Physical Therapy


Physical Therapy Director
Jennifer Blackwood, PT, PhD
Associate Professor & Physical Therapy Department Director
(810) 762-3373
jblackwo@umich.edu
Research: The interplay between mobility and cognitive function in older adults; fall prevention in the geriatric population and age-related changes in balance function in older adults and in older cancer survivors
Physical Therapy Faculty
Bara Alsalaheen, PT, PhD
Associate Professor
(810) 762-3373
alsalahe@umich.edu
Research: Improving healthcare outcomes for individuals with concussions by bridging the gap between concussion-related research and clinical practice. Primary research interests are developing biopsychosocial approaches to understand factors associated with variations in concussion risks, recovery times, and rehabilitation outcomes.
Ryan Bean, PT, DPT, OMPT, OCS
Clinical Associate Professor
(810) 762-3373
ryanbean@umich.edu
Research: Sports-related concussion, musculoskeletal orthopedic examination, and intervention (manual-based), therapeutic exercises for common orthopedic conditions, and EMG analysis
Karen Berg, PT, DPT,
Clinical Assistant Professor & Co-Associate Director for Clinical Education
(810) 762-3373
karberg@umich.edu
Research: Clinical education assessment of student performance; outcomes as measured by orthopedic questionnaires
Sarah Case, PT, DSc
Clinical Assistant Professor & Interim Associate Director for Professional Education
(810) 762-3373
sacase@umich.edu
Research: Pain Neuroscience Education, Healthcare practitioners attitudes and beliefs regarding chronic pain and barriers to implementation of practice guidelines; teaching and learning in physical therapy education
Donna Fry, PT, PhD, CHC
Professor & Dean of the College of Health Sciences
(810) 762-3373
donnafry@umich.edu
Research: Respiratory and other interventions for people with the neurologic disease – primary research focus on persons with multiple sclerosis
Allon Goldberg, PT, PhD
Professor & Associate Dean of the College of Health Sciences
(810) 762-3373
allong@umich.edu
Research: Physical performance measures in older adults and people with the neurological disease; genetic factors in mobility and aging; genetics education for the physical therapy profession
Min Huang, PT, PhD
Associate Professor & Associate Director for Research
(810) 762-3373
mhhuang@umich.edu
Research: Balance impairments, mobility limitations, and fall risks in the geriatric, geriatric oncology, and neurologic populations; respiratory interventions in persons with advanced multiple sclerosis; neuromotor control and motor learning of posture and movements in multiple sclerosis; technology-enhanced motor imagery and action observation in persons with chronic stroke.
Chandramouli Krishnan, PT, PhD
Associate Professor
(810) 762-3373
mouli@med.umich.edu
Cathy Larson, PT, PhD
Associate Professor & Associate Director of the PhD Program
(810) 762-3373
clarson@umich.edu
Research: Rhythmic auditory pacing and verbal cues embedded in music to improve gait in older individuals and individuals post-stroke, exploration of the safety of static-vs. dynamic-air wheelchair cushions, and use of EMG biofeedback in the physical therapy classroom to optimize the effectiveness of patient exercise programs.
Jennifer Tzu-Chieh Liao, PT, PhD
Assistant Professor
(810) 762-3373
jenliao@umich.edu
Research: Lower extremity pathologies (patellofemoral pain, ACLR, etc); Quantitative and clinical MR imaging; Finite element analysis for in-vivo joint loading behavior; Accelerometer-based activity assessment
Erica Sherman, PT, DPT, MBA
Clinical Assistant Professor & Co-Associate Director of Clinical Education
(810) 762-3373
ericashe@umich.edu
Research: Student outcomes of clinical education experiences; interprofessional education
Laura Smith, PT, DPT, PhD
Associate Professor, Post-Professional Clinical Programs
(810) 762-3373
johlaur@umich.edu
Research: Interprofessional education, collaborative practice models, female breast injury, injury prevention, and reeducation.
Leslie Smith, PT, DPT
Clinical Associate Professor
(810) 762-3373
llacy@umich.edu
Research: Blood Pressure measurements by physical therapists, Use of simulation, interprofessional education, exploration of a new wheelchair cushion – safety and efficacy.
William Suits, PT, DPT
Clinical Assistant Professor
(810) 762-3373
whsuits@umich.edu
Research: Acute and long-term changes at the hip joint with participation in ice hockey and relationships to injury; impairments and interventions of muscle power for persons with overuse musculoskeletal conditions; sports physical therapy education.
Chad Tiernan, PhD
Assistant Professor
(810) 762-3373
chadwt@umich.edu
Research: Motor behavior and physical activity in children and older adults with and without disabilities; Childhood obesity; Gait variability; Applications of dynamic systems to human movement
Suzanne Trojanowski, PT, DPT
Assistant Clinical Professor
(810) 762-3373
stroj@umich.edu
Research: Knowledge Translation; Interprofessional Education; Use of outcome measures in rehabilitation
Julie W. Wiebe, PT, DPT
Clinical Assistant Professor
(810) 762-3373
jwiebe@umich.edu
Amy Yorke, PT, PhD
Associate Professor & Associate Director of Community Engagement
(810) 762-3373
amyorke@umich.edu
Research: Knowledge translation, teaching and learning in physical therapy education and interprofessional education/collaborative practice, and outcome measurement in neurological conditions.
LEO Instructors
Judith Aikman
Intermittent Lecturer
aikmanj@umich.edu
Gina Banks
Intermittent Lecturer
ginabank@umich.edu
Paula Boardman
Intermittent Lecturer
pboardma@umich.edu
Steven Brown
Intermittent Lecturer
sebbbrown@comcast.net
Janice Dundas
Intermittent Lecturer
jdundas@umich.edu
Michelle Klaty
Intermittent Lecturer
mklaty@umich.edu
Jessica Kline
Intermittent Lecturer
jbeckman@umich.edu
Bruce Linder
Intermittent Lecturer
linderbr@umich.edu
Ronald Mashni
Intermittent Lecturer
rmashni@umich.edu
Earl Mayhew
Intermittent Lecturer
earlmayhewpt@gmail.com
GingerAnn Neslund
Intermittent Lecturer
gneslund@umich.edu
Caitlin Noble
Intermittent Lecturer
caitlinn@umich.edu
Lauren Wenk
Intermittent Lecturer
lwenkdpt@umich.edu
Physical Therapy Department Staff
Karen Davis
Office Manager
(810) 762-3373
klwoods@umich.edu
Frank Fanzone
Administrative Assistant Senior
(810) 762-3373
ffanzone@umich.edu
Jennifer Phillips
Clinical Education Administrative Assistant Senior
(810) 762-3373
jevincke@umich.edu
Beverly Ruber
Administrative Assistant Intermediate
(810) 762-3373
bruber@umflint.edu
Christina Wixson
Administrative Specialist
(810) 762-3373
cwixson@umich.edu