Spine Community Leadership

Chair: Justin M. Lantz, DPT
lantzj@pt.usc.edu
Justin M. Lantz, DPT is an Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy and an Associate Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Lantz teaches differential diagnosis and physical examination in both the DPT and MD programs. He is the founder and current Director of the USC Spine Physical Therapy Fellowship Program and operates as a practicing clinician at USC Physical Therapy. Dr. Lantz is recognized by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties as a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT). Alongside his clinical and academic pursuits, his research interests include postoperative management of spine surgery, and he has published and disseminated his work at the state, national, and international levels. Dr. Lantz has a passion to further interdisciplinary spine care and advocacy and holds leadership positions in the Early Advisory Council, Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee, and Section on Interdisciplinary Spine Care for the multidisciplinary North American Spine Society (NASS).

Vice Chair: Stephen Kareha DPT, PhD, FASPT
stephen.kareha@sluhn.org
Stephen Kareha DPT, PhD, FASPT is Director of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency and Director of Spine Physical Therapy Fellowship for St. Luke’s University Health Network (Bethlehem, PA) and Assistant Professor - Clinical Associate in the Department of Physical Therapy at DeSales University (Center Valley, PA). His research interests include diagnostic classification for the shoulder complex, physical therapists in primary musculoskeletal care, psychologically informed care, and health services research. He is a board-certified specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy and a Fellow of the Academy of Spine Physical Therapy (FASPT). He practices at Physical Therapy at St. Luke’s, St. Luke’s University Health Network (Bethlehem, PA). He teaches evidence-based practice and musculoskeletal content in the entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program at DeSales University. He teaches evidence-based practice and evaluation and management of spine, hip, shoulder, and craniomandibular disorders in the St. Luke’s University Health Network Orthopaedic Residency and content related to leadership development, salesmanship, mentorship, and diagnosis and management of the spine in the St. Luke’s University Health Network Spine Fellowship. Dr. Kareha currently serves as an editorial board member for the International Journal of Academic Medicine and as a reviewer for several journals. He also serves as a workgroup chair for the North American Spine Society.

Member at Large: Michael Costello PT, DSc, OCS, MTC
mcostello@ithaca.edu
Michael Costello PT, DSc, OCS, MTC is Department Chair and Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at Ithaca College, where he teaches courses addressing psychosocial aspects of patient care and the management of orthopedic conditions, and coordinates the Performing Arts Wellness Initiative. Prior to joining the faculty at Ithaca College, he was the founding Director/Coordinator of the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency Program and Spine Rehabilitation Fellowship Programs at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, NY, where he continues to mentor and teach courses related to clinical reasoning, management of spinal conditions, clinical application of pain sciences, and manual therapy. His scholarship explores the management of spine-related pain conditions, performing arts rehabilitation, and Tai Chi. His clinical practice focuses on the management of individuals with persistent neuromusculoskeletal pain conditions and performing artists.

Member at Large: Vanessa R. Mirabito Gerner, PT, DPT, CMPT, ATC
vanessa.mirabito@gmail.com
Vanessa R. Mirabito Gerner, PT, DPT, CMPT, ATC is the Director of the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency and Spine Fellowship Programs at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, NY. She is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist, with a clinical practice focused on spine and craniomandibular disorders. Her professional interests include enhancing interprofessional care of spine-related disorders, conservative management of craniofacial pain, and teaching methodology in professional and post-professional education programs. Dr. Mirabito Gerner teaches gross human anatomy for the Doctor of Physical Therapy and Master of Physician Assistant programs at Ithaca College. She serves as an item writer for the APTA Specialization Academy of Content Experts and a site visitor for ABPTRFE.

Member at Large: Jason Tonley, PT, DPT
tonley@me.com
Jason Tonley graduated from the University of Southern California with his DPT in 2001, completed the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency in 2005, the Kaiser Permanente Movement Science Fellowship in 2006 and the Kaiser Permanente Spine Rehabilitation Fellowship in 2014. Currently, he works at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles where he serves as the program coordinator for the Orthopaedic Residency, Spine Rehabilitation Fellowship, Orthopaedic/Sports Fellowship and Persistent Pain Rehabilitation Fellowship. Currently, he serves on the research committee for the CPTA and was an abstract reviewer for the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. Previously he has served as an Adjunct Faculty member for the Department of Physical Therapy at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, Chair of the AOPT Residency and Fellowship Education Committee and the ABPTRFE Program Services Council, member of the ABPTRFE Credentialing Services Committee, and Finance Committee Member for the AOPT. He has a specialty certification in Orthopaedics and Manual Therapy. Dr.Tonley has presented several lectures at state conferences and Combined Section Meetings.

Member at Large: Nicole Baker PT, DPT,OCS, FAAOMPT
nicolecorwin@gmail.com
Nicole Baker PT, DPT,OCS, FAAOMPT is a residency and fellowship trained, board certified orthopedic specialist with 12 years clinical experience in outpatient orthopedics. She has served as the manager of the Memorial Hermann Health System interdisciplinary Spine Program for the past 5 years. Within this role she has specialized in the rehabilitative treatment of complex spine disorders and design and implementation of a large outcomes-based spine data registry. Nicole works intimately with the Memorial Hermann Research department, spine specialty providers and outpatient rehabilitation teams to implement triage and patient care pathways to streamline the patient journey for efficient, cost effective and value driven care. Nicole is Schroth level 1 certified, treating the small subset of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis within the MH system. She also is on faculty with the Memorial Hermann Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency teaching and mentoring residents within the system as well as coordinator for the new Memorial Hermann Spine Manual Therapy Fellowship program. Outside of the hospital system she serves as fellowship faculty and mentor for Optim Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program and as coordinator for the Memorial Hermann Spine Manual Therapy Fellowship. Nicole has presented at several national conferences, disseminating spine data registry findings. Her past history as a professional ballet dancer also garners her interest in performing arts medicine as she is a member of the APTA orthopedic section and performing arts special interest groups. She serves to organize the yearly Houston Dance USA screen as part of a National Day of Dancer Health serving the larger dance community in her city.

Member at Large: Rob Landel, PT, DPT, FAPTA
rlandel@pt.usc.edu
Rob Landel, PT, DPT, FAPTA is a Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy and the Director of Residency and Fellowship Programs at the University of Southern California. A respected educator and clinician, Dr. Landel has advanced the integration of orthopedic, neurologic, and vestibular rehabilitation approaches, particularly in the management of cervicogenic dizziness, concussions, and related cervical spine dysfunction.

Dr. Landel was the director of the DPT program and its residential pathway for 11 years. He was founder and first director of the faculty practice of the Division, USC Physical Therapy Associates, treating patients with primarily orthopedic, neurologic, balance, and vestibular dysfunctions. He was the founding director of the USC Orthopedic PT Residency Program. He is a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA.

With over 40 years of experience treating orthopedic, neurologic and vestibular patients, Dr. Landel has lectured and trained therapists and physicians in the US, Canada, Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa. Dr. Landel has published on a variety of topics in orthopedics, vestibular rehabilitation and concussion and has received national awards in teaching and research. His current clinical interest is cervicogenic dizziness and the diagnostic dilemma and management challenge posed by patients with persistent post-concussion symptoms of dizziness. He is a co-author of the current Clinical Practice Guidelines for Post-concussion Physical Therapy.