Featured Speakers

Chris Durall, PT, DPT, MS, SCS, LAT, CSC, is the director of the Student Health Center Physical Therapy Department and a graduate faculty member at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. Previously, Durall was an assistant professor in the Physical Therapy Department at Creighton University where he received three consecutive “Educator of the Year” awards. Durall has extensive experience in manual therapy and sports physical therapy and he combines attributes of both in his courses. Durall earned an advanced master’s (1998) degrees in physical therapy from UW-L, and his doctorate from Creighton University (2002). He is a graduate of the Gundersen-Lutheran Sports Physical Therapy Residency program, a board-certified sports physical therapist, a licensed athletic trainer and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Durall has authored or co-authored numerous textbook chapters and published articles in several trade magazines.

Dennis C. W. Fater, Ph.D., P.T., Cert. M.D.T., is a professor in the Physical Therapy Program of UW-La Crosse. Fater earned his doctorate in medical physiology from the University of Kansas Medical School and was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Florida Medical School. Fater has been in practice for 18 years in an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy setting.

Laura Gilchrist, PT, Ph.D., is an associate professor of physical therapy at St. Catherine University and a Clinical Research Scientist at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Her research focuses on cancer-related impairments of the neuromuscular systems. She is currently the primary investigator of a study on the prevalence and persistence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in children undergoing chemotherapy and a second study on motor performance deficits in children undergoing cancer therapy. 

Matt Haberl, DPT, ATC-L, CSCS, is a full-time staff physical therapist at Gundersen Lutheran Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Clinic. He graduated from the UW-L Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in 2008 and recently completed his orthopedic residency with Evidence in Motion in 2010. He will complete his Evidence in Motion Fellowship Program in Manual and Manipulative Therapy with the American Academy of Orthopedic and Manual Physical Therapists in May 2012. His primary interests are providing evidence based medicine in sports medicine and manual and manipulative therapy.

Paul Reuteman, PT, MHS, OCS, Cert.MDT, LAT, is a clinical assistant professor in the program of Physical Therapy at UW-La Crosse where he teaches orthopaedic examination and intervention courses. Reuteman has practiced orthopaedic physical therapy for 17 years and has an active clinical practice at Gundersen Lutheran Sports Medicine, serving as the Academic Coordinator of their Sports Residency Program accredited through the APTA. Reuteman is a certified athletic trainer through the National Athletic Trainers Association. 

Gwyneth Straker, P.T., M.S., served as a tenured faculty member and assistant professor at UW-La Crosse prior to her retirement in 2011, where she taught courses associated with professional roles and behaviors. Straker served on the WPTA Disciplinary Action Committee as a member and as Chair, chaired the Ethics Advisory Committee for UW-L andprovided expert consultation for the Wisconsin’s Department of Regulation and Licensing regarding ethical practice of physical therapists.

Mike Studer, PT, MHS, NCS, CEEAA, received his physical therapy degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1991. He received his post-professional MHS degree in physical therapy with neurologic emphasis from the University of Indianapolis. He is the current vice-president of the Neurology Section of the APTA and has been boardcertified as a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy since 1995. He is a fulltime practicing clinician in an outpatient setting - Northwest Rehabilitation Associates, in Salem, Ore., where he specializes in working with neurologically impaired clients. Studer has presented courses on cognitive processing in mobility and ADLs since 1995 and has published articles on the subject as well. He has been a guest lecturer at several universities and national meetings on the topics of motor control, motor learning, cognitive impairment and case management. He is the American Physical Therapy Association 2011 Neurology Section Clinician of the Year.

Lynn Tanner, PT, earned a BA in child psychology from the University of Minnesota and a masters in physical therapy from the Mayo School of Health-Related Sciences. She has worked at Children’s Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota for the past eight years and has focused on the oncology population the last six years.

Michele Thorman, P.T., D.P.T., M.B.A., is a graduate of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (PT), & Cardinal Stritch University (MBA). She currently serves as Physical Therapy Program Director at the UW-La Crosse. Her prior employment history includes hospital-based care, and administration in hospital and private practice environments. Thorman provided expertise in revising the Wisconsin Practice Act, negotiating the legislative hurdles to assure its passage and promulgating rules. She has been privileged to serve two terms as the WPTA Chapter President.

John Willson, Ph.D., PT, is an assistant professor in the Physical Therapy Program at UW-L. Wilson graduated from the UW-L physical therapy program in 1998 and practiced in orthopedics until he graduated from the University of Delaware with his doctorate in biomechanics in 2007. He has over 20 publications in several journals and textbooks relevant to orthopedic physical therapy, sports medicine, and biomechanics. Willson is the primary instructor for coursework on evidence-based practice in physical therapy and foundations of clinical research.

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