Nevin Ergun, PT, Ph.D is a Professor of Hacettepe University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Ankara,Turkey.

Graduated from Hacettepe University,School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in 1975, Ankara – Turkey,  she completed her M.Sc in sports injury rehabilitation from the Hacettepe Health Sciences Instıtute in 1981. She received her Ph.D in Sports injuries, Physiology and Physical Therapy from Hacettepe University in 1986. She became a full time professor in 1996. Dr. Ergun conducted and attended courses/seminars and lectures nationally and internationally from 1992-2007, Cyriax Technique in orthopedics (Turkey-England 1993) Health Related Fitness, (Finland 1994), Mulligan concept (Ankara 2006), Kinesiotaping (Ankara 2006-2007), Thera-Band Academy course (Ankara 2007).

For the past 35 years, Dr. Ergun has been developing and directing sports physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs for athletes and for approximately 22 years has been working in disabled sports. She has published journal articles and books on various topics related to sports physiotherapy and rehabilitation of sports injuries, physical activity, health promotion, secondary conditions and disability, and disabled sports. Dr. Ergun worked as a Sports Physiotherapist and Chief of Medical Team for Turkey at a number of major sporting events, including the Sydney 2000, Bejing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Now Dr. Ergun is the Head of of Sports Medicine Unit and Academic Coordinator of post graduate sports physiotherapist Ms & Ph.D programs in Hacettepe University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. She is married and has one child.

Nevin is a founding member of International Federation of Sports Physical Therapists, and Chair of Paralympic Committee.

Awards:

Received an Academic Honor award from the Prime Ministry Administration for Disabled People given to the persons for producing solutions in their field for disabled people and disabilities (December 2003)

Professional activities:

• President of Turkish Association of Sports Physiotherapists,
• Chairman of Medical Committee of Turkish Sports Federation for The Physically Disabled and Medical Committee Turkish Paralympic Committee.
• Founder member and Director of Hacettepe University “HÜSYAM”( “Research and Implementation Center for Activity and Healthier Life for Community”) Research Center.
• Founder member of TESYEV (The Disabled Sports Support and Education Foundation Turkey ).
• International  Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Gold Level International Classifier, and IWBF Development Commission Member and chairman of  Women
• Medical Committee Member of  Turkish Football Federation and Turkish Volleyball Federation
• Fellow of American College of Sports Medicine

Reviewer: International

• ACSM Medicine and Science in  Sports and Exercise  2001
• British Journal of Sports Medicine 2003
• J Sport Rehabilitation  2012
• Polish Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2012

I am submitting my name for consideration for one of the positions on the IFSPT Executive Board. What an honor to be asked to apply for a position on his board representing the Sports Physical Therapy Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. It would be a privilege to serve on this board dedicated to the sharing of information and ideas focused on the care and treatment of athletes.

When Mike Voight and Mark DeCarlo discussed the formation of the IFSPT with the SPTS in 2004, I remember thinking what a great opportunity for our section to share what we do, learn what others in the world are doing and to become involved internationally in the sports physical therapy arena. I felt we had information to share but more importantly, we could learn so much from the rest of the world. What a great format for sharing information. When I meet Laetitia Dekker-Bakker, then president of the IFSPT, at our annual meeting of the Combined Sections in 2005, I realized this organization was something with which the SPTS needed to be involved. The discussion I had with her peaked my interest and wanted to be involved in some way.

I have been actively involved with the SPTS since 1992. I have served both the section and the association in a variety of capacities over the years. The roles, responsibilities and experiences I have had in my various roles within the association and section will be of benefit to the IFSPT.

Upon becoming a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS), I began writing questions for the sports specialty examination which lead to my appointment to the Specialty Academy of Content Experts (SACE). After 2 years of serving in this capacity, I was appointed to the Sports Specialty Council working on the certification examination and development of the criteria defining what skills and knowledge are necessary to be a sports clinical specialist. This lead to my appointment to the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialist (ABPTS) serving as Chair my 4^th year. My involvement with ABPTS during the beginning stages and my understanding of specialization and board certification could be used to help the IFSPT with the development of general criteria for specialization certification. Along the way, there were many mistakes made by our association. I feel we finally developed a good process for recognizing clinical excellence in a defined area of practice, specifically sports medicine. Drawing on these experiences, I could help the IFPTS with the advancement and implementation of the specialization process.

