Faculty

The PTA Program includes four full-time faculty, several adjunct faculty, and a variety of guest lecturers from related medical fields. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:10 in the classroom and lab settings for both programs.

	Dr. Wendy Bircher, PT, EdD PTA Program Director bircherw@sanjuancollege.edu (505) 566-3407 EdD, Educational Administration New Mexico State University MS in Adaptive Physical Education and MS in Special Education University of Utah BS, Physical Therapy University of Utah Wendy has been affiliated with the PTA program since the start of the program in 1992. She is currently the On-Campus Program Director. She has extensive teaching and clinical experience. She specializes in pediatric physical therapy.

	Amy Cooper, MS, DPT Assistant Professor ACCE for the On-Campus Program coopera@sanjuancollege.edu (505) 566-3424 DPT, Doctor of Physical Therapy Northwestern University MS, Neurobiology and Physiology Northwestern University BS, Chemical Engineering University of Tennessee Amy has been affiliated with the PTA program since 2003. She is currently an assistant professor and the Academic Coordinator for Clinical Education (ACCE) for the On-Campus Program. She specializes in orthopedic physical therapy. She lives in Durango, CO with her husband, her daughter, and black lab mix from the humane society named Copper Cooper.

	Therese Millis, DPT Online Program Director ACCE for the Online Program pta@sanjuancollege.edu (505) 566-3198 DPT, Doctor of Physical Therapy Arizona School of Health Sciences BS, Physical Therapy University of North Dakota BS, Organizational Communication University of Wyoming AAS, Biology Northwest Community College Therese has been affiliated with the PTA program since 2005. She is currently the Online Program Director. She has extensive teaching and clinical experience. She specializes in geriatrics and aquatic physical therapy.

	Karen Soensken, PTA, BS PTA Program Instructor soenskenk@sanjuancollege.edu (505) 566-3562 BS, Recreation University of Colorado AAS, Physical Therapist Assistant San Juan College Karen is a graduate from the PTA Program at San Juan College. She joined the faculty for the PTA Program in 2009. She has a variety of clinical experience from working in a skilled nursing facility, hospital and outpatient clinic.