
Physical Therapy Hooding Ceremony Awards
The following awards are presented at the Department of Physical Therapy Program Celebration and Award Ceremony to students and faculty. Also on the page please find faculty members who have received American Physical Therapy Association awards.
Students
Marjorie K. Ionta Award for Clinical Excellence: Professional
The Marjorie K. Ionta Fund was founded in 1981 to honor Marjorie Ionta, who served as Chief Physical Therapist in the Department of Physical Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1958 to 1981.
The overall purpose of the fund is to promote excellence in physical therapy practice by supporting physical therapists who are engaged in special projects and professional development activities of joint interest to the Graduate Programs in Physical Therapy at the MGH Institute of Health Professions and Physical Therapy Services at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The award goes to students who have demonstrated growth and a consistent, excellent performance coupled with outstanding humanistic qualities.
- 2023 – Kristen L. Lucht
- 2023 – Corey Alexander Green
- 2022 – Hannah Michelle Weighart
- 2022 – Polina Aleksandrovna Volgunina
- 2022 – Kate Marie Gragnolati
- 2021 – Fayola Oni Etienne
- 2020 – Sidney Maribel Argueta
- 2020 – Yasaman Zarbafian
- 2019 – Maria Margarida Guerra Larson
- 2018 – Elizabeth A. Ryan (EL)
- 2018 – William Andres Santana (EL)
- 2017 – Amanda Kathleen Barry (EL)
- 2017 – Margaret Elizabeth Reiss (EL)
- 2017 – Kinga Hum (PP)
- 2016 – Shannon Elliott Moore (EL)
- 2016 – Menghsiu Wu (PP)
- 2015 – Murray Alan Cohen, Jr. (EL)
- 2015 – Fatema Z. Kanchwala (PP)
- 2014 – Saloni N. Raje (PP)
- 2014 – Daniel Mark Kelleher (EL)
- 2013 – Tricia Andrea Carmen Pinto (PP)
- 2013 – Eli Cole-Epstein (EL)
- 2012 – Derek Christopher Sople (EL)
- 2012 – Alla'a A. Hassan (PP)
- 2011 – Nidhi Shah (PP)
- 2011 – Katherine Rose Sloan (EL)
- 2010 – Tara McCrystal (EL)
- 2010 – Dilshad Farheen Sulaiman (PP)
- 2009 – Ritu Kunal Chhabriya (PP)
- 2009 – Minhee Throneburg (EL)
- 2008 – Ruchita Vora (PP)
- 2008 – Matthew David Gallagher (EL)
- 2007 – Jennifer Neufeld Cohen (EL)
- 2007 – Elena Virginia Maugere DiMarco (PP)
- 2006 – Hiroyasu Sughihara (EL)
- 2006 – Catherine B. Theriault (PP)
- 2005 – Rebecca Ann Schiller (EL)
- 2005 – Maria Cymara Pessoa Kuehner (PP)
- 2004 – Yen Lien Tran (EL)
- 2004 – Michelle Elizabeth Collie (PP)
- 2003 – Keshrie Naidoo
- 2002 – Rebecca Bridget Schromm
- 2002 – Janine Hatch
- 2001 – Reginald Wilcox
- 2001 – Tracy Lynn Michalek
- 2000 – Ya-Ling Lia
- 2000 – Sarah Lynn Clancy
- 2000 – Gina Marie DeGeorge
- 1999 – Lynn A. White
- 1999 – Amee L. Seitz
- 1998 – Carrie Minahan
- 1998 – Kristina Haas
- 1997 – Anne McCarthy Jacobson
- 1997 – Denis Andreotti
- 1997 – Amy Kirby
- 1996 – David Marcham
- 1995 – Mara Wernick
- 1994 – Bradley K. Kaya
- 1993 – Kathleen Pierce
- 1992 – Caroline Drye
- 1991 – Donna Wolf Behr
- 1990 – Rita Kishinchandani Popat
- 1989 – Elizabeth Ikeda
- 1989 – Kim Crealy Rouillier
- 1988 – Star Bastian
- 1987 – Marie Magliozzi Giorgetti
Adams Fellow Award: Professional
First awarded in 1990, The Adams Fund, created by Barbara Adams in 1986, was established to offer financial support for graduate education for physical therapists at the Institute. This award is given to students who show evidence of leadership abilities, service to the profession, and the potential to make a significant contribution as a clinical scholar.
