Andrew Amari, JD is a specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit, advocating on regulatory policy issues affecting physical therapists in a variety of practice settings. Before joining the association in March 2022, Andrew was a regulatory analyst at the Association of American Medical Colleges, focusing on hospital payment and graduate medical education policy issues. Andrew received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University and a JD from the University of Wisconsin School of Law. He is a member of the Wisconsin Bar.

Alice is on staff as senior payment specialist in the Payment and Practice Management Department of the APTA. She received a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and a doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Montana. Her specialties include integrated care delivery models, post-acute care, and long-term care. A board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy, she has lectured and written many articles on topics related to physical therapy and the older adult. She has spent the majority of her career in post-acute care and long-term care settings and has more than 36 years of experience as a physical therapist. Her professional activities include serving as a member of the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Steering Committee, co-leader of the NQF Opioid Stewardship Member Workgroup, APTA appointee to the NDHI Opioid Crisis Workgroup, APTA appointee to the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Action Team, Member of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Technical Expert Panel for Skilled Nursing Alternative Payment Systems, Appointee to the National Quality Forum (NQF) for Long Term Care Quality Measures, Member of the Steering Committee for NQF's National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Home Project, and representative of the Coalition of Rehab Therapy Organizations’ Joint Commission’s Long Term Care Professional and Technical Advisory Committee.

Wanda K. Evans, PT, DPT, MHS, is a senior payment specialist at APTA. Her responsibilities include communicating with members and insurers on inquiries regarding third-party, billing, CPT coding, and payment policies; providing resources in policy development; monitoring trends; and assisting in association efforts to advance payment policies. She remains a treating clinician in the outpatient setting. Before joining APTA, she was the clinical documentation and utilization review coordinator for Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Prior to that she was the supervisor of physical therapist and occupational therapist services for Kaiser Permanente Mid Atlantic. She has been an APTA member since she was a student. She received her bachelor of physical therapy and doctor of physical therapy degrees from Howard University, and a master of health science degree in orthopedic and sports physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis. She also is a certified kinesio taping practitioner. 

Chase Kuhn, PT, DPT, is a specialist in APTA’s Health Policy and Payment unit, advocating for the profession of physical therapy as it relates to commercial insurers. He received both his bachelor’s degree in health science and his DPT with research specialization from the Ohio State University and subsequently participated in their Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency. He joined APTA staff with prior work experience in financial loss mitigation and hospital-based revenue cycle administration.

Rachel Miller, MPH is a health policy and payment specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit as of August 2022. Rachel advocates to federal regulators on policy issues that affect the physical therapy profession. Before joining the association, she was working towards her master's degree in health policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While continuing her education, Rachel showed community members how to obtain health insurance as Certified Application Counselor in a student-run clinic. Before that, she helped stop the spread of COVID-19 as a case investigator at a local health department. She obtained her bachelor's degree in public health from the University of South Florida.

Andrew Amari, JD is a specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit, advocating on regulatory policy issues affecting physical therapists in a variety of practice settings. Before joining the association in March 2022, Andrew was a regulatory analyst at the Association of American Medical Colleges, focusing on hospital payment and graduate medical education policy issues. Andrew received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University and a JD from the University of Wisconsin School of Law. He is a member of the Wisconsin Bar.

Alice is on staff as senior payment specialist in the Payment and Practice Management Department of the APTA. She received a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and a doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Montana. Her specialties include integrated care delivery models, post-acute care, and long-term care. A board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy, she has lectured and written many articles on topics related to physical therapy and the older adult. She has spent the majority of her career in post-acute care and long-term care settings and has more than 36 years of experience as a physical therapist. Her professional activities include serving as a member of the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Steering Committee, co-leader of the NQF Opioid Stewardship Member Workgroup, APTA appointee to the NDHI Opioid Crisis Workgroup, APTA appointee to the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Action Team, Member of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Technical Expert Panel for Skilled Nursing Alternative Payment Systems, Appointee to the National Quality Forum (NQF) for Long Term Care Quality Measures, Member of the Steering Committee for NQF's National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Home Project, and representative of the Coalition of Rehab Therapy Organizations’ Joint Commission’s Long Term Care Professional and Technical Advisory Committee.

