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Executive Director of Research and Evaluation
Craig Hospital
OMB No. 0925-0001 and 0925-0002 (Rev. 10/2021 Approved Through 09/30/2024)
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.
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NAME: Candace R Tefertiller, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS
eRA COMMONS USER NAME (credential, e.g., agency login): CTcraig
POSITION TITLE: Executive Director of Research and Evaluation
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable. Add/delete rows as necessary.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE
(if applicable)
Completion Date
MM/YYYY
FIELD OF STUDY
Mount Olive College, Mount Olive, NC BS 1997 Biology
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC MPT 2000 Physical Therapy
Rocky Mountain Health Care University, Sandy, UT DPT 2009 Physical Therapy
University of Colorado Health Sciences PhD 2019 Clinical Sciences
A. Personal Statement
For the last 20 years, I have worked as a clinician scientist focused on improving the lives of individuals and their family members following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Trained as a physical therapist before getting my PhD, I provided services to individuals with TBI and SCI while also directly supporting families in understanding their injury and the extent of their future care. My educational background focused in Physical Therapy and Clinical Sciences has provided a strong foundation for me to implement, manage, and disseminate research at the intersection of clinical, behavioral, and rehabilitation sciences with translational impact in the healthcare system. I am currently a Co-Project Director for the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) at Craig Hospital and I serve as the site-specific Principal Investigator (PI) studying high intensity gait training to improve recovery after TBI. I also served as the site-specific study PI for the TBIMS grant during the 2012-2017 cycle, publishing findings on improving balance after TBI. I am the site PI for the BeHealthy study funded by NIDILRR to develop a chronic disease management model after TBI, as well as the CARE4TBI study funded by NIH to compare treatment approaches to promote inpatient rehabilitation effectiveness for TBI. I have been in leadership and administrative roles for the last 15 years and I am currently the Executive Director of Research and Evaluation at Craig Hospital, allowing me to provide systematic oversight to support our TBI research portfolio.
B. Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors
Positions and Employment
2004 – 2005 Staff physical therapist, Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA
2004 – 2005 Staff physical therapist, Greenville Memorial Hospital, Greenville, SC
2005 – 2010 Clinical Program Manager of Beyond Therapy, Multiple Sclerosis Program and the Pain Clinic, Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA
2009 – 2010 Director of Activity Based Therapy Programs, Shepherd Center, Atlanta GA
2013 – 2020 Director of NeuroRecovery Network at Craig Hospital
2010 – 2020 Director of Physical Therapy, Craig Hospital, Englewood, CO
2020 – present Executive Director of Research and Evaluation, Craig Hospital Englewood, CO
Other Experience and Professional Memberships
2000 – present Member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
2008 – present Member of Neurologic section of APTA (American Spinal Cord Injury Association)
2018 – present Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Chanda Plan Foundation
2017 – 2018 Board member of Chanda Plan Foundation
2019 – present Vice President of the ASIA Education Committee
Honors
2020 CO APTA Bob Doctor Service Award
2018 Outstanding Spinal Cord Injury Clinician presented at ASCIP Conference
2013 – 2014 Appointed to SCI EDGE task force
2008 – present Neurological Clinical Specialist
C. Contributions to Science
1. Interventions to Promote Recovery after Neurologic Injury: I have been involved with the development and implementation of three activity-based therapy programs at two Model Systems Centers (Craig Hospital and Shepherd Center). This work has led to the publications outlining the benefits of intensive training to improve outcomes after neurologic injury.
a. Tefertiller, C., Ketchum J., Bartelt, P., Peckham, M., & Hays,K., (2022) Feasibility of virtual reality and treadmill training in traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled pilot trial, Brain Injury, DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2022.2096258
b. Tefertiller, C., Bartelt, P., Stobelaar, M., Charlifue, S., Sevigny, M., Vande Griend, E., & Rozwod, M. (2022). Improving Upper Extremity Strength, Function, and Trunk Stability Using Wide-Pulse Functional Electrical Stimulation in Combination With Functional Task-Specific Practice. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 28 (2): 139–152.
c. Tefertiller, C., Rozwod, M., VandeGriend, E., Bartelt, P., Sevigny, M., & Smith, A. C. (2022). Transcutaneous Electrical Spinal Cord Stimulation to Promote Recovery in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences. 2022-January-04 2022;2 doi:10.3389/fresc.2021.740307.
d. Tefertiller, C., Rozwod, M., Wojciehowski, S., Sevigny, M., Charlifue, S., Ketchum, J. M., ... & Basso, M. (2021). A comparison of one year outcomes between standardized locomotor training and usual care after motor incomplete spinal cord injury: Community participation, quality of life and re-hospitalization. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, Oct 6:1-10.
e. Tefertiller, C., & Gerber, D. (2017). Step ergometer training augmented with functional electrical stimulation in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury: a feasibility study. Artificial organs, 41(11).
f. Jones, Michael L., Tefertiller, C, et al. (2014) Activity-based therapy for recovery of walking in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury: results from a randomized clinical trial. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation 95.12: 2239-2246.
g. Jones, M. L., Evans, N., Tefertiller, C., Backus, D., Sweatman, M., Tansey, K., & Morrison, S. (2014). Activity-based therapy for recovery of walking in chronic spinal cord injury: results from a secondary analysis to determine responsiveness to therapy. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 95(12), 2247-2252.
h. Jones, M., Harness, E., Denison, P., Tefertiller, C., Evans, N., & Larson, C. (2012). Activity-based therapies in spinal cord injury: clinical focus and empirical evidence in three independent programs. Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, 18(1), 34-42.
i. Tefertiller C, Pharo B, Evans N, Winchester, P. Robotic Locomotor Training for Neurological Disorders. J Rehabil. Res. Dev. 2011; 48(4): 387-416.
j. Backus D, Winchester P, Tefertiller C. Translating Research Into Clinical Practice: Integrating Robotics Into NeuroRehabilitation for Stroke Survivors. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation. 2010 17(5):362-370.
k. Backus D, Tefertiller C. Incorporating Manual and Robotic Locomotor Training into clinical Practice: Suggestions for clinical Decision Making. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: 2008 14(1):23- 33.
