The following individuals were recognized by the Combined Sections Meeting in Nashville, TN, February 8, 2008.
Service to the Section
Vanina Dal Bello-Haas, PT, PhD
Dr. Vanina Dal Bello-Haas is an associate professor in the School of Physical Therapy at the University of Saskatchewan. She is considered an expert on physical therapy management of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. She is also an accomplished researcher with a record of research funding and publication of many articles and book chapters. As the recipient of the APTA Neurology Section Service Award, Dr. Dal Bello-Haas is being recognized for her long-standing contributions to the Neurology Section. She was one of the founding members of the Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group, serves as an abstract reviewer and contributor to the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, and regularly contributes to APTA Annual and CSM conference programming.
As the first secretary to the Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group (DDSIG), she assisted with the development of the Web page and the addition of a provider directory. Dr. Dal Bello-Haas was elected Chair in 2002. The DDSIG continued to thrive under her strong and effective leadership. She invested a considerable amount of time to redevelop the Web page for the effective dissemination of information and resources, including evidence-based practice. Dr. Dal Bello-Haas was tireless in her goal to enhance the relationship between practice, research, and education for the neurodegenerative diseases. She developed mechanisms for contributions to Hooked on Evidence, facilitated DDSIG executive participation in Topics of the Month, and assisted with the publication of newsletters.
Dr. Dal Bello-Haas' service extends beyond her direct service to the DDSIG. Two articles published in the JNPT Degenerative Diseases special issue, a Combined Sections Meeting 2008 presentation on Exercise Prescription in Neurodegenerative Diseases, and a Concentrated Educational Session on Neurodegenerative Diseases for APTA 2008 Annual conference are examples of her significant contributions to the Neurology Section.
Clinical Excellence Award
Kay Wing, PT, DPT, GCS, NCS
Dr. Wing is a physical therapist, manager, college instructor, national speaker, and patient advocate. As owner of SWAN Rehab in Arizona, a private practice servicing those with stroke and brain injury, an NCS and a GCS, Kay personifies clinical excellence in neurology. Kay is not one to rely on her master clinician laurels, however; after nearly 30 years of practice, she sought the highest level of clinical achievement, her DPT in 2002, and this is just the beginning of her long list of accomplishments. For example, Kay received an Outstanding Service Award from the Section on Administration and was named Arizona Outstanding Therapist of the Year.
Kay wears or wore numerous professional hats as well. She is the current president of the Arizona PT Association, a delegate to the APTA House of Delegates, past First Vice Chairman of the Arizona PT Association, key contact for Senator Jon Kyle for the APTA, and Publication Committee Chair and Publication Committee member for the Section on Administration. She has held almost every position in the Phoenix PT Directors including chairman, co-chairman, treasurer, and secretary and is also a faculty member of Northern Arizona University. In the past five years, Kay has presented professionally in the areas of locomotion, constraint-induced movement therapy, neuroplasticity motor learning, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation). She is a published author as well as a volunteer for the American Stroke Association and created a "stroke camp." While maintaining all these professional responsibilities, Kay remains humble, approachable, and caring. But, as her nominators have expressed, these professional accomplishments do not even begin to fully describe Dr. Wing's contribution to the profession of neurological PT. One nominator expressed that her presence seems to make you a better person, her passion makes you want to be a better clinician.
Excellence in Research Award
John A. Buford, PT, PhD
Dr. John A. Buford is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. Dr. Buford has published over 19 peer-reviewed papers and nine book chapters that relate to preparatory movement coordination. His area of research relates to reticulospinal control of reaching using a primate model. Dr. Buford has received an R01 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke plus has been successful with a renewal of his grant. Having a grant renewed at the National Institutes of Health recently is a remarkable accomplishment. Some of the journals that have accepted Dr. Buford's work include the Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neurophysiology, Journal of Orthopedic Research, and Experimental Brain Research.
Dr. Buford previously received a doctoral award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy and is serving as a member of the Research Committee of the Neurology Section. He guides students at his university and is helping to develop the next generation of physical therapist clinician-scientists. Dr. Buford's most recent work focuses on the neural mechanisms that underlie impaired reaching plus the potential for recovery of reaching after stroke. His contributions are substantial and will hopefully result in long-term benefits to persons who have experienced a stroke.