Leslie Portney, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, is retiring following a distinguished career of 50 years in physical therapy, more than half spent as a member of the faculty at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.
To recognize and honor her profound accomplishments, the Institute is proud to establish the Leslie Portney Fund for Interprofessional Leadership which will support students and faculty as they pursue educational and research opportunities that foster interprofessional education and practice.
The Leslie Portney Fund for Interprofessional Leadership will:
- Support travel by students, faculty, or staff to domestic or international interprofessional meetings or conferences where the participant will expand their understanding of interprofessional education and bring new ideas back to the Institute;
- Seed new interprofessional projects at the Institute;
- Sponsor a faculty member or student to attend a course on interprofessional education.
Leslie’s impact on the Institute has been profound, having served as the Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and the Inaugural Dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). In that capacity, she expanded SHRS to 600 students and more than 60 faculty, from just two programs, Physical Therapy and Communications and Disorders, to now six programs, including Physician Assistant Studies, Occupational Therapy, a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, and Genetic Counseling.
One of her most substantial contributions has been as a leader in interprofessional education, establishing a strong integrated approach across programs at the Institute, and academic-practice partnerships that have served as models both nationally and internationally.
Leslie has also been a remarkable leader in the American Physical Therapy Association, serving as the inaugural president of American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT), the chair of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), and being honored as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA. Her commitment, energy and steadfast vision have provided many opportunities for the physical therapy profession to grow, and for the educational community to move forward.
The MGH Institute Fund relies on philanthropic support from our alumni and friends to be the great Institution that it is. Your gift will have an immediate impact on both current and future students.