapy, during a
time of health care evolution with respect to population health, new
evidence, and advancements in how treatment is delivered, accessed, and valued. Amidst this, we are
entering a profession in an identity crisis. We have a branding problem and are constantly advocating
to protect our rights as therapists. The APTA Student Assembly is our best chance as students to
unify and make an impact on the issues that affect our profession so we can have the future we
desire.
As your President I will empower you by listening to your voice to take action to positively impact
your professional development and tackle the issues that face our profession and us as students. I aim
to create mediums for open communication so your feedback is received, questions are answered and
challenges are met. This will allow students to be innovative and collaborative by forming a
partnership with Student Assembly leaders to move our profession and organization forward. I plan
to support the development of Student Special Interest Groups (SSIG’s), bridging the involvement
and communication gap between the state and national levels. I also desire to make the workings of
the APTA transparent and easier for you to understand. I will effectively communicate what your
organization is doing for you and its intended value. I also aspire to assist in your professional
development by constructing avenues for mentorship and exploration of your specific interests.
My proven leadership experience, ability to take action, strong communication and analytical skillset
make me well suited to be your President. Most recently, I was a leader of the RC-11-16 movement.
We listened to the student voice and created an action plan that included a petition that had 2,400+
signatures to rally support for the APTA to address student loan debt. This level of involvement
created national attention and momentum for RC-11-16 and it was passed unanimously at the House
of Delegates. I have a plethora of leadership experience beginning with a career as a Business
Analyst. After changing careers, I became the Arizona SSIG President where I channeled my passion
and experience to transform the nonexistent SSIG into a successful, sustainable organization with a
strong foundation. The Arizona SSIG is nationally known for its leadership and student engagement
serving a body of over 200+ and pioneering opportunities for student involvement, education,
networking, advocacy and community service. My experience at the APTA state and national levels,
as well as my collaborative and empowering leadership style, casts me as your ideal candidate for
President and national representation of the Student Assembly.
Megan Roos, SPT
Candidate for President
From my previous career in architecture to my pursuit of a dual-degree
in physical therapy and healthcare administration, I have always been
interested in how to better the human experience through creativity,
teamwork and problem solving. Physical therapy provides the
opportunity to make a genuine difference in people’s lives in a
profound way on both a micro and macro scale. This is evidenced by
our vision statement “Transforming society by optimizing movement
to improve the human experience.” It speaks to the belief in our
professional ability to do great things in healthcare and society at large.
To achieve our vision, I believe we must be present, passionate and involved as an association.
It is this passion and purpose that drives me to run for the position of President on the APTA Student
Assembly Board of Directors. I am determined to share with the world the many benefits physical therapy
has to offer patients and promote the answers I believe our profession can offer to the tumultuous state of
healthcare in our country.
Serving in leadership roles, both as Core Ambassador and as liaison to the Student Leadership Committee
in the state of Oregon, has given me a taste of the difference that students can make not only locally but
globally. We as students are the voice of the future for our profession. We not only strive for doctorates,
evidence based practice, residencies and fellowships, but for prevention, primary care, valuable outcomes
and a better financial future for our graduates. The work accomplished by previous boards and visionaries
has been phenomenal and we must continue this work to push toward our lofty vision statement. As
students, we are in the ideal position to do so. We have a strong, progressive voice and I have been
witness to the strength it carries.
I bring with me a diverse, creative background fueled by dedication, passion and vision. I work best in
concert with others and acknowledge that a true leader is a conduit for the team. I hope to lead the Student
Assembly in this fashion as a strong, unbiased communicator of the student voice.
Our past leaders have built a strong foundation. From it, I hope to build the value of membership for
students and new professionals, open up engagement channels for students all over the country and
strengthen our advocacy efforts locally, nationally, and globally. My goals are to focus the priorities of
the board on the initiatives that are working well to fully maximize our efforts. I also want to pursue a
plan to start tracking the data of our efforts to strategically inform our future. Finally, I want to advance
the creative marketing potential of our student leaders to better share their efforts and to motivate the
entire profession to effectively engage society in the benefits of physical therapy.
These are a few of my ideas but, more importantly, what are yours? Please reach out and let me know!
You can find me on Twitter: @megroosSPT Frank Baker, SPT
Candidate for Vice President
Hello, my name is Frank Baker and I am running for Vice
President. The reason I am running for office is to make a
difference in our profession and professional association. During
my academic career as a physical therapy student, I have noticed
one major problem- many physical therapy and physical therapy
assistant students are not informed about our professional
organization and for what it stands. After working with the Ohio
Physical Therapy Association’s Student Special Interest Group, I
have become eager to not only impact the state of Ohio, but the whole nation. I believe that I and
fellow future members of the APTA student assembly can work together to reach out to all PT and
PTA students and increase the knowledge and interest of involvement in the APTA.
The strengths that I possess that will assist me in meeting my goals for increasing student
involvement in the APTA include leadership, critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills, and work
ethic. I have displayed leadership in all facets of my academic career. During my undergraduate
education, I served as the Ambassador of the Western Carolina University Athletic Training
Program. I have been a role model for under classmen as a teaching assistant during undergrad and
graduate school, as well as serving as a clinical preceptor while completing my Master’s in Athletic
Training. I have also shown leadership through research; I have presented multiple research cases on
patient studies covering cervical spine and upper extremity injury and rehabilitation, and completed a
thesis that evaluated a mental toughness training program and its effect on physical and
psychological predictors of injury in adolescent athletes. I am currently completing research which
will assist colleagues and I in creating a mental health disorder screening tool for college students
and student athletes. I served as the APTA Student Assembly Core Ambassador of Ohio from April
2015 to May 2016, and currently serve as the OPTA student representative for the Ohio University
Physical Therapy class of 2017.
None of the previously mentioned offices held or opportunities would have occurred without my
work ethic. While growing up, I was taught that the only way to be successful or reach goals is
through hard work and dedication. I feel that the other strengths that I have listed all stem back to
hard work.
If I am elected Vice President, my key goal will be to increase PT and PTA student involvement in
the APTA. I would like to extend this involvement to newly graduated PT and PTA students as well.
This will be done by enhancing the accessibility of available information and opportunities for
students to become more involved in the APTA. With an increase in involvement, we will increase
the integrity and respect of the APTA in the eyes of members, non-members, and fellow health care
professionals.
Christopher Chism, SPT
Candidate for Vice President
The Student Assembly (SA) represents the most pivotal requirement
for creating change, a collection of passionate individuals moving
towards a common goal. The SA has the ability to create massive
movements to enhance the physical therapy profession for all
practicing PT/PTAs, students, and most importantly patients. This
potential to create transformative change inspired me to run for SA
Vice President. The Vice President is given the unique privilege to
communicate with the entire student body through the “Loop” and
Core Ambassadors (CAs); ensuring the Board of Directors accurately
represents members within the APTA.
If elected, I would focus to increase active involvement at all levels. The APTA SA contains enthusiastic,
passionate, intelligent future professionals requiring guidance and representation to find an avenue to
promote our individual passions. Enhancing and expanding the network of Student Special Interest
Groups (SSIG) will provide an accessible venue for students to express their professional passion. As
Vice President, I would be perfectly aligned to assist the creation of new SSIGs and increase the
relationship of established SSIGs at a national level. Additionally, I want to establish a national mentoring
program that connects students with practicing PT/PTAs who achieved the career success we envision for
ourselves. Lastly, I wish to increase the connection between the APTA and the vision of each program’s
student organization. This will allow the Board of Directors to expand their influence and maximize the
efforts of all determined students to reach areas outside of their immediate community.
I am prepared for this role because of my communication skills that have allowed me to connect students
while I have served as CA. Strong communication skills have been essential in my effort to provide
students with the most current APTA information and allow all students the greatest opportunity for
involvement. My leadership experience in program, state, regional and international positions enabled me
to participate in multiple inter-professional programs, diversity initiatives, community outreach activities,
and professional development opportunities. With leadership experience ranging from a position in my
DPT Student Organization to being the Regional Facilitator for the North America and Caribbean region
in the WCPT Future Network, I am perfectly suited to take over the role of Vice President.
As a CA for Wisconsin I experienced the powerful role a CA has to connect students with an opportunity;
igniting their passion for professional service. Serving as the Regional Lead for the Great Lakes region I
am able to connect efforts of multiple CAs. This allowed me to see the incredible possibilities when
information is shared and ambitious leaders collaborate. By overseeing the operation of all CAs in the
Vice President role I would be able to make a coordinated effort to produce change and provide a voice at
the national level for all students with innovative ideas. Ultimately, I wish to create an environment where
every student is presented with abundant opportunities to become professionally involved at each level;
inspiring passion for the physical therapy profession and the APTA.