I have served the SPTS educationally, first as the Educational Team Leader and then as the program chair for our annual meeting, a position I held for 6 years. My responsibilities included working with the Sports Section special interest groups and the APTA to develop programming for this meeting that was new, innovative and evidence based. This was also a way to develop speakers through mentoring of young speakers by the older, more seasoned speakers. The process of paring novice speakers with seasoned speakers has successfully developed and grown the speaker pool.

Another area of involvement at the national level is my appointment to the American Board of Physical Therapy Residencies and Fellowships (ABPTRFE), a board charged with the accreditation of residencies and fellowships in defined areas of clinical practices. This board was developed to enhance the educational preparation of the clinicians in specific areas of physical therapy. Initially I reviewed applications and conducted site visits for the clinics applying for accreditation. I was appointed to the board for a 4-year term, serving as chair the 3^rd year. I am currently on the council responsible for overseeing the teams reviewing the applications, ensuring the policies for accreditation are followed.

I feel that the skills and knowledge I gained through my service to the SPTS and the APTA would be an asset to IFSPT in taking the association to the next level. I have included my abbreviated CV for you and the board to review. I will be attending the meeting in Belfast in October and look forward to seeing all of you again and answering any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Gail Freidhoff-Bohman, MA,T, PT, SCS, AT-Ret.

EB Nomination_USA_Gail Freidhoff-Bohman

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Please accept my application for EB membership with IFSPT. Below I will specify what I believe qualifies me for membership, and what I wish to offer to IFSPT member countries if accepted.

When IFSPT was founded in 2000, Austria was among the founding members. Two years later we invited IFSPT to hold one of their first GM’s in Vienna. This is when I gained important insights into the IFSPT’s work. I became a representative for the Austrian sports physiotherapy network in 2004.

Professional experience:

I graduated in 1991 from the School for Physiotherapy in Steyr, Austria, und started to work at a hospital (Wels) soon after. In the mid-nineties the first postgraduate sports physiotherapy courses were offered. I successfully completed all courses (42 days) in 1999. At that time my area of expertise was musculoskeletal rehabilitation, with a specialization in foot, knee and shoulder surgery. I assumed a leadership position at Wels hospital, working with a team of ten, treating patients and providing on-the-job training for junior colleagues.

Experience in high-level sports physiotherapy:

In addition to these responsibilities I had the opportunity to develop skills in sport-specific rehab when working for LASK Linz, a first-league Austrian football team. In 1999 I was asked to accept a full time job as a sports physical therapist. At the Ramsau FIS Nordic World Ski Championship our group contributed to the sports physiotherapy support for a number of smaller countries on a pro bono basis.

Continuing education:

During my time as an employed physiotherapist (Wels hospital and LASK football club) I improved my knowledge completing courses as a participant in manual therapy (Kaltenborn), mobilization of the nervous system (by David Butler) and McKenzie. Over the past years, I strove to broaden my horizon in physiotherapy by completing courses in applied kinesiology, craniosacral therapy, and spiral dynamics.

In 2000 I started my independent practice with four physiotherapy colleagues und two orthopedic surgeons. I have now seventeen years of experience of independent work in this field.

Teaching activity:

My professional skills in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and sports physiotherapy appeared to be well suited for a newly founded academy for physiotherapy in Wels. Starting 1996, I was a lecturer for four years in the field of traumatology and orthopedics. From 2007 and 2009 I was a lecturer for sensomotor control at Vienna University’s Masters programme in sports physiotherapy. Through the last 15 years I offer post graduate musculo-skelettal shoulder courses with accent on „bringing evidence into practice“.

Events and symposia:

In 2007 I accepted the responsibility of chair of the Austrian sports physiotherapy network. One of my first goals in that position was to establish a communication forum for all sports physiotherapists. We launched two symposia in 2007 and 2008 that can now be seen as the starting point for something new in sport sphysiotherapy in Austria. In 2008 the networking between IFSPT member countries grew in depth and scope. Mario Bizzini from Switzerland and Manfred Bauer from Germany initiated the 2008 football symposia held in tandem with the European football championship in Austria and Switzerland.

