Annual Conference

APTA CT 2026 Annual Conference

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October 24, 2026

Quinnipiac University
Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences
370 Bassett Road
North Haven, CT

Educational and Research Submissions are open

Below are the proposal forms for Educational Presentations and Poster Research Presentations for the 2026 Annual Conference.

Due Dates
Educational Presentation: May 15, 2026

Research/ Poster Presentation:
General submission deadline: July 31, 2026
*Student-only last chance submission deadline: September 1 (POSTER ONLY)

We invite you to submit a presentation that focuses on innovation, and evidence-based practices. Whether you have groundbreaking ideas, innovative approaches, or compelling evidence-based practices to share, we encourage you to submit a proposal and be part of this impactful event.

Proposals are reviewed by the Annual Conference Committee ensuring fairness and alignment with the conference’s educational goals.

Please note: The submission site does not accept proposals for sponsored sessions or product / business promotion.

First-Time Presenters Welcome!

(schedule is subject to change)

7:00 – 8:00AM	Registration, Exhibitors, Breakfast and Poster Setup
Track	Room 1	Room 2	Room 3	Room 4
8:00- 9:30am	Lifestyle Medicine for the Physical Therapist: Integrating Health and Wellness in Clinical Practice Andrew Sullivan, PT, DPT, ScD, OCS, SCS, FAAOMPT, Nicholas Perry, SPT and Sydney Abitanto, SPT	Mending Broken Beats: Key Actions in Management of Heart Failure Brittany McGowan PT, DPT and Vanessa O’Donnell PT, DPT	Preparing for the Unexpected: How to Teach Your Patients Safe Fall Landing Strategies Christine M. Ross, PT, DPT, GCS, CADDCT, Kelly Pogemiller, PT, DPT, EdD, Amanda Piccoli, PT, DPT, Jill Kossbiel, PT, DPT, NCS, Vanessa A. O’Donnell, PT, DPT, Erika Ozdemirer, PT, DPT, NCS	8:00 – 8:45am Stabilizing the Foundation: Understanding and Managing Hip Instability in the Athlete: Kaitlyn Colgan Buzza, PT, DPT, SCS 8:45 – 9:30am Avoiding A Slippery Slope: A review with recommendations for the Management of Low Back Pain in Skiers Jonmichael Salerno PT, DPT, SCS
9:30 – 10:45am	Exhibitor Hour / Poster Presentations / Chair Yoga
10:45 – 11:45am	Understanding and De-stigmatizing Functional Neurologic Disorders: Promoting Connection Across Practice Settings Mary Beth A. Osborne PT, DPT, NCS, Christina Berrios PT, DPT, and Shantel Szymanski PT, DPT, NCS	Mindfulness and Yoga for Cardiac Patients: A Therapeutic Approach for Rehab Professionals Monica Jain, PT, DPT and Diana Veneri, PT, EdD	Clinical Confidence: Building the Soft Skills to Thrive in Physical Therapy Clinical Placements and Practice Michelle Fuleky, PT, DPT, OCS and David Pavao, PT, DPT. OCS	What I Wish I Knew as a New Pediatric Physical Therapist Mary Elizabeth Parker, PT, PhD, NCS, PCS
12:00-12:45pm	Katherine Harris Keynote Address The Knowledge We Carry: Legacy, Lifelong Learning, and Leadership Michael Gans, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT
12:45–1:45pm	Lunch, Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation
2:00-3:00pm	When Your Goose is a Little Loose: Hypermobility and Related Disorders Mary Elizabeth Parker, PT, PhD, NCS, PCS	Motion Meets Hormones: PT’s Vital Role in Perimenopause and Menopause Health Danielle Dunn, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC	Cultivating Connections: Enhancing Student-Faculty Relationships in DPT Programs Abigail Rosenthal-Pitts, SPT, Karen Blood, PT, DPT, DHSc, and Katherine Grevelding, PT, EdD, DPT, LAT, ATC	Evidence Elevates: A Series of TED-style Talks James Smith, PT, DPT, MA, FAPTA, Sudha Srinivasan, PT, PhD, Cristina Colon-Semenza, PT, PhD, Eric Kopp, PT, OMT, OCS, FAAOMPT and Roland Perreault, PT, DPT
3:00 – 3:15pm	Afternoon Break / Chair Yoga
3:15 – 4:15pm		The Balancing Act: Intensity as a Game-Changer Suzanne Rodriguez, PT, DPT, MS, GCS, GTCCS, LSVT and Leigh Ronald, PT, DPT, GCS, LSVT	Motor thrills for motor skills: Use of adapted ride-on toys to encourage manual motor function in children with upper extremity impairments Sudha Srinivasan, PT, PhD	Collaborative Management of Sports- Related Concussions: Roles of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers Jodi Rozanski, PT, DPT, NCS, OCS and Julie Nolan, PhD, ATC, LAT

(schedule is subject to change)

APTA CT Cancellation Policy

For educational events with a registration fee.
Please email ctapta@libertysquaregroup.com with your request to cancel your registration.

Full Refund: prior to September 25
Partial Refund (50%): Between September 26 and October 23
No Refund: Notification less than 12 hours of the scheduled event, or after the scheduled event has occurred.

Early Bird Deadline ends October 5
Online Registration closes on October 22.
Onsite registration will begin at 7:30am

Member Registration

APTA CT members: It is easier to “log in” (top menu) first and then come back to this page.
If you are an APTA member in another state, reach out to ctapta@libertysquaregroup.com for a discount code.

Non Member / Other Registration

Sponsorship Registration

New this year

APTA CT State Conference Mentorship Registration

Offered this year during the conference, will be a mentorship program with the goal to foster connection and learning between students and clinicians. This program is included in your registration and will take place during the conference hours.

We are looking for both mentors (clinicians) and mentees (students) who would be interested in expanding your network within the physical therapy profession.

Participation entails arriving at the opening of the day, 7:00 AM, to meet your mentorship group, engaging in discussions to promote critical thinking about evidence based practice, and participating in professional development activities. Survey questions will guide placement of clinician mentors with student mentee groups. As conference approaches, a formalized schedule and mentorship/networking activities will be outlined for the day, working in tandem to the conference, a seamless and streamlined program to allow you to attend all conference courses and offerings in addition to this programming.