Whether in the nutrition, occupational, physical, respiratory, pediatric, music, auditory or speech therapy professions, the 2007 Therapy Times most influential therapists have one thing in common: an unbridled passion for therapy and an unquenched dedication to the highest quality of patient care possible. Therapy Times is proud to present this year’s list of clinicians, researchers and leaders, who have demonstrated the drive, character and integrity deserving of the title, “Most Influential.”


Noma Anderson, PhD, CCC-SLP

Noma Anderson, PhD, CCC-SLP was first interested in the discipline and profession of communication disabilities thanks in part to Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher. She says, just like Helen’s teacher, “I wanted to help children acquire language.” Anderson oversees 127,000 members and affiliates of the American Speech-Hearing-Language Association (ASHA) and encourages the advocacy of its members to advance their profession and help those with communication disabilities, so they too can learn to communicate.

This year, ASHA received a Summit Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in recognition of the accomplishments of ASHA’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Campaign that focuses on the hearing health of the very young. The outcome of this campaign is just one example of many great advantages the ASHA community brings to the public.


Steven Cramer, MD

Associate professor of neurology, anatomy and neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Steven Cramer, MD, leads a team of researchers into the cutting edge of stroke rehabilitation with a study of the Hand Wrist Assistive Rehabilitation Device (HWARD).  Designed by UCI researchers, Cramer’s device has made significant therapeutic advances by improving patients’ ability to grasp and release objects.

Cramer’s studies on stroke patients with limited feeling and motor function have shown that repetitive training aids in the rehabilitation of the affected arm and hand, significantly improving a patient’s ability to grasp and release objects. Joint angle sensors in the HWARD are used to measure the movement of the robotic joints, and therefore the movement of the subject’s limb connected to the robot.

An interactive virtual reality system allows the subject’s hand to control a hand on the computer screen, as it goes through a series of virtual tasks. With this study, Cramer and his team are providing hope to many stroke victims whose prognosis for motor recovery has, up until now, been dismal.


Marion Downs, MA, DHS, Hon DSc

Marion Downs, MA, DHS, Hon DSc, has spent her professional life promoting the early identification of hearing problems in children. But, with nearly 100 articles and books published on the subject, and an extensive lecture and teaching career throughout the United States and in 15 other countries, the Professor Emerita at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Centers in Boulder still needed more – so she pioneered the first universal newborn hearing screening project.

Downs immediately began exploring how to get the equipment into hospitals to begin testing newborns. Today, approximately 90 percent of newborns in Colorado are tested, and 32 states have laws mandating universal newborn hearing screening.

With a federal grant, the University of Colorado has established the Marion Downs National Center for Infant Hearing. Downs believes that the establishment of the center in her honor signifies a national commitment to improving the lives of children who are born deaf or hard of hearing. “If a child can be identified at birth and receive immediate intervention, [then] we have done our jobs,” she says.


Paul Fontana, OTR, FAOTA

During the 2007 annual conference of the Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association (LOTA) in New Orleans, Paul A. Fontana, OTR, FAOTA, was presented with the Award of Merit by the state association. The award was given to Fontana for his years of leadership to the advancement of the state’s occupational therapy association and the profession of occupational therapy, not only within the state, but nationally, as well.

Fontana has been an innovative leader in advancing the profession in the areas of work programs with business and industry. He has been an educator both within the state through his work with Louisiana State University and the state association, as well as across the country through teaching courses on ergonomics, injury prevention and return-to-work programs. Fontana has served the LOTA as president and vice president, as well as a mentor to many within the state.


Wendy Howard OTR/L, CHT

Wendy Howard, OTR/L, CHT, is a Honolulu-based occupational therapist and  certified hand therapist who, after opening a therapy practice in 2000, noticed a high percentage of patients referred to her shared a distinct wrist injury: triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC).

After investigating, Howard recognized that no brace or splint available to the patients fully addressed the tenderness and grip problems typically associated with TFCC injuries. Applying her own experience and ingenuity, Howard created a revolutionary splint, named the “WristWidget”, that works by stabilizing the two bones of the forearm, taking over the role of ligament, which allows it to heal.

Working closely with physicians at Stanford Hospital, John Muir Medical Center, and Honolulu private clinics, Howard has expanded her innovative device to a formerly silently suffering demographic. Designed to withstand the demands of the high-impact world of professional athletes, the WristWidget” has been successfully used by TFCC patients from all walks of life.


Amy Lamb, OTD, OTR/L

Amy Lamb, OTD, OTR/L, may be relatively new to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) board of directors, but she’s certainly made a name for herself. As chairperson of the American Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee (AOTPAC), Lamb trekked to Capitol Hill in June to raise awareness about specific legislative issues affecting the OT profession.

Together with other members of AOTA’s board of directors, Lamb met with lawmakers to discuss current legislative topics, including the therapy cap and protecting the OT scope of practice. In addition, the AOTPAC also participated in the Republican Senatorial Committee.

As a result of the AOTPAC’s involvement with the Committee, Lamb was invited to attend a political fundraising dinner with President George W. Bush. “To attend an event at that level was exciting,” Lamb says. “It shows that occupational therapy is seen as having an important place in healthcare and how vital the profession is to people’s independence.”


