National Physical Therapy Month is celebrated each October, and I would like to highlight our two incredible physical therapists Chris Gross and Barb Gleason who provide the very best hands-on physical therapy and a wide range of resources to our children and their families throughout the year.  

Chris Gross earned both a B.S. and post-professional M.S. in Physical Therapy from Daemen College. She has been with the Elizabeth Lee Black School since 2007.  Chris says, “I was able to apply skills from my experiences as a PT and as a parent and found school-based PT to be a great fit for me.  I have been blessed with wonderful co-workers here and have had the privilege to work with some amazing students! The best part of my job is seeing the progress the students make over the school year and of course, their contagious smiles!”  Chris especially enjoys helping the students with adapted biking, walking with the students in their gait devices, and playing with them on the playground.   

Barb Gleason earned a B.S. in Biology from St. Vincent College and an M.S. in Physical Therapy from Arcadia University. Before joining the Elizabeth Lee Black School in 2018, Barb worked in multiple settings, including outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and home health agencies.  Barb says, “I have enjoyed all the different areas of PT I have worked in, but I especially like school-based PT. I enjoy making relationships with the students and helping them to progress and develop new skills.  Being with students as they experience the joy of riding an adapted bike or walking in a gait trainer is one of my favorite parts of this job. And of course, seeing them progress and meet their goals provides me with a wonderful sense of accomplishment.” 

Physical therapy provides our students with so many benefits, including improved mobility and movement, critical muscle strengthening, and the ability to experience exciting activities such as riding an adaptive bike. It is evident that Chris and Barb love helping our students develop new skills and reach their fullest potential.   We are so fortunate to have them as part of our BNI family!