Tara Maroney

I define myself as a physical therapist always, and I'm still working clinically. I graduated in 2010 from Sacred Heart University with a doctorate in physical therapy and completed a residency program right after that, specializing as a clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy. From that residency, I started adjuncting or teaching at Sacred Heart around 2011. I've mostly worked with older adults with neurological diseases and have primarily worked in inpatient hospital settings, what's called inpatient rehab facilities, since I graduated in 2010. Throughout those times, I've taught at different colleges around the area. Around 2014, I started increasing my lab and adjuncting time more in the Springfield, Massachusetts area, both at Springfield College and American International College. I gradually started taking on more courses because I was really enjoying having students in the clinic, but also being able to have a wider impact on more people with classrooms. There were spaces for me to start to come in as associate professor and come in full-time. Because I have my specialty, I still have to have a certain number of clinic hours each year, so I both teach and work still in inpatient rehab. I am an associate tenured professor right now at American International College, where I primarily teach neurologic physical therapy, as well as health and wellness, and I am an assistant director of the program as well. The assistant director position came about within the last year. I'll be starting a fellowship next month in higher education leadership, and I will be transitioning into the role of the director of physical therapy come the end of fall.