Together with a colleague and representatives from Salzburg University we saw the need to bring the international knowledge that existed within the IFSPT to Austria, and we started a formal collaboration in 2009. A bi-annual symposium has since been offered at Salzburg, from 2013 on in close cooperation with the IFSPT (with the invaluable help of Mario Bizzini). The symposium has brought together about 300 colleagues and sports scientists each time.

Competencies and standards:

In 2004 the Austrian sports physiotherapy network was asked to contribute to the establishment of the sports physiotherapy Masters programme at Vienna University. Former IFSPT president Laetitia Dekker-Bakker helped us to integrate the new competencies & standards to this programme.

In 2011 I motivated our national physiotherapy organisation (Physio Austria) to start a general specialization process, followed by the specific specialization process for sports physiotherapy in 2014 through our network. This project will be finished in a few months. Afterwards the IFSPT registration process will follow. Nicki Philips helped us a lot with her advice. Last but not least, we succeeded in ensuring that “sports physiotherapy“ will be considered new Austrian sports legislation, receiving a standing equal to that of sports medicine, sports science and sports psychology.

Contribution to Executive Board of IFSPT:

This was a short overlook about my activities in the last twenty years. As I hope to have shown, my professional career has been an endorsement of IFSPT values from its beginnings. Specifically, as a representative I have supported IFSPT’s work through:

- participation at GM’S and bringing in agenda items

- distribution of IFSPT newsletters (and bringing in content into this newsletters) to all colleagues in Austria (50 % of our colleagues therefore knew IFSPT)

- promoting IFSPT at our symposia (IFSPT related symposia)
- defining sports physiotherapy competencies in Austria that match IFSPT’s competencies

How can I contribute to IFSPT work?

IFSPT and the above-named people (Laetitia, Mario and Nicki) helped us significantly in establishing sports physiotherapy in Austria. I think it is now time to give something back to this organization.

- I believe I possess the right combination of sports, political and practical experience and knowledge that I can bring in to IFSPT;

- I have an excellent command of networking and I am willing to bring it in to IFSPT;

- I have many years of experience in building professional networks and I can support (smaller) countries to start groups in sports physical therapy and so to raise the number of member countries within IFSPT;

- I contributed to more than ten symposia in a leading role, amounting to substantial experience in large organizational tasks. I would like to offer this experience to the IFSPT.

I hope you agree that my qualifications are a strong match with the values and goals of IFSPT and that you will accept my application.

I thank you for your consideration and look forward to seeing you in Belfast.

Karl Lochner

I'm sending this letter to indicate the reasons for nominating myself for an EB position.

I'm a SONAFE associate since 2007 and I have always engage to help my profession grow. I took part on Organizing Committees of 3 SONAFE's Conferences since then. Moreover, I now have 6 years of dedication on SONAFE's Executive Board. I'm the first female president of SONAFE, in a country with many restrictions to women participation in sport and politics. I could contribute to IFSPT on administrative issues, scientific events organization and strategies to enhance IFSPT membership.

SONAFE have partnership with AKD (Sports Physical Therapy Association of Argentina - http://www.akd.org.ar/) and SOKIDE (Sports Physical Therapy Association of Chile - http:// www.sokide.com/). I could help IFSPT to spread their members in South America throughout SONAFE.

Moreover, I'm a teacher in a Federal University in Brazil and I develop research in Sports Physical Therapy field. I participated in the last 3 editions of IOC World Conference on Injury and Illness in Sport with poster and workshops presentations. I also engaged on the organization of the Physical Therapy services of the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics Games. Therefore, I could contribute to the Scientific Committee of IFSPT events/actions.

Please, see attached to this letter my CV with experience, education, publications and committee work.

I'm pleased to have this opportunity to be a SONAFE's candidate for an EB position on IFSPT.

Sincerely,

Luciana De Michelis Mendonça President of SONAFE (2016-2017)

EB Nomination_Luciana DeMichelis Mendonca