PT professor receives national award for professional service and leadership

Associate Professor Michael Geelhoed, DPT, OCT, MTC, has been selected to receive the Lucy Blair Service Award from the American Physical Therapy Association.

The award recognizes physical therapists and physical therapy assistants who have added exceptional value through their service to APTA and its state-level organizations.

A full-time member of the Department of Physical Therapy faculty since 2004, Geelhoed has served as president of the Texas Physical Therapy Association since August 2019.

“Professional service has opened so many doors for me and helped me grow on my leadership journey, so I am humbled and honored to receive this recognition from the APTA,” Geelhoed said. “I also thank those that served alongside me in both my work life and my volunteer roles in the Texas PT Association and the American PT Association, because their mentorship has been invaluable.”

Geelhoed has transformed the Doctor of Physical Therapy program’s culture of service by establishing student-run clinics for underserved populations, mentoring nearly 1,000 students, and “inspiring future clinicians to lead with compassion, advocacy and purpose,” said Department of Physical Therapy Chair and Associate Professor Bradley Tragord, PT, DPT, DSc.

“From shaping landmark direct-access physical therapy legislation in Texas to leading global health initiatives in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Dr. Geelhoed’s impact embodies the very spirit of the Lucy Blair Service Award: servant leadership that strengthens both the profession and the communities it serves,” Tragord said. “We are honored to all benefit from his great leadership.”

Geelhoed will formally receive the award at the APTA Leadership Congress Honors and Awards Ceremony on July 12 in Portland, Oregon.

Lucy Blair served as APTA’s executive director from 1959 to 1969. The Lucy Blair Service Award was established by APTA in 1969, with Blair as its first recipient.