Speaker Biographies

Speaker Biographies

Joel Bialosky

Joel Bialosky, PT, PhD is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Florida. He is a board certified clinical specialist in orthopedics through the American Physical Therapy Association and a fellow in the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. Joel received a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from Ithaca College in 1990 and a master's degree in musculoskeletal physical therapy from the University of Pittsburgh in 1998. He graduated from the University of Florida with a PhD in Rehabilitation Science in 2008 with his research focused on potential mechanisms of manual therapy related to neuroplastic changes in pain and placebo.

William G. Boissonnault

William G. Boissonnault, PT, DPT, DHSc, FAAOMPT, FAPTA is Associate Professor- UW-Madison, Senior PT- UW Hospital and curriculum director - UW/Meriter hospital Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency Program. Education: BS degree in PT-UW-Madison; MS degree and DHSc- University of St. Augustine; t-DPT from IHP-Massachusetts General Hospital. He has numerous publications and invited lectures on medical screening, pharmacology and diagnostic imaging. Bill holds multiple adjunct physical therapy faculty positions, and he's current President- Foundation for Physical Therapy. Received awards- AAOMPT Mennell Service Award, Orthopaedic Section's Paris Service Award; APTA John H P Maley Lecturer; Baethke-Carlin Award - Excellence in Academic Teaching, Helen Hislop Award - Contribution to Professional Literature; UW-Madison Medical School Dean's Teaching Award - Excellence/Innovation in Medical Education.

Jean-Michel Brismée

Jean-Michel Brismée, PT, ScD is associate professor in the Doctorate of Science Program of Physical Therapy at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) in Lubbock, Texas. Dr. Brismée graduated from the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve in Belgium with Bachelor of Science degrees in Physical Education (1982) and Physical Therapy (1985). He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1996 with a Master of Sciences in Sports Health and earned a Doctorate of Science degree in Physical Therapy from TTUHSC in 2003. He teaches at TTUHSC in the areas of Kinesiology, Orthopaedics and Electrophysiology, and is involved in research in Orthopaedic, Manual Therapy and Movement Sciences. He has instructed at over 100 courses and conferences nationally in advanced Orthopaedic Medicine and Manual Therapy of the spine and extremities. In addition, he has authored over 30 scientific papers in refereed journals and is an author of a series of 12 DVD’s on the differential diagnosis and management of orthopaedic conditions. He is the Director of the Fellowship Program of the International Academy of Orthopedic Medicine (IAOM-US), Chair of the Research Committee of the AAOMPT, and maintains clinical practice in outpatient orthopedics at University Medical Center in Lubbock, TX.

John Childs

Dr. John D. Childs is an Associate Professor and Director of Research in the U.S. Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy and an Associate Professor the U.S. Army-Baylor Post-professional Doctoral Program in Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy. He is a board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapists. Dr. Childs completed his PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Arizona in 2000, and a Master of Physical Therapy from U.S. Army-Baylor University in 1996. He was a Distinguished Graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994.

Dr. Childs has made numerous scientific presentations at national, and international meetings and has lectured extensively at the graduate and post-graduate levels on evidence-based practice, advanced clinical examination techniques, and manual physical therapy. He maintains an active research agenda in the areas of sub-grouping patients with low back and neck pain, spinal and extremity manipulation, characterization of spinal instability, and the development of clinical prediction rules. He has received numerous research grants from federal and professional funding agencies, including the Department of Defense, Foundation for Physical Therapy, and the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. Dr. Childs has published over 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 70 abstracts related to orthopaedics, biomechanics, and manual physical therapy in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Annals of Internal Medicine, Spine, and Physical Therapy. His work has been featured in numerous national print and television media outlets. He is a manuscript reviewer for multiple rehabilitation and medical journals and is currently an Associate Editor for both the Physical Therapy and Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy journals.

Dr. Childs is Treasurer of the American Academy of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapists. Awards include the American Physical Therapy Association's Eugene Michels New Investigator Award and Jack Walker Research Award; Orthopaedic Section's Rose Excellence in Research Award; Reviewer of the Year for the Physical Therapy Journal; American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists' Excellence in Research Award (twice); Texas Physical Therapy Association's Outstanding Physical Therapy Researcher Award, Ruby Decker Award, and Outstanding Research Platform (twice); and the Air Force Physical Therapist of the Year (twice). Dr. Childs was the founder of Evidence in Motion and co-developer of the Evidence in Motion blog and MyPhysicalTherapySpace.

