2018 Board of Directors
Garrett Holle, Chairman
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What school do you attend and what year are you in school?
I am a 3rd year student at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Why did you choose physical therapy? My passion lies in optimizing human performance, which is exactly what we seek to do as Physical Therapists. We have the opportunity to provide interventions, adaptations and guidance that delivers a patient to become the best version of themselves! What other profession do you know that can have that type of impact? Why did you want to be a part of KPTA SSIG? As members of the KPTA SSIG board, we have an amazing opportunity to serve our colleagues and future physical therapists. At the end of the day, if we can get even one student excited about advocacy and professional development, that is a success! It is a success not because we added a single troop to the wagon, but because of the implications it may have on driving this wonderful professional of ours forward. What is a hobby you enjoy outside of school? I love being involved in youth sports and performance. In my spare time, I like to coach and help kids to become better athletes, prevent injuries and excel! |
Alicen Whitaker, Vice Chairman
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What school do you attend and what year are you in school?
I am a 3rd year DPT student at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Why did you choose physical therapy? I love the aspect of treating patients to improve their movement and quality of life. Physical Therapy makes sure to look at all aspects of the body and how they relate to function. The goal is to improve quality of life by looking at how our body plays a role. To me, the vast knowledge needed for this profession is the exact challenge that I look forward to solving throughout my career. Why did you want to be a part of KPTA SSIG? I believe that the only way our profession will continue to thrive, is with knowledgeable and motivated students. I would like to help build passion for our profession in my fellow students so that we can contribute. What is a hobby you enjoy outside of school? I enjoy a lot of activities that include fresh air and dirt. One of my favorite hobbies, however, is gardening. I love to watch my efforts literally bloom before my eyes. |
Keanna Gross, Secretary
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Sydney Jamison, Treasurer
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What school do you attend and what year are you in school?
I am a 3rd year DPT student at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Why did you choose Physical Therapy? I chose physical therapy because I wanted to join a profession that would allow me to integrate my passion for people, holistic healthcare, exercise, improving quality of life, science, and diverse patient populations. Why did you want to be a part of KPTA SSIG? I value any opportunity to advance and give back to my profession. With KPTA SSIG, I am able to get involved as a student and ensure that Kansas PT and PTA students are well represented. What is a hobby you enjoy outside of school? Outside of school I love various outdoor activities, reading, exploring new restaurants, and going to open mic nights. |
Nicole Martin, Director of Membership
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What school do you attend and what year are you in school?
I am a 3rd Year DPT student at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Why did you choose physical therapy? I chose the field of physical therapy because I am passionate about working with patients to get them back to being able to enjoy life! I love that physical therapists are able to spend greater amounts of time with patients and I believe physical therapists have one of the best opportunities to do so. Plus, we get to help patients achieve the quality of life they desire and deserve. It is a rewarding field that continues to evolve in order to best meet the needs of our patients. Why did you want to be a part of KPTA SSIG? I believe it is our duty as future physical therapists to be advocates for our field. There are numerous avenues for being an advocate and I believe being involved with the KPTA SSIG is a great starting point for a career-long involvement in physical therapy advocacy in Kansas. I hope to continue to learn about ways I can stay involved in leadership as a future clinician, as well as inspire other physical therapists to get involved. What is a hobby you enjoy outside of school? One of my favorite titles I have received so far in life is ‘Aunt Nicole,’ so I love spending time with my nieces and nephew. Additionally, I enjoy many active hobbies like dancing, going on walks, and lake sports like wake surfing. I’m a big movie buff, so I love going to see movies and relaxing with a good book. I have also come to enjoy being on the farm with my fiancé. |
Ashley Schrader, Director of Public Relations
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What school do you attend and what year are you in school?
I am a 2nd year DPT student at Wichita State University. Why did you choose physical therapy? I always strive to challenge myself and find ways to be unique and innovative. Upon finding physical therapy, I quickly found that it was the right path to incorporate all my interests and skills and how I'll best serve my community! Why did you want to be a part of KPTA SSIG? Being on the KPTA SSIG board provides an opportunity to be a voice and advocate for PT and PTA students across the state. In my position I hope to encourage future students to discover our growing profession, to excite new students to be involved, and to inform current students about how they can impact the community outside of the classroom. What is a hobby you enjoy outside of school? I enjoy any activity that involves my brain! In my free time I like to improve my skills on the piano and guitar, practice Spanish and ASL, write brush calligraphy and read. |
Eddie Ernst, PTA Liaison
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What school do you attend and what year are you in school?
THE Kansas City Kansas Community College - 2nd year, graduate in December 2018! Why did you choose Physical Therapy? I’ve always had an interest in human movement and performance; and after changing majors from Computer Science to Business Finance to Business Management to Kinesiology, one of the guys in my fraternity was going to go to PT school at Wichita State and talked to me about PT and after some digging myself, here I am! Why did you want to be a part of KPTA SSIG? I wanted to be involved in the profession and meet people outside of my school. I also wanted to serve in leadership positions and be able to have an impact on people. Volunteering with and serving with the SSIG is a great way to introduce yourself to the different aspects of how you can benefit and push the profession forward! What are some hobbies outside of physical therapy? I thoroughly enjoy going out with people and just talking shop and learning from other experiences and point of views. So I enjoy going to small bars and talking shop. I also am working on some social media and business opportunities. |
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