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The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education is a group of 32 individuals, with varied backgrounds, who are charged with:
- determining whether a program meets the standards of quality in physical therapy education
- determining what standards of quality to use (i.e., the Standards)
- setting policy and procedure for the accreditation process
The Commission is divided into three working groups: 10 members comprise the PT Panel, which reviews PT programs; 13 members comprise the PTA Panel, which reviews PTA programs; and 9 members comprise the Central Panel, which makes all candidacy decisions.
In order to serve on CAPTE, most members must have served in the Cadre of On-site Reviewers and have participated in at least three on-site visits. The three public members and the consumer member are exempt from this requirement, though they do observe a visit following their appointment to CAPTE.
Members of CAPTE are physical therapist educators and clinicians, physical therapist assistant educators and clinicians, basic scientists, higher education administrators, and representatives of the public.
Chair: Peggy Blake Gleeson, PT, Ph.D.
Vice Chair: Patricia Gordon Brown, PT, DPT, MS
Central Panel Members
Christine P Baker, PT, EdD, FAPTA, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, has been a licensed physical therapist for more than 40 years, having received her entry level master’s degree in 1978. She served as a faculty member at two Texas physical therapist programs, with primary teaching responsibilities in pediatrics and served as the DCE or Assistant DCE at both. Dr. Baker served as a CAPTE site visitor since 2014. S enjoys he opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across the country and see how program leadership and faculty provide learning experiences for physical therapist students. She works diligently and takes pride in her efforts.
Frank Bates, PT, DPT, MBA, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, is adjunct faculty and prior physical therapist assistant program director at the University of Indianapolis. He is an outpatient physical therapist with IU Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2014. Dr. Bates serves on the Central Panel as an individual active in the accreditation agency with recent service as an on-site reviewer; he is vice chair of the Commission.
Patricia Gordon Brown, PT, DPT, MS, Term 1/1/21-12/31/24, is director of physical therapy and therapeutic recreation at National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist programs since 2001. Dr. Brown serves on the Central Panel as a PT clinician.
Laura Forester, Term 1/1/23-12/31/2026
Peggy Blake Gleeson, PT, Ph.D., Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, is DCE and associate director in the School of Physical Therapy at Texas Woman's University in Houston, Texas. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist programs since 1997. Dr. Gleeson serves on the Central Panel as a recent member of the PT Panel.
Janice Haas, PTA, MS, Term 1/1/21-12/31/24, serves as program director of the physical therapist assistant program at Mercyhurst University in North East, Pennsylvania. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2009. Ms. Haas serves on the Central Panel as a recent member of the PTA Panel.
Becky Lynn Keith, PT, MSHS, Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, serves as program director of the physical therapist assistant program at Arkansas State University in State University, Arkansas. Ms. Keith serves on the Central Panel as the consumer of accreditation.
Brenda Lyman, OTD, OTR/L, Term 1/1/2023-12/31/2026, has been a licensed occupational therapist for over 40 years and a non-PT CAPTE site visitor since 2016. She has worked over 28 years in education with seven years as an associate dean. Dr. Lyman has administrative and teaching experience in both community college and university settings. She serves on the Central Panel as the higher education administrator.
Nakiesha Pearson, Term 1/1/2023-12/31/2024, is Assistant Dean of the Chiropractic Medicine Program at National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois. She has accreditation experience as a site team visitor for chiropractic programs. Dr. Pearson serves on the Central Panel as a public member.
PT Panel Members
Kimberly Acquaviva, PhD, MSW, CSE, FNAP, Term 1/1/2023-12/31/2023, serves as the Betty Norman Norris Endowed Professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing As a social worker teaching within a school of nursing, her scholarship is interdisciplinary and collaborative. She has served as a CAPTE on-site visitor since 2014.
Karen Bock, PT, MPT, Term 1/1/21-12/31/24, is a clinical instructor in the ALS Clinic at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2017. Ms. Bock serves on the PT Panel as clinical teacher.
Lisa G Bradley, PT, DPT, MSW, Term 1/1/21-12/31/24, is director of clinical education and assistant professor at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. She has been an on-site visitor for PT and PTA programs since 2014. Dr. Bradley serves on the PT Panel as physical therapist educator (curriculum development).
Kevin K Chui, PT, DPT, PhD, Term 1/1/19-12/31/22, endowed chair and professor of the Department of Physical Therapy at Radford University in Roanoke, VA. He has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist programs since 2015. Dr. Chui serves on the PT Panel as chair and physical therapist educator.
Patricia Arnone Deotte, PT, DPT, CEEAA, GCS, Term 9/1/21-12/31/22, is owner/director of Ageless Therapeutics, a clinical practice focused on rehab and wellness programs for older adults. She has served CAPTE as an on-site visitor from 2002 through 2018, and a Commissioner on the PT panel as clinician 2018 through 2021, returning in 2022 as an ad hoc member.
Marina-Thais Douenat, Term 1/1/2023-12/31/2026
Leah Dvorak, PhD, Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, is Professor and Interim Provost at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, Wisconsin. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist programs since 2001. Dr. Dvorak serves on the PT Panel as vice chair and physical therapist educator (basic sciences).
Jamie Dyson, PT, DPT, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, has been practicing acute care physical therapy for 30 years. His primary area of practice has been in the intensive care units specializing in trauma and burn care. He is a Courtesy Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of Central Florida DPT Program: teaching cardiopulmonary physical therapy, integumentary, pathology, pharmacology, and acute care physical therapy. Dr. Dyson serves on the PT Panel as a clinician.
Greg Ford, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, is a Professor of physical therapy, Chair of the PT department, and Director of the DPT program at Daemen College in Amherst, New York, has served as an onsite reviewer team lead since 2017. Dr. Ford serves on the PT Panel as a PT educator.
