Advanced Competency in Home Health Faculty 

Faculty for individual live or virtual seminars varies, based upon course registration and location. The following individuals are current faculty for Advanced Competency in Home Health seminars.
 

ACHH Program Faculty Director
Christine Childers, PT, PhD, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy, received her Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from the University of East Anglia, England. In 1998 she moved, with her husband then serving in the USAF, to Utah where she became licensed to practice in the US. During their 8 years in SLC, Utah Chris practiced in the skilled nursing arena and in 2005 she gained her MS in Gerontology from the University of Utah the same year she became a board certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist. In 2006 she moved to California, again working in the skilled nursing arena until she transitioned into the academic setting in 2012, working as an assistant professor for the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Teaching full time she maintains her clinical skills through home health visits. Chris is currently serving on the Geriatric specialty council of the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialist, is a content expert for the specialty examination and is working on her PhD in Health Psychology from Walden University. 

Melissa Bednarek, PT, DPT, PhD, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy, received her Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and Psychology from St. Bonaventure University, followed by a Master of Physical Therapy from MCP Hahnemann University. Following four years of acute care experience, she returned to graduate school to complete a PhD in Physiology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Upon completion in 2009, she joined the faculty in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she is currently an Associate Professor. Dr. Bednarek teaches exercise physiology, cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy and the pharmacology thread in the curriculum. To enhance her teaching, she has continued to practice in outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation and home health and became a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy in 2014.  

Rachel Botkin, PT, MPT, is a licensed PT with 20 years of clinical and management experience in home health, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient settings. She is currently the Owner and President of Botkin Rehab Services, LLC. She earned her Advanced Competency in Home Health in 2017 and authored an elective module on neurological rehab in the home for the course. She became board certified in Neurological Physical Therapy in 2005. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Clark State Community College, teaching neurological rehab to PTA students since 2008. She is a member of the APTA, Home Health, Geriatrics, and Neurological Sections where she serves on the home health practice committee and co-authored the Home Health Toolbox for Outcome Measures. 

 Nicholas J Panaro, PT, DPT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy, has been a licensed Physical therapist since 2003 upon graduation from Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA with a Masters in Physical Therapy. In December 2015 He completed his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Temple University. Dr Panaro has been practicing in Home Health for 10 years as an employee of UPMC Home Nursing Agency. As a home health physical therapist, he has been active in Same Day Joint Replacement Protocol initiated by his Agency as well as participated in data collection for CMS CJR program since 2014. Dr Panaro also has advanced certifications as both a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) and Senior Fitness Specialist( SFS) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). In 2004, he co-founded Sports Evolution, LLC providing performance enhancement programming for young athletes ages 8 and up using evidence based training techniques and program design while emphasizing proper movement patterns and injury prevention.

Eleazar Tayag, PT, DPT, MPH is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric and Orthopaedic Physical Therapy with OASIS Specialist – Clinical (COS-C) and Advanced Competency in Home Health designations. He is currently serving as Administrator/Co-Owner of Imperial Home Health, VP for Clinical Operations/Co-Owner of Caring Shield Hospice, Inc. and the Founder/CEO of Optimum Care Provider, Inc. in California. He received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from EIM Institute of Health Professions. Prior to becoming a physical therapist in the US, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from the Lyceum Northwestern University and a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of the Philippines. He served as Dean of the College of Physical Therapy of the University of Pangasinan before he moved to California in 2005. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the FUTURE Foundation which aims to elevate the physical therapy practice for Internationally Educated PTs all over the world. He currently serves as one of the moderators of the Academy of Filipino-American Physical Therapists (AFAPT), an 8000+ members-strong association of Filipino-American PTs practicing in the US. He is also a senior manuscript reviewer of the newly instituted Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy. He served a Clinical Instructor for the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences - Miami Campus. He also served as a Laboratory Assistant for APTA Home Health’s Advanced Competency in Home Health. In 2019, he was awarded by the Lyceum-Northwestern University as one of the most Outstanding Alumni during its 50^th Foundation Anniversary.