Katie Leitner, SPT
Candidate for Vice President
“The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.
Work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish
anything.” -Vince Lombardi, Jr.
As members of the physical therapy student body, we all have an
understanding and appreciate the value of hard work in order to
achieve our goals and reach our highest potential. Like Vince
Lombardi, Jr. stated, we can use hard work and perseverance to
accomplish anything that we put our minds to. As students and
upcoming professionals, we are the pioneers for the future and have the necessary tools to change the
physical therapy profession. It is our professional duty to work hard and put forth great effort in order to
better our profession and educate those around us.
Throughout my lifetime and into my graduate school experience, I have always felt the need to do more
and take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. For many years, I have been involved in
volunteering with many groups such as the Special Olympics of MN, the Girls on the Run, and Love
Your Melon. These experiences influenced me in many ways, but most importantly taught me that
providing services to others can be fun and rewarding. Along with my volunteering experience, I am also
currently a class officer in the first inaugural class at Concordia University-St. Paul and the APTA
National Student Conclave Project Committee Chair. My time serving a national position has allowed me
to be a more effective leader by challenging me to connect with a large group of people with different
modes of communication in order to achieve a common goal. Following these experiences, I have
developed many strengths including being organized, able to engage in effective communication and
active listening, and sustaining a higher level of passion to serve those around me in any way that I can.
These strengths combined will help me be an effective member of the SABoD to help advance the
profession.
If elected, I plan to expand the reach of the SABoD in order to promote student involvement in new and
innovative ways, increase social media coverage on student opportunities, and better prepare students to
be the pioneers for the APTA’s vision. Students must be made more aware of the APTA opportunities
available to them through their PT/PTA program, Core Ambassadors, State SSIG positions, and The
Loop. This can be accomplished through tapping into networks that students are currently engaged in,
including; Facebook, Twitter, Google Chat, etc. In order to strengthen the power of our Association we
must continue to engage students early in their schooling and career and allow them to see the value in the
APTA.
Students are the future of the physical therapy profession and have the capability to fully implement the
APTA’s vision of “Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.” It
is now our responsibility to work hard and push ourselves in order to forward our profession and achieve
the APTA’s vision.
Sean Sebeck, SPT
Candidate for Vice President
Student Assembly, my name is Sean Sebeck, I am a third year
Student Physical Therapist at DeSales University in
Pennsylvania and I am running to be your Vice President for the
Student Assembly.
My involvement started my first month of PT school, serving as
class APTA and PPTA representative. Interacting with students
from other programs helped ignite a spark that has erupted into a
strong and passionate drive for change and more involvement. This passion for involvement led
to serving as Core Ambassador of Pennsylvania as a first year student (if you do not know what a
core ambassador is, let’s talk! As Vice President I want to fix that!). Essentially, a core
ambassador serves as a link between the student assembly board of directors and students within
that state. In Pennsylvania’s case, that’s a lot of students from our 30+ programs. I am a firm
believer that true leadership is not about a title nor holding a certain position; true leadership is
about inspiring others to be the best version of themselves. Through my interactions as core
ambassador I have noticed that many students share common personality traits; natural
leadership being one of those traits. However, that trait is not always brought out. As Core
Ambassador, my goal was to inspire others to lead. Combining this idea with a servant
leadership approach and the “pay it forward” philosophy, I was able to increase the involvement
among students. Currently, I am Chair of the Student Assembly Loop Communication Network
and Student Special Interest Group Project Committee; this position combines my passion for
empowering students with the ability to provide resources to Core Ambassadors and SSIGs to
increase effectiveness and drive change across the country.
With leadership experience as the former Core Ambassador of Pennsylvania, current Student
Assembly Chair of the Loop Communication Network/Student Special Interest Group Project
Committee, and a student member of Connect PA, I am prepared to serve student interests. As
Vice President, I will enhance the Student Assembly by elevating the Core Ambassador
awareness among students, aid in engaging students to become active members, and build
sustainability to the Student Assembly and profession. With your support, I am ready and excited
to create a bold, fresh legacy that supports communication, strengthens the student experience,
and serves student success!
Maggie Delaney, SPT
Candidate for Secretary
I am running for office because I have found the Student Assembly
to be highly influential in empowering student involvement within
the APTA. As students, we are the most passionate and energized
people in the field, which is why leadership at the student level is so
important. We have already shown initiative by pursuing a
doctorate-level education, and leadership positions such as the
Student Assembly give us a new place to grow. I started out with a
vital position in the Arizona Student Special Interest group, a place
where I was able to develop and discover my own style of leadership. Not only did I participate
within my own role, I expanded the role by planning a PT Pub Night with record-breaking
attendance, managing social media coverage, coordinating events, and working with teams. My
successes propelled me to pursue national leadership. This is why I am running for the office of
secretary, I am ready to grow in a new capacity, and benefit the Student Assembly with my acquired
skills and leadership.
My past leadership revealed that I am an effective organizer and communicator. A specific skill that I
have developed is tracking down lofty ideas into goals with achievable objectives and action items. It
is my belief that the most successful meetings end with a to-do list of next steps. This is also a way to
keep momentum going throughout the year. When ideas fall through the cracks, and there is no
follow-up, leadership groups do not meet their goals. As secretary, I hope to keep us afloat on waves
of inspiration by being the go-to person for accountability and engagement. I achieve this with my
approachable personality, sense of humor, and social skills. Accessibility of self is key for
maintaining integrity of a group.
I consider my leadership style to be quiet yet influential. I tend to speak less and do more. I thrive in
small groups and am more effective working in the background. I take pride in my ability to boost
group morale. Amongst my classmates, I am known as a goofball and optimist. I maintain a high
level of involvement in activities and community service events. I try to reach out to others in a way
that is important and relevant to them. All of these qualities I believe are crucial to a leader at the
national level.
I will play an active role in promoting the goals and objectives of the Student Assembly. I can drive
action through accountability, increase sustainability through managing our records, and promote
engagement with follow-through. I can create an environment that encourages others to think more
explicitly about what they want to achieve and why. My past leadership has shown my commitment
to service through organization at the Arizona state level, and these skills will translate flawlessly to
the national level.
Timothy Rethorn, SPT
Candidate for Secretary
I am running for the position of Secretary because I want to inspire
DPT and PTA students to find value in their APTA membership. I
have always felt APTA membership is important, but I have not
always felt like I received intrinsic benefits. I have known that my
dues help our profession in an abstract manner, but I only recently
found personal value. I found this when I went to the NEXT
conference this year. While there, I met fellow students, including
our current Board of Directors, clinicians, academics, and
researchers. I was able to approach people who I had never met, but knew from reading papers or
following them on Twitter. The only qualification I needed was to say that I was a student. The
moment I said those words, everyone showed an interest in speaking with me. There is a power in
being a student that I had never realized before. I want to set up other students to succeed in the same
way. I also want to continue the excellent path that our current and previous directors have set us on.
If I am elected, a significant reason I will thrive is due to the incredible work that they have done to
get us here.
I have been actively engaged on social media, especially Twitter, since some of my classmates
returned from National Student Conclave last year and encouraged me to start a professional account.
I have loved meeting other students during the #XchangeSA chats! Additionally, while I attended my
state conference and NEXT, I live-tweeted the sessions I attended. I had classmates that were not
able to attend, and I wanted to share the knowledge I gained during presentations. As students, we
are used to collaborating in school, learning from each other and helping to fill in our weaknesses. I
believe we can use social media to our advantage in spreading knowledge that we gain.
I want to achieve two goals as Secretary. My first goal is to advocate for active student membership
in the APTA. This has two components: having DPT and PTA students become members, and
having student members actively use their membership. Current members have inspired me to make
the most of my membership, and I want to have the same impact on other students. This includes
building relationships between students, and with clinicians. I am running for the Student Assembly
Board of Directors because of the relationships I made at NEXT. My second goal is continue my
personal development as a professional. I spent my first year of school focused on learning all that I
could within the classroom, but there is an abundance of knowledge outside of my personal sphere. If
elected to the SABoD, I will meet a diversity of both students and clinicians, and be able to grow my
interpersonal skills. I firmly believe that building relationships is key to being a great clinician, and
this opportunity will let me hone these abilities.
