ACAPT would like to pay tribute to the passing of Dr. Geneva Richard Johnson, PT, PhD, a pioneer in the field of Physical Therapy Education. Dr. Johnson was a Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and significant contributor to the growth and development of physical therapy education. During her academic career, Dr. Johnson is credited with helping to create the first graduate physical therapy curriculum, paving the way for graduate level education.

Her passion for education and promoting excellence fostered a desire to start a think-tank with her close friend Dr. Lynda Woodruff. The Peach Blossom Institute focused on advancing physical therapy education which is still in existence today known as the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PTLI). Dr. Johnson’s innovative spirit will be forever embedded within physical therapy education.

Each year at the Educational Leadership Conference (ELC), PTLI sponsors a Geneva R. Johnson (GRJ) Forum in conjunction with ACAPT and the Academy of Education. In 2021, the GRJ keynote was led by Nicole Piemonte, PhD  and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Creighton University School of Medicine, who spoke about Cultivating the habits at the heart of patient care: Compassion, vulnerability, & imagination. Her eloquent and moving recorded speech will be available soon.