Profiles in Leadership

Isabelle Nussli is a seasoned senior executive who lives in Switzerland. She is the current Chairperson at Responsible Leadership AG. She is a leadership and life coach and the author of "Cockfighting: Solving the Mystery of Unconscious Sabotage at the Top of the Corporate Pyramid."She has an executive Masters in Coaching and International Business Law. She also holds an MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management from Northwestern University. Hear how she believes unconscious biasescan lead to difficult relationships at the top of organizations where power becomes a struggle. She has interviewed 150+ CEO's to find out who they are and how they think. Her knowledge on leadership and how people got their is immense.

Marc Berejka is the government affairs Director and community affairs Director at REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) REI is a national outdoor retail cooperative with over 16 million members and annual sales exceeding $2.5 billion. The co-op's mission is to "inspire, educate and outfit people for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship." He has worked as an executive at Microsoft, was a technology policy advisor to then-Secretary Gary Locke at the US Department of Commerce, and in the first part of his career he was a telecommunications attorney. He walks the talk by being an avid outdoorsmen and gives time and money to charities he supports in his local community. Marc is a leader who believes in being a part of a greater purpose than yourself and helping people enjoy the benefits of interacting in a responsible way with nature.

Pearls of Wisdom summaries will be released as episodes periodically to highlight insightful points made by guests of Profiles in Leadership. The goal is to choose impactful themes and use exerts from the interviews to dig deeper into leadership strategies and philosophies. This is the first such episode with more to follow.

Nancy Reese is an advocate for infusing leadership training into Physical Therapy education. These students have had be such achievers their whole lives to be qualified to get into school and now that they have made it they struggle to change their mindset from achieving steps to success to long term leadership and clinical development through practice, failure and learning over a long period of time. Bringing leadership training to every phase of physical therapy education from day one hopefully better prepares a professional and not just a clinical technician. Hear her approach to teamwork, visionary thinking and using your strengths as a strategy to learn and grow and develop into a leader physical therapist that can influence and contribute to a broader community.

Ed (Eddie) Anderson was a professional baseball player in the 1950's. He graduated from the University of Montana as one of the most decorated and talented athletes in its history. He is in the University of Montana Grizzly Hall of Fame. Ed was signed by the New York Yankees. After his first year as a professional he was given a high draft notice which forced him into enlisting in the Air Force. His early career was interrupted as he was stationed in Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He tried to re-enter the MLB and after a storybook spring training in St. Petersburg, Florida with a Yankee team of icon and Hall of Fame players and a short stint in the "Bigs" in Yankee Stadium he was sent to the minor leagues where he finished his career. He became a teacher and a coach at the high school and colleague level. He is 87 years old and is my Father.

Kelly Starrett is an innovator, status quo disruptor, and movement expert. He has worked with the elite forces of the military, Olympic athletes, Tour de France cyclists, athletes from the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. He also works with police departments, school districts, Silicon Valley companies and everyday people. Through movement we can improve our lives both physically and mentally and live happier, healthier lives. His Foundation, Stand Up Kids, has put tens of thousands of elementary through high school aged kids into classrooms with stand up desks which through research has shown they learn better, are more engaged and healthier when they get out of sit down desks. His passion is palpable and his dedication to helping others is admirable. Hear his approach to leadership and his belief that our world is made better by keeping our bodies moving.

David McHenry is a physical therapist and strength coach for NIKE. He has trained Mo Farah, Galen Rupp and Matthew Centrowitz just name a few. He has worked with the most elite runners in the world who have had multiple Olympic and World Championship medals. David is a Shareholder and Director in Therapeutic Associates the largest privately owned physical therapy company in the nation. He lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Nicole Stout is a nationally and internationally know advocate and leader in Oncology Rehabilitation and disease management. Just feel the passion and tenacity when she describes what he passion is and how she hopes her legacy makes a difference in how we view cancer and how we fight for cures and treatments that enables positive productive lives for survivors. As a scientist and a clinical physical therapist she pushes the boundaries on how we view cancer and how we can have hope for patients and friends and family who battle everyday to overcome what once was considered a death sentence.

T. R. Reid has become one of the nation's best-known reporters through his books and articles, his documentary films, his reporting for the Washington Post, and his light-hearted commentaries on NPR's Morning Edition. T. R. Reid majored in Classics at Princeton University and subsequently worked as a Naval officer during the Vietnam War, a lawyer, a teacher, and assorted other jobs. At The Washington Post, he covered Congress and four presidential campaigns. He served as the paper's bureau chief in Tokyo and London. Reid has reported from 4 dozen countries on five continents. His 2009 book "The Healing of America" became a national best-seller. PBS Frontline made two documentaries, "Sick Around the World" and "India--A Second Opinion" following Reid as he did the reporting for that book. Reid believes we need to as a society to cover everyone citizen with healthcare coverage. Universal healthcare is essential for the future of the United States.

Pepper Burruss spent 42 1/2 years in the NFL as a Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer. He has 2 Super Bowl rings and decades of stories and memories with some of the most acclaimed athletes in professional football history. He shares insights on his journey and lessons in leadership and how he views his career now that he is retired as of July 2019.

Dave Chase has been called a Hope Merchant. He has taken his experience of a high level Microsoft Executive and an CEO of a startup he sold to WebMD and has been on a crusade to expose how broken the US healthcare system is. He feels it has all but crippled the middle class in America and if we don't get it under control it will consume over 50% of the income of Millennials and future generations. He is an author, public speaker and soon to be an executive producer of a movie that will provide the stories and facts to show the American people how bad our healthcare system is and what we can do to improve it. Listen to a visionary who believes we can do so much better.

Larry Benz is the President and CEO of Confluent Health. He has over 35 years experience in growing physical therapy and healthcare companies with a focus on developing the best clinicians and leaders in the profession. Larry served in the US Army as a Captain in the Army Medical Specialists Corps and received the Meritorious Service Medal. He was in the mountains of Colorado in a cabin in the woods as we chatted over the phone and discussed his leadership philosophy. He also has a leadership podcast so we interviewed each other and this discussion will be released on this podcast as well as through EIM.

Image you have reached most of your professional goals, you've done most things right and you are ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Then a routine MD visit delivers you news that will change your life. Stage IV pancreatic cancer is a devastating challenge to overcome and conquer, yet you must stay positive and not only fight the fight but support those who love you. Listen to how this loved father, husband, business owner and friend to many navigates what lies ahead. Raw, authentic, heartbreaking and hopeful all in the same story. He was willing to be vulnerable so we can all learn and appreciate all we have.

Every profession needs innovators. Those who have ideas and have been told they that can't do that they forge on and create new ways of doing things. Mike Eisenhart looks at the physical therapy profession from a 30,000 foot visionary view and sees PT's contributing so much more than just injury rehab. He feels physical therapy is positioned perfectly to change the lives of the greater population through prevention, education and exercise. Hear his ideas and how through leadership we can change the world.

Most agree we learn more from our failures than our successes. What if your failure is so catastrophic that you lose the 150 year old family business worth $2.25 Billion! This is exactly what happened to Warwick Fairfax at age 29! How do you recover from that and find meaning and purpose in the ashes left behind. Listen to this fascinating story of growing up with wealth and celebrity and losing it all while at the helm of an icon business as the next generation CEO who lost it all.

Mia Gonzales Dean is a healthcare executive and a physical therapist. She has lead a division in the Penn Medicine system that was the size of a company on its own. This department had a budget of $67 Million and 700+ employees. She now is an executive with Sodexo. Hear her journey through healthcare and her people first style of leadership.

Dr. Anthony Delitto is the Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. He has co-authored over 120 peer-reviewed research papers and is an icon in the research and orthopedic sections in APTA.

Lisa Saladin is an impressive leader who has risen to the position of Provost at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is regarded by many in the American Physical Therapy Association as one of the best leaders in the organizations history. She is the epitome of class and a leader to celebrate and emulate.

Kevin Eastman was the assistant basketball coach of the Boston Celtics under Doc Rivers. Together they won the NBA Championship in 2008. Coach Eastman has also been a Division 1 basketball coach and also coached with the LA Clippers. He now consults with businesses and sports teams and is a keynote speaker at conferences and leadership events. He has worked with the elite athletes in the basketball world. He is the author of "Why the Best are the Best", available from Amazon.com and other book outlets.

Senator Tom Daschle was majority leader of the US Senate during some of the most turbulent times in recent history including the attack on 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the anthrax attack to his Senate office, impeachment of a President just to name a few. This interview relives some of those difficult times and discusses how they have shaped our current environment.