Zachary Verzillo, SPT
Candidate for Secretary
Henry Ford once stated, ‘Coming together is the beginning; keeping
together is progress; working together is success…’ Mr. Ford could not
have hit the head of the nail any better with this statement. As I see it,
the APTA’s vision of transforming society cannot be carried out
without first coming together and acknowledging each other’s worth,
passion, and abilities. We must commit to each other, to remain united
so that there is no doubt in our minds that we can’t improve our human
experiences. Collectively, we need to strive to work with and
encourage each other to do our best at brainstorming new methods for
optimizing movement. I have chosen to join this movement; to become the Student Assembly Secretary,
so to utilize that role to become an example of how each and every one of us has the potential to
transform society.
While serving on the board for the University of New England’s Habitat for Humanity Club, I learned the
true value of connectedness with others, respect for all, and the benefits of promoting involvement so to
reach the ultimate goals. In Graduate School my passion for leadership roles flourished. While serving as
Core Ambassador for Maine and Vice President of UNE’s DPT Class of 2017, I have been able to
promote APTA interest, advocacy, and involvement through numerous avenues whilst encouraging
feelings of inclusion and community based oneness.
If elected, my goals are to help lead the Student Assembly in being at the forefront of all APTA
professional and community-based discussions and events. I also plan to expand upon the rather new
PTTransforms section of the Core Ambassador roles and responsibilities. After meeting so many
amazingly sincere and imaginative students on the SABoD at NEXT 2016, I have been inspired to not
only expand upon their determination and ingenuity, but to help share their enthusiasm with all
professional students through a series of podcast installments. I will continue to advocate for Student
Assembly involvement and its events, and for the APTA memberships and professional campaign pieces
that are essential to enhance each student’s future.
The end of Mr. Ford’s phrase states, ‘… If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care
of itself.’ I view the Student Assembly as one body, grown by thousands of parts, each consisting of PT
or PTA students who are granted the abilities and provided the tools for crafting their own professional
futures. In formulating their own individual futures, the student body, in its entirety, expands and
branches out in all directions. The success of the student body is not the goal, rather it is the success of
each individual within. With this thought process, the Student Assembly Body can achieve success all on
its own. Being the Secretary for the Student Assembly would be a tremendous honor which would grant
me with the ability to reach out to and inspire all students to grow in their own personal, collective, and
professional futures.
Michelle Wynne, SPT
Candidate for Secretary
I love being part of a profession that is full of other dedicated,
arduous, and compassionate individuals. Being surrounded by these
types of people at California Student Conclave, NSC, and CSM
during my student career has pushed me to apply for Secretary of
the Student Assembly Board of Directors.
I have always been an extremely self-motivated individual who
seeks opportunities for career and academic advancement. I love to
share these opportunities and find ways to get others involved. Earlier this year at CSU Long Beach,
I helped create monthly PT Lunch N Learn events to engage students and faculty in important PTrelated conversations. Since then, I have helped others develop this event at their own programs in
different states across the nation. I am passionate, driven, and take initiative when I recognize an
opportunity for action. I believe that these will be my strengths as a member of the SABoD. Student
members will be able to count on me to not only provide them with valuable resources, but also to
listen to and implement their ideas on a national level whenever possible.
My extensive leadership experience makes me a great candidate for this position. I served on the
California Student SIG Development team to help create a SSIG within my home state. I am
currently the CA SSIG Newsletter Committee Chair. This position has challenged me to successfully
set realistic timelines, organize a high volume of content, and communicate effectively with my
team. These are all skills that will carry over to my role as Secretary, if elected. Within my program
at CSU Long Beach, I have served as APTA student representative and PT Club Vice President for
the past two years. These positions allow me to keep my classmates engaged as APTA members and
also stay involved in our local community through service events. Whether it be within my program
or at the state-level, I have been a resource to other students, a team player, and a passionate advocate
for student involvement within the APTA.
My main reason for running for SABoD is to serve PT and PTA students across the nation. If elected,
I hope to connect students and help them find their passion within our profession. I am running for
the position of Secretary to ensure that I can play an active role in keeping the SABoD organized,
focused, and on task in order to maintain optimal efficiency in reaching our goals. I would make
myself available to students via social media, email, telephone, live Skype meetings, and campus
visits in order to maintain transparency within our organization and learn what students want from
their leadership. My goal is to create an inclusive environment for both SPTs and SPTAs that fosters
and promotes the ideas and interests of all student members.
Page Ahart, SPT
Candidate for Director of Communications
“Transform” is a buzzword heard a lot when talking about physical
therapy and the future of the profession. However, when I think
about the future of physical therapy transform doesn’t quite fit. I see
the vigor and passion packed into the voice of every student and the
word that comes to mind is revolution. We want everyone to know
about the wealth of knowledge physical therapists have and how we
can use that to benefit patients in a multitude of ways. We are
getting loud and speaking out on building up the profession. As the
next generation of PTs and PTAs we are igniting a revolution by looking at physical therapy through
a new lens and will continue to progress the profession to the next level. Progress comes from change
and change happens when we ask questions and look at things from every angle which is exactly
what we are doing.
The vast majority of DPT and PTA students are millennials and it seems that no one knows what to
do with us. We are innovative, driven, and outspoken with voices that want to be heard. We are
connected in a way that makes us the force that we are when it comes to thinking about what’s next
for physical therapy. Our strength comes from our connections and those connections happen when
we are informed and involved. As Director of Communications that is exactly what I want to do—
foster connections between students, keep students informed and in the loop on the happenings in the
profession, and display the importance of involvement outside the classroom. I want to help bring our
voices together so we can collectively grow this revolution. I hadn’t even completed my first
semester before I found the spark for my physical therapy passion—I love talking about physical
therapy. That spark has grown as I’ve met and interacted with other PTs, PTAs, and students who
share my passion and I am continually striving to pass it on to everyone I meet.
In my first year I’ve worked at the local, state, and national levels to keep students engaged and informed.
I initiated the formation of an advocacy-focused committee within the Student Physical Therapy
Association at the University of Central Florida to better dissipate information about the profession at the
state and national levels to all of the cohorts. I have enhanced my connections by taking on leadership
roles as the Vice-Chair of the Florida Physical Therapy Association Student SIG and a member of the
APTA Student Assembly Professional Advocacy Project Committee. I expanded my information base by
attending the Federal Advocacy Forum and NEXT conference and by interacting with the top leaders in
the profession in person and on social media. It’s time I take my fire to the next level and ignite students
outside of Florida. I would be honored to be chosen to represent the Student Assembly as a member of the
Board of Directors and help lead to revolutionize the profession.
Kiley Fletcher, SPT
Candidate for Director of Communications
I cannot accurately recall the day when I realized I was a dreamer. It
may have been the first time I set out to break my high school’s
pole vault record, or the moment I decided what I wanted to be
when I grew up. When I was six years old, my first dream was to be
an artist in my grandmother’s basement. Somewhere along the way,
I came to develop the strength, patience, and passion to achieve
whatever I set my mind to. I believe the key to living a fulfilling life
is to never stop dreaming. I want to complete an Ironman, become a
mom, write a book, start a non-profit company, and be a leader that has an impact on many lives in
the field of federal physical therapy. However, before all of these long-term goals, I have one
immediate goal, to become the next Director of Communications for the Student Assembly Board of
Directors.
Although my career goals have changed since the age of six, I still have a desire to utilize my passion
and creativity to carry out the duties necessary for this position. Upon entering PT school, I began a
position as a personal assistant for a local gym owner. As a result of this position I learned how to
generate unique social media content, email newsletters to clientele, and evaluate metrics. Also, once
I started my current position as a wellness associate at a health foods store, I began utilizing my skills
to create a new social media platform for the company.
Moving forward, it is my desire to build on the positive work of my predecessor Alexis Morgan and
push the Student Assembly social media to new heights. Every student has their preferences for
social media, so I will advance our efforts in the Loop Communication Network, the Pulse Blog,
APTASA, Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets such as YouTube, LinkedIn, and
Snapchat. I am excited to collaborate with the Student Assembly Board of Directors and execute
creative ideas for these platforms and accomplish the goals set by the Board. My ultimate goal is for
every member of the Student Assembly to become the best clinician possible. Excellence as a
clinician is related to collaboration and a lifelong desire to stay informed and involved. I recognize
my responsibility in setting a strong foundation for each student to achieve that excellence. I will also
make it my priority to help students strengthen their own communication skills so that they become
the most qualified candidates entering the workforce. As you consider my qualifications for this
position, I ask you that you keep in mind the following quote from an anonymous but insightful
contributor, “People with great passion make the impossible happen.” In conclusion, it is a privilege
to be considered to serve on the Student Assembly Board of Directors as Director of
Communications. If elected I would embrace the opportunity and apply my passion to make an
impact in the physical therapy profession.
