Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese, PT, EdD, MS

  • Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Physical Therapy) at CUMC
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Overview

Dr. Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese (she/her) currently serves as the Director of the Performing Arts Fellowship Program, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and is an Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine in the Programs in Physical Therapy at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S), Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Abbruzzese has over twenty-five years of clinical experience in physical therapy and over 15 years as an educator. She was accepted into the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators. In 2022, Dr. Abbruzzese was selected as a Columbia University Provost Senior Faculty Teaching Scholar.

Dr. Abbruzzese is a fellow in the APTA Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership and recently joined the Board of the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PLTI). She serves as the President of the Performing Arts Special Interest Group (PASIG) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Academy of Orthopedics and serves on the faculty for the APTA Geriatrics Certified Exercise Experts in Aging Adults course series. Dr. Abbruzzese serves on the Systemic Discrimination and Racism Mitigation Task Force, an American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) National Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Commission (NEDIC) post-summit initiative.

Dr. Abbruzzese is a fierce advocate for social justice and interprofessional education and collaborative practice. At Columbia, Dr. Abbruzzese serves on the Columbia Commons Interprofessional Education Steering Committee, Rehabilitation & Regenerative medicine DEI committee, and the Executive committee for Antiracist Transformation in Medical Education (ART in MedEd). She co-leads the VP&S Anti-Racism Coalition Alliance for Enhancing Antiracist Curriculum. Dr. Abbruzzese is recognized nationally as a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice (NAP), which advocates for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice. She chaired the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Taskforce, and will serve NAP as the Vice President of Membership. In 2022, Dr. Abbruzzese was awarded the Emerging Interprofessional National Academies of Practice Member of the Year.

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

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.

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