Krista J. Clark

After attending the University of Utah, Krista J. Clark received her physical therapy degree at University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School in 1984. She completed the Kaiser Hayward Physical Therapy Residency Program in Advanced Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy in 1989. She served on AAOMPT's executive board 2001-04. In the San Francisco Bay area and Chapel Hill, NC, she taught continuing education courses for physical therapists. She was co-founder of Synergistic Health Center in Chapel Hill, a multi-disciplinary integrative health center working with mind, body, spirit approaches to health. Her current private practice, Wellspring Physical Therapy, is in Midway, Utah.

Joshua A. Cleland

Dr. Cleland earned a Master of Physical Therapy Degree from Notre Dame College in 2000 and the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Creighton University in 2001. In February of 2006, he received a PhD from Nova Southeastern University. He received board certification from the American Physical Therapy Association as an Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist in 2002 and completed a fellowship in manual therapy through Regis University in Denver, CO in 2005. Josh is presently a Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Franklin Pierce University. He practices clinically in outpatient orthopaedics at Rehabilitation Services of Concord Hospital, Concord, NH. He is actively involved in numerous clinical research studies investigating the effectiveness of manual physical therapy and exercise in the management of spine and extremities disorders. He has published over 85 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals including Spine, Physical Therapy, the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy and Manual Therapy. He is on the Editorial Board for Physical Therapy and is an Editorial Review Board Member for the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. He currently serves on the Nominating Committee of the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. He is the recipient of the 2009 Eugene Michels New Investigator Award. He received the 2008 Jack Walker Award from the American Physical Therapy Association. Additionally, Dr Cleland was awarded the Excellence in Research Award from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists on 2 separate occasions (2004 and 2006).

Chad Edward Cook

Chad Cook PT, MBA, PhD, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at Walsh University, in North Canton, Ohio. He is also an Associate Consulting Professor at Duke University and the clinical research coordinator for adult spine at Duke University. He completed his BS in Physical Therapy at Maryville University in 1990 and his PhD work at Texas Tech University in 2003. He was certified as an orthopedic manual physical therapist in 2001, a board certified orthopedic therapist with the APTA in 2002, and obtained fellowship status with the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists in 2007. Chad has published well over 100 peer reviewed publications in journals such as Spine, JBJS, European J Spine, PMR, Arthritis and Rheumatism, Spine J, J Neurosurgery, J Neurosurg: Spine, and CORR. Chad has authored two textbooks and numerous book chapters and monographs. He has over 40 international and national platform presentations, keynotes, and poster presentations. He has presented over 130 educational courses in his career, is a 3 time winner of the Duke Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2009 winner of the APTA Dorothy Baethke-Eleanor Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching. He has been the editor in Chief of the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy since 2006. The focus of his research is diagnostic accuracy and spinal pain, and he has won a number of research-related awards. He has been happily married for 20 years and has three wonderful mischievous boys.

Carol Courtney

Carol Courtney, PT, PhD, is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Dr. Courtney received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the Washington University, Master of Applied Science in Manipulative Physiotherapy from the University of South Australia, and PhD in Physical Therapy from the University of Miami in 2003. At UIC, she is the director of the Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy. Dr. Courtney's research investigates the effects of joint injury and osteoarthritis on pain processing and joint function, as well as modulation of pain processes through manual therapy intervention.

Gail Deyle

Gail Deyle is an associate professor with Baylor University Graduate School and senior faculty for the Army-Baylor University Doctoral Fellowship in OMPT. Dr Deyle has received degrees from the University of Nebraska, Baylor University, Creighton University, and Andrews University. He is board certified in orthopaedics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. His publications include some of the best evidence available for the application of clinical physical therapy with a manual therapy emphasis. Dr Deyle has received numerous awards for his clinical and research accomplishments. He is actively involved with clinical practice and research as well as teaching in numerous settings.