Katie Ragle, SPT
Candidate for Director of Communications
Throughout my journey in PT school, I have often been told that
PT students from all backgrounds can serve a vital role in the
physical therapy profession. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I
believe it until I discovered all that the APTA offers. The APTA
provides an incredible platform for people with all kinds of skills
and talents to come together for the common goals of promoting
the physical therapy profession and providing the best care to our
patients. That’s why I love the APTA.
I graduated undergrad with a degree in electronic media/broadcasting and minors in editing and
publishing and theatre. I have written for newspapers, deejayed for radio stations, and developed
marketing and social media strategies for various organizations. However, I realized that helping
patients achieve their goals in PT trumps any other goal for which I have worked, and it thrills
me to now work toward a career where we can so directly impact the people with whom we
interact.
Our field is full of communication. As future PTs, we pride ourselves on serving as health care
providers who truly engage and connect with our patients. This relationship with our patients
starts with engagement with our peers. Interaction within our field is crucial. We share
interesting articles about new interventions; consult experienced practitioners about best practice;
and glean all that we can from classes, professors, and APTA sessions. These shared experiences
help us to provide our patients with the best care possible, and it all starts with communication.
However, communication is far more than throwing information out and hoping that a few
people grab onto it. As Sydney J. Harris said, “The two words 'information' and 'communication'
are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out;
communication is getting through.” As students, we are forming the basis for our practices; let’s
stop giving out and start getting through!
As Director of Communications, I hope to serve as the catalyst for engagement within our
profession. We are on the cusp of becoming practitioners; let’s learn all that we can to build a
foundation for success! As cliché as it sounds, we are the future of PT. We have the opportunity
to build our careers by building a network of professionals even before we graduate and can seek
advice from current practitioners and learn how to set ourselves up for success. We are
embarking on an incredible career; let’s make the most of it!
Cruz Romero, SPT
Candidate for Director of Communications
To inspire growth through intentional actions so that aspirations
become reality and purpose becomes clear. This is my WHY
statement. I strongly believe once we find our WHY, our WHAT and
HOW can be anything we want them to be. As long as we walk in our
purpose, we will succeed no matter the circumstances. I get out of bed
every morning to make myself better so that I can serve others, help
them accomplish their goals, and help them walk in their purpose. I
applied for Director of Communications to fulfill my WHY statement
by working for you and our profession.
Physical therapy is going through a fundamental shift in mindset and clinical practice. We are at the cusp
of a new era of health care delivery: value-based care. I have never felt more provoked to get involved
and show the world the value of PT. We have a lot of work to do, but I am confident that we can
accomplish our goals by working together. “For the strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the
wolf is the pack…” – ‘The Law of the Jungle from The Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling. The student
assembly is a powerful force because of you! Similarly, you will become a better PT because of the
immense value of the student assembly!
The biggest leaders in physical therapy stress the importance of active listening and seeking
understanding in order to bring value to patients. My goal is to do the same for our student assembly. I
want to get to know you and learn from you. I want to understand what is at the core of your values and
aspirations. I want to understand what barriers stand in the way of your success and what strategies you
have used to overcome adversity. I am eager to hear your needs because when you succeed, we all
succeed!
In a similar vein, as Director of Communications, my goal would be to increase your awareness of
different perspectives, groundbreaking news and advocacy efforts so you can get involved. I want to build
on the amazing work of the previous Student Assembly Board of Directors through aggressive campaign
efforts utilizing grassroots movements and social media as vehicles.
With all that being said, I am a DPT student just like you. I have the same goals of graduating, passing
boards and impacting patient’s lives. Advocating and getting involved in our profession has been a
priority of mine since my first year. I am confident that you share the same values. I am now a third year
and with the knowledge and passion that I have developed over the course of my journey, I need to place
a heavy decision in your hands. The decision to vote for the candidates that will represent your values the
best. I would love to interact with you whether in person or on social media! Facebook: Cruz Romero
Twitter: @cruzromero602 LinkedIn: Cruz Romero Looking forward to hearing from you!
Richard Krajewski, SPT
Candidate for Director of Membership
PT school doesn’t just mold us into effective clinicians—it also
molds us into bright critical thinkers with a skill set that can
make an impact everywhere we go. As students, it is essential
that we capitalize on our skill set outside of the classroom and
clinic in order to advance our profession. While serving on the
Student Assembly Board of Directors as the Director of
Membership, I plan to efficiently use the resources of APTA to
provide students with a better understanding of our healthcare
system, increase collaboration among PT schools and professionals, and ensure continued
student involvement with APTA after graduation.
While in PT school, it is easy to view the profession through a personal lens and forget that
physical therapy serves as a single step in the healthcare cycle that is far bigger than any single
profession. I plan to provide outlets for physical therapy students to shadow professionals in
other healthcare professions and launch a “Future Healthcare Leaders” initiative that will allow
students to collaborate with future leaders in other professions to frame the future of healthcare.
Furthermore, I plan to increase collaboration among PT schools. As consumers in the market of
higher education, it is easy to rely on our academic institutions for all of the resources that we
need. Though this makes sense from the point of view of an economist, it can be limiting to our
advancement as a profession. I plan to use membership as a catalyst for this collaboration
through APTA sponsored coursework and mentorship opportunities that will allow PT students
and faculty from varying institutions to collaborate inside and outside the classroom. Lastly, I
plan to increase APTA retention rates after graduation. APTA has the resources to not only help
students, but also physical therapists throughout their entire careers. In order to keep retention
rates high, I plan to collaborate with our Director of Communications to develop a sustainable
way to promote the benefits of continued membership to physical therapists around the country.
While holding numerous leadership positions in different organizations during my college years,
I have dedicated my time outside of the classroom to making positive impacts on campus and in
my surrounding community. It is this passion to bring positive change that drives me day in and
day out. I want to take this passion to the Student Assembly Board of Directors where I can help
bring positive changes to the profession that we all love. It would be an honor to serve as your
Director of Membership and help all students reach their full potential as physical therapists and
future leaders of healthcare.
Matt Mastenbrook, SPT
Candidate for Director of Membership
I am running for the student assembly board of directors to help
influence and implement positive change for the student assembly
and the physical therapy profession. I would like to see the student
assembly continue to grow in number and have a larger influence
on the profession as a whole. Students make up a large portion of
APTA membership and should have a strong voice in what
happens. I feel like I can help provide an excellent outlet for
students to approach with any recommendations or constructive
criticism and make sure their voices are heard. In addition, I am running because of my passion and
commitment to the profession. At my school, I started the APTA Benefit of the Week initiative to
make my classmates aware of the breadth of benefits from an APTA membership. I’ve found that
many students are not aware of the benefits, so I want to make them clear so they can be taken
advantage of.
My leadership skills have strengthened since I began PT school through holding multiple national
positions. Currently I am the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) Liaison to
the SABoD. I am the first student to have this position and was tasked with creating contacts and
connections with the council. Through this, I gained experience working with program directors from
across the country, and I feel confident and comfortable communicating with them. In addition, I
took the initiative to create student involvement opportunities with the council and planted the seed
for future students to hold this position. Previously, I was a member of the Community Outreach
Project Committee where I communicated with core ambassadors from different states trying to
implement service projects at a state level.
A couple of my strengths that will help me with this position are my patience and reliability. Having
patience allows me to remain calm in stressful situations while keeping a clear head, as well as being
a great listener. In addition to my patience, I pride myself on reliability. If I have a deadline or am
expected somewhere, I get it done. This makes me an ideal candidate because if you need something
or want to have someone to voice a concern to, I am that person. I will make sure that the right
people hear about it and that your voice will be heard.
If I am elected to the SABoD, I want to make sure that the student assembly continues to grow and
increase the number of students that renew their membership once they enter the workforce. Strong
membership will help drive this profession forward and help influence health care. In addition, I want
the student voice to help implement the APTA’s vision of PTs being movement system experts. As a
profession, we need everyone to unite on how to best market the profession to the public. Students
can help PTs understand how to market our skills so that the public understands that we can be
primary health care providers.
Eddie Smith, SPT
Candidate for Director of Membership
I am applying for a position on the Student Assembly Board of
Directors because of my genuine passion and drive to help
students stay informed during my career as a physical therapist.
