We are pleased to announce that Tamara N. Gravano, PT, DPT, EdD has accepted the position of Assistant School Director of Curriculum and Assessment and Associate Professor for our University of South Florida (USF) School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences starting on January 4, 2021. In her position, she will assist with aligning the DPT curriculum to meet the needs of our school, university, and community. She will also manage the Schools outcomes as they relate to all of our stakeholders, including accrediting bodies, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and our clinical community partners. Dr. Gravano was drawn to our school by the idea of working for a university that is student-centered and committed to transforming health. USF also stood out for being well known in our community for excellence and for developing extensive community partnerships. “Her extensive background in geriatrics, higher education, and leadership make Dr. Gravano an exceptional fit for this position. She will help us take our school’s DPT program to the next level, and ensure the success of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni” said Douglas Haladay, PT, DPT, PhD, MHS, OCS, CSCS School Director and Associate Dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.
Dr. Gravano earned her BHS, MSPT, and transitional DPT from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida and completed her EdD in Leadership Studies (emphasis in Higher Education Administration) from Marshall University. Dr. Gravano is one of the first two graduates of the first Geriatric Physical Therapy Residency Program and earned the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Emerging Leader award, APTA Lucy Blair Service Award, and is a Joan Mills award recipient from the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy.
Dr. Gravano has extensive experience in professional and post-professional development and currently serves her profession on many APTA committees: Board of APTA-Geriatrics, Director of Professional Development for the APTA-Education, and is a Certified Clinical Instructor Trainer for the APTA. She is a past (2010-2012) Chair of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties Geriatric Council, a former Board member of the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE), and a former Item Writer for the National Physical Therapy Board Examination of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Dr. Gravano also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy and is the co-director and faculty member for the APTA-Geriatrics Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA) and Advanced Credentialed Exercise Expert for Aging Adults course series.
Dr. Gravano has taught geriatrics and integumentary system courses for over 12 years and was the founding Director of Clinical Education at Marshall University. Her clinical physical therapy practice is in skilled nursing. She has contributed to several book chapters, published multiple articles, and presents nationally and internationally in her research areas of interest: Leadership development, Sociocultural Competence, and Geriatric rehabilitation.