APTA CEO Justin D. Moore, PT, DPT, has announced the hiring of Carmen Elliott as APTA’s vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and executive director of the Physical Therapy Fund, effective April 19, 2021.

In this new role, Elliott serves as the association’s member-facing DEI thought leader and practitioner, working with senior leadership to cultivate and champion a diverse, equitable, and inclusive member experience. She will implement strategies, programs, and policies to attract and retain a diverse membership to expand and strengthen a workforce that reflects the society it serves. As vice president of DEI and executive director of the PT Fund, which includes the Minority Scholarship Fund and the Dimensions of Diversity Fund, Elliott will be staff liaison to the Board of Directors’ DEI Committee and the PT Fund Board of Trustees. She will administer the fund, create a strategy for increasing donations, and participate in fundraising efforts.

Elliott is a longtime member of the APTA team, having been with the association for nearly 15 years. Most recently she served as APTA’s vice president of insurer relations, where she provided strategic direction through leadership of advocacy efforts to promote the best health care coverage for consumers and policies that support physical therapist services. 

“Over the past few years APTA’s leadership have taken intentional steps to make DEI even more central to our mission,” said Moore. “This new position is critical, as it embodies our commitment to supporting and advocating for DEI in both the association and the profession. As a member of APTA’s team myself, I have personally worked with Carmen for many years and am confident that her vast experience, commitment, and passion for DEI will result in innovative new strategies for embracing everyone equally, in every facet of our work.”

Elliott is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the American College of Healthcare Executives. She currently serves on the ASAE Healthcare Committee as immediate past chair. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in health care management, and she is pursuing a doctorate in human services. She was selected as an ASAE Diversity Executive Leadership Program Scholar for the class of 2016-2018 and became a certified association executive in 2018.

Open positions at APTA are posted on our website.