While I am now starting my second year as a physical therapy
student and my experience may be limited I have a desire to keep
others as informed as possible through a vast array of modes.
As a future physical therapist I want to provide students and
other clinicians with ways to practice at the top of their license and as well stay informed of
current events, debates, and other on goings in the profession. The clinics along with all the other
therapists I have interacted with have focused on each individual and really demonstrated a
sincere care for their long-term health, which I would also hope to do with my patients one day. I
hope to accomplish this by using a relationship-centered care approach. This means listening to
the patients we treat, hearing their story, and then forming a relationship with them to impact the
course of their life. Physical Therapy provides me with knowledge of the human body and how it
moves along with my degree in Psychology to understand human behavior, perspectives, and
emotions. This provides me with the best way to provide a life altering experience to someone. I
knew I wanted to utilize my skills to influence someone’s life not only physically, but also
psychologically which is why I chose this profession. To my surprise while I was learning to do
just that, I realized that the people I will be treating and had previously treated were doing the
exact same for me. They were teaching me life lessons, giving me lifelong advice, and simply
showing me how to be a good-genuine person. Because of this background I see Physical
Therapy becoming an integral part of a person’s health and hope to increase that perspective
throughout the profession.
Also, I hope that as a member of the board I can increase other student’s membership, activity,
and presence in the APTA. To accomplish this, I plan to start a fund for future students who
might not normally be able to afford to travel to national conferences to use from the APTA to
attend national conferences. I think this is the best way for students to stay informed of the
coming changes within the profession and as well be able to have strategic conversations in order
to shape the field!
Micah Smith, SPT
Candidate for Director of Membership
"Control your own destiny or someone else will." - Jack Welch. This
statement encompasses the environment that we are living in today.
Physical therapy, as a profession, is on the rise and is in a time of
transformation. As an association, we are being faced with numerous
opportunities for expansion and impact. If we are to impact this future
and the patients we serve each day, we must each get involved in this
process. Through advocacy, education, providing services, and
engaging and networking on social media, we can (and will) transform
our profession. It is my goal to promote engagement within the
profession by increasing student membership and involvement. We each have the ability to make an
impact.
As members of the APTA, we are the agents of change in the future of our profession. There are
thousands of students who seek out opportunities to get involved outside the classroom, but there are still
many that are not sure where to start. These opportunities serve as a breakthrough for many students into
the professional organization. It is my goal to create more opportunities and make them more available to
students around the nation.
Successful leaders are able to make changes that benefit the masses, encourage others to be more
involved, and provide opportunities for their peers to expand upon. I have demonstrated these
characteristics through various leadership roles. I participated in leadership in my program, continuing
onto leadership on the state level, as well as nationally. As my state's Core Ambassador, I was able to
change the involvement environment in Missouri and get people excited about getting involved. I strive to
increase the excitement of involvement opportunities nationally. As an APTA Student Brand Champion, I
focus on increasing awareness of our roles and the physical therapist brand to other students, consumers,
and other healthcare professionals. All of these experiences have allowed me to further develop my skills
as a leader, professional team member, and an advocate. Within the SABoD, I will be able to work
collaboratively to bring more of such opportunities to students around the nation and transform the
profession in terms of early professional involvement.
As APTA Student Assembly Director of Membership, my primary goals are to increase student
membership and increase involvement. The students are a significant portion of the profession and with
these numbers, we can transform society. By increasing membership, the impact that we can have will be
phenomenal. It is through advocacy and the use of professional networks as an avenue that these goals
can be accomplished. The growth of our profession in past years has relied on many great leaders. In
today's changing healthcare field though, it will require everyone to come together and transform our
profession. This must start now.
One thing I always say to students wanting to get involved is “Find something you are passionate about
and make that your focus. We all have unique talents and abilities and when those come together,
something special happens within our profession. Ask. Engage. Lead.”
Allison Breakey, SPT
Candidate for SPT Delegate
Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try – Gale Devers
Advocating for our profession and our patients is one of the most
important roles and duties we have as physical therapy
professionals. Early in my DPT education someone once told me,
“If you don’t decide your future, someone else will.” This left a
lasting impression on me and I believe it to be true. We cannot be
idle bystanders in our profession. We have to tirelessly and
passionately represent and advocate for our profession and patients. If elected as the Student Physical
Therapy Delegate I will aim to empower students across the country to share this vision.
We are all capable of being effective advocates and collectively we can make a powerful statement. I
have always known the importance of advocating for our profession, and it has long been a goal of
mine to become an influential advocate. However, initially I struggled to understand how I as an
individual could make a significant impact. This all changed after attending the NEXT conference
and PT Day on Capitol Hill in 2015. My perspective on our capabilities as students and as a
profession as a whole completely changed. I realized that we can individually make a difference and
together we are truly a force. I left feeling inspired and invigorated, ready to leave a lasting impact on
our profession. I hope to instill this confidence and enthusiasm in physical therapy and physical
therapy assistant students across the country through increasing awareness and involvement in
advocacy efforts.
I am a qualified candidate for the Student Delegate position because of my strong communication
skills, passion for advocacy and leadership experience. I have held many leadership positions both
throughout and before my physical therapy education. I am currently the Connecticut Student Special
Interest Group Vice President as well as a member of the APTA Advocacy Project Committee. As an
active member of these organizations and with the help of my CT SSIG officers, I successfully
organized, hosted and presented at Connecticut’s National Advocacy Dinner which housed 48
attendees including PT/PTA students, faculty and esteemed guests on the executive board of the
Connecticut American Physical Therapy Association. The dinner served as a platform to educate,
inspire and engage students of physical therapy and professionals in advocacy efforts. If elected, I
hope to use the Student Delegate position as a platform to embody the voice of the student assembly
constituents as well as influence students and the community on a larger level.
Through continually demonstrating an active voice for the student assembly and physical therapy
profession, I am committed to engaging in advocacy efforts. I would be honored to represent the
student assembly and serve as the Physical Therapy Student Delegate for the Student Assembly
Board of Directors. I believe as individuals we can make a difference and together we can “transform
society… to improve the human experience.”
Sean McComiskey, SPT
Candidate for SPT Delegate
My name is Sean McComiskey. I am a professional musician and
a student physical therapist with an inquisitive spirit and a
passion for public service. These fundamental aspects of my
character have been the motivating forces behind my steadfast
desire to learn about the world and the people around me in my
pursuit of self-realization. As I move forward in my career as a
physical therapist, I am excited to combine these unique qualities
to specialize in the treatment of injured musicians ensuring they
enjoy long lasting, pain free careers making beautiful music for themselves and the world. With
this passion providing my underlying dedication to the field of physical therapy, I have decided
to run for a position as SPT Student Delegate on the APTA Student Assembly Board of
Directors.
I am a member of the Class of 2018 at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Department of
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (PTRS). I am one of the career-changers in my
class. I studied political science and public relations in my undergraduate and served for 7 years
in the Office of the Governor for the State of Maryland. I specialized in constituent outreach
where I helped the citizens of Maryland navigate the intricate bureaucracy of federal, state, and
local government with the primary goal of providing better services for the community. In
addition, I worked on several political campaigns ranging from small grassroots efforts to major
statewide campaigns. I came to intimately understand how the gears of government work and
how changes in public policy come to fruition. More importantly, I learned first-hand how the
power of effective organizational communication and coordination combined with a passionately
motivated and dedicated team can be the galvanizing force behind any successful movement.
As the SPT Delegate on the APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors, I will employ this
foundational understanding to coordinate with the UMB PTRS faculty and students, the APTA
Maryland Core Ambassador, and my fellow members of the APTA Student Assembly, to
promote student membership and engagement with the APTA. I will recruit students to attend
the 2016 National Student Conclave and the 2017 Combined Sections Meeting and I will ensure
that everyone in my class is up-to-date and involved with the current APTA events and
initiatives relevant to us now as students of physical therapy and in our future careers as physical
therapy practitioners.
Carley Rissman, SPT
Candidate for SPT Delegate
“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and
the will to help others.” – Albert Schweitzer
The desire to help others is often cited as a motivation by those seeking
to join the PT profession. It is also an important component of
leadership within this profession. As a second career student, I knew
that becoming involved in my member association would be an
important part of my education and development. In my former career,
I frequently saw the power of member associations both as stewards of
health care services for the public and as representatives of their members. A strong association needs
those ready and willing to serve, and I am both.
I am running for SPT Delegate because I have the knowledge and experience to represent PT students.