Wanda K. Evans, PT, DPT, MHS, is a senior payment specialist at APTA. Her responsibilities include communicating with members and insurers on inquiries regarding third-party, billing, CPT coding, and payment policies; providing resources in policy development; monitoring trends; and assisting in association efforts to advance payment policies. She remains a treating clinician in the outpatient setting. Before joining APTA, she was the clinical documentation and utilization review coordinator for Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Prior to that she was the supervisor of physical therapist and occupational therapist services for Kaiser Permanente Mid Atlantic. She has been an APTA member since she was a student. She received her bachelor of physical therapy and doctor of physical therapy degrees from Howard University, and a master of health science degree in orthopedic and sports physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis. She also is a certified kinesio taping practitioner. 

Chase Kuhn, PT, DPT, is a specialist in APTA’s Health Policy and Payment unit, advocating for the profession of physical therapy as it relates to commercial insurers. He received both his bachelor’s degree in health science and his DPT with research specialization from the Ohio State University and subsequently participated in their Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency. He joined APTA staff with prior work experience in financial loss mitigation and hospital-based revenue cycle administration.

Rachel Miller, MPH is a health policy and payment specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit as of August 2022. Rachel advocates to federal regulators on policy issues that affect the physical therapy profession. Before joining the association, she was working towards her master's degree in health policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While continuing her education, Rachel showed community members how to obtain health insurance as Certified Application Counselor in a student-run clinic. Before that, she helped stop the spread of COVID-19 as a case investigator at a local health department. She obtained her bachelor's degree in public health from the University of South Florida.

Andrew Amari, JD is a specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit, advocating on regulatory policy issues affecting physical therapists in a variety of practice settings. Before joining the association in March 2022, Andrew was a regulatory analyst at the Association of American Medical Colleges, focusing on hospital payment and graduate medical education policy issues. Andrew received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University and a JD from the University of Wisconsin School of Law. He is a member of the Wisconsin Bar.

Alice is on staff as senior payment specialist in the Payment and Practice Management Department of the APTA. She received a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and a doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Montana. Her specialties include integrated care delivery models, post-acute care, and long-term care. A board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy, she has lectured and written many articles on topics related to physical therapy and the older adult. She has spent the majority of her career in post-acute care and long-term care settings and has more than 36 years of experience as a physical therapist. Her professional activities include serving as a member of the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Steering Committee, co-leader of the NQF Opioid Stewardship Member Workgroup, APTA appointee to the NDHI Opioid Crisis Workgroup, APTA appointee to the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Action Team, Member of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Technical Expert Panel for Skilled Nursing Alternative Payment Systems, Appointee to the National Quality Forum (NQF) for Long Term Care Quality Measures, Member of the Steering Committee for NQF's National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Home Project, and representative of the Coalition of Rehab Therapy Organizations’ Joint Commission’s Long Term Care Professional and Technical Advisory Committee.

Wanda K. Evans, PT, DPT, MHS, is a senior payment specialist at APTA. Her responsibilities include communicating with members and insurers on inquiries regarding third-party, billing, CPT coding, and payment policies; providing resources in policy development; monitoring trends; and assisting in association efforts to advance payment policies. She remains a treating clinician in the outpatient setting. Before joining APTA, she was the clinical documentation and utilization review coordinator for Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Prior to that she was the supervisor of physical therapist and occupational therapist services for Kaiser Permanente Mid Atlantic. She has been an APTA member since she was a student. She received her bachelor of physical therapy and doctor of physical therapy degrees from Howard University, and a master of health science degree in orthopedic and sports physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis. She also is a certified kinesio taping practitioner. 

Chase Kuhn, PT, DPT, is a specialist in APTA’s Health Policy and Payment unit, advocating for the profession of physical therapy as it relates to commercial insurers. He received both his bachelor’s degree in health science and his DPT with research specialization from the Ohio State University and subsequently participated in their Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency. He joined APTA staff with prior work experience in financial loss mitigation and hospital-based revenue cycle administration.

Rachel Miller, MPH is a health policy and payment specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit as of August 2022. Rachel advocates to federal regulators on policy issues that affect the physical therapy profession. Before joining the association, she was working towards her master's degree in health policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While continuing her education, Rachel showed community members how to obtain health insurance as Certified Application Counselor in a student-run clinic. Before that, she helped stop the spread of COVID-19 as a case investigator at a local health department. She obtained her bachelor's degree in public health from the University of South Florida.

