TINA PATEL GUNALDO

In 2011, a colleague and now dear friend invited me to support her and her husband through his medical journey, changing my life forever. I was fortunate to be healthy, as were most of my friends and family, but my friend's husband faced a chronic, progressive, debilitating disease. Through this experience, I discovered significant gaps in our health system related to collaboration and communication. Today, I use my lived experiences, education, and career to research, teach, and implement best practices for patient-centered interprofessional collaborative practice care models.

My professional journey began as a physical therapist at North Oaks Health System, where I advanced in administrative roles within the rehabilitation department. During this time, I earned a Master of Health Science in Education from Louisiana State University Health New Orleans (LSUHNO) and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Boston University. Combining my passion for education and administration, I joined an academic health sciences center, earned a PhD in Healthcare Administration from Capella University, and served as the inaugural Director of LSUHNO’s Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice office.

I am actively involved in my professional community, serving as:

1. Co-President of the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative (AIHC)

2. Associate Editor for the Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice (JIEP)

3. Board Member of the Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center (SELAHEC)

4. Member of the Scientific and Practice Affairs Committee of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)