Prior to my re-entry to academia, I spent nearly 6 years in various roles in the areas of public affairs and
governance of a health management organization. A majority of which supported legislative and
regulatory work at both the state and federal levels – including tracking regulations and legislation,
cultivating and gathering feedback from content experts across professions, filing lobbyist reports, and
writing comment letters to change language to meet the needs of various parties. I also have extensive
customer service and administrative skills, specifically in organization and communication on behalf of
executives and board members. I believe these skills are beneficial to the Student Assembly Board and
hope to apply them as SPT Delegate.
In my current education and experience, I have been involved in many service roles and projects. I
represented my school at NSC 2015, coordinated a health fair booth providing child development
screenings (which I presented as a poster during CSM 2016), acted as a class assistant and volunteer
coordinator for Dance for PD, and taught my fellow classmates about regulations and prepared them for a
legislative day in our state capitol. Attendance at legislative day allowed me to directly advocate on PT
issues. I have also represented Washington students as the PTWA Board of Directors PT Student Liaison.
In this role, I have attended quarterly board meetings, monthly delegation calls, and participated in the
House of Delegates. I have also worked to redevelop my chapter’s student special interest group, assisted
in creation of a PTWA student conclave, and cultivated SPT and SPTA leaders. All of these experiences
have solidified my commitment to service within APTA, and have allowed me to refine skills needed as
SPT Delegate.
My vision is a national student culture of empowered leadership, inclusiveness, and activism. If elected, I
will work to help my fellow students develop and refine policy and advocacy skills. I will strive to hear
all voices, while also acting as a source of information. I will endeavor to be the best representative of
student members within my ability, and will seek to instill the passion I hold for this work into each and
every student member - join me and we can build great things together!
Jennifer Webb, SPT
Candidate for SPT Delegate
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and
become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
It is the desire to inspire others to do more, learn more and become
more than I can accomplish alone which drives me to take my role of
student leadership beyond the classroom and onto the platform of the
APTA Student Assembly. My passion for student involvement and
advocacy began as a weak spark of curiosity when I attended my first
Federal Advocacy Forum in 2015 as a first year PT student. Three
hours after landing in DC, I stood amidst student and professional PT advocates and realized I had
discovered home in this journey through PT school towards my career. The spark ignited a flame and
burned into a wild fire as I returned home to my student cohort and realized a void where student
involvement should thrive. I am running for the office of SPT Delegate to address this issue through
reaching every APTA student and empowering him or her to influence positive change for physical
therapy and discover the investment into a meaningful purpose on this journey.
As a PT student, I began my leadership journey upon being elected as class vice president to organize and
develop connections with local non-profit organizations and coordinate several volunteer opportunities
each semester. This position greatly enhanced my student experience through community involvement,
including building fitness obstacle courses for local school districts, coordinating two consecutive years
of volunteerism at the Parkinson’s Talk Walk, bagging and distributing thousands of pounds of fresh
produce to local families, and coaching children at the Wheelchair Motocross X Games wheelchair clinic.
I also proudly served as president of the TWU Student Physical Therapy Organization, where I generated
campus-wide awareness of professional issues impacting physical therapy and facilitated collaborative
teamwork among our students.
Since my initial 2015 PT Capitol Hill Day, I have presented information on advocacy to my classmates,
recruited a fellow student to return with me for a second Federal Advocacy Forum in 2016, organized a
successful inaugural DFW National Advocacy Dinner while teaming with the current SPT Delegate and
using the apta.org’s advocacy tool kit, and was honored to be selected as the national AGPT Federal
Advocacy Scholarship recipient. These opportunities have provided me a vessel to reach others and share
the value of student involvement as an investment into a successful future and greater profession for all of
us. As your SPT Delegate, I will maximize resources such as The Pulse newsletter, Student Special
Interest Groups, social media, and local leaders across PT and PTA programs to nurture important
conversations instilling the why and how of student involvement. It would be my absolute honor to
represent the interest of our student assembly constituents at the APTA House of Delegates and lead
advocacy alongside student members at our national conferences. Without this reason and value made
evident during initial student membership, it becomes far more difficult to retain our membership and
advance our profession together…we are truly better together. This begins with a leader who inspires
others to do, learn, and become more.
Josh Elam, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Chair-Elect
Ahh, the road trip. There is just something intoxicating about the
sense of freedom when travelling to a destination. It seems like a
simple means of getting from point A to point B, carefully thought
out with all the right preparations including ample snacks, a full
tank of gas, and the perfect playlist. Predictably though, no matter
how much time is spent planning, the straight and narrow road to
point B gets convoluted along the way. For me, the APTA became
my scenic route detour. As I sought out opportunities, my wellplanned and orchestrated route to becoming a PT expanded beyond the classroom to include
meaningful goals along alternate paths.
Hi, my name is Josh Elam. I am running for Nominating Committee Chair-Elect because I believe in
the APTA and its ability to be personal to each student. As the chair of the Florida Student Special
Interest Group, I have experienced the beauty of detouring from the straight and narrow path. I
believe all PT and PTA students can benefit from taking alternate paths, and have some fun at the
same time. However, I also believe the method in which students are introduced to the APTA can be
improved. In my experience and those I’ve talked to, many students struggle to relate to the APTA,
stemming from a poor first impression. If thoughtfully restructured, we can frame the APTA in a way
that supplies a meaningful first impression. The message needs to be simple and memorable in order
to have an impact on students that are primarily focused on learning the insertion points of hundreds
of muscles. Let’s reveal the direct effect that networking has on internship and career opportunities,
or the advantages of involvement in special interest groups. I whole heartedly believe that early
membership allows students to take a scenic route that encourages a lifetime of involvement.
The bread and butter of the Student Assembly is its capacity to keep members connected. Projects
such as the #XchangeSA and The Loop publications showcase the success of connection as they
grow in popularity. Much of this growth occurs with social media marketing and word of mouth
within PT and PTA programs. Such grassroots efforts depend on students and will benefit from
membership gains. Let’s continue the momentum created by the Student Assembly and excite a new
base of students early in their PT/PTA road trip.
If elected as Nomination Committee Chair-Elect, I aim to continue the excellence that has always
defined the Student Assembly. I want to lead a task force within the assembly responsible for
creating an effective “APTA First Impression” plan. All students can benefit from participation, and
it is the duty of the Student Assembly to properly spread that message. I see an opportunity to
increase involvement by improving the first impression and creating programs to incentivize fresh
students. I want students to arrive at graduation having taken the scenic route.
Mark Leyhe, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Chair-Elect
“Victoria Concordia Crescit” is a Latin motto that translates to
“Victory Grows Through Harmony.” This motto was adopted by my
favorite soccer team, Arsenal Football Club, and now heavily
influences how I function as a husband, friend, student, and leader. The
Student Assembly has experienced tremendous growth due to
passionate and committed leaders. The individual efforts and
accomplishments of each leader are exemplary and admirable. I am
sure these leaders would agree that their collective efforts would have
been for naught without the assistance, collaboration, and ambition of
other students, professionals and legislators. The Student Assembly has arrived to its current prospering
position because leaders have listened, communicated, and worked well with others. Previous leaders
aspired to create new strategies and tools to leave the Assembly better prepared for the future than when
they entered it. In this sense, my mindset is no different. Leading students is an opportunity to positively
impact the organization that has done so much for the profession I love. My desire is to take full
advantage of this opportunity and help students across the country seek their passions and begin on a path
to becoming experts in a desired area. As a member of the APTASA Board of Directors, I plan to engage
a diverse group of students, seasoned professionals, and legislators to lead an interprofessional team that
will move forward in the way we treat and advocate for our profession and the public.
My experience as president of my class at the Medical University of South Carolina has prepared me to
lead students in a joint effort to create a network that will increase engagement, raise public awareness,
and attract others to the profession. Looking to engage more than just on the local level at MUSC, I
immersed myself into the Student Assembly. This community of inspiring, creative and intelligent
PT/PTA students has shown me there are ways I can always be developing as a leader and clinician. The
upcoming year of experience and networking in the Assembly will only mature my knowledge and
leadership skills. My loyal disposition leads me to believe my relationships within the Student Assembly
will prove to show lasting benefits for all involved and our profession. Students can be confident in my
desire and ability to serve them on the Board of Directors in our collective journey to positively affect our
profession and the patients we treat.
As a professional organization, the Student Assembly and APTA have and will continue to experience
seasons of great success, as well as seasons of great struggle. We are rarely in control of our current
circumstances, but we are always in control of our responses to our circumstances. If the Student
Assembly commits to working harmoniously with students, medical professionals and legislators in all
situations, then we will continue to observe growth of the Student Assembly and the APTA. Now join me
and thousands of PT/PTA students across the nation as we work in unison to grow and transform the
profession.
