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Lauren Valdata, PT, CHT
Board Member
 Lauren
Valdata, PT, CHT is a Senior Hand Therapist at The
National Curtis Hand Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Beginning
as a Staff Physical Therapist in 1978, Lauren continued up
the career ladder to Co-Chief Hand PT, and together with
her
cohort, Dale Eckhaus, OTR, CHT, they worked for nine years
sharing administrative duties and providing direct patient
care. When an administrative hand manger was hired for the
center, Lauren was able to return to her real love –
patient care.
Lauren's love of hand and upper extremity therapy goes to
her college days at Hunter College of the City University
of New York. She had "won" an internship at Dr.
Robert W. Beasley's Hand Rehab Unit in N.Y., N.Y. Her mentors
there were Meredith Cook-Ferraro, MS, PT, CHT, and Karen H.
Prendergast-Lauckhardt, MA, PT, CHT. They taught her the need
for good physician/therapist communication, the need for ongoing
continued education, no matter what stage in experience, and
most importantly, the need to help and educate patients during
their rehab to attain the best possible potential and/or outcome
for their return to a more functional and fulfilling lifestyle.
From this very impressive introduction to the world of hand
and upper extremity therapy, Lauren knew that she would specialize
in this area. She worked in Rehab (Neuro and Ortho), cardiopulmonary,
cardiac, and pediatrics. When the opportunity arose to work
with Raymond M. Curtis, M.D., Rodney W. Schlegel, PT, and
Janice Maynard, OTR at the Raymond Curtis Hand Center, Lauren
pursued it.
Lauren continues to work at the Hand Center and specializes
in the care of and rehabilitation of amateur and professional
musicians, from classical to progressive rock. She continues
to be a committee member of the Maryland Medical Chirurgical
Society’s Performing Arts Committee. She participates
in the Peabody Music Conservatory Health Fairs and participates
in, and lectures at, various meetings on an international
level. In 1993, Lauren, together with Dale Eckhaus, OTR, CHT,
Bonnie Aiello, PT, CHT, E.F., Shaw Wilgis, M.D, and Gaylord
Clark, M.D., edited and authored “Hand Rehabilitation
- A Practical Guide” - Edition 2 of the book was published
in 1997. Lauren has lectured extensively on hand rehabilitation
to local specialty groups and colleagues worldwide. Lauren
was one of the original members of the APTA’s Hand and
Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Section started in 1981 and
held several offices in the section: Secretary, Corresponding
Secretary, Newsletter Editor, President, and Director.
Lauren first served in a non-voting position on the HTCC
Board of Directors from 1989-91 and was elected to a voting
position on the HTCC Board in 1991. Lauren was the ASHT Liaison
from 1991-2000 and was the Nominating Committee Chairperson
for a number of years. She has served on the Audit and Finance,
Disciplinary, Nominating, and Recertification committees.
She currently serves on the Examination and Governance committees.
She was elected to the Secretary’s position of HTCC’s
Executive Board of Directors in 2000 and was re-elected in
2002. In addition, in 2002, Lauren was appointed as chairman
of the Item Writing Committee, which is a sub-committee of
the Examination Committee. In that position, she coordinates
item writing activities and serves as a mentor to members
of the committee. Lauren considers it an honor and a pleasure
to be part of such an exceptional organization as HTCC.
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