Andrew Amari, JD is a specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit, advocating on regulatory policy issues affecting physical therapists in a variety of practice settings. Before joining the association in March 2022, Andrew was a regulatory analyst at the Association of American Medical Colleges, focusing on hospital payment and graduate medical education policy issues. Andrew received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University and a JD from the University of Wisconsin School of Law. He is a member of the Wisconsin Bar.

Alice is on staff as senior payment specialist in the Payment and Practice Management Department of the APTA. She received a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and a doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Montana. Her specialties include integrated care delivery models, post-acute care, and long-term care. A board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy, she has lectured and written many articles on topics related to physical therapy and the older adult. She has spent the majority of her career in post-acute care and long-term care settings and has more than 36 years of experience as a physical therapist. Her professional activities include serving as a member of the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Steering Committee, co-leader of the NQF Opioid Stewardship Member Workgroup, APTA appointee to the NDHI Opioid Crisis Workgroup, APTA appointee to the National Quality Partnership Opioid Stewardship Action Team, Member of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Technical Expert Panel for Skilled Nursing Alternative Payment Systems, Appointee to the National Quality Forum (NQF) for Long Term Care Quality Measures, Member of the Steering Committee for NQF's National Voluntary Consensus Standards for Nursing Home Project, and representative of the Coalition of Rehab Therapy Organizations’ Joint Commission’s Long Term Care Professional and Technical Advisory Committee.

Wanda K. Evans, PT, DPT, MHS, is a senior payment specialist at APTA. Her responsibilities include communicating with members and insurers on inquiries regarding third-party, billing, CPT coding, and payment policies; providing resources in policy development; monitoring trends; and assisting in association efforts to advance payment policies. She remains a treating clinician in the outpatient setting. Before joining APTA, she was the clinical documentation and utilization review coordinator for Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital Network. Prior to that she was the supervisor of physical therapist and occupational therapist services for Kaiser Permanente Mid Atlantic. She has been an APTA member since she was a student. She received her bachelor of physical therapy and doctor of physical therapy degrees from Howard University, and a master of health science degree in orthopedic and sports physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis. She also is a certified kinesio taping practitioner. 

Chase Kuhn, PT, DPT, is a specialist in APTA’s Health Policy and Payment unit, advocating for the profession of physical therapy as it relates to commercial insurers. He received both his bachelor’s degree in health science and his DPT with research specialization from the Ohio State University and subsequently participated in their Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency. He joined APTA staff with prior work experience in financial loss mitigation and hospital-based revenue cycle administration.

Rachel Miller, MPH is a health policy and payment specialist within APTA's Health Policy and Payment Unit as of August 2022. Rachel advocates to federal regulators on policy issues that affect the physical therapy profession. Before joining the association, she was working towards her master's degree in health policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While continuing her education, Rachel showed community members how to obtain health insurance as Certified Application Counselor in a student-run clinic. Before that, she helped stop the spread of COVID-19 as a case investigator at a local health department. She obtained her bachelor's degree in public health from the University of South Florida.

Julia Chevan, PT, PhD, MPH is a Senior Program Manager in the Center for Advancing Healthy Communities with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. Julia has a clinical background in both physical therapy and public health and well over 30 years of experience in physical therapy and higher education, building innovative academic and health programs. Julia is a three-time Fulbright recipient. Julia’s research focuses include publications at the intersection of physical rehabilitation and health services research and physical therapy education. Her academic credentials include an MPH in health policy and management from UMass and a PhD in health-related sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Brian Schaudt (pronounced “shout”) holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from George Fox University and a Master’s in Kinesiology from Southern Arkansas University. He has served as the primary physical therapist for the two least populated counties in Oregon while also providing pediatric services across three counties and a Native American reservation.

Ashley Cassel, PT, DPT, OCS  is a board certified orthopedic physical therapy specialist with experience practicing in a direct access, primary care physical therapy setting. Ashley serves as the Chief of Outpatient Physical Therapy at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System where she has 15+ years of clinical experience practicing in an outpatient setting including primary care direct access physical therapy. Ashley is a subject matter expert member of the VHA National PACT PT Diffusion Team working to spread the best practice of embedding PT in Primary Care throughout VHA by 2025. She co-founded and serves on the board of the APTA Federal Primary Care Special Interest Group where she is project lead on the petition to establish Primary Care PT as a recognized area of specialty and residency practice. 

