Research Physical Therapist
Mayo Clinic
I am a research physical therapist within the Biomedical Analytics and Computational Engineering Laboratory, the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, and the Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. For the past 15 years, my work has been as a co-investigator and study staff member of translational research studies related to acquired conditions such as spinal cord injury (SCI), biomechanics of patient populations and healthy controls, and studying the effectiveness of health and wellness interventions. Many of the studies have used wearable sensor technology to measure outcomes in free-living environments. I have contributed to studies that have focused on: interrogating the biomechanical mechanisms leading to rotator cuff pathology and shoulder pain in persons with spinal cord injury, investigating the effects of epidural stimulation in combination with rehabilitation, and testing the effects of health and wellness programs of individuals living with disability and older adults who seek to increase their levels of physical activity. I have investigated the usability of an upper limb prosthetic haptic feedback device and the feasibility and form factor of a combination of wearable sensors for week-long use. Prior to my research career, I was a clinical physical therapist for 15+ years in a variety of settings including inpatient and outpatient clinics, and patient homes and schools. I worked with all age groups from pediatric to geriatric caseloads. These multi-setting experiences gave me a holistic perspective and provided me the knowledge to assure that our team’s research has meaningful impact that reaches beyond the structure of the laboratory/clinic and into the daily life of the populations we study. I believe in collaborative research with teams composed of basic scientists, clinicians, and most importantly persons with lived experience related to the populations we study.
Education:
06/1992 B.S. in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
06/2001 M.S.P.H. in Public Health from University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver CO
Work Experience:
1992-2004 Physical Therapist, Clinical Instructor, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, CO
1994-1995 Physical Therapist, The Memorial Hospital, Craig, CO
1996-2001 Physical Therapist, Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO
2001-2006 Physical Therapist, Assistive Technology Specialist, Assistive Technology Partners,
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO
2008-Present Research Physical Therapist in Motion Analysis Laboratory, Assistive and Restorative Technology Laboratory, Biomedical Analytics and Computational Engineering Laboratory and Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Honors and Committees:
2015 Apple Award for excellence in publishing in the spinal cord injury rehabilitation literature
2015-Present Minnesota Disabled Hockey, Rochester Sled Hockey Program Board Member, Volunteer Coordinator & Team Manager
2016-Present American Spinal Injury Association member, Electronic Communications Committee
2017 Neilsen Foundation Allied Health Professional Research Award of ASIA
2016-2023 American Spinal Injury Association Program Committee
2018-2019 American Spinal Injury Association Program Committee Vice-Chair
2019-2020 American Spinal Injury Association Program Committee Chair
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