Students are the future of the physical therapy profession and have the capability to fully implement the
APTA’s vision of “Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.” It
is now our responsibility to work hard and push ourselves in order to forward our profession and achieve
the APTA’s vision.
James McAfee, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Chair-Elect
The most crucial realization that I had during my first year of
physical therapy school was how much there is to learn outside
of the classroom. Learning does not solely happen at a desk, next
to a whiteboard, or over a textbook. Learning also happens by
meeting a student from another school at a conference, by
participating in a #XChangeSA tweet chat, or by attending an
event organized by a Student Special Interest Group. For us to
grow into the professionals that we aspire to be, learning must
happen in these alternative settings. Learning experiences outside of the classroom are necessary
supplements to didactic education, as they provide context and perspective while facilitating
individual growth and network building.
It is an objective of the Student Assembly Board of Directors, then, to create these
extracurricular learning experiences within a community that encompasses all APTA student
members. Because the Student Assembly has played a key role in my personal growth as a
student, I am incredibly grateful and excited for this opportunity to serve. My experience this
past year as a Brand Champion and as a member of the Professional Advocacy Project
Committee led me to better understand our collective voice as physical therapists and physical
therapist assistants. I asked myself questions about how we can hone this voice in different
arenas to better represent ourselves and our patients. What are we saying with this voice? Who
are we talking to? And how can we, as students, contribute to this voice? Our project
committee’s brainchild of 2016 was the National Advocacy Dinner, which brought relevant
conversations about advocacy directly to students at 12 different schools across the country. At
these dinners, we learned that advocacy is both an opportunity and a responsibility to advance
our profession within this ever-changing healthcare system. The Student Assembly provides a
structured foundation off of which ideas such as the National Advocacy Dinner can grow and
flourish. I hope to use future leadership positions to cultivate impactful ideas so that they can
empower, educate, and create positive learning experiences.
With a position on the Student Assembly Board of Directors, I hope to increase involvement,
accessibility, and transparency, and to continue the momentum that the Student Assembly has
generated over the last few years. I believe that I have the requisite work ethic, creativity, and
communication skills to help construct a united and far-reaching Student Assembly that can
shape us as future professionals. The Student Assembly helped me find what I was passionate
about and gave me a platform to act on it – my goal is to do the same for every DPT and PTA
Student. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Ronald Peacock, Jr, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Chair-Elect
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of
others.” - Gandhi
I truly believe that a leader leaves his mark not for his own gain, but
for the benefit of those whom he serves. We, as students, leave our
marks by cooperatively creating and implementing innovative
strategies for change within the APTA. We reflect the future of our
association and the APTA’s ability to transform society rests in our
hands. As such, I am dedicated to increasing student awareness of involvement opportunities,
inspiring widespread engagement, and facilitating student involvement as we strive, together, to grow
our profession.
The slogan of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is Change the Outcome, Together. As a former
employee of this institution I have always asked myself, “How can I accept this challenge? What
does it take to inspire change?” I have enthusiastically pursued the answers to these questions over
the past year; it is found in our desires to be part of something bigger than ourselves. It is our
commitment to helping those whom we serve and to do so, devotedly, expecting nothing in return.
Initiatives such as PT Day of Service prove that we can be more than students. Members of APTA
Project Committees, Student Special Interest Groups, and Core Ambassadors also exemplify
advocacy through service. It is inspiring to see excellence in service amongst graduate students,
especially in a profession such as ours.
Passion is the driving force behind change as it facilitates engagement and influences commitment. I
am passionate about the work that I do. As president of my DPT class at Slippery Rock University I
have pursued opportunities for community engagement, I have taken leadership in an initiative to
develop a student-led pro bono PT clinic and I have built opportunities for involvement and personal
growth as co-founder of a leadership group for graduate students. These roles have not only
enhanced my abilities of communication, teamwork, and resilience, but they have also given me a
great appreciation for transparency in service. After leading our class to success in the Shoes4Kids
community outreach in 2016, I have become an avid believer in the power of one. If you can lend a
hand, do one favor, or give one minute, you can change someone’s life for the better. These
experiences have stirred within me a passion for service and I continue to actively seek these
opportunities.
It would be a privilege to serve as Nominating Committee Chair-Elect of the Student Assembly
Board of Directors. It is my desire to serve the future of our association through my actions in the
present. I will continue to be as tenacious, diligent, and cooperative in my services as I am in life,
always considering the best interest of the students, professionals and the future of the APTA. In a
word, I will work endlessly, with you, to change the outcome.
Michelle Bomyea, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Member
The physical therapy profession is undergoing a new and exciting
transformation that I want to be a part of. This transformation means
reassessing and then taking action on redefining and remodeling what
we stand for. I know I have the ingenuity, enthusiasm, and drive to
contribute to an association that is at the forefront of groups making
this transformation a reality.
How the image of our profession is presented to patients, the
community, and other professionals is one of the biggest
transformations the APTA is facing. In order to drive this transformation we must encourage others to get
involved in the discussion, and that starts with the SPT and SPTA. As students, we must foster this
discussion and inspire others to participate so that our image will be that of a unified front in our mission
to enhance the physical health and functional abilities of the public.
As Marymount University class president, I have sharpened my leadership and communication skills that
make me best qualified to be the next Nominating Committee member of the APTA Student Assembly.
At Marymount, I created an APTA committee that increases awareness of advocacy efforts at the state
and national level. This has improved the student experience, encouraged my classmates to attend APTA
events, and brainstorm ways to fund expenses that come along with participation. Also, I created a student
sponsorship foundation, connecting the PT community and our students to promote professional
development through mentorship or generous donations to help with the cost of attending state and
national conferences.
Last semester, I was a candidate for the APTA Student Board of Directors. That experience enhanced my
ability to communicate the importance of being a member of the association paving the way for our
profession. As a candidate, I was a liaison to students at National Student Conclave, where I helped to
inform students about the advancement of our profession and the efforts of the Political Action
Committee. My experiences, through both candidacy and my leadership role at Marymount, have
prepared me to perform the duties asked of the Nominating Committee member.
The goals I have set forth for this position begin with encouraging PT students and recent graduates to
become more active in promoting the image and public understanding of the physical therapy profession.
As health care providers, following our personal passion will help to create a broader public value.
Creating this image is what drives the forward momentum of our profession and will set the stage for
future development and innovation. The APTA is committed to continuing to improve the public image
of physical therapy. As students, I believe it is our responsibility to take a leadership role in that endeavor.
Today’s student will be tomorrow’s therapist; our role in our communities as representatives of the
profession out in the world today will shape the public’s view of our profession. By participating in
events such as the PT Day of Service, we can broaden our own horizons while helping the public to see
how important and valuable the physical therapy profession is.
Kelsie Miller, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Member
Mark Twain once quipped, “I have never let my schooling interfere
with my education.” As current SPTs and SPTAs, our education comes
from so much more than hours in the classroom and late nights at the
library. We owe it to ourselves and our future patients to seek
education beyond didactic and clinical experiences – to get involved on
a professional level, even as a student.
My goal as a member of the Student Assembly Board of Directors is to
encourage students to use their voice, to connect with others, and to
seek opportunities outside the classroom. I want to promote the value of membership – the value of
having a supportive network of professionals to guide and challenge students as they transition to licensed
clinicians. I want students to know their voice matters – advocating should be easy. Additionally, I want
to connect people – to others and to opportunities. There is so much to gain from attending an event such
as PT Pub Night, NSC, or CSM and talking to someone new. For me, these experiences helped build my
professional community and sparked my desire to get more involved.
My life experiences, love of meeting new people, and ambitious spirit continually challenge the way I
think and have inspired my strengths, passions, and drive to be a life-long learner. Before starting
physical therapy school I spent a year as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Indonesia which
strengthened my leadership skills and ability to communicate with diverse individuals. My current
leadership positions include: Mayo DPT Class of 2017 President, two year member of the Global
Outreach Project Committee, and co-student liaison to the APTA Global Health Special Interest Group.
These experiences have expanded my professional network and knowledge of the APTA and given me
the opportunity to contribute to an International Service Manual for students with my project committee. I
also have experience as a peer advisor and public speaker from working in the Study Abroad Center at
Iowa State – inspiring others to pursue their ambitions and try something new. This is a message I want to
continue if elected to the SABoD.