2. Robotic Exoskeleton Training after Spinal Cord Injury: I have contributed to the knowledge base regarding the use of exoskeletons to improve mobility after SCI. This work has resulted in several publications.
a. Garnier-Villarreal M, Pinto D, Mummidisetty CK, Jayaraman A, Tefertiller C, Charlifue S, Taylor HB, Chang SH, McCombs N, Furbish CL, Field-Fote EC, Heinemann AW. (2021) Predicting Duration of Outpatient Physical Therapy Episodes for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Based on Locomotor Training Strategy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. Oct 11:S0003-9993(21)01482-9.
b. Pinto, D., Garnier, M., Barbas, J., Chang, S. H., Charlifue, S., Field-Fote, E. Tefertiller, C, & Jayaraman, A. (2020). Budget impact analysis of robotic exoskeleton use for locomotor training following spinal cord injury in four SCI Model Systems. Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 17(1), 1-13.
c. Heinemann, A. W., Jayaraman, A., Mummidisetty, C. K., Spraggins, J., Pinto, D., Charlifue, S. Tefertiller, C. & Furbish, C. L. (2018). Experience of Robotic Exoskeleton Use at Four Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers. Journal of neurologic physical therapy: JNPT, 42(4), 256-267.
d. Tefertiller, C., Hays, K., Jones, J., Jayaraman, A., Hartigan, C., Bushnik, T., & Forrest, G. F. (2017). Initial Outcomes from a Multicenter Study Utilizing the Indego Powered Exoskeleton in Spinal Cord Injury. Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, 24(1), 78-85.
3. Outcome Measure Recommendations for SCI: I was selected by the APTA to be on a team to evaluate the literature and provide recommendations to clinicians on the appropriate outcome measures to use when treating individuals with SCI. This was a collaborative team of physical therapists from across the US and the efforts resulted in a living document that is utilized by PTs and students to determine which outcome measures are most appropriate to use in the clinical, educational and research settings. This effort resulted in two publications.
a. Kahn, J.,H., Tappan, R., Newman, C.,P., Palma, P., Romney, W., Tseng Stultz, E., Tefertiller, C., Weisbach, C., L. Outcome Measure Recommendations From the Spinal Cord Injury EDGE Task Force. Phys Ther. 2016 Nov;96(11):1832-1842.
b. Kahn, Jennifer, and Candy Tefertiller. "Measurement Characteristics and Clinical Utility of the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury." Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 96.3 (2015): 565-566.
4. TBI Model Systems National Database: The TBIMS National Database (NDB) contains information on over 18,000 individuals with moderate and severe TBI who received acute care hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation following their initial injury. This database also contains over 64,000 follow-up evaluations on those individuals at 1 year post-injury, 2 years, 5 years and every 5 years thereafter, now out to 30 years post-injury. In my current position as Co- Project Director of the TBIMS at Craig Hospital, I have a significant role in the management, analysis and quality of the TBIMS studies being conducted at Craig as well as the collaborative studies we’re involved with across the TBIMS. In a previous TBIMS grant cycle, I was the PI on a site-specific study evaluating the use of virtual reality training to improve balance and mobility in chronic TBI.
a. Novack, T. A., Zhang, Y., Kennedy, R., Rapport, L. J., Marwitz, J., Dreer, L. E., … Tefertiller, C..... & Brunner, R. (2021). Driving patterns, confidence, and perception of abilities following moderate to severe traumatic brain injury: a TBI model system study. Brain injury, Jul 3;35(8):863-870.
b. Whiteneck, G. G., Ketchum, J. M., Almeida, E. J., Goldstein, R., Brown, A. W., Corrigan, J. D., ... & Tefertiller, C. (2021). Developing an Index of Medical Conditions Associated with Outcomes after Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of neurotrauma, 38(5), 593-603.
c. Hawley, L., Morey, C., Sevigny, M., Ketchum, J., Simpson, G., Harrison-Felix, C., & Tefertiller, C. (2022). Enhancing Self-Advocacy After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, Mar-Apr 01;37(2):114-124.
d. Tefertiller, C., Hays, K., Natale, A., O’Dell, D., Ketchum, J., Sevigny, M.... & Harrison-Felix, C. (2019). Results from a randomized controlled trial to address balance deficits after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, Aug;100(8):1409-1416.
e. Hays, K., Tefertiller, C., Ketchum, J. M., Sevigny, M., O’Dell, D. R., Natale, A., ... & Harrison-Felix, C. (2019). Balance in chronic traumatic brain injury: correlations between clinical measures and a self-report measure. Brain injury, 33(4):435-441.
Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.