2022 Service Award Recipients Acceptance Videos

In late 2021, the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research (FPTR) announced the recipients of the 2022 Service Awards. These awards were presented to a select group of people and organizations for their unyielding support of FPTR and its mission to fund physical therapy research. After two years of thanking and recognizing donors and supporters virtually during our annual Donor Networking Reception, we were excited to finally transition back to in-person recognition.

The reception was held Wednesday, February 02, 2022, during the APTA Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) in San Antonio, Texas. In attendance were Connie Hauser — recipient of the Charles M. Magistro Distinguished Service Award; Karen A. Gibbs — accepting on behalf of Charlene “Billie” Nelson who was the posthumous recipient of the 2022 Spirit of Philanthropy Award; and members of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT) — recipient of the Partner in Research Service Award.

Helene Fearon, PT, FAPTA, Sheila Schindler-Ivens, PT, PhD, Randy Roesch, PT, DPT, MBA, FAPTA, and Fran Welk, PT, DPT, MED, each also received the 2022 Robert C. Bartlett Trustee Recognition Service Award for their personal service and commitment as a trustee upon completion of their final year serving on the FPTR Board.

Video Acceptance Speeches from the 2022 Service Award recipients:

Connie Hauser, PT, DPT
Recipient of the 2022 Charles M. Magistro Distinguished Service Award – named after FPTR’s first president and chair

Connie Hauser was awarded the 2022 Charles M. Magistro Distinguished Service Award – named after FPTR’s first President and Chair. Connie has a long history of support of FPTR. She served as the Foundation’s Treasurer from 2008-2009 and as an Honorary Trustee from 2010-2011. Connie also served a 3-year term on FPTR’s Audit Committee from 2013-2015. Connie’s service also includes supporting fundraising efforts, including making donor calls for the annual split raffle, which later became the President’s Sustaining Fund.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT)
Recipient of the 202 Premier Partner in Research Award

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT) was awarded the FPTR 2022 Premier Partner in Research Award. In 2017, AAOMPT pledged $250,000 to establish an endowment fund with FPTR to provide funding for grants and projects to investigate areas related to musculoskeletal disorders. This pledge has been completely fulfilled and the current fund total is over $258,000. FPTR anticipates that this fund will support grants every 3 years in this important field. On behalf of AAOMPT, Elaine Lonnemann, an AAOMPT fellow and current president received this award.

Charlene “Billie” Nelson, PT, MA, FAPTA,
Posthumous Recipient of the 2022 Spirit of Philanthropy Award

Charlene “Billie” Nelson was the posthumous recipient of the 2022 Spirit of Philanthropy Award. In 2018, FPTR established the Charlene Mae Nelson Endowment Fund through a generous $200,000 bequest by physical therapist Charlene “Billie” M. Nelson. The fund provides doctoral scholarships to physical therapist researchers with priority given to those involved in Clinical Electrophysiology. Billie was a founding member of the Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Management and was the first woman to receive the Electrophysiology Clinical Specialist certification. She was an associate professor emerita in the Division of Physical Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Billie passed away on May 11, 2017 at the age of 86. Accepting the award on her behalf is Karen A. Gibbs, the President of the Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology & Wound Management.