Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese, PT, EdD, MS
- Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Physical Therapy) at CUMC
Overview
Dr. Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Physical Therapy) and serves as Director of the Performing Arts Fellowship Program and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Programs in Physical Therapy at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She brings over 30 years of clinical experience and 25 years as an educator to her roles at Columbia. A Provost Senior Faculty Teaching Scholar and Fellow in Higher Education Leadership, Dr. Abbruzzese champions inclusive excellence, interprofessional collaboration, and social justice in healthcare education.
At the national level, Dr. Abbruzzese serves as President of the Performing Arts Special Interest Group (PASIG) of the APTA Academy of Orthopaedics, a Board member of the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PLTI) and a faculty member for the Certified Exercise Experts for Aging Adults (CEEAA®) course series.
At Columbia, Dr. Abbruzzese plays a key leadership role on the Columbia Commons Interprofessional Steering Committee and the Executive Committee for Columbia CARES (formerly ART in MedEd). Dr. Abbruzzese's research and scholarship emphasize interprofessional collaboration, anti-racist education, health equity, performing arts physical therapy, and geriatric rehabilitation. She is a member of the Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators at Columbia and has been awarded numerous grants to advance inclusive, anti-racist, and interprofessional education initiatives.
Academic Appointments
- Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Physical Therapy) at CUMC
Administrative Titles
- Director, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/Westside Dance Physical Therapy Performing Arts Fellowship, Programs in Physical Therapy
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- BA, 1991 Psychology, Columbia College-Columbia University
- MS, 1994 Physical Therapy, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
- EdM, 2000 Movement Science (Motor Learning & Control), Columbia University, Teachers College
- EdD, 2004 Biobehavioral Sciences, Columbia University, Teachers College
Committees, Societies, Councils
Columbia University Irving Medical Center Columbia Commons Interprofessional Steering Committee
Performing Arts SIG-Fellowship Chair, American Physical Therapy Association
PT Proud LGBTQ Catalyst Group Education Task Force, American Physical Therapy Association
Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA®) Faculty
Columbia College Women, Board of Directors
5P-Society Professional Advisory Board
NJ Ross Scholars Board, St. Paul's School
Honors & Awards
Columbia University Provost Senior Faculty Teaching Scholar (2022-2023)
2023 American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership
2022 National Academies of Practice (NAP) Emerging Interprofessional National Academies of Practice Member of the Year
2022 Columbia University Provost Senior Faculty Teaching Scholar
2021 Columbia College Alumni Association (CCAA) President's Cup
Distinguished Scholar & Fellow, National Academies of Practice (NAP) and the Physical Therapy Academy
Columbia University Community Based Participatory Research Scholar
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Aging, F31 predoctoral fellowship
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates Millennium Scholar
Research
Research Interests
- Adolescent Dancers
- Cri du Chat Syndrome
- Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
- Older Adults
Grants
Co-Investigator - Columbia University Office of the Provost: Innovative Course Module Design "Interprofessional Fall Risk Assessment Module for Primary Clerkship". 6/31/2022-07/31/2023; PI: Natasha Mehta, MD
Co-Principal Investigator - Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators - Apgar Education Research Grant "Building the Capacity of Healthcare Professionals Toward Anti-Racist and Inclusive Interprofessional Care" 12/31/2019-12/31/2018; Hetty Cunnigham, MD
Co-Principal Investigator 12/31/2017-12/31/2018 $30,000
Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research - Pilot Grant Opportunity in Community Based Participatory Research. Funding agency: The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
“Facilitators and Barriers to Participation in Evidence-based Programs in Urban Senior Centers serving LGBT older adults” Community Partner - SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Older Adults) & Phyllis Simon
Co- Investigator 12/31/2017-12/31/2018 $15,000
Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research - CaMPR (Collaborative and Multidisciplinary Pilot Research) Phase I Award. Funding agency: The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
“Using Narrative Medicine to Address Weight Bias Across the Health Professions: Toward Improved Health Care for Persons with Obesity” PI: Sharon Akabas
Co- Investigator 6/01/2018-6/30/2019 $75,000
Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research - CaMPR (Collaborative and Multidisciplinary Pilot Research) Phase II Award. Funding agency: The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
“Using Narrative Medicine to Address Weight Bias Across the Health Professions: Toward Improved Health Care for Persons with Obesity” PI: Sharon Akabas
Selected Publications
1. Bisop, KL, Abbruzzese LD, Thurston, L, Maxwell, B, Simon, P, Adeniran, R, Oluwole-Sangose, O, Dunleavy, K, Pfeifle, A, Smith, S. Becoming an anti-racist interprofessional healthcare organization: our journey. JIEP. Epub March 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2022.100509.
2. Schaeffer, M, Abbruzzese LD, Tawa Z, Schultz K, Binney J, Bronner L. Inter-and-Intra-Rater Reliability of Hand Held Dynamometry for Lower Extremity Strength Testing in Pre-Professional Dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. 2021; 25(2):86-95. doi:10.12678/1089-313X.061521c. Epub 2021 Mar 29. PMID: 33781377.
3. Abbruzzese LD, Yamane N, Fein D, Naigles L, Goldman S. Assessing Child Postural Variability: Development, Feasibility, and Reliability of a Video Coding System. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics. 2021;41(3):314-325. doi: 10.1080/01942638.2020.1833272. Epub 2020 Oct.16. PMID:33063576.
4. Abbruzzese LD, Ruggeri AR, Esquerre JC, Patel P, Raske L. Feasibility and Reliability of Functional Mobility Measures in Children with Cri Du Chat (5P-) Syndrome. Pediatric Phys Ther. 2020;32 (2):161-167. doi: 10.1097/PEP.000000000000681.
5. Goldman S, McCullough AK, Young SD, Mueller C, Stahl A, Zoeller A, Abbruzzese LD, Rao AK, Montes J. Quantitative gait assessment in children with 16p 11.2 syndrome. J Neurodevelop Disord. 2019;11(26):1-5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-019-9286-9. Epub 2019 Oct 27.
6. Abbruzzese, L.D. & Simon, P. Special concerns for the LGBT aging patient: What rehab professionals should know. Curr Geri Rep. 2018; 7: 26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-018-0232-6. Epub 2018 Jan 30.
7. Kwong, J., Bockting, W., Gabler, S., Abbruzzese, L., Towe, A., Simon, P., Bonaparte, S., Malark, A., Weber, T., Fialko, J., Hall, P. Development of an Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Model for Older LGBT Adults. LGBT Health. 2017. (Special Issue on LGBT Aging; http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/LGBT.2016.0160)
8. Abbruzzese LD, Salazar R, Abuchon M, Rao A. Temporal and spatial gait parameters in children with Cri Du Chat Syndrome under single and dual task conditions. 2016; 50:47-52. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.08.006. Epub 2016 Aug 5.
9. Pivko S, Abbruzzese LD, Duttaroy P, Hansen RL, Ryans K. The Effect of Physical Therapy Students' Clinical Experiences on Clinician Productivity. J Allied Health. 2015; In Press.
10. Abbruzzese LD, Rao AK, Bellows R, Figueroa K, Levy J, Lim E, Puccio L. Effects of manual task complexity on gait parameters in school-aged children and adults. Gait Posture. 2014 Sep;40(4):658-63. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.07.017. Epub 2014 Jul 28.
11. Wong, CK and Abbruzzese, LD (2011) Case Report: Collaborative Learning Strategies Using Online Communities. JPTE, 25 (3), 79-84.
12. Abbruzzese LD.The Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment Tool. American Journal of Nursing.1998: 98(12):16J-16L.