Justin Moore is the CEO of the American Physical Therapy Association. He has been in this position for 3 years and is changing the culture to be more collaborative and team oriented. Also he is managing and leading a move of the association headquarters over the next 3 years. His insights and vision are impressive and he is a great example of an authentic leader.

Daniel Pink is a New York Times Books #1 Best Selling author and a guru on what motivates and people and how businesses should manage their employees with the proper incentives for success. He has written 6 books and is considered one of the top minds in the country on business cultures and what makes people thrive.

Roger is a healthcare administrator/executive who believes in improving the health of communities not just individuals. He has experience in home health and geriatric populations. He has also been an APTA Board Member for a decade. He has given so much to the profession of physical therapy.

Salisa climbed the ladder from bank teller to bank executive through hard work and going big! She also has found a way to merge her love for Yoga into her success as a bank executive.

Connie Hauser is a pioneer in starting a private practice as a woman in physical therapy in rural Kentucky. Over 35 years with many ups and downs, PT Pros is a model company that believes in a focus on customer service and treating employees like family. This interview was done at a leadership retreat for PT Pros.

Jessica McKinney is a physical therapist who has owned her own practice, helped many with frequent trips to Africa to help women with pelvic pain issues and is now a healthcare executive in a growing company.

Mike Conners is a physical therapist from Texas who is President of the Texas Chapter of APTA and has served many roles in PPS and APTA.

Terry Brown past President of the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association and small business owner of physical therapy practices in Kentucky.

An athlete, attorney, Judge, CEO and present family man uses all this experience to run a successful company with happy and engaged employees. When you care about people and they know it, amazing things can happen.

David Qualls was born to serve. Hear how he found his calling and a way to serve people through physical therapy. He also talks about what he learned when his business failed.

Interview with the President and GM of the Seattle Storm, Alisha Valavanis. Her insights for teamwork are right on for both business and sport.

Dan Rootenberg, PT, DPT, CSCS, CEO of SPEAR Physical Therapy in New York City. He is the 2016 winner of the Jane L Snider Practice of the Year award and works with Major League Baseball as a physical therapist and conditioning coach for the World Baseball Classics. He has played pro baseball on three continents and is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders in the PT profession. Today’s discussion includes: His journey to becoming a professional baseball player. His decision to start his own PT business a couple years out of college. The relationship between transparency and success. The balance between profits and people. Competing in a region that’s crowded. Are executive coaches worth it? The experience of launching a podcast. Best approaches to growing pains. Thank-you for tuning into this segment of Profiles in Leadership! Look for the next interview Steve Anderson conducts with industry leaders and what Pearls of Wisdom they have to offer from their years of experience. VGM Advantage is proud to sponsor these talks, and is here for your physical therapy business as you look to grow, save, evolve, secure and collaborate.

Michelle Collie is a private practice physical therapist who bought a clinic with 16 employees and has grown the practice to multiple sites and 160 employees. She is a great leader and empowers her staff to lead from all levels. She is a great model for a successful healthcare business.

Hear how Drew took risks and learned from failures and then founded a company that serves companies nationwide with ergonomic education which produced huge savings for the companies in workmen compensation expense.

Interview with Michael Brochu, CEO of multiple companies over his career where he took them from good to great!

An interview with Rex Chapman former NBA player. He discusses his struggles on and off the court with injuries, opioid addiction and how serious the situation is with drug overdoses and addiction across our nation.

In today’s Profiles in Leadership podcast, Steve Anderson, PT, DPT, chats with Jim Glinn, PT, DPT, OCS. He is the founder of the Movement for Life clinics, and contributes to the operation of the largest employee-owned fitness, wellness and outpatient rehabilitation team in the United States. He serves on the APTA advisory board on reimbursement and is the liaison to the payment policy committee of PPS. Jim was a founding member and current vice-chair of the Physical Therapy Business Alliance. In today’s show, Jim and Steve talk about: How Jim’s childhood set him up to become an entrepreneur. Jim’s journey from buying a small clinic to setting up a large ESOP. How Jim incentivizes his employees to work hard. Collaboration and cooperation among PTs is key to the future. The importance of Ability, Access and Atmosphere. What Jim does to find and nurture future leaders. The difference it makes to think about your co-workers like you...

