ATI Physical Therapy announces the recipients of the Company’s Leader of the Year award, which aims to recognize leaders within the Company for excellence in patient care and business results in their local communities.

A total of seven ATI team members were recognized for their dedication to driving successful patient outcomes, exhibiting ATI values and leading others to succeed.

At ATI Physical Therapy’s annual National Leadership Event, held virtually to protect the health and safety of team members, more than 700 company leaders gathered to celebrate 2021 achievements across the company. The event featured remarks by Executive Chairman Jack Larsen, Chief Operating Officer Ray Wahl, and other senior leaders.

“You are the most important aspect of our business — and, from what I know, you deliver the best PT care out there,” Larsen told the team. “Supporting you with the right solutions and the right execution was the only way we could have become the best PT company.”

Wahl offered further praise: “I find it energizing to be with and around people who feel as I do about this industry, about this work and to know that the business of caring for patients at ATI is in great hands because of you.”

ATI Physical Therapy Leader of the Year Winners

Clinic Directors

Ashley Temby, Illinois (Illinois Region)

Temby has 9 years of service with ATI in the Norridge, Melrose Park, and Niles locations in Chicago’s western suburbs. She effectively manages staff across her three clinics. Additionally, Temby spearheads a leadership development group in the district in which she coaches and develops staff to enable their growth and contributions, resulting in three clinician promotions into leadership roles.

Rachel Tatham, Indiana (Central Region)

Tatham has 8 years of service with ATI in the Center Grove, Columbus, and Seymour, Ind markets. She effectively oversaw other clinics as a multisite clinic director, managed a three-part development series for district clinic directors, and volunteered to provide coverage for two other clinics outside her current market when another clinic director was on leave. Tatham has been a peer mentor five times in the past year and was selected to work with ATI Academy, the company’s internal training arm, as a subject-matter expert for developing clinical leadership training programs.

Courtney Cooley, Maryland (Northeast Region)

Cooley has been with ATI for 6 years in the Pasadena, Hanover, and Baltimore-Catonsville, Md markets. Her clinicians have consistently achieved strong results. Additionally, Cooley led a focus group of clinic directors to develop a 6-week onboarding program for operations support specialists, and she mentors district clinic directors.

Jonathan Kirsch, Oregon (Northwest Region)

Kirsch has 4 years of service with ATI in the Hillsboro, Nebraska, and Scappoose, Ore markets. He has effectively driven volume growth across his clinics. Kirsch also developed the Northwest Region Multisite Clinic Director RoundTable Group to improve collaboration across the region. His clinics have produced 43 new Google Reviews of 4.8/5 or higher, and he led the single-fastest clinic volume jump in the district with the opening of the St. Helen, Ore, clinic.

Ed Zapf, South Carolina (Southeast Region)

In just 5 years with ATI, Zapf has consistently driven performance across his clinics, even among pandemic-era challenges. He leads with strong focus on developing people and has developed two former direct reports to become multisite clinic directors. Zapf effectively manages his team members in the Greer and Travelers’ Rest, SC clinics. Additionally, Zapf implemented clinical “Lunch & Learns” initially for District 38 but has now expanded these sessions to clinicians across the entire state of South Carolina.

Chris Panjavan, Texas (Southwest Region)

Since starting his ATI career in the San Antonio market, Chris has expanded his reach by transitioning into Austin, Texas, and led integration efforts for ATI’s expansion into the Houston market. He has become a valued partner with the company’s Mergers & Acquisitions team. He also excels in customer service — a patient once drove more than 2,100 miles to work with Chris for post-op amputation and wrote a five-star Google Review about the experience.

District Director

Angela Aijian, Washington (Northwest Region)

Aijian joined ATI in 2014 and currently oversees more than 100 team members across her 17 clinics in the Northwest Region. She was an integral part of the development of the multisite scheduling coordinator, operations support specialist, and clinic director training processes for referral intake and led coordination efforts with the central scheduling team. Aijian also coordinated an implementation pilot for nutrition, including vendor management, pilot and implementation, and the development of documentation templates across the ATI platform.

Congratulations to all recognized winners and to the hundreds of clinicians who continue to serve as ATI ambassadors in the physical therapy field.

[Source(s): ATI Physical Therapy, PR Newswire]