2006 Recipient--Gay Girolami, PT, MS

This year, Pathways celebrates 22 years by honoring one of its own—Gay Girolami. Gay has been the heart and soul of Pathways Center since its inception in 1985 in Glenview, Illinois. Under Gay’s leadership, Pathways Center has been transformed from a small clinic to a state-of-the-art, best-practices therapy center.

Gay’s interest in therapy came early: “I was thinking of going into teaching or medicine, and then I went to a career fair in high school and saw a presentation by a physical therapist working with children.” A graduate of Marquette University with a bachelor’s in physical therapy, Gay earned her master’s degree in pediatric physical therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A physical therapist for five years in Berne, Switzerland, Gay worked with the esteemed team of physical therapist Mary Quintan and pediatrician Dr. Elsbeth Köng.

Gay’s credentials and advanced training include certification in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT), a hands-on, advanced therapeutic approach particularly beneficial to people with central nervous systems disorders. She is currently completing her doctorate in motor control and motor learning at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

In addition to being a gifted therapist, Gay is an extraordinary leader and teacher. She has shared her expertise with thousands of other therapists and medical professionals, and has led professional development courses both at home and abroad. Over 500 pediatric therapists in the Chicago area have been taught by Gay.

Gay is a coordinator instructor for the Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association (NDTA) and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), APTA Pediatric Section, and American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine. Gay is certified by the State of Illinois as an Early Intervention evaluator and treatment provider. She was most recently named the sole recipient of the 2005–2006 NDTA Small Grant Award.

Under Gay’s leadership, the staff at Pathways Center have touched the lives of thousands of children. Pathways Center enjoys a reputation as one of the premier outpatient therapy centers in the country.

For her overwhelming dedication to Pathways and its mission, and for her dedication to unlocking the full potential of infants and children through physical therapy, we honor Gay Girolami with the Pathways Pioneer Award.