Dr. Brandon Peterson has practiced physical therapy at the Sioux Falls VA Healthcare system since 2013.  He created a Primary Care (PACT – Patient Aligned Care Team) physical therapy program at the Sioux Falls VA in 2016 and has since worked in Primary Care full time.  In 2017, he was appointed the Chair of Embedding Physical Therapists into Primary Care across VISN 23 (Veterans Integrated Services Network).  Due to the success of this program, Dr. Peterson and other members of VISN 23 submitted the Primary Care PT program into the VA Shark Tank competition.  In 2020, the program was awarded a promising practice and later a national diffusion project.  Dr. Peterson currently serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the Primary Care Physical Therapy National Diffusion project through the VA Diffusion of Excellence.   The goal of the project is for every VA or CBOC (Community Based Outreach Clinic) to embed physical therapists into their PACT team by 2025.

Dr. Rebekah Griffith PT, DPT, NCS, FiT is a physical therapist who specializes in care in the Emergency Department and ICU settings. She believes that physical therapy should not be a luxury and should be accessible to everyone, particularly in life’s most critical moments. Dr. Griffith is the founder of the ED DPT, a business focused on making Emergency Physical Therapist practice well-known and well-practiced. She also serves her profession as APTA Colorado Chief Delegate. A believer in life-work flow, she is a dedicated mother of 3, wife of 22 years, an avid reader, writer, and photographer, and also holds a Black Belt in Taekwondo. Dr. Griffith firmly believes that we rise by lifting others, which is at the core of being a physical therapist and human.

Ryan is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy, currently serving as professor and assistant program director at George Fox University in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Teaching courses in pediatrics, orthotics, research, and professional practice, his current research endeavors are around implementing pediatric primary care physical therapy and leveraging person-centered outcomes measures to affect improved, collaborative models of care across the lifespan. Outside of physical therapy innovation, Ryan plays competitive volleyball, loves creative endeavors with his daughter Alex and wife Stephanie, and eats way too much dark chocolate. 

Dr. Genevieve Correa Soares is a dedicated physical therapist specializing in primary care and manual therapy. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of the Pacific in 2012 and completed a Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Residency at Kaiser Vallejo the same year. In 2015, she further specialized through a Fellowship in Manual Therapy and Primary Care Musculoskeletal at Kaiser Vallejo.

With a passion for education and mentorship, Dr. Soares served as adjunct faculty at the University of the Pacific for seven years and currently teaches Primary Care Physical Therapy at Hawaii Pacific University. She also contributed to professional advocacy as a Delegate for three years with the Hawaii Chapter of the APTA.

As the owner of a clinic in Moloka'i, Dr. Soares integrates Primary Care Physical Therapy with Traditional healing practices to serve the rural community. Her work emphasizes culturally responsive, patient-centered care, blending Indigenous knowledge with Western healthcare approaches. She has been serving as a Clinical Instructor in her clinic, sharing her knowledge and gifts with those interested in learning from her expertise.

Dr. Soares is currently completing an Educational Doctorate (EdD) at the University of Hawai'i Mānoa, focusing on the integration of Indigenous Knowledge and healing into clinically appropriate spaces. She is honored to contribute to the advancement of Primary Care Physical Therapy, helping to shape the profession’s future and prepare clinicians for expanded roles in patient care.

Rich Severin PT, DPT, PhD is a board-certified cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialist. Dr. Severin serves as clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago and is the coordinator of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. He is currently enrolled in the APTA Academy of Education's Fellowship of Higher Education Leadership. He serves as a member of the APTA Science and Practice Affairs Committee, associate editor of Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal and Chief Delegate for the APTA Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy.

Dr. Kendra Gagnon is an Associate Professor and Director of Rehabilitation Science Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. A leader in hybrid health professions education, her work appears in scholarly journals such as Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal (PTJ), Journal of Physical Therapy Education, and The Journal of Allied Health. She co-authored one of the first peer-reviewed analyses of hybrid DPT education and has contributed nationally to PT education initiatives, including the recently published ACAPT Blueprint for Excellence. Her work focuses on innovative models of health professions education, faculty development, strategic academic leadership, and the integration of digital learning with clinical training to advance workforce development and patient care.