Timothy Flynn

Dr. Flynn is board certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists, and a frequent research presenter at state, national, and international meetings. Dr. Flynn is widely published including 5 book chapters, over 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and nearly 40 published abstracts on orthopaedics, biomechanics, and manual therapy issues. He was the editor and author of the Butterworth-Heinemann textbook The Thoracic Spine and Ribcage- Musculoskeletal Evaluation & Treatment and author of 3 educational CD-ROMs on Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy. Dr. Flynn has received research grants from the Department of Defense, Foundation for Physical Therapy and the Texas Physical Therapy Education and Research Foundation. He was the senior Army Medical Department consultant for the Department of Defense & Veterans Administration Clinical Practice Guideline Workgroup on low back pain and sciatica in primary care. Awards include the James A. Gould Excellence in Teaching Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, the Steven J. Rose Excellence in Research, the AAOMPT Outstanding Research Award (twice), and the Distinguished Alumnus- Marquette University Program in Physical Therapy. He past chair of the AAOMPT research committee and the ATPA Orthopaedic Section nominating committee. Dr. Flynn also co-authored the Manipulation Education Manual (MEM) jointly developed by the APTA and AAOMPT for use in professional physical therapist programs. Dr. Flynn continues to maintain an active research agenda in the areas of spinal and extremity manipulation, low back disorders, characterization of spinal instability, and the development of clinical prediction rules. Dr. Flynn is an expert clinician, he is owner of Colorado Physical Therapy Specialists which focuses on providing the "Best Care in Colorado." He founded Manipulations, Inc. a company dedicated to providing evidence-based educational products and services to practitioners and educational institutions involved in musculoskeletal patient care and is now on the executive board of Evidence in Motion. Dr. Flynn is currently President of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. He is an Associate Professor and Manual Therapy Fellowship Coordinator, Department of Physical Therapy, Regis University where he teaches professional and post-professional students in the area of musculoskeletal management and evidence based practice.

Eric Furto

Dr. Eric Furto graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Northern Illinois University in 2000. In 2004, he completed a one-year Manual Therapy Fellowship through the University of St. Augustine. In 2006, he was published in the peer-reviewed journal Cranio with a publication on Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction. In 2007 he completed the Transitional Doctorate program through the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine Florida. Dr. Furto lectures nationally as a continuing education instructor with the University of St. Augustine, with topics including spinal and TMJ examination and manipulation. He is also an online instructor with St. Augustine.

Dr. Furto currently serves as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists Conference Planning Committee co-chair. He is currently employed at Orland Therapy Specialists, LTD, a PT owned practice in the south suburbs of Chicago.

Skip Gill

Dr. Skip Gill is the Director of the Army-Baylor University Doctoral Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy. He holds an undergraduate degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and a Master's and Doctoral Degree from Baylor University in Texas. He has served with a Combat Support Hospital in Iraq, the White House Medical Unit, and the 82nd Airborne Division. He completed a postdoc fellowship at Walter Reed's Spine Biomechanics Lab and his research interests are in spine imaging, OMPT, and osteoarthritis.

Kevin Harris

Dr. Kevin Harris is a Doctoral Fellow in the U.S. Army-Baylor University Post-Professional Doctoral Program in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy. He has most recently served in multiple assignments within the United States Army Special Operations Command as a fully independent direct-access provider in numerous deployed and non-deployed settings. He is board-certified as an Orthopaedic Certified Specialist from the APTA. Dr. Harris holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Baylor University in addition to a Master of Physical Therapy degree from the U.S. Army-Baylor University Graduate Program in Physical Therapy at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. He also holds a Bachelors of Arts in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado. His research interests include the effects of an orthopaedic manual physical therapist approach to common musculoskeletal complaints.

Stanley Herring

Stanley A. Herring, MD, is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist who has been in practice over 27 years. Since January 2005, Dr. Herring has held the position of Medical Director for Spine Care for UW Medicine where he is a clinical professor in the Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, and Neurological Surgery. He is Co-Medical Director of the Seattle Sports Concussion Program, a partnership of UW Medicine, Harborview Medical Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Herring serves as one of the team physicians for the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners and is a consultant for the University of Washington Sports Medicine Program. Dr. Herring’s practice focuses on the diagnosis and management of neurologic and musculoskeletal injuries, particularly focusing on spinal disorders in active people and athletes and sports-related concussions.

