 |
 Greater Texas Rehab Providers' Council |
 Dedicated to the enhancement of the quality, accessibility, and professional provision of enabling technologies to individuals with disabilities through the partnership of industry and consumers. |
2010 TXRPC Annual Meeting Participant Biographies
Karen “Missy” Ball, MT, PT, ATP
Missy is the former Assistant Director of the Physical Therapy Department at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans and has been a Seating Clinic Consultant/Education Specialist for Freedom Designs, Inc. for the past 15 years. An accomplished speaker, Missy has lectured both domestically and internationally. Her vast experience and expertise is recognized
throughout the industry.
Leslie Johnson Fitzsimmons P.T. A.T.P.
Leslie has been a licensed PT. with over 34 years of treatment experience, working with clients from birth to geriatric in a variety of settings including hospital, rehab, school, office homecare and hospice. For the past 16 years she has been a treating therapist at Lakeview CP School in Edison, New Jersey, where she developed a special interest in seating and adaptive equipment. In an effort to improve the quality of life for her clients with poor head control, she created the i2i head and neck positioning and support system which is now manufactured by Stealth Products. In addition Leslie is a certified M.O.V.E. International site trainer. She was awarded the ASAH 2007 Related Services Provider of the Year winner for the state of New Jersey.
Dave Miller
Dave Miller, Training and Education Supervisor for Permobil, has been involved in the power wheelchair industry for over 9 years.
He has been developing and presenting service school programs since 1987 throughout the United States and Canada.
Ginny Paleg, DScPT
Ginny is a (NDT) certified pediatric physical therapist from Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.
She earned her Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree from the State University of NY at Albany, her Masters of Physical Therapy from Emory University and a Doctor of Science in PT student at the University of Maryland in 2008. Her dissertation was on the evidence basis of supported standing program.
Ginny is on the editorial board of Rehab Management and PT Products Magazines. Ginny is also the special needs consumer advisor for VTech toys. Ginny currently works part time for her local school system's early intervention program.
She has presented at various conferences including AACPDM, APTA, RESNA, Medtrade, and WCPT and is published extensively on topics including body weight support treadmill training, standing, gait trainers, power mobility, compression garments, alternative therapies, toileting, bathing, car seats, transportation safety, seating and positioning. Ginny focuses on strategies that therapists can use every day to make sure they know the evidence basis of their practice patterns, and that they choose wisely.
Ginny is known for her lively sessions that show real life cases with real life mistakes and successes. She can be reached at Ginny@paleg.com.
Kevin Rhodes, Rehab/Applications & Field Outreach Supervisor
Kevin joined Pride Mobility Products Corp. in January of 1998. He started as a Technician in the Jazzy Repair Department and was promoted to the Supervisor for the Jazzy Repair Department. In the Fall of 2007, Kevin began working as a Senior Rehab Applications and Electronics Specialist in The Quantum Rehab/Applications Custom Department. Since then Kevin has been promoted to Rehab/Applications & Field Outreach Supervisor where he oversees all the applications of the rehab department as well as coordinates all field training for Q-Logic electronics. Kevin has also been a valuable member of Pride’s seminar tour team since 2002.
Larry Ropka
Larry Ropka is a Regional Sales Training and Development Specialist with the Invacare Corporation.
Mr. Ropka has been with Invacare for seventeen years, sixteen of them as a Territory Business Manager and the last year, in his current position.
Prior to his Invacare career, Mr. Ropka worked for ten years with two national companies specializing in Rehab including mobility, seating and positioning products and an emphasis on pediatrics.
Mr. Ropka has been certified by the University of Pittsburg to present the information contained in CEU and other educational courses.
Mr. Ropka, over the years, has been involved in educating physicians, new clinicians, experienced clinicians, funding/reimbursement agencies, rehabilitation technology suppliers, rehabilitation technicians, and therapy and medical students, as well as end-users on the benefits of proper positioning and chair set-up for specific disabilities.
Larry has presented on a variety of topics, including proper wheelchair and sporting equipment configurations, wheelchair mobility, wheelchair seating, wheelchair positioning, proper pushing mechanics, power wheelchair programming.
Peggy Walker, RN
Peggy is the Billing & Reimbursement Advisor for US Rehab a Division of VGM (Waterloo, Iowa). Peggy works out of her home office in Blythewood, SC assisting US Rehab, VGM, Nationwide Respiratory & OPGA members with pre-pay review of Rehab claims and other Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement issues. She worked with the Region C DMERC as lead nurse in Post Pay review and assisted with development of coverage criteria for wheelchairs, CPMs and other medical policies. She is currently a member of Jurisdiction C Council, the Education A team leader for Jurisdiction C, and a member of the RATC council for AAH. She is very active with state associations, state Medicaids, manufacturers, and private pay insurances in assisting them with training programs for high end Rehab equipment and other reimbursement issues. As an additional part of her position with US Rehab, she now offers Community Forums to educate referral sources about their responsibilities in assisting the providers in obtaining proper documentation required for specific areas of Medicare Policy.
Stacey Woods, Clinical Education Specialist for Sunrise Medical
Stacey came to Sunrise Medical in November 2009 after working for 8 years as a Clinician. She is a graduate of McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada with degrees in Kinesiology and Occupational Therapy. Since graduating, Stacey has practiced as an Occupational Therapist in both Canada and Australia. She has worked in a variety of settings, including home care, rehabilitation and workplace health, with much of her time working in community-based private practice. She has acted as a preceptor to student occupational therapists and a mentor to recent graduates. Stacey has more than four years experience providing education in clinical and industrial settings, and has been providing clinical education in seating and mobility for the past two years.
2011 Meeting
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