Skip to main content

Speakers

Two days. Real challenges. Rehab-ready solutions.

Meet the changemakers. The APTA Future of Rehab Therapy Summit brings together a powerful lineup of innovators, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders across rehab disciplines. From groundbreaking uses of AI and data to transformative leadership and real-world business strategies, our speakers aren’t just imagining the future — they’re building it.

Register Now


Keynote

Dan Staats, PT, DPT

Co-Founder, SorSoap

Dan Staats is a physical therapist specializing in orthopedic musculoskeletal dysfunction. He owns and operates an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Brick, New Jersey, and serves as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University and Kean University. Staats is also an entrepreneur and co-founder of SorSoap, a product that earned a winning deal on Shark Tank. Read more.

Panelists: Beyond the Traditional Path

Melissa Gill, PT, DPT

Owner and CEO, On-Site Solutions Physical Therapy

Melissa Gill is the owner and CEO of On-Site Solutions Physical Therapy, specializing in on-site injury prevention and wellness education. She holds a doctorate in physical therapy from St. Catherine University and a master’s in physical therapy from the University of Mary. With a clinical focus on orthopedics and work-related injuries, Gill is dedicated to helping workers address health concerns early.

Jamar Haggans, MS, OTR/L, CPHQ

Director of Quality, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Jamar Haggans is the director of quality at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). He ensures that occupational therapy is represented in national quality initiatives and helps members demonstrate their value to stakeholders. Haggans has experience as a physical therapist assistant and occupational therapist and has worked in post-acute care, rehabilitation management, and Medicare improvement.

Alice Navarro, MA, SLP/A

Founder and CEO, Opening Doors Therapy

Alice Navarro is the founder and CEO of Opening Doors Therapy, a staffing company that provides therapy services to K–12 students. She holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and audiology from Temple University. After transitioning from clinical practice to leadership roles, Navarro now leads her company while volunteering for senior fitness programs and environmental causes.

Harrison Segall, PT, DPT, MsHCM

Program Manager, Office of Population Health, Johns Hopkins Health System

Harrison Segall is the program manager for the Office of Population Health at Johns Hopkins Health System. With over nine years of experience in healthcare, Segall has worked in strategic planning, consulting, rehabilitation, and program management. He earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Long Island University–Brooklyn and a master’s degree in healthcare management from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

Panelists: Leadership Roundtable

Vicki Deal-Williams, MA, CCC-SLP, CAE

Chief Executive Officer, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Vicki Deal-Williams is the CEO of ASHA, with over 30 years of experience in association management. A Certified Association Executive and ASHA Fellow, she specializes in leadership development and strategic alignment. Deal-Williams is known for fostering collaborative relationships to advance ASHA’s mission and achieve lasting impact.

Katie Jordan, MBA, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Chief Executive Officer, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Dr. Katie Jordan is the CEO of AOTA, representing over 250,000 occupational therapy professionals. She has over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, specializing in health policy and strategic initiatives. Prior to AOTA, Dr. Jordan was Chief Administrative Officer for USC Clinical Services and has held leadership roles in various healthcare organizations.

 

Justin D. Moore, PT, DPT

Chief Executive Officer, American Physical Therapy Association

Justin D. Moore is the CEO of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). He has served in various roles within APTA, including executive vice president of public affairs and lobbyist. Moore holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Simmons College and a Master of Physical Therapy from the University of Iowa. He has received several awards for his contributions to physical therapy policy.

Panelists: AI and Data in Rehab

Anang Chokshi, PT, DPT

Founder & Managing Partner, Digital Healthcare Consulting

Anang Chokshi is a physical therapist with dual board certifications in sports and orthopedics. He is the founder of Digital Healthcare Consulting, specializing in go-to-market strategies, product development, and clinical approval for digital health companies. Anang has held leadership roles in organizations like Reflexion Health and IncludeHealth, where he integrated technology into musculoskeletal care and telehealth.

Caroline "CJ" Morrow, PT, DPT, CPHQ

Clinical Quality Senior Analyst, Hinge Health

Caroline "CJ" Morrow is a Clinical Quality Senior Analyst at Hinge Health, where she develops AI-powered tools to enhance clinical data analysis, quality monitoring, and patient experience. CJ advocates for physical therapists practicing at the top of their license and integrates AI in clinical practices to improve patient care. She is also Co-Chair of the Frontiers in Rehabilitation, Science and Technology Member Engagement Group.

Pedro Teixeira, MD, PhD

Co-founder and CEO, PredictionHealth

Pedro Teixeira is the Co-founder and CEO of PredictionHealth, an AI company focused on improving clinical documentation. He leads the development of an AI platform that transforms patient-provider conversations into compliant documentation. Dr. Teixeira holds a Master’s in Biomedical Informatics from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor’s in Biochemical Sciences and Computer Science from Harvard University.

Eugene (Gene) Tunik, PhD

Associate Dean of Research and Innovation; Professor, Physical Therapy, Human Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences

Gene Tunik holds a BS in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University and a PhD in Neuroscience from Rutgers University. He is a tenured professor and Associate Dean of Research and Innovation at Bouvé College of Health Sciences, where his research focuses on cognitive-motor interactions and human-robot interaction, utilizing technologies such as virtual reality and brain stimulation. He is also the Director of AI + Health & Human Performance at the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University.

