By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed Ramona Carper, PT, DPT, as a member of the State Board of Physical Therapy for a term expiring Feb. 18, 2028.

Carper, a physical therapist and associate professor/associate program director in the Department of Physical Therapy in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky, replaces Peggy Block, whose term expired.

“I feel honored to have been chosen to serve Kentucky as a member of the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy,” Carper said.

Carper earned a BHS (1992) and a DPT (2010) from the University of Kentucky’s College of Health Sciences.

Her areas of teaching include ethics and physical therapy administration. Prior to teaching at UK, she worked for more than 20 years in a rural outpatient physical therapy facility where she had the opportunity to serve the community in a variety of settings in addition to outpatient, including acute, school-based pediatrics, skilled nursing facilities, home health and onsite industry. She was also involved in management, having functioned as a clinic director and co-owner of the business.

Carper has served the Kentucky chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association in a variety of roles, including chief delegate and president.

She said her new role with the State Board of Physical Therapy is an important one.

“The State Board of Physical Therapy is a regulatory board that serves to protect the public by ensuring that licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants provide safe and effective care to patients,” she said. “It is a privilege to be able to serve in this capacity.”

Those in the College agreed.

“This is a very significant accomplishment and immense acknowledgment of her leadership and devotion to Physical Therapy practice in the Commonwealth,” said Patrick Pabian, PT, DPT, PhD and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy.