Tricia Catalino.
HPU Dean Tricia Catalino, PT, DSc, has been elected t o serve as the next president of the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy (APTA Pediatrics), effective in February 2026 for a three-year term. APTA Pediatrics is the professional home to approximately 5,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students who work with pediatric patients or have an interest in this population.
Pediatric physical therapy spans homes, hospitals, clinics, schools, and community-based programs, reflecting the simple truth that children live, learn, and play almost anywhere. The organization and its members also serve adults with developmental disabilities and advocate on behalf of Medicaid services for patients of all ages. Catalino has served in leadership roles with APTA Pediatrics and APTA Nevada for many years and is ready to assume this important role in the coming year. HPU is proud of Catalino’s commitment to APTA Pediatrics and to the children and families who benefit from the organization’s vision and mission.
“I am honored to serve as the next President of APTA Pediatrics and to lead an organization that champions children, families, and the professionals who support them,” said Catalino. “Pediatric physical therapy reaches into homes, schools, and communities, and our members share a deep commitment to helping children and families reach their fullest potential. I look forward to working with our members to advance education, advocacy, and excellence across all practice settings.”
HPU selected Catalino in 2019 as the founding director for the first and only Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in Hawaiʻi. In 2023, she was appointed as the first dean of the newly established Graduate College of Health Sciences. Catalino is a highly accomplished physical therapist with deep experience in education and clinical practice. She holds a B.S. in Education & Social Policy and an M.P.T. from Northwestern University, and an M.S. and D.Sc. in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Oklahoma.
With nearly 30 years of clinical practice, she has focused on supporting children with disabilities and their families in early-intervention settings and as a clinical evaluator in an FDA drug trial for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. She is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy, Emeritus, and the co-project Director of a US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Personnel Preparation Grant to enhance the capacity the of early intervention physical therapy workforce in Hawaiʻi.
