Dr. Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS

Dr. Nay is running for Director at Large - Young Professionals Director in the 2023 APTA Colorado Elections. 

I was raised in the desert of Palm Springs, CA playing competitive soccer, basketball, and golf. It was an injury from soccer that introduced me to physical therapy and allowed me to avoid surgery. I started working as a technician in physical therapy clinics while I was in high school and became enthralled with the profession. After receiving my BS in Kinesiology at Cal Poly SLO, I worked for three years as a clinic manager and lead technician in an outpatient orthopaedic physical therapy clinic. I moved to Colorado in 2018 to attend Regis University where I graduated with my DPT in 2021. My interest in APTA began while at Regis. Shortly after graduating, I applied for and received the inaugural Young Professional Leader Scholarship through APTA CO. Through this wonderful program, I was able to attend board meetings, receive direct mentorship and leadership training, learn the inner workings of APTA and our state chapter, create a social media/public relations committee, and was even able to attend the 2022 House of Delegates as a Delegate. This experience has spurred my interest in pursuing a board position with APTA CO. I also just recently received board certification as an Orthopaedic Certified Specialist through the ABPTS.

Outside of physical therapy, I enjoy spending time with my lovely wife, Laurel, and our pets. Some of my favorite activities include hiking, cooking, golfing, and reading. I also enjoy challenging myself with weight training in the gym, CrossFit, and road biking.

Identify and describe current or previous leadership positions and/or work experiences that make you qualified for this position:
Several leadership positions have provided valuable opportunities to prepare for this position. One of the primary experiences was being the inaugural Young Professional Leadership Scholar through APTA CO. Through this wonderful program, I was able to attend board meetings, receive direct mentorship and leadership training, learn the inner workings of APTA and our state chapter, create a social media/public relations committee, and was even able to attend the 2022 House of Delegates as a Delegate. I also have clinical management experience, which requires efficient communication skills, interprofessional collaboration with physicians and medical assistants, and ensuring that our company values are upheld in every interaction. Lastly, I recently received my Orthopedic Certified Specialist certification through ABPTS without attending a residency program, which exemplifies my drive and pursuit to improve my own clinical practice and thus the lives of the members of my community.
 

What strengths do you bring to the Colorado Chapter and what strengths would you bring to the position you are running for?
The strengths I would bring to our Colorado Chapter and the Young Professional Director position would be direct and effective communication skills, a propensity for orientation to detail, collaboration skills for achieving goals, and the ability to gather the requisite information to prepare for board meetings as well as committee meetings. I will also strive to inspire other young professionals to actively become engaged in our chapter.

What are weaknesses of the Colorado Chapter and what improvements would you like to make?
One weakness of our chapter that I would like to focus on would be member engagement, especially of our younger/newer clinicians to demonstrate the importance of APTA and how significant it is to become involved for the betterment of our profession and addressing the issues that we face, both locally and nationally. Another topic that I'd like to improve would be community engagement and interaction, such as possibly initiating volunteer opportunities where APTA CO staff and committee members come together to provide services such as health screenings, food/shelter services, and/or presentations at local schools or organizations about the wide range of benefits of physical therapy.