Dustin Willis, PT, DPT, PhD(c), FAAOMPT, an experienced orthopaedic and sports physical therapist, is a fellowship-trained clinician and educator with a focus on ethics in clinical practice. A board-certified clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists, Dr. Willis brings a unique perspective to the intersection of clinical excellence and ethical care in high-performance sports and orthopaedics.

Full Bio
Dustin Willis, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT, is a board-certified orthopaedic clinical specialist and fellowship-trained sports and manual therapist. He completed his DPT at Loma Linda University, where he was recognized with multiple honors, and went on to complete an orthopaedic residency followed by fellowships at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, the Movement Performance Institute, and Azusa Pacific University. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.

Dr. Willis is currently completing his PhD, with research focused on the patient-provider relationship and the healing power of empathy and compassion. His teaching and clinical work explore the ethical dimensions of orthopaedic and sports practice, drawing from both research and real-world experience with elite and recreational athletes. Outside the classroom, he works with The Los Angeles Lakers, Quantum Performance, and Move Lab Los Angeles, supporting athletes in recovery and performance optimization.

Jessica Marengo, PT, DPT, SM is a physical therapist and current Duke University Faculty Development Resident. She is a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor at Northeastern University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Marengo earned both her BS in Rehabilitation Science and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Northeastern University. She recently completed her Master of Science in Bioethics at Harvard Medical School, where her research centered on disparate access to solid organ transplant for individuals with physical disabilities. Dr. Marengo has presented nationally at the American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections Meeting. Her work in bioethics has been recognized by the International Neuroethics Society and she was awarded an honorable mention for the 2023 Henry K. Beecher Prize in Medical Ethics. Jessica specializes in critical care rehabilitation with a particular focus on the care of patients pre and post heart and lung transplantation.

Babette Seligmann Sanders, PT, DPT, MS, FAPTA is a professor emeritus (2022) from the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. She was involved in DPT courses including ethics in Professional Role Development and Psychosocial Aspects of Human Behavior. She is currently serving as the Ethics Liaison for the Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy, a delegate to the APTA House of Delegates from Illinois and a member of CAPTE (ASCC-RAI panel). She previously served on the APTA Board of Directors from 1997-2003 and as APTA Secretary from 2004-2010. During this time, she served as the APTA Board Liaison to the Ethics and Judicial Committee and was involved in the development of the APTA Code of Ethics,(2009).

Dr. Rebecca Leonard is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy. She earned her physical therapy degree from the University of Connecticut, a Master's in Physiology from Marshall University, a T-DPT, and a PhD from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. She is an adjunct professor at Marymount University, teaching the pediatric course for third-year physical therapy graduate students. She has served as an adjunct professor at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, teaching the Family Studies course.

Dr. Leonard developed, owned, and directed Early Intervention Associates, a private pediatric physical therapy practice, for over 38 years until 2021. She continues as an active practitioner at EIA, pursuing and fostering continual learning to enhance the practice. She has enjoyed APTA activities with the awards committee, reviewing manuscripts and engaging with the Delphi survey for Angelman’s Syndrome Video Assessment for the development of a gross motor exam. For over 20 years, she has participated in Music and Motion, a dance program at Maryland Youth Ballet for children with disabilities.

Dr. Leonard received the Marymount University Physical Therapy Award for Clinical Excellence in 2017 and the APTA recognition for the Henry O. and Florence P. Kendall Practice Award in 2018.

Dr. Magdalena M. Oledzka is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy with over 25 years of experience in the field. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Hunter College in 1998, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Baruch College in 2008, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Pediatric Science from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2018. Currently, she serves as an adjunct professor in the Pediatric PhD program at Rocky Mountain University and has previously held a position as an assistant adjunct professor at Brooklyn College.

Dr. Oledzka has been a member of the pediatric rehabilitation team at the Hospital for Special Surgery since 2007, where she is now the Clinical Lead at the Pediatric Rehabilitation and Young Athlete Center. Her research on the topic of congenital muscular torticollis has garnered recognition from the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy, earning her the 2020 Dissertation Award.

Dr. Oledzka has traveled to China and Ghana to support and educate local pediatric therapists. She has authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals on congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) and has presented lectures across the U.S. and internationally on topics including infant development, cerebral palsy, and fostering motor competence in children of all abilities.

Dr. Kristen Snarski is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy who earned a Bachelor of Science from Ithaca College in 1987, a Master of Health Science in Pediatric Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis in 1994, and a Doctor of Philosophy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2018. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Gannon University, where she teaches pediatric content and the evidence-based practice course sequence.   

In addition, Dr. Snarski helped create and teaches in Gannon University's undergraduate Minor in Innovation and Creativity, where she co-teaches a philosophy and ethical reasoning course. Before transitioning into academia, Dr. Snarski spent 25 years in full-time pediatric clinical practice. She maintains a small clinical practice, working with children and families in early intervention, preschool, and outpatient settings.

Dr. Sarah Caston is physical therapist who is board- certified neurologic and geriatric PT.  She is an Associate Professor within  Emory University’s Division of Physical Therapy. Dr. Caston received her BS in Rehabilitation Science from University of Pittsburgh in 2008 and her DPT in 2011 from Emory University. She recently completed a Master’s degree in Bioethics and Emory’s Center for Ethics. Dr. Caston’s passion for ethics in physical therapy was cultivated as a clinician where she witnessed both the gifts and limitations of the biomedical approach to care, and grew at the intersections of humanism justice and a desire for greater flourishing for patients and clinicians.