Adrianne Smiley, EdD, OTD, OTR/L (MSOT, 2015) is the kind of person who believes if you want to see change, the best way of going about it is by being the change you seek. For her, the inequalities in health care she can identify through her experience and dedication to her profession fuels her desire to continue to find new ways to advocate for equal healthcare opportunities for all.

Ask a health professional why health care and they usually want to help people. Ask a Physical Therapist why they chose PT, it's likely a sports related injury that sparked their interest. For Andrew Stanley PT, DPT, MTC, CMPT, ACSM CEP (DPT, 2009), all the above led to his commitment to service and dedication to others.

A 40-plus year career in one field is quite the accomplishment, and doing so with only a handful of job changes is rare in this day and age. That’s what Sharon Smalling (DI, 1980) has managed to do though, and she takes a lot of pride and joy in that.

Forrest A. Daniels DSc, FACHE (DSc, 2012), has served at food centers and homeless coalitions. He has served on emergency response teams and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). And he firmly believes that you, too, can serve.

Vermont state representative, occupational therapist, and UAB OT alumna Mary-Katherine Stone sees her calling as uplifting and highlighting vulnerable voices.

Lia Puzzo, a graduating student of UAB’ School of Health Professions (SHP) Dietitian Education Program (DEP), is the winner of the 2024 Outstanding Graduate Award for the Dietitian Education Program.

As UAB PT celebrates its 60th anniversary, we want to spotlight a few of our many successful alumni and hear how the department has impacted their journeys. With that said, we are pleased to introduce you to Lisa Altamirano, PT, BBU, alumna of our PT Class of 1998. Currently, Lisa is owner of Agile Physical Therapy in Birmingham.

As UAB PT celebrates its 60th anniversary, we want to spotlight a few of our many successful alumni and hear how the department has impacted their journeys. With that said, we are pleased to introduce you to Jessica Rosner, DPT, alumna of our DPT Class of 2006. Currently, Jessica is Clinical Director at Outpatient Sports Medicine Clinic in Shelby County Physical Therapy.

As UAB PT celebrates its 60th anniversary, we want to spotlight a few of our many successful alumni and hear how the department has impacted their journeys. With that said, we are pleased to introduce you to Dhara Shah, PT, DPT, OCS, alumna of our DPT Class of 2015. Currently, Dhara is president of APTA Georgia and a physical therapist at Motion Stability Physical Therapy Group in Atlanta.

As UAB PT celebrates its 60th anniversary, we want to spotlight a few of our many successful alumni and hear how the department has impacted their journeys. With that said, we are pleased to introduce you to Antonio V. Pruitt, PT, DPT, MPA - a member of our first class of DPT graduates. Currently, Antonio is director or rehab services for Cobb Hospital in the WellStar Health System.

As the Department of Physical Therapy at UAB commemorates six decades of excellence and evolution, it's an opportune moment to reflect on the profound impact of its alumni. Here we honor two of our earliest graduates who have made meaningful contributions for decades.

UAB alumni Larry and Jane Crane moved to Pine Mountain, Georgia in 2021 and quickly discovered the dire need for physical therapy services. This inspired them to combine their skills in physical therapy and health administration to create Spine Mountain, a hybrid physical therapy clinic and wellness studio.

UAB Genetic Counseling Program alumni, Brighton Goodhue, MS, LCGC, and Dana (Hollenbeck) Goodloe, MPH, MS, LCGC, were two of only 15 genetic counselors in the U.S. to be nominated for the Heart of Genetic Counseling Award this year. The award is sponsored by Invitae and honorees are selected from nominees submitted by patients and families that have received genetic counseling services.

In this edition of our alumni feature, we highlight and celebrate Dr. Pi-Ling Chang. All of you may remember Dr. Chang - she was the very first student in the PhD program and she remained with the department throughout her career.

The Marylin R. Gossman Endowed Lectureship celebrated its 10th anniversary with an inspiring presentation delivered by Elizabeth Dean, PT, Ph.D., titled "This is What it Takes to Address Societal Health and Equity. Are Physical Therapists Ready?"

Larissa Francis grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and earned a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. In December 2022, she graduated with her M.S. in Nutrition Sciences, completing the Dietitian Education Graduate Certificate Program (DEP-C) through the Lifestyle Management and Disease Prevention track. So how did she go from the ATF to UAB?

Anthony Patterson, CEO of UAB Hospital, will join the UAB School of Health Professions on Jan. 1, 2023, as the inaugural associate dean for Clinical Affairs and Strategy. He will be responsible for creating and implementing a plan for faculty-led clinics and increasing the number of clinical fieldwork sites for student placement, among other responsibilities.

Administration-Health Services (Health Informatics Track) Ph.D. Candidate, Heather D. Martin, talks about her interests in helping Alabama practitioners battle the opioid crises, UAB’s Learning Health System, and advocating for student success.

The UAB School of Health Professions has 12 people, including Dean Andrew J. Butler, Ph.D., named to the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2021 Who’s Who in Health Care.

Gia Pittet, Au.D., Ph.D., recent graduate of the UAB School of Health Professions’ PhD in Administration-Health Services program, has earned international media coverage for her PhD dissertation.