- 2023 – Megan Elizabeth Vega
- 2022 – Wunghee Christina Lee
- 2021 – Kamaria A’Brenay Washington
- 2021 – Rachel Privett
- 2002 – Rebecca Stephenson
- 2001 – Leah Nowak
- 2001 – Kelly O’Donaughy
- 2000 – Laura Plummer
- 2000 – Alysia Elizabeth Larson
- 1999 – Roya Ghazinouri
- 1999 – Rosemarie Gagon
- 1998 – Teresa L. Drown
- 1998 – Ross O. Davis
- 1997 – Melissa Roberto
- 1996 – Kristina Baumert
- 1996 – David Barlow
- 1995 – Christine Danis
- 1995 – Dale Flaherty
- 1994 – Claire Gouthro Robins
- 1994 – Nancy St. Onge
- 1993 – Viswa Sagar
- 1993 – David Marcham
- 1993 – Elizabeth Ratcliffe
- 1992 – Michelle Betti
- 1992 – Liz Falcone
- 1991 – Nancy St. Onge
- 1991 – Diane Plante
- 1990 – Melinda Adam
- 1990 – Deborah Givens
- 1990 – Joanne Gordon
- 1990 – Ann Huffman
- 1990 – Elizabeth Ikeda
- 1990 – Elizabeth Johnson
- 1990 – Paula Mastriani
- 1990 – Mary Stigge
- 1990 – Adrienne Trombly
- 1990 – Kristen Woodman
- 1997 – James Ruetenik
- 2020 – Jeffrey Fuqua Kerbel
- 2019 – Danielle Marie Nardi (EL)
- 2019 – Emmanuel Kwabena Acheampong, Jr. (EL)
- 2018 – Valerie Mariel Rucker (EL)
- 2017 – Kristin Michelle Smith(EL)
- 2017 – Rhea Rajesh Parekh (PP)
- 2016 – Christina Marie Parr (EL)
- 2016 – Olufisayo O. Makinde (PP)
- 2015 – Elizabeth J. Nelson (EL)
- 2015 – Hameed Adebola Adewole (PP)
- 2014 – Noam Y. Segal (PP)
- 2014 – Jeffrey Paul Faulring (EL)
- 2013 – Mitali Vyas (PP)
- 2013 – John Thomas Barry (EL)
- 2012 – Vanessa M. Kennedy (EL)
- 2012 – Jigisha C. Parekh (PP)
- 2011 – Jessica L. Guilbert (EL)
- 2011 – Bhushan Thakkar (PP)
- 2010 – Hetal S. Kulkarni (PP)
- 2010 – Eric Richard Smith (EL)
- 2009 – Laura Suzanne Little (EL)
- 2009 – Lamia H. Alzayer (PP)
- 2008 – Nileshkumar Rameshbhai Patel (PP)
- 2008 – Laura Ruth Doskocil (EL)
- 2007 – Madhuri K. Kale (PP)
- 2007 – Jillian L. Rockoff (EL)
- 2006 – Nidhi V. Chudasama (PP)
- 2006 – Michael W. Deegan (EL)
- 2005 – Srivara Reddy Kotha (PP)
- 2005 – Andrea Marie Graffeo (EL)
- 2004 – Sarah Jeanne McDonnell (EL)
- 2004 – David C. Nolan (PP)
- 2003 – Ronita Vas Bhat
- 2002 – Dylan Patrick Hogan
Mary Mankin Prize
First awarded in 1992, The Mary Mankin Prize is awarded to a Doctor of Physical Therapy student who demonstrates significant potential as a clinical scholar and the ability to make a contribution to the physical therapy evidence that supports optimal patient care.
