Immediately following the lecture, a live panel discussion will feature:

• Vernard L. Alsberry Jr, PTA, MPA, is the president of Alsberry Consulting LLC and former mayor of Hazel Crest, Illinois. He recently concluded a 20-year career in public service with the village, serving eight years as a village trustee and 12 years as village president. Alsberry has owned and operated Alsberry Consulting LLC for the past six years and is a U.S Air Force veteran. He received his physical therapy education at Governors State University.
• Amber Brown, PT, DPT, WCS, is the founder and owner of Root Physical Therapy and Wellness. Brown is a board-certified women's health clinical specialist with a primary focus on pelvic floor dysfunction and Black maternal health. She also serves clients as a birth doula, certified lymphedema therapist, and registered yoga teacher. Brown contributes to academia as a guest lecturer and through ongoing research as she completes her second doctorate.
• Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese, PT, EdD, is a professor of rehabilitation and regenerative medicine (physical therapy) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She serves as director for equity and justice in curricular affairs and director of the Performing Arts Fellowship Program within the Programs in Physical Therapy. Dr. Abbruzzese is a distinguished scholar and fellow of the National Academies of Practice, with more than 30 years of clinical experience in physical therapy and over 20 years of experience as an educator. Her scholarly and professional work focuses on interprofessional education, inclusive and equitable healthcare education, aging and disability, and performing arts physical therapy.

Viewing the Lecture and Panel Discussion

Register Today

Registration is free. We encourage you to support our co-sponsoring organizations by making a donation to one of the following initiatives:

• Lynda D. Woodruff Endowed Research Grant for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Physical Therapy
• American Academy of Physical Therapy
• The Physical Therapy Fund, which supports the Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund and the Dimensions of Leadership Pathways Grant
• National Association of Black Physical Therapists

About the Lecturer

Tiffany Adams, PT, DPT, PhD, MBA, is the director of leadership and organizational culture and an assistant professor in the Division of Physical Therapy at Duke University. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives to cultivate leadership development, improve culture and climate, and promote equity and inclusive excellence within the division. Before joining Duke in 2021, she spent six years as a faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy at Winston-Salem State University. A board-certified geriatric clinical specialist, Adams has primarily worked with older adults in the outpatient setting. She is also an entrepreneur, owning businesses both within and outside of the physical therapy profession.

Adams earned a Bachelor of Science in education with a concentration in sports medicine from the University of Virginia, a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Elon University, and both a Master of Business Administration degree and a PhD in leadership studies from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

At Duke, Adams leads initiatives to strengthen physical therapist education and practice while expanding access and equity. Her work includes developing an interprofessional high school pathway program and leadership development opportunities for DPT and OTD students.

Adams has served the profession for more than 15 years and is guided by her personal mission of "empowering the next generation of problem solvers." Her honors include the Emerging Leader Award from APTA Geriatrics in 2020, designation as an APTA Centennial Scholar by APTA North Carolina in 2021, and selection as a mentor for the APTA Leadership Scholars Program in 2024.

About the Lecture

The Lynda D. Woodruff Lecture is co-sponsored by the Physical Therapy Learning Institute, the American Academy of Physical Therapy, the National Association of Black Physical Therapists, the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, the APTA Academy of Education, and the American Physical Therapy Association. This lecture is held annually around Juneteenth.