Elizabeth Locke, PT, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Locke, PT, Ph.D., is Executive Director and Associate Professor within the Department of Physical Therapy's Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Kean University and Faculty Emerita of Rehabilitation Sciences at Old Dominion University. Her primary responsibilities are academic administration, research, jurisdictional and national service, and teaching the future doctors of physical therapy in the United States. Dr. Locke’s research interests center around increasing organizational diversity, equity and inclusion in the profession of physical therapy, the graduate student experience in doctor of physical therapy programs and health services research in the area of diabetes management. Dr. Locke has a sustained and strong record of university, jurisdictional and national leadership and serves as a National Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commissioner for the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy. Licensed to practice physical therapy in the State of New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Virginia, Dr. Locke is a twice gubernatorial appointee to serve 2 regulatory commissions on the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy. Dr. Locke’s administrative focus is advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in health professions programs through the promotion of leadership, clinical and educational pathways for historically marginalized groups to meet the healthcare demands of increasingly diverse populations.

• Ph.D., Health Services Research, Old Dominion University
• M.S., Urban Health Services, Old Dominion University
• B.S., Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University

• American Council of Academic Physical Therapy Commissioner 
• APTA Credentialed Clinical Trainer and Advanced Clinical Instructor
• APTA Minority Faculty Development Scholarship Award
• APTA Virginia John L. Echternach Research Award      
• Associate Member / Delegate, Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
• Faculty Emerita of Rehabilitation Sciences, Old Dominion University 
• FSBPT Excellence in Governance Award
• Inside Business Outstanding Women in Business Achievement Award
• National Association of Black Physical Therapists, Inc.
• The Alpha Eta Society
• The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
• The Old Dominion University Barbara Jordan Community Service Award
• The Old Dominion University John R. Broderick Diversity Champion Award 
• United Way of South Hampton Roads Project Inclusion Board Governance and Leadership Development Program 
• Vice President, Virginia Board of Physical Therapy
• Virginia Department of Health Professions Non-Prescriber Opioid Task Force
• Who’s Who in America
• Who’s Who in Health Sciences Education

• DPT 6700
• DPT 6800
• DPT 6900

Anuforo, P., Locke, E., Robinson, M., Thorpe, C. (2023). Backs of Steel™: The Experience of Black Women Leaders in Contemporary Academia. In R.P. Chapdelaine (Ed.), M.D. Thompson (Ed.) and A.A. Asare (Ed.)  When Will The Joy Come:  Black Women in the Ivory Tower, pp 165-176.  Series Title:  African American Intellectual History, University of Massachusetts Press:  Amherst and Boston.  

Nekola, Lisa, Tucker, J., Locke, E., Chermak, E., Marshall, T.  (2022). Pediatric interprofessional education opportunities in entry-level doctor of physical therapy programs.  Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice (29), 100575, ISSN 2405-4526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2022.100575.

Majsak, Michael J. PT, Ed.D.; Hall, Cheryl A. PT, DHSc, PCS, MBA; Kirsch, Nancy R. PT, DPT, Ph.D., FAPTA; Krencicki, Dennise B. PT, DPT, MA; Locke, Elizabeth PT, Ph.D.; Hyland, Nannette PT, Ph.D. (2022) Physical Therapy Education Program Faculty Challenges, Concerns, and Priorities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Looking Back and Moving Forward. Journal of Physical Therapy Education 36(2), 97-106.  doi: 10.1097/JTE.0000000000000228.

Gallivan, S., Locke, E., and Renner, T. (2021).  Systematic review of psychometric properties of clinical instructor performance assessment instruments in healthcare professional education programs.  American Council of Academic Physical Therapy.  Educational Leadership Conference.  Atlanta, GA, October 22-24, 2021.

Shepherd, J, Goodman, K, Locke, E, Johnson, K, Claiborne, D, Editors. (2016). Interprofessional Education and Collaboration is a Call for Improvement Across the Board in the Health Sciences. American Journal of Health Research. 4(2-1).

Shepherd, JG, Locke, E, Zhang, Q, & Maihafer, G. (2014). Health services use and prescription access among uninsured patients managing chronic diseases. Journal of Community Health: The Publication for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. 39(3), 572-583.

Shuman, Deanne & Locke, Elizabeth (2013). Cultural health influences. Primary Preventive Dentistry, 8th Edition (pp. 14-21). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Kott KM, Held SL, Giles EF, Franjoine MR. (2011). Predictors of standardized walking obstacle course outcome measures in children with and without developmental disabilities. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 23(4), 365-73.

Giles, EF, Garzon, LS, Plichta, SB, Rutledge, CM. (2010). A pilot study of diversity climate and organizational effectiveness in accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs [Abstract]. Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association, Online ISSN 1538-6724.

Giles, Elizabeth Francis (2008). Application of the interactional model of cultural diversity to identify diversity climate factors associated with organizational    effectiveness in accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs. Ph.D. dissertation, Old Dominion University, United States -- Virginia. Dissertations &    Theses: Full Text database. AAT 3338435.

Giles, Elizabeth Francis. (2002). A proposed program evaluation model for physical therapy clinical education. Journal of Global Awareness, 3(1), 54-65.