- 2023 – Hargun Khanna
- 2022 – Brandon J. Ong
- 2022 – Allison E. Triola
- 2021 – Matthew Picard-Frasier
- 2020 - Daniel Matthew Humphrey
- 2020 - Brittani Morris
- 2019 - Maxwell Cutty
- 2018 – Genevieve Jacquelyne Brock
- 2018 – Christine Erica Larson
- 2018 – Johanna Erling Spangler
- 2017 – Kevin Michael McEnroy
- 2016 – No award was given this year
- 2015 – Lauren Elizabeth Slipp
- 2014 – Saloni N. Raje
- 2014 – Sayali S. Shrotri
- 2013 – Renu Narayanan
- 2012 – Sowmya Sridhar
- 2011 – Beatrice Giurlani
- 2010 – Ankita Choksi
- 2009 – Lamia H. Alzayer
- 2008 – Saima Nabi
- 2007 – Mei-Chun Wu
- 2006 – Reginald B. Wilcox, III
- 2005 – Poonam Pardasaney
- 2004 – Ronita Vas Bhat
- 2003 – Janine Hatch
- 2002 – Heather Hayden
- 2001 – Yu-Chou Shen
- 2000 – Dhara H. Kothari
- 1999 – Nora M. Gilligan-Havens
- 1998 – Redha Bahman Dashti
- 1997 – Kathleen A. Pierce
- 1996 – Jacqueline Canaan
- 1995 – Donna Wolf Behr
- 1994 – Michelle Betti Gardner
- 1993 – Angelique Dirkes
- 1992 – Diane Plante
Clinical Educators
Outstanding Clinical Educator Award
First awarded in 2008, this award honors a physical therapy clinical educator who serves as an exceptional role model of professionalism and clinical excellence and has made significant contributions to clinical education. The award recognizes outstanding communication and teaching skills that foster clinical learning and evidence-based decision-making in physical therapy students.
- 2023 – Debra Clooney
- 2022 – Ana Sanchez Junkin
- 2021 – Leigh de Chaves
- 2020 – Rosemarie R. O’Connor
- 2019 – Tom Thoman
- 2018 – Elizabeth M. Sims
- 2017 – Leah Jensen
- 2016 – Julie A. Koskey
- 2015 – Lynn Krisko
- 2014 – Karen M. Weber
- 2013 – Joan Drevins
- 2012 – Jennifer L. Connors
- 2011 – Keshrie Naidoo
- 2010 – Joel Fallano
- 2009 – Deborah Couture
- 2008 – Ann R. Jampel
APTA Excellence in Academic Teaching
Dorothy E. Baethke - Eleanor J. Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching
Lucy Blair Service Award
APTA

- jbaldwin@mghihp.edu
- (617) 724-2230
- Shouse - 416
Catherine Worthingham Fellows of the APTA
Catherine Worthingham Fellows have demonstrated excellence in a primary domain of research, education, practice, or advocacy with translation of contributions and achievements across the other domains; achieved national recognition, inside and outside the physical therapy profession, regarding the impact achieved in the primary domain of research, education, practice, or advocacy; and have demonstrated frequent and sustained contributions (leadership, influence, and achievements) to advance the profession over a period of not less than fifteen years.
- djette@mghihp.edu
- (617) 724-4844
- 1CW - 182
- pklevangie@mghihp.edu
- (617) 724-6446
- 1CW – 177

Chattanooga Research Award
APTA
- djette@mghihp.edu
- (617) 724-4844
- 1CW - 182
Dorothy Briggs Memorial Scientific Inquiry Award
APTA
- djette@mghihp.edu
- (617) 724-4844
- 1CW - 182
Jules M. Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing
APTA
Jack Walker Award
Established in 1978, the annual Jack Walker Award is awarded for the best articles on clinical practice published in Physical Therapy, the official journal of the American Physical Therapy Association.
- tmichel1@mghihp.edu
- (617) 726-8021
- Shouse - 224
Pauline Cerasoli Lectureship Award
Established in 1998, the annual award acknowledges an individual who has distinguished himself/herself as an educator, administrator, practitioner and/or mentor as exemplified in the professional career of Pauline "Polly" Cerasoli, PT, EdD. The Education Section, APTA sponsors the Pauline Cerasoli Lectureship at Combined Sections Meeting each year.
- baharris@mghihp.edu
- B39 - Faculty Emerita Office
- djette@mghihp.edu
- (617) 724-4844
- 1CW - 182

Helen J. Hislop Award for Outstanding Contributions to Professional Literature
APTA