Colorado Chapter Outstanding PT for 2003

The individual selected as the Colorado chapters’ outstanding physical therapist of 2003 truly encompasses every aspect of the criteria for this award.  She was born and bred here in Colorado and attended physical therapy school at CU.   Since the very beginning of her PT career she has demonstrated leadership qualities as she was elected and served as president of her physical therapy class.  She always gave 100% effort in her class work, her professional duties and even the extracurricular activities……especially the extracurricular activities.  As a physical therapy student she attended a chapter conference and was giving it her all while dancing.  She was convinced she still had the flexibility of a youngster and attempted to do a split.  Well, she was not as flexible as she thought and ended up tearing her hamstring.

Following PT school she went out west and worked in Grand Junction for a few years before she got the itch to do it on her own and open up her own practice.  She has developed a very successful practice where she is highly respected by her peers, individuals in the community as well as the physicians in the area where she works side by side with them providing outstanding clinical care.  She is an exceptional clinician and a savvy business woman. She was never the type to work for someone else and has been ahead of the profession in being an autonomous practitioner.  So much so, that at the first opportunity to join the professions move to transitioning to the DPT she is enrolled in the transitional program offered by Regis University.

Over the years she has taken many students under her wings as a clinical educator mentoring them in the clinic as well as the profession.  She mentors individuals first as a role model by actively participating herself and then by encouraging and financially supporting individuals to participate in association activities so they can experience first hand the positive benefits of the association.  In her 16 years since graduating she has served the Colorado chapter in many arenas: ethics committee member, chair of the ethics committee, chair of the West district, district delegate, delegate at large, director at large and finally chapter treasurer.  These various positions placed her on the board of directors and executive committee for numerous years.  As many of you know these are all very time consuming activities. Then you add the three hour drive she has one way to attended the majority of these meetings in addition to the time away from the clinic, her family and community and what do you have.  What you have is one very dedicated, passionate, hard working and responsible individual.

Her life is not just about physical therapy and that is what makes her even more amazing.  In addition to all of her professional successes she has found the time to continue her passion for skiing and participates as a ski instructor in Aspen, has served in various components of the historical society in Basalt, is a wine connoisseur and a master chef. She is a very generous and caring individual.  She consistently volunteers to participate in chapter activities, consistently donates money to the various fund raisers within and without of the physical therapy profession and is the first to buy a round of drinks for her colleagues. Most importantly though she is married to a man she loves, is the mother of a wonderful and intelligent son to whom she participates actively in his life instilling her passion for life.

If you are exhausted to just listening to all she does can you imagine what it would be like to walk in her shoes for a day. Well, she does all this every day.  She does it with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm that is contagious to all those around her. We have been fortunate to have Libby Pettit a member and active participant of the Colorado chapter part of our lives and we are pleased to recognize her accomplishments by providing her with the 2003 outstanding physical therapist award.

Her award presentation was made by the Chapter's 2002 Outstanding PT, Mike Schlater of Ft. Collins.

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