Sundra Kincey, PhD, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, Sundra D. Kincey, Ph.D. is Assistant Vice President of Program Quality and SACSCOC Institutional Liaison at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). As AVP of Program Quality, Kincey provides leadership in the development of new degree offerings, oversight of the university program review process, assistance to academic programs with specialized accreditation for initial and reaccreditation, and policy development and implementation related to academic programming and degree authorization. She also serves as an evaluator for NSF ADVANCE grant, consultant and report writer for summative and formative data evaluation, and reviewer of select peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Kincey servers on the PT Panel as a higher education administrator.
Catherine Ortega, PT, EdD, Term 9/1/2021-12/31/2023, is an onsite program director for the University of Utah in St. George, and has been a CAPTE Team Leader, performing site visits since 2015. She serves on the PT Panel as a PT educator.
PTA Panel Members
Sammi Beckmann, PTA, MBA, Term 1/1/21-12/31/24, serves as program director of the physical therapist assistant program at NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, Arkansas. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2015. Ms. Beckmann serves on the PTA Panel as a physical therapist assistant educator.
Cindy I Buchanan, PT, PhD, Term 9/1/2021-12/31/2022, has held multiple roles in physical therapy education, including Assistant Professor at Northeastern University, PTA Program Director at Technical College of the Lowcountry and department chairperson of the DPT Program at American International College. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2009. Dr. Buchanan serves on the PTA Panel as an ad hoc member.
Cindy Calmese, MS, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, resides in Fullerton, California, and serves on the PTA Panel as a public member.
Clarence Chan, PT, DPT, Term 1/1 2023-12/31/2026, is the professor and program director of the PTA program at LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York. He has been an on-site reviewer for physical therapist assistant programs since 2015. He serves on the PTA Panel as physical therapist assistant educator.
Neal L Henning, PhD, Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, is dean of career education at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2008. Dr. Henning serves on the PTA Panel as an institutional member.
Charlene S Jensen, PT, DPT, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, currently works as the developing Program Director of the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Riverside College of Health Careers (RCHC) in Newport News, VA. Dr. Jensen earned her Master of Medical and Health Professions Education from Eastern Virginia Medical School, Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Shenandoah University, and Master of Physical Therapy from Old Dominion University. She has been an APTA member at the national, state, and local levels since, 2001. Dr. Jensen has been a CAPTE Site Visit team leader since 2016.
Jonna Mayfield, PTA, Term 9/1/2021-12/31/2022, has been a Physical Therapist for over 20 years and enjoyed the opportunities and experiences this profession has provided. She currently works in an inner-city hospital, Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. She became involved with CAPTE in 2013 as a Site Reviewer and then served on the Commission from 2016 to 2020 as a member of the PTA panel but recently have been called back to the PTA panel to gladly fill an ad hoc position.
Kimberly Crealey Rouillier, PT, DPT, Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, recently retired as department chairperson of the Rehabilitative Health Department at Community College of Rhode Island in Newport. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2008. Dr. Rouillier serves on the PTA Panel as physical therapist assistant educator.
Richard J Saia, PT, DPT, Term 1/1/20-12/31/24, is currently Clinic Supervisor for Gateway Regional Medical Center- Glen Carbon in Glen Carbon, Illinois. He has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2016. Dr. Saia serves on the PTA Panel as a PT in clinical practice who supervises PTAs.
Laura A Sage, PT, DPT, MEd, Term 1/1/2022-12/31/2025, began her career with a BS from Boston University. Laura obtained a MEd from U. Mass Boston. Laura served as the clinician team member on four PT site visits before being appointed to the CAPTE PTA panel in fall of 2008. After completing that four-year term, she took a job as the DCE at the Denver campus of Pima Medical Institute. She currently serves as the Program Director of the San Marcos Pima Medical Institute location.
Elane K Seebo, PhD, Term 1/1/19-12/31/22, is vice president of external campuses at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2001. Dr Seebo serves on the PTA Panel as institutional member.
Lisa L Stejskal, PTA, MAEd, Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, is a PTA practitioner and grant director/adjunct faculty at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2014. Ms. Stejskal serves on the PTA Panel as physical therapist assistant clinician and is vice chair of the PTA Panel.
Russell Brent Stowers, PTA, EdD, Term 1/1/20-12/31/23, is the director of rehabilitation services at Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2010. Dr Stowers serves on the PTA Panel as physical therapist assistant clinician.
Bradley A Wood, PTA, BHSc, MATL, Term 1/1/19-12/31/22, is program director of the physical therapist assistant program at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio. He has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist assistant programs since 2016. Mr Wood serves on the PTA Panel as physical therapist assistant educator.
Kathryn R Zalewski, PT, PhD, MPA, Term 1/1/21-12/31/24, is professor and program director of the developing DPT program at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She has been an on-site visitor for physical therapist programs since 2011. Dr. Zalewski serves on the PTA Panel as physical therapist educator.
CAPTE-Related Events and Activities
The CAPTE calendar provides information on CAPTE meetings, upcoming site visits, and accreditation workshops.
Developing Program Workshops and Self-study Workshops are held twice a year. These workshops provide support, information, and guidance on obtaining and maintaining accreditation.
CAPTE holds two regularly scheduled meetings each year (in Spring and Fall), where programs are reviewed and accreditation decisions are voted upon
On-site visits are conducted to validate the information submitted by programs seeking or maintaining accreditation in order to facilitate CAPTE's evaluation of the extent of compliance with the Standards and Required Elements.
Access recent actions and updates from CAPTE, including reasons for candidacy decisions, and the Public Disclosures Notices related to CAPTE actions.
For Commissioners
Information, forms, and other key resources, including a link to the Portal.
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