APTA Pediatrics Leadership

Board of Directors

Tricia Catalino, PT, MPT, DSc

President

Priscilla Weaver, PT, DPT, PhD, PCS

Vice President/Secretary

Amy Schlessman, PT, DPT, DHSc

Treasurer

Mercedes Aguirre Valenzuela, PT, DPT

Director

Heather Lundeen, PT, DPT, EdD

Director

Jessica Barreca, PT, DPT, PhD

Director

Jennifer Parent-Nichols, PT, DPT, EdD, PCS

Director

Amy Barr, PT, DPT

Director

Carissa Wengrovius, PT, DPT, PhD

Director

Alyssa Fiss, PT, PhD

Director
  • To see the APTA Pediatrics Organizational Chart, full Leadership Roster, and other information, visit the APTA Pediatrics Policies & Procedures Manual.
  • To see current opportunities to be involved in APTA Pediatrics, visit the APTA Engage page and select "Pediatrics" under Opportunities/My Chapters and Sections.
  • To express interest in running for an elected position (Board member, Chief Delegate, or Nominating Committee member), email info@pediatricapta.org.

Additional Leadership

Committees & Other Groups

  • PPT Journal Editor: :     Linda Fetters

    • Nominating Committee

  • Chair :     Dana McCarty
  • 2nd year :     Yvonne Jackson
  • 1st year:     Sandra Ribeiro
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Chair:     Emily Quinn
  • History Committee Chair:     Venita Lovelace- Chandler
  • Finance Committee Chair:     Amy Schlessmann

    • Leadership Development

  • Leadership Engagement Committee Chair:     Katie Laubsher
  • Volunteer Engagement Committee Chair:     Julie Sullivan

    • Member Communications & PR

  • Communications Committee Chair:     Katie Lammers
  • Membership Engagement Committee Chair:     Jennifer Parent-Nichols

    • Practice

  • CPG Committee Chair:     Sandra Kaplan
  • KT Committee Chairs:     Danni Bellows & Bob Palisano
  • Choose PT Rep (Liaison to APTA):     Anna Howard
  • Practice Development Committee Chairs:     Connie Johnson & Hilary Terhune
  • Fact Sheet Committee Chairs:     Katie Avila
  • Practice PR Liaison:     Dora Gosselin
  • Telehealth Committee Chair:     Michele Wiley

    • Professional Development

  • AC Events & Exhibits Chair:     Nancy Oberg
  • AC Programming Chair:     Carissa Wengrovius
  • Professional Development Review Team:     Patricia Padgurskis
  • ACP in Pediatrics Course Committee Chair:     Paula Cox & Ann-Preston Bosher
  • Innovations in School-based PT Course Committee Chair:     Laurie Ray
  • CSM Program Chairs:     Stacey Marguerite
  • Mentoring Program Committee Chairs:     Chelsea Lasky-McFarlin & Kim Perkins
  • Beyond the Read Committee Chair:     Mercedes Aguirre Valenzuela
  • PCS Prep Committee Chair:     Michelle Courtney

    • Research

  • Research Grant/Systematic Review Committee Chair:     Anjana B'hat
  • APTA Pediatrics AC Abstracts Committee Chair:     Mary Gannotti
  • CSM Abstracts Committee Chair:     Monica Rivera
  • Research Summit Committee Chair:     Jill Heathcock

    • Advocacy

  • Federal Affairs Liaison (to APTA):     Erin Wentzell
  • APTA Advocacy Rep:     Kate Gilliard
  • Payment & Policy Advocacy Liaison:     Marissa Slate
  • State Affairs Liaison:     Amber Gadow

Staff

  • Executive Director:     Christina McCoy, CAE
  • Membership:     Kim Thompson
  • Programming and Communications:     Taylor St. John
  • Meetings:     Dana Flickinger
  • Marketing and Communications:     Alex Connelly
  • Finance:     Gina Staskal
  • Supporting APTA Pediatrics
        APTA Pediatrics staff supports almost 6,000 APTA Pediatrics members, the Board of Directors, and other leadership. Let us know how we can better serve you. Feel free to contact us a info@pediatricapta.org

Special Interest Groups

  • Academic & Clinical Educators     Marisa Birkmeier, PT, DPT, DHSc
  • Adolescents & Adults with Diverse Abilities     Catherine Gohrband, PT, DPT
  • Early Intervention     Jamie Holloway, PT, DPT, PhD
  • Hospital Based     Kelly Shane, PT, DPT
  • Neonatology     Kara Boynewicz, PT, DPT, PhD, ATC
  • Pediatric Cardiovascular & Pulmonary     Amanda Clifton, PT, DPT, PCS
  • Pediatric Sports-Fitness     Andrew Sutphin, PT
  • Residencies & Fellowships     Sally Le Cras, PT, DPT
  • School     Kayla Hudak, PT
  • Students and New Professionals     Kate Lindemann, PT, DPT

Chief Delegate

  • Academy/Section Delegate
    Jodi Thomas, PT, DPT, DHSc, PCS

State Pediatric Advocacy Liaisons (SPALs)

  • Alabama     Sheree York, PT, DPT
  • Alaska     Hannah Iverson, PT, DPT
  • Arizona     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Arkansas     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • California     Dawn James, PT
  • Colorado     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Connecticut     Aleta Naujunas, PT, DPT
  • Delaware     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • District of Columbia     Olivia Kelly, PT, DPT
  • Florida     Jennifer Quartano, PT, DPT
  • Georgia     Suzanne Higgins, PT, MSPT
  • Hawaii     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Idaho     Chrystal Browning, PT
  • Illinois     Danielle Januszyk, PT
  • Indiana     Sarah Johnson, PT
  • Iowa     Crystal Markfort, PT, DPT
  • Kansas     Jessica Stegman, DPT
  • Kentucky     Katelyn McNamara, PT, DPT
  • Louisiana     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Maine     Jen Corbeil, PT, DPT
  • Maryland     Denise Swensen, PT
  • Massachusetts     Ellen Brennan, PT, DPT
  • Michigan     Yvonne Jackson, PT, DPT, EdD
  • Minnesota     Erin Simunds, PT
  • Mississippi     Susan LaRosa, PT, DPT
  • Missouri     Jessica Barreca
  • Montana     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Nebraska     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Nevada     Sarah Cwiak, PT, DPT
  • New Hampshire     Colleen Sullivan, PT
  • New Jersey     Mercedes Aguirre Valenzuela,PT
  • New Mexico     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • New York     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • North Carolina     Victoria Smith
  • North Dakota     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Ohio     Amy Schlessman, PT, DPT, DHS
  • Oklahoma     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Oregon     Bethany Sloane, PT, DPT
  • Pennsylvania     Elizabeth Derbak, PT, DPT
  • Rhode Island     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • South Carolina     Caitlin Keller, PT, DPT
  • South Dakota     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Tennessee     Kara Boynewicz, PT, DPT, ATC
  • Texas     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Utah     Kirsten Aalberg, PT, DPT
  • Vermont     Amber Hewston, PT
  • Virginia     Michele Wiley, PT, DPT
  • Washington     Cheryl Davis,PT
  • West Virginia     Vacant. If interested, contact
  • Wisconsin     Kellie Collins, PT
  • Wyoming     Vacant. If interested, contact