Established in 2016, the Education Leadership Partnership (ELP) includes representatives from APTA, the Academy of Physical Therapy Education (APTE), and the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT).
Purpose
To guide its work, in November 2016 the ELP adopted the purpose statement of "reducing unwarranted variation in practice by focusing on best practices in education."
Leadership Committee
A leadership committee of the ELP comprises 3 categories of members. Nine voting members represent the 3 partnering groups (3 each). In addition are 2 nonvoting ex officio members and up to 3 nonvoting members. Leadership committee members typically will serve staggered 3-year terms.
Voting members by organization:
- ACAPT representatives: Laurie Kontney, PT, DPT, MS, (chair), Nancy Reese, PT, PhD, MHSA, Scott Ward, PT, PhD, FAPTA
- APTA representatives: Susan Appling, PT, DPT, PhD, Roger Herr, PT, MPA, Bob Rowe, PT, DPT, DMT, MHS
- Education Section representatives: Laurie Kontney, PT, DPT, MS, Jennifer Mai, PT, DPT, PhD, Sandy Quillen, PT, DPT, PhD
Nonvoting members:
- CAPTE representatives: Sandra Wise, PhD, Pam Ritzline, PT, EdD
- Clinical community representatives: Christopher Meachem (VA); Traci Norris (AACPT);
Justin Weatherford (Health Systems Council)
Staff contacts:
- ACAPT: Sandy Brooks
- APTA: Steven Chesbro, PT, DPT, EdD; Bill Boissonnault, PT, DHSc, FAPTA
- Academy of Physical Therapy Education (APTE): Julia Rice
The chair of the partnership rotates annually among the 3 organizations. Herr, representing APTA, served as the inaugural chair. Kontney, representing ACAPT, assumed the chair in June 2018.
Work of the ELP
The ELP holds monthly conference calls, with face-to-face meetings at Combined Sections Meeting, NEXT, and the Education Leadership Conference. To date the work of the partnership has focused on recommendations from the Excellence in Physical Therapist Education Task Force, with an additional focus on student debt, and the Best Practice for Physical Therapist Clinical Education Task Force.
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