The Congress Programme Committee (CPC) shaped the scientific programme for the WCPT Congress 2019. The CPC consists of 10 physical therapists, each bringing their unique experience to complement the committee’s expertise. They were responsible for developing an exciting, relevant and innovative scientific programme. WCPT Congress 2019 brought the world of physical therapy together in Geneva, Switzerland with a programme designed to showcase the best in physical therapy research, education and practice.
Charlotte Häger (Chair) Sweden
Charlotte is a Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Sweden. She is a registered physiotherapist with expertise in the field of neurology and musculoskeletal disorders, and her research focuses on motor control, movement sciences and biomechanics. She is the head of the U-motion laboratory at Umeå University and has a clinical affiliation to the Orthopaedic Clinic of Norrlands University Hospital. Dr Häger received a PhD in Neurophysiology in 1995. She has received awards for her research from the Queen, Silvia of Sweden and for her teaching at Umeå University in 2001. Charlotte has presented at every WCPT Congress since 1991 and has had extensive experience serving on national and international congress boards since 1989. She also served as a member of the International Scientific Committee for the WCPT Congress 2015 and 2017.
Alia Alghwiri Jordan
Alia is an Associated Professor of the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Jordan in Amman. She holds a PhD and her area of research focuses on neurological and vestibular rehabilitation. She was a member of several Jordanian national conferences and served as the head of conferences committee at the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Jordan. Alia published several peer-reviewed articles on neurological-, vestibular-, ICF-, and measurements-related issues as well as chapters in international books concerning vestibular rehabilitation, balance and falls in older adults. She presented her work at numerous conferences nationally and internationally, including the WCPT Congress 2017.
Darren Brown United Kingdom
Darren is an HIV Specialist Physiotherapist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. He is currently studying a Masters of Research in Clinical Research – MRes(Clin) – at St George’s University in London, researching disability experienced by people living with HIV in London. His publication record includes several abstracts on measuring disability experienced by people living with HIV and evaluating rehabilitation interventions for people living with HIV. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences on HIV related topics. He contributed to several sessions at WCPT Congress 2015 and 2017 and is active on social media on physiotherapy practice and congress related topics.
Edgar Hernandez Colombia
Edgar is an Associate Professor of the physiotherapy programme at the Colombia National University in Bogota and a member of the Colombian Physiotherapy Association. He has a Masters degree in clinical epidemiology from the Colombia National University. His areas of clinical expertise are cardiopulmonary and neuromuscular physiotherapy. In education and research he focuses on clinical epidemiology, cardiopulmonary assessment and treatment, physical activity and the reliability and validity of tests and measurements. He has helped organise a national congress in Colombia and the Latin American Congress. Edgar has published work in journals in the areas of physical activity, cardiopulmonary assessment and treatment, child obesity and reliability and validity of tests and measurements. He served as a member of the WCPT International Scientific Committee for WCPT Congress 2017.
Jackie Whittaker Canada
Jackie is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. She holds a PhD and is a Clinical Specialist in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. Her main research area is in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of osteoarthritis after youth sport-related knee and ankle injuries and diagnostic imaging in physiotherapy practice. Jackie has been involved in several national and international scientific congress planning committees and served as an abstract reviewer for multiple international physiotherapy related events. She has presented at and attended numerous international conferences. She has a comprehensive track-record of peer-reviewed publications and an emerging record of research funding.
Jennifer Audette United States
Jennifer is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Programme at the University of Rhode Island, USA. She holds a PhD in Education with a research focus on PT educators’ teaching styles, international opportunities for students, curriculum upgrade in developing countries and disaster relief. Jennifer has been a WCPT abstract reviewer since 2010 and has contributed to the WCPT Congress programme in 2011 and 2017. She was the programming chair for national conferences, such as the APTA Global Health Special Interest Group US annual conference. She has presented nationally and internationally and published her work, including a paper on disaster relief efforts in Haiti, a curricular upgrade paper based on work in Suriname, research on PT faculty teaching styles and knowledge of educational theory, and papers on international experiences for PT students (faculty practice, student outcomes, etc).
Jessica Shiraku Kenya
Jessica is a qualified physiotherapist and holds an MSc in Health Management from the Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya. Previously Chief Physiotherapist at the Nairobi Hospital she is currently Head of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Nairobi Hospital. Her research focuses on policy and management for healthcare provision in Kenya. Jessica has a record of having been a member of several national and WCPT Africa Region conference committees. She was invited to several national and international conferences to present her work.
Lara Allet Switzerland
Lara is a Professor at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland in Geneva and in charge of research and quality assurance in the field of physiotherapy at the University Hospitals in Geneva. Her research focuses on diagnostic and interventional studies on physical activity, gait, balance and muscle performance. Lara is a Vice President of the Foundation for Physiotherapy Services, a member of the Research Committee of Physioswiss and a board member of the Swiss Sports Physiotherapy Association. She has experience in organising regional and national conferences. She is an editorial board member of the French Physical Therapy Journal (Kinésithérapie - La Revue) and has developed peer review processes in the past. Lara was a speaker at previous WCPT Congresses and has a comprehensive publication record.
Leigh Hale New Zealand
Leigh is Dean of the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago. Her main areas of expertise are neurorehabillitation and disability. She has attended and presented at five previous WCPT Congresses. Her research focuses on clinical practice and current interests include: community falls prevention programmes for older adults and for adults with intellectual disability; community based rehabilitation; facilitating physical activity participation for people living with disability and long term conditions; disability awareness and use of virtual reality in stroke rehabilitation. She has 110 publications related to these areas of research in a wide range of rehabilitation, disability and physiotherapy journals. Leigh has also served on the scientific committees for several international and national conferences and was a member of the International Scientific Committee for WCPT Congress 2017.
Marco Pang Hong Kong
Marco is a Professor at the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His clinical and research expertise lie in neurology and geriatrics with a substantive record of publications in these areas. He has been the scientific committee chair of several national and international conferences and has delivered more than 60 lectures and workshops at national and international events. Marco is the current Asia Western Pacific representative on the WCPT Executive Board and President of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association.