2025 Physical Therapy Student Organization at the University of Iowa's Running Symposium
Schedule
of Events
8:00-9:15 am: Spencer Agnew
9:15-10:30 am: Ellen Davis & Kara Wiggins
10:45 am-12:00 pm: Felicia Sciortino
1:00-2:15 pm: Jordan & Lindsey Andrews
2:15-3:30 pm: Daniel White
Saturday, April 5, 2025
All times in Central Time Zone
Speakers
Spencer Agnew, PT, DPT
"Strength Training for Runners - A Blend of Two Worlds"
Dr. Spencer Agnew comes from a running background in high school, undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate studies. Along the way he has always found himself coming back to working within the running world. He started out his journey as a high school runner before competing at Marquette University as a middle distance & cross country athlete. After graduation he spent a season coaching collegiately at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, where he had the pleasure of working with multiple All American's and a National Champion during his time there. Following this he went to University of Wisconsin - Madison to pursue his Doctorate of Physical Therapy, learning from world renowned physical therapist Dr. Bryan Heiderscheit. Today he works almost exclusively with endurance athletes at his practice Peak Endurance Performance & Physical Therapy in Madison, WI as well as coaches athletes at his alma mater, Fort Atkinson High School, and through his team, Ascent Endurance Group.​
Ellen Davis, RD, CSSD, LD; Kara Wiggins, RD, LD, ATC
"From the Table to Tempo Runs: How Nutrition Impacts Runners' Health and Performance"
Ellen Davis is a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD), specializing in optimizing fueling strategies for athletes. Ellen's passion for nutrition began as a collegiate runner at the University of Missouri. After multiple injuries and significant setbacks, likely related to fueling and lack of recovery, she pursued a degree in medical dietetics. Today, she supports athletes in overcoming challenges similar to those she once faced. She is the founder of The Performance Collective, which supports athletes, teams, and athletic departments throughout the state of Iowa and beyond.
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Kara Wiggins is a registered dietitian and certified athletic trainer with The Performance Collective. She is a Michigan native and holds a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Saginaw Valley State University and a Master of Science in Nutrition from Auburn University. During her time in Alabama, she completed a graduate research assistantship in Alabama Extension's SNAP-Ed and worked for Auburn Athletics Sports Nutrition Department. For her dietetic internship, she completed a concentration in Sports Nutrition at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. Kara has settled in Iowa after spending the last five years in professional baseball working for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. As a dual credentialed RD and ATC she emphasizes the importance of collaboration across disciplines within a sports organization or team to better serve athlete's health and performance.
Felicia Sciortino, PT, DPT, OMT
“Considerations for the Evaluation and Treatment of Injured Distance Runners"
Felicia Sciortino, Doctor of Physical Therapy, is a former Division I collegiate distance runner, current triathlete, and founder of Endurance Ally Physical Therapy. Her journey into physical therapy was inspired by her personal experience with repetitive stress fractures during college. Felicia completed her thesis on 2D gait analysis for distance runners and, after five years in outpatient PT, followed her passion by creating a practice dedicated to runners and endurance athletes. She is committed to educating patients and clinicians on preventing and treating running-related injuries.
Jordan Andrews; Lindsey Andrews
"How