Dr. Herring has held many national leadership positions, including President of the North American Spine Society, member of the Board of Trustees of the American College of Sports Medicine and Board Member of the Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. He is also a founding member of the Physiatric Association of Sports, Spine & Occupational Rehabilitation and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Dr. Herring serves on the editorial boards of professional journals and has been an editor of seven textbooks, as well as contributor to 44 professional journal articles and 44 textbook chapters. In addition, Dr. Herring is a frequent national and international speaker on a variety of physiatric and sports medicine topics.

Tamer Issa

Dr. Issa is the owner of ISSA Physical Therapy in Rockville, MD and is an instructor for Myopain Seminars, based in Bethesda, MD. He received his DPT degree from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2006 and a B.S. degree in Physiotherapy from the Hogeschool Enschede in the Netherlands in 1998. Dr. Issa is a board-certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and is certified in Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy. Dr. Issa has published articles and book chapters on the topics of orthopaedic manual therapy, chronic headaches, trigger point dry needling, myofascial pain and fibromyalgia differential diagnosis.

Lenerdene Levesque

Lenerdene Levesque graduated from Queen`s University, Canada in 1979 with a BScPT and completed her Diploma of Advanced Manual and Manipulative Physiotherapy in 1992. In 2008 she graduated with a Masters of Clinical Science in Manipulative Therapy from the University of Western Ontario. She is an Instructor and Examiner for the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and has presented nationally and internationally. She is a member of the University of Western Ontario Whiplash Research Group and currently holds a visiting appointment as an Associate Professor in the School of Physical Therapy. Lenerdene is a co-owner of a private practice in Ottawa.

Jessie Mathers

Mrs. Mathers, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT, serves as clinical faculty and curriculum coordinator for the Duke University Health System Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Program. Mrs. Mathers also serves as a Fellow mentor for the Fellowship Program in Manual Diagnosis and Therapy and the Manual Therapy Institute (MTI) through which she received her Fellowship training in 2004. She enjoys interacting with DPT students as a lab assistant for the Duke University Doctor of Physical Therapy program and utilizing an eclectic manual therapy approach in the clinic.

Tim Noteboom

Tim Noteboom, PT, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Post-Professional Program in the School of Physical Therapy at Regis University. He has been on faculty since 1995 teaching primarily courses in orthopaedics, evidence-based practice, and clinical decision making. As Director of the online Transition DPT program he has been an innovator in educational technology for physical therapists. He has spoken at AAOMPT and APTA conferences on technology applications and evidence-based decision making.

Ken Olson

Dr. Ken Olson is the president and managing partner of the physical therapy private practice Northern Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Associates in DeKalb, Illinois. Ken completed the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences' Master of Science and Doctor of Health Science degrees in orthopaedic manual physical therapy. In addition to being a board certified clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy, he is fellowship trained in manual physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine. Additionally, he is an adjunct assistant professor for Marquette University, part-time faculty at Northern Illinois University, and is the author of the textbook titled: Manual Physical Therapy of the Spine published by Saunders, Elsevier.

Dr. Olson currently serves as a member of the executive committee of the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists practice affairs committee (current chair), the Illinois Physical Therapy Association legislative committee, the Orthopaedic Section's practice committee, and the APTA Manipulation Task Force (current chair). Additionally, Ken is a past president of the AAOMPT.

Dr. Olson has lectured nationally and internationally on topics related to the manual physical therapy examination and management of spine and TMJ conditions with numerous published abstracts and research articles published in peer-reviewed journals including JOSPT, JMMT, and Cranio. Dr. Olson is also a co-author of the APTA Manipulation Education Manual and the APTA Position on Thrust Joint Manipulation.

Marisa Perdomo

Marisa Perdomo, PT, DPT, MS, Foldi-CLT, CCES is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California and has been instrumental in developing a physical therapy practice for cancer survivors at the USC Faculty Practice. Dr. Perdomo lectures extensively within the USC DPT curriculum on both oncological topics and within the orthopedic curriculum. She is a well known both nationally and internationally as an educator on the topics of lymphedema and physical therapy treatment of individuals with oncological disease.