Day 2 Workshop Speakers

How to Innovate

Paul Rinne

Co-Founder and CEO, GripAble and Able Care

Paul Rinne is a neuroscientist and entrepreneur focused on creating digital health solutions that improve healthspan and longevity. He leads GripAble, a neurorehabilitation technology company spun out of Imperial College London, and Able Care, which brings personalized, preventative care to the U.S. market. His mission is to deliver home-based tools that enhance patient outcomes while supporting providers and payers with scalable, value-driven solutions.

Navigating the FDA

Lauren Roth

FDA and Life Sciences Partner, King & Spalding

Lauren Roth advises clients on regulatory, legal, and compliance matters across all FDA-regulated industries. With nearly two decades of experience, including as FDA’s Associate Commissioner for Policy, she has been involved in shaping major initiatives at the intersection of law, science, and policy. Lauren now helps life sciences clients navigate FDA requirements and accelerate innovation in a complex regulatory environment.

Finding Investors

Paul Singh 

CEO, StrataPT

Paul Singh is an entrepreneur and investor who currently leads StrataPT, a healthcare technology company related to revenue cycle management. Before leading StrataPT, Paul had an extensive background in startups and investment. Paul combines operational experience with a sharp eye for scalable business models.

How to “Pitch”

Dan Staats, PT, DPT

Co-Founder, SorSoap

Dan Staats is a physical therapist specializing in orthopedic musculoskeletal dysfunction. He owns and operates an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Brick, New Jersey, and serves as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University and Kean University. Staats is also an entrepreneur and co-founder of SorSoap, a product that earned a winning deal on Shark Tank.

The Patent Process

Ryan Ward

Patent Attorney, Venable LLP

Ryan Ward works with startups, universities, and corporations to secure and protect intellectual property across emerging technologies. He has drafted and prosecuted hundreds of patents in areas including AI, medical devices, software, and telecommunications. Ryan brings a strong technical background to his work in due diligence, right-to-use, and infringement analysis, helping innovators safeguard their ideas and navigate complex IP challenges.

Featured Sponsors

Prediction Health

Pedro Teixiera, MD, PhD

Co-founder and CEO

Pedro Teixeira is co-founder and CEO of PredictionHealth, an AI company focused on clinical documentation. He leads development of a platform that turns patient-provider conversations into compliant notes, helping clinicians focus more on care. He holds a master’s degree in biomedical informatics from Vanderbilt University and a bachelor’s degree in biochemical sciences and computer science from Harvard University.

 

Jill Anderson, PT

Vice President, Ambulatory Care and Therapy Network, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network

Jill Anderson is vice president for Ambulatory Care and Therapy Network at MedStar National Rehabilitation Network. A physical therapist for over 40 years, she oversees therapy services across seven MedStar hospitals and more than 60 outpatient clinics. Anderson earned a physical therapy degree from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in administration from Johns Hopkins University.

Limber Health

Sejal J. Gajarawala, PT, DPT, MBA, MS

Director of Clinical Operations and Client Success

Sejal Gajarawala is director of clinical operations and client success at Limber Health, where she leads implementation and engagement strategies for remote therapeutic monitoring. A physical therapist with expertise in operations and change management, she helps optimize care delivery through scalable processes and cross-functional collaboration.

Rohit Burju, MBA

Senior Vice President of Strategy, Athletico Physical Therapy

Rohit Burju is senior vice president of strategy at Athletico Physical Therapy. He leads strategic initiatives, clinical outcomes, and digital product development. With a background spanning health care providers, payers, and medical technology, Burju has expertise in transformation, innovation, and operational leadership across the care continuum.

 

Penciled

Shawn Shivdat

Co-founder and CEO

Shawn Shivdat is the co-founder and CEO of Penciled, an AI-powered front office assistant for physical therapists. The platform uses conversational AI over SMS to help patients manage appointments and fill schedule gaps. Shivdat holds a degree in computational neuroscience from Harvard University and previously worked as a data scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Inspired by his own PT experience, he launched Penciled with support from Y Combinator and Initialized Capital.

Sarah Clampett, PT, DPT

Head of Clinical Operations, Origin Physical Therapy

Sarah Clampett is the head of clinical operations at Origin Physical Therapy. She earned her doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Southern California, where she also studied kinesiology and psychology. Specializing in women’s health, Clampett is passionate about helping prenatal and postnatal patients navigate physical challenges related to pregnancy and childbirth.

VALD

Nick Rittersbach, PT, DPT

Clinical Solutions Specialist

Nick Rittersbach is a physical therapist and clinical solutions specialist at VALD, where he helps clinicians integrate human measurement technology to improve outcomes and efficiency. With experience supporting more than 200 organizations, Rittersbach focuses on delivering data-driven tools to empower decision-making in rehabilitation care.

Daniel Hague, PT, DPT

Sports Physical Therapist and Residency Mentor, MedStar and Coppin State

Daniel Hague is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist and sports physical therapist at MedStar Health and Coppin State University. A residency mentor and recent graduate of MedStar’s sports residency, Hague focuses on evidence-informed rehabilitation and is committed to mentoring future clinicians and advancing performance-based care.

 

Thank You to Our Sponsors