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD is a healthcare blogger @Seattlemamadoc, a Pediatrician, an executive in digital health, keynote speaker, TED Talk speaker, and advocate for using technology with patient care to reduce costs and increase intimacy with the provider/patient relationship.

APTA president Sharon Dunn, PhD, PT, OCS. Sharon is an associate professor at Louisiana State University Shreveport’s School of Allied Health Professions, where she specializes in teaching Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and Biomechanics. Sharon earned her BS in Physical Therapy, Master’s in Health Sciences and PhD in the department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, all from the Louisiana State University Shreveport’s School of Allied Health Professions. In today’s video, Steve and Sharon discuss: When you serve and serve well, you’ll be invited to serve more in a leadership capacity. You don’t lead by position or power, you lead by putting people in their sweet spot for them to excel. Listening is an underappreciated leadership skill. Attend to the highest priority, not the hottest fire. Hone your leadership skills by failing. Tend to the “garden” every day instead of letting the weeds take root.

Interview with Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, amazing leader in healthcare and blogger @Seattlemamadoc

Patrick Graham discusses his career as a Physical Therapist and how his business has had its ups and downs over the years. He also shares his journey as an organ recipient and his ordeal of almost dying before he could receive such a gift of life!

Stacy is a private practice Physical Therapist who specializes in pediatrics. She has clinics in San Francisco and is also the editor of Impact Magazine of the Private Practice Section of APTA.

In Part 2 of this inspiring interview, Efosa and I are joined by Josh D'Angelo, who helped Efosa in starting their company , Move Together and founding and growing the inter-nationally successful PT Day of Service.

Efosa Guobadia is an emerging force in the physical therapy and philanthropic world. He has a service mindset and has created a company, Move Together to improve access to physical therapy for people of all economic levels. He has built and sustained a medical clinic in Guatemala and takes physical therapists and students to mentor the local PT's and provide service to those who need treatment. He is an inspiration and his positive vibe exudes to all those around him.

Today, Steve Anderson sits down with Mike Horsfield, PT, OCS, ATC, MBA. Mike is the CEO of Rock Valley Physical Therapy and is an active member of the Private Practice and Orthopedic sections of the American Physical Therapy Association. He earned his BA at Wartburg College and his Master's in Physical Therapy from the University of Iowa. Mike also works as an adjunct instructor in the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at St. Ambrose and the University of Iowa.

When it comes to cultivating your staff, Steffes has a few pointers: Recognize that your first customers are your employees. Use the Continuous Authentic Feedback system to recognize the excellent work of your employees. Catch people in the moment when they are going the extra mile and acknowledge it. Engaging your employees in strategy not only increases your team’s excitement for the workplace, it also energizes the leaders. Steffes’ Pearl of Wisdom is, “Your value is multiplied every time you grow someone.”

Find out what John Wallace had to share with Dr. Anderson: John’s journey through the PT world and the evolution of BMS Practice Solutions. How BMS Practice Solutions is staying current in today’s changing landscape and how it’s integrating into different PT markets. Advice for incoming PTs on carving a leadership path. The future of PT and the conversations and actions that need to happen. Last but certainly not least, John’s Pearl of Leadership Wisdom.

For this episode of Profiles in Leadership, Steve Anderson, PT, DPT, sat down with Karen Litzy, PT, DPT. Dr. Litzy the owner of Karen Litzy Physical Therapy, a concierge physical therapy practice in New York City. She is also the Host of Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast and is a Board of Director for Physical Therapy Business Alliance and PT Day of Service.

Hit the play button to learn more about: How Dr. Childs education at the Air Force Academy and time in the military influenced his career. The idea behind Evidence in Motion, his goals for the business and its next steps. Understand Dr. Childs thoughts and ideas for teaching and mentoring new industry professionals, and the direction PT education needs to go. How leadership development needs to be customized and how the industry can retain and train leaders. What Dr. Childs predicts the industry will be like in 10 years. And last but not least, his pearl of leadership wisdom.

Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect in this episode of Profiles in Leadership. Learn about Heidi’s path into the PT field and where she is today. Find out what need Heidi was searching for a solution and how that became WebPT. How the vision of WebPT has evolved over the years. Her Ah-ha Moment – How she knew WebPT would work. The next phase of WebPT and how they’re moving into the hospital sector. What she predicts the future of PT looks like. Learn what Heidi hopes for the future of WebPT.