Hilary Reese

Hilary Reese graduated from the University of Alberta, Canada in 1995 with a BScPT with distinction. She currently practices in Edmonton, Alberta at LifeMark Health at Academy Place. She completed her Advanced Diploma of Manual and Manipulative Therapy in 2000 and has been a member of FCAMPT since that time. Hilary completed a Master's in Clinical Science in Manipulative Therapy from the University of Western Ontario in 2008 and continues to be active in the UWO Whiplash Research Group. She is a credentialed instructor in the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Eric Robertson

Eric Robertson, PT, DPT, OCS, is an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. Eric teaches orthopaedics and radiology courses at Texas State, specializing in manual orthopaedic physical therapy. His primary area of research lies in investigating the role of the hip in low back pain, and developing management strategies to guide clinicians treating this population of patients. Eric also works in the area of web technology, specifically, e-learning, blogging, and wikis. He is an author on several popular physical therapy blogs and the co-founder of Physiopedia, an evidence-based, open-source wiki written by and for physical therapists and physiotherapists around the world. Eric is the co-founder of PT Think Tank, a physical therapy technology solutions provider. In his spare time, Eric has fun playing the French horn, playing with his Weimaraners, and amassing a collection of bonsai trees.

Michael Ross

Dr. Michael D. Ross is a physical therapist in the U.S. Air Force currently serving as the Director of the U.S. Air Force Physical Medicine Training Programs at Sheppard AFB, TX. He has made numerous scientific presentations and has lectured extensively at the entry-level, graduate and post-graduate levels on diagnostic imaging, medical screening, and differential diagnosis in physical therapy. Dr. Ross also has numerous publications related to orthopaedic physical therapy. He is a manuscript reviewer for multiple rehabilitation and medical journals and currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy.

Ronald Schenk

Ron Schenk, PT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT, Cert. MDT is an associate professor of physical therapy at Daemen College in Amherst, NY where he teaches musculoskeletal examination and intervention in the DPT program and directs the Fellowship Program in OMPT. Dr. Schenk is active in clinical practice in Partners in Rehab and has published in Spine, JOSPT, and the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal for which he serves as an Associate Editor.

Chris Sebelski

Chris Sebelski, PT, DPT, OCS is an Assistant Professor and practicing clinician at Saint Louis University. Dr. Sebelski has lectured across the nation on the topics of shoulder and elbow rehabilitation, recovery of shoulder function following cancer surgery, core training, the kinetic chain and differential diagnosis. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a Doctor in Physical Therapy in May, 1998 and earned Board Certification in Orthopedics in 2002. Her clinical experience is in outpatient orthopedics currently at the SLU faculty practice at the Student Health Center.

Charles Sheets

Charles Sheets is a physical therapist with the Duke University Medical Center. Charles is Diplomaed in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy through the McKenzie Institute and is a Fellow student in the MDT Fellowship Program.

Phillip Sizer, Jr.

Phillip S. Sizer, Jr., PT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT, graduated in 1985 from the University of Texas, Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. He received a MEd. in exercise science from Texas Tech University in 1993. He received a PhD with an emphasis in motor control from Texas Tech University in 2002. Along with working in an outpatient orthopedic clinic, Dr. Sizer is an associate professor and the Program Director of a post-professional doctoral program in physical therapy at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas.

Dave Walton

Dave Walton is an Assistant Professor with the School of Physical Therapy at the University of Western Ontario and is a consultant and clinical mentor for community physiotherapists. His interests are in understanding the processes of developing, and recovering from, chronic non-cancer pain as well as issues pertaining to quality of life and the human experience. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy and is the co-founder of the Pain Science Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Edo Zylstra

Edo Zylstra is the owner of Sport and Spine Physical Therapy, Brighton, CO and is the creator of Global Education of Manual Therapist's US division. He received his PT, MS degree from Regis University in 2000 and became an APTA board certified OCS in 2009. Edo created two courses for training physical therapists and other qualified medical personnel in the technique of trigger point dry needling, now called Intramuscular Manual Therapy (IMT) focusing his courses on teaching manually trained therapists a technique rather than a formal treatment approach. He has published and has been associated with various studies in diagnostic ultrasound and alternative approaches to treatment for chronic pain.