I am running for Nominating Committee Member because another student – knowing my desire to get
involved and challenge myself – reached out to me and shared how to make that happen. I want to
motivate and inspire others to do the same by making it easy to get involved and stay involved. This may
include providing students with the tools and resources needed to be successful or creating new
opportunities within the Student Assembly and APTA.
Our voice is powerful. Never underestimate the power of a simple conversation. It may inspire patients to
#ChoosePT and make necessary life changes, legislators to pass legislation legally protecting and
advancing the profession, and classmates to become APTA members and get connected with a SSIG or
project committee. I hope to facilitate and support that voice – a voice that demands an education in and
outside the classroom and is engaged in the profession.
Regina Siciliano, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Member
I love being part of a team and that is the main reason I intend to
run for office of the APTA Student Assembly. Growing up I
participated in various team sports, and I sincerely appreciated
the sense of community and camaraderie I shared with my
teammates. Working together is always superior to
accomplishing goals and completing tasks on your own. I have
learned a great deal as a student in a problem-based learning
curriculum while attending Sacred Heart University, the
emphasis on group work and teamwork is something that is valued deeply.
I would describe myself as an approachable and energetic team player, active listener and selfdirected learner with competent problem solving skills. I have immense passion and ambition for
the physical therapy profession that I want the opportunity to work with others on the board of
Student Assembly that shares this same passion. I am a very determined person and relish the
idea of tackling challenges. Taking on a challenge is stimulating because it gives me the
opportunity to rise to the occasion, while seeking help from others in order to overcome the
challenge together and gain that amazing feeling of accomplishment.
I hope to achieve a cohesive unit not only among the members of the Student Assembly Board
but also among all DPT and PTA students throughout the country. I want the Student Assembly
to accurately represent the large DPT and PTA student body across the country.
Jillian Tanych, SPT
Candidate for Nominating Committee Member
The APTA Vision Statement is “Transforming society by optimizing
movement to improve the human experience.” I have chosen to
improve the human experience through leadership. Therefore, I am
running for Student Assembly (SA) Nominating Committee Member
to help empower other students to discover their personal pathway of
transforming society.
As DPT Class President and former PT Club President, I have
catalyzed University of Vermont students to become involved through
organizing community fundraisers. As former Vermont Core Ambassador, I propelled the position up
from one that was unrecognizable to one where first-year students became eager to apply for and be
engaged in. Also, as current SA Board of Directors (SABoD) Secretary, I have mobilized students
throughout the SA to create, promote, and achieve their goals by means of project committees, social
media, and connections with leaders in our profession. This passion for involvement is what I hope to
continue to promote within the SA!
As SABoD Secretary, I have the fundamental knowledge of how the SABoD is structured. The SABoD
revolves around four main goals: membership, advocacy, communication, and involvement. Our
profession has many incredible student leaders, including those who dove into the House of Delegates
motion on student debt, participated in National Advocacy Dinners, and created PT Lunch’N Learn. I am
prepared to be a leader within the SA because I am able to gauge what students’ strengths are and how
those strengths may fit well on the SABoD. If elected, my goal as Nominating Committee Member would
be to amplify student involvement, spark the passions of students to develop new initiatives, and use my
understanding of each SABoD position to pursue qualified candidates to best represent both the future
SABoD and our profession at large.
Lastly, the SABoD is both a professional board and a family. Efosa Guobadia once said, “The moment
you empower them and energize them, (then) anything is possible and everything can change.” I
understand the time commitment needed to serve and how to support each member so that the SABoD
can succeed. I also understand the intricacies of how to use my leadership as an effective, positive, and
professional team member as I’m able to relate well on a personal level with others. Engaging students to
be involved through leadership is my ultimate passion!
It wasn’t until NEXT 2015 that I realized how vital involvement really is to the student experience. Here,
I personally met the SABoD and instantly felt connected within their community. This sense of a PT
Family undoubtedly motivated me to get involved beyond the classroom. I believe that it’s not about my
individual role, but the SABoD’s goal to help all students have a similar experience of finding their home
within the APTA. I envision the SA as a body of students for whom every PT/PTA student not only
knows exists, but also aspires and strives to be involved in at any level. I would be honored to serve as
Nominating Committee Member and help the SA achieve this vision.
Matt Nape, SPTA
Candidate for SPTA Delegate
“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical,
emotional, and mental state.” – Carol Welch
As health care professionals we are all aware of the definition of the
term movement. As I’ve begun my journey to becoming a PTA, this
word has grown to encompass so much more for me. Carol Welch’s
definition on movement opens the term up to include the concept of
change, a concept which pairs with movement in astonishing ways. I
believe that if someone makes the choice to adopt a movement, they
find the strength to make the most amazing changes.
Throughout my professional career, I have always strived to initiate the types of changes that gave way to
positive results and left things better than they were. From customer service to sales management, the
opportunity to make positive impacts on the lives of others has always been very personally rewarding. It
would be years into my adult life before I first heard the phrase “to have a servant’s heart,” and it would
be another year before I found what that concept truly meant to me. Seeing a dear family member go
through intensive physical therapy following a major stroke is what instilled my passion for serving and
improving the lives of others through movement and change.
Moving forward, I started at the classroom level as my class’s Political Advocate. Working together, we
discovered a passion for political advocacy for our profession that we brought to Missouri’s capitol hill
and beyond. These experiences led me to seek more opportunities outside the classroom, leading me to
find the MPTA SSIG. Through my advocacy and continued passion for the current welfare and future of
the SPTA, the MPTA SSIG Board of Directors and student constituents elected me as PTA Chair of the
SSIG. Serving in this position and viewing the House of Delegates at work has led me to want to continue
my efforts for the PTA at the state and national levels.
As the SPTA Delegate, I know I can better serve the needs of the SPTA and our profession as a whole.
Building on the forward movement of previous SPTA delegates, I have an immediate plan in place that
will set the foundation for increasing SPTA APTA memberships at the classroom level and make sure
that those memberships are both rewarding and useful. We will give our students and their programs the
tools to be those agents of change. For too long have only our PT and SPT colleagues held the torch for
advocacy and change in our profession and student experience; it is time for SPTAs to represent this
movement as well. This is the moment that we choose to change and to become better than we were; as
students, as caregivers, as a profession.
This is our chance for change, and I will leave you with a challenge. We all have the opportunity for
change; to be better than we are. I encourage you to find it, find that element that moves you, and then use
it to change something for the better. Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy for SPTA
Delegate.
Kyongho Pak, SPTA
Candidate for SPTA Delegate
I intend to run for the SPTA Delegate position because I want to be an
advocate for the students of the American Physical Therapy
Association. I believe that it is important for more if not all students of
Physical Therapy whether they are in a PTA or PT program to join the
APTA. I have only been a member for a short time yet I have learned
an immense amount of knowledge gained from the weekly emails,
updates, and journals. As a member of the APTA I am able to
understand the various sections of Physical Therapy and aware of
opportunities in my area.
One of the most important aspects that students need to understand is that the APTA fights for the
Physical Therapy profession via lobbying and keeping practicing professionals aware of changes in
legislation. This is huge if you want a job as a PT or PTA as it greatly affects your future job. Not all
practicing professionals have the time to be aware and fight for each of their causes and legislation that
they believe should be pushed in Congress. That is where the APTA steps in and helps us fight those
battles as a larger entity to represent each and every one of us.
As a student delegate, my vision is to inform and help every student in every program understand the
importance of being a member of the APTA and be more aware of the different aspects of Physical
Therapy. I want to help students reach their potential and be more aware of opportunities in the
profession. There are so many different settings for Physical Therapy professionals and I believe as a
student delegate, I can help students find shadowing opportunities that go beyond their clinical
experiences and experience different settings if they so choose.
One of my biggest strengths is that I am able to communicate effectively to others and in a timely fashion.
The biggest lesson that I have learned over the years is that if something can be done quickly, it’s best to
take care of it right then and there. If one waits to finish a task, then prioritizing may push those tasks
further behind. Another of my strengths is that I am able to find an answer to any question. If I don’t
know the answer, then I find a way or someone that does.
I hope to increase student membership in the APTA by showing an interest in what students could benefit
from a membership. I believe that being a student member goes beyond just being part of a collective
group of like-minded professionals. There are many perks that may go untouched due to not being aware
of those opportunities. I could also seek out other opportunities and connect with more professionals that
are willing to help students gather more experience.
Thank you for your time and I hope that I may represent all students’ interests as a Student delegate in the
APTA.