Cleo J. Libonati, RN, BSN

Cleo J. Libonati, RN, BSN, has recently published a book about Celiac disease, titled Recognizing Celiac Disease: Signs, Symptoms and Associated Disorders & Complications. She notes in her introduction, that in the last 30 years, only 48 out of 6,276 papers published on celiac disease were published in America. One reason many healthcare professionals are applauding her work is because few Americans are diagnosed with celiac disease, yet studies of its prevalence show that one out of 133 people have it, which translates into 3 million Americans.

Libonati’s book has been reviewed and endorsed by many readers and professionals. For example, Kenneth R. Falchuk, MD, associate clinical professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, says, “[Libonati’s] work will serve as an excellent reference to physicians, medical students, dietitians, patients and the general public, as well.”

Click here to view an exclusive Webcast with author and CEO of Gluten Free Works Cleo Libonati, as she discusses the ramifications of Celiac Disease.


Tracy Lieu, MD, MPH

Tracy Lieu, MD, MPH, is a professor in the department of ambulatory care and prevention and director of the Center for Child Health Care Studies, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Harvard Medical School in Boston. The Center’s goal is to improve children’s health through research that enhances healthcare decisions by policymakers, clinicians and parents. Lieu’s research focuses on primary care delivery, family-centered outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Her current studies include several Centers for Disease and Prevention-supported projects in vaccine safety, delivery and economics, and an National Institutes of Health-sponsored study of disparities in childhood asthma.

In addition, she has served on national policymaking committees, including the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. She is also the children’s hospital site director of the Harvard Pediatric Health Services Research fellowship and practices as a part-time pediatrician with Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.


Marilyn Moffat, PT, PhD, FAPTA, CSCS

A recognized leader in the U.S. physical therapy community, Marilyn Moffat, PT, PhD, FAPTA, CSCS, has led an illustrious career as teacher, consultant, author and also as former president and member of the American Physical Therapist Association’s (APTA) board of directors, Moffat aided in the development of the Association’s Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.

Currently, Moffat is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Physical Therapy and has raised significant funds over the years. Also, Moffat stands as a regional representative for North America/Caribbean on the Executive Committee of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, and is a distinguished member of a Confederation Task Force to develop an international definition for physical therapy.

In addition to her expertise in cardiopulmonary physical therapy and orthopedic physical therapy, Moffat has also become known for her Essentials in Physical Therapy series. These handbooks aid physical therapy students and clinicians in integrating the “Guide to Physical Therapist Practice” to their individual specialties.


Al Moss, MA, RRT

Al Moss, MA, RRT, was recently recognized as Educator of the Year by the Michigan Occupational Deans Administrative Council. The award is presented to the top community college educator in Michigan. Moss serves as director, as well as an instructor, of Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s respiratory care practitioner program.

Former students have described Moss as “extremely focused on making sure his students succeed” and “always willing to lend a helping hand.” He is also president-elect of the Michigan Society for Respiratory Care. Moss’s achievements were highlighted in an article in the Kalamazoo Gazette. And his leadership in respiratory care provides a shining example of the opportunities available in the profession.


Clive Robbins, CMT/RMT, DHL, DMM

Many years ago, when Clive Robbins, CMT/RMT, DHL, DMM, along with the late composer Paul Nordoff, developed the creative music therapy approach, he had no idea of the impact it would have on multiply-disabled children.

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy evolved from the pioneering use of music as therapy. “Music is the most basic way to reach handicapped children,” Robbins says. “It is the one thing that transcends all human emotion and feeling. Though there is so much these children can’t do, what we want to know is, what they can do.”

Through his clinical practice, teaching, supervision, lectures, workshops, writings and media presentations with Nordoff, Robbins’ wife Carol and, later, in collaboration with members of his staff, Robbins has become internationally recognized for his teaching of clinical resources, his research into processes of music therapy, and for his commitment to higher standards of clinical practice, creativity and musicianship in music therapy.


Irma Rosa, RPT, NDT pediatric-certified

For more than 17 years, Irma Rosa, RPT, NDT pediatric-certified, has helped United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Central Florida in Orlando to build a better place for children with disabilities in the community. Rosa is a physical therapist and the director of therapy practices at UCP of Central Florida, and her passion and commitment has translated into, literally, thousands of children who the organization has helped learn how to walk, to talk and to grow into their fullest potential. She has helped UCP build a better place for the children – and helped them to feel respected, loved and an important part of society.   

When she began with the agency, UCP was a small organization, assisting about 100 children with only one other therapist. Rosa’s leadership has been an instrumental part of helping UCP grow to its present status – a staff of more than 235 individuals, including 50 therapists, making a difference in the lives of more than 2,000 children each year. UCP of Central Florida is well-respected as a facility for children with special needs, and it is very much due to Rosa’s dedication to helping individuals do their best, while maintaining the highest standards of excellence and integrity.


