Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese

PT, EdD, FNAP

Dr. Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese (she/her) currently serves as the Director of the Performing Arts Fellowship Program, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and is an Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine in the Programs in Physical Therapy at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S), Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Abbruzzese has over twenty-five years of clinical experience in physical therapy and over 15 years as an educator. She was accepted into the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators. In 2022, Dr. Abbruzzese was selected as a Columbia University Provost Senior Faculty Teaching Scholar.

Dr. Abbruzzese is a fellow in the APTA Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership and recently joined the Board of the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PTLI). She serves as the President of the Performing Arts Special Interest Group (PASIG) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Academy of Orthopedics and serves on the faculty for the APTA Geriatrics Certified Exercise Experts in Aging Adults course series. Dr. Abbruzzese serves on the Systemic Discrimination and Racism Mitigation Task Force, an American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) National Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Commission (NEDIC) post-summit initiative.

Dr. Abbruzzese is a fierce advocate for social justice and interprofessional education and collaborative practice. At Columbia, Dr. Abbruzzese serves on the Columbia Commons Interprofessional Education Steering Committee, Rehabilitation & Regenerative medicine DEI committee, and the Executive committee for Antiracist Transformation in Medical Education (ART in MedEd). She co-leads the VP&S Anti-Racism Coalition Alliance for Enhancing Antiracist Curriculum. Dr. Abbruzzese is recognized nationally as a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice (NAP), which advocates for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice. She chaired the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Taskforce, and will serve NAP as the Vice President of Membership. In 2022, Dr. Abbruzzese was awarded the Emerging Interprofessional National Academies of Practice Member of the Year.