Greg Snyder, PhD, CCC-SLP

Greg Snyder, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an assistant professor at the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Mississippi, whose own experience with adult stutterering has opened him to extensive research in the field. Snyder’s research has led to the development of an improvised speech feedback device, using portable MP3 players to replace expensive and nearly invisible digital speech feedback prosthetic devices.

While the knowledge that delayed auditory feedback enhances fluent speech in stutter patients has been around since the 1950s, only a sparse assortment of treatment options have been available for those afflicted.  Some devices have been developed to assist with this communicative disorder, but they are often very expensive, whereas Snyder’s device is extremely cost-effective and can be used as a standard MP3 device when not in use for speech therapy.


Jayne Standley, PhD, MT-BC

A recognized authority on medical music therapy, Jayne Standley, PhD, MT-BC, has achieved many accomplishments in her career. But one highlight that shines brightly on her resume is her long-time work with music on premature babies.

The author, researcher and professor in the College of Music at Florida State University in Tallahassee discovered that “preemies” increased their suckling rates 2.5 times when exposed to music, which, in turn, helped increase their weight.

This discovery led her to develop the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) system, in which a sensor is hooked up to a pacifier, which is then hooked up to speakers and a control box containing a CD. When the baby sucks, the device triggers the music to play. PAL supplies positive reinforcement to the baby, while keeping doctors and nurses informed of the infant’s progress.

Standley’s work with preemies also led to the establishment of most of the musical protocols used in hospital neonatal units today.


Leslie Stephens, RT

“Employee of the Year.” It’s one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed on a worker. And, for Leslie Stephens, RT, a respiratory therapist at Texas-based Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie, it’s a title she wears proudly.

Selected by the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council from a pool of candidates, Stephens was honored as “Employee of the Year” for a variety of reasons. During her career at Baylor Waxahachie, Stephens is credited with developing the facility’s first tobacco cessation program and frequently volunteering in its intensive care unit. In addition, Stephens has created new training materials for the hospital’s respiratory therapy department.

Jay Fox, president of Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie, extols Stephens’ job performance. “Leslie exemplifies Baylor’s values of integrity, servanthood, quality, innovation and stewardship,” he says. “She consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to serve her patients, our community and this hospital.”


Ricci Susick, PT, MPT

Oregon residents seeking physical therapy services certainly have a reason to thank Ricci Susick, PT, MPT. On June 13, Susick spearheaded a legislative movement that resulted in reduced restrictions on Oregon’s direct access law. Now, thanks to Susick’s efforts, Oregonians can enjoy 60 days of therapy without a physician referral, instead of 30.

A long-time member of the American Physical Therapy Association, (APTA) Susick has served in various high-profile roles in the Oregon chapter’s Government Affairs Committee. And, because of her current achievement, Susick was awarded the 2007 State Legislative Leadership Award from the APTA, along with Paul Silovsky, PT, of Topeka, Kan.

APTA President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD, praises Susick and Silovsky’s efforts. “The relentless effort these proud physical therapists have put into advancing the profession of physical therapy in their legislatures is truly remarkable,” he says.


Andrew von Eschenbach, MD

In October, hearings on Capitol Hill on whether the U.S. FDA should regulate tobacco have put the organization and its commissioner, Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, in a precarious position. The proposed bill, the “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Act,” would grant the FDA oversight over tobacco products.

Regarding his agency’s potential role in overseeing tobacco, von Eschenbach has said, “We could find ourselves in the conundrum of having made a decision about nicotine, only to have made the public health radically worse. And that is not the position FDA is in,” he says. “We approve products that enhance health, not destroy it,” von Eschenbach told the Associated Press in March. “What I don’t want to see happen is that we are in a position where we are determining that a cigarette is safe,” he says.

The agency is charged with regulating goods that promote the public health, von Eschenbach says, but the new bill “would ask us to apply this framework to tobacco products that, when used as intended, produce disease rather than promote health.”


Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH

The nation’s schools have made considerable improvements in their policies and programs to promote the health and safety of students, particularly in the areas of nutrition, physical activity and tobacco use, reports a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, more needs to be done to strengthen school health and wellness policies and programs, according to CDC. Fortunately, Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health and his team are helping build awareness and create new initiatives through their study.

“If we want to build on the improvements that schools have made over the past six years, we need to involve many people and programs,” Wechsler says. “Families, schools, school boards and school administrators all need to work together to develop and implement policies and programs that promote health and safety among our nation’s young people.”

 
Gary Yorke, PhD and Jane Yorke, MA

Toys that are fun, exciting and/or appropriate to facilitate play therapy can be hard to find at local toy stores. But, forget scanning multiple aisles to locate noncompetitive games; thanks to child psychologist Gary Yorke, PhD, and Jane Yorke, MA, founders of Childtherapytoys.com, the appropriate tools for clients or loved ones of mental health professionals and parents are just a few mouse clicks away.

Memory cards, self-help books for kids, dollhouses, sand toys and various other therapy products - specifically designed to facilitate positive therapeutic value - can easily be found on the Yorkes’ Web site, ordered and shipped directly to therapists. The Yorkes’ continual involvement in providing play therapy toys and noncompetitive games should be greatly appreciated by professionals, parents and children, alike.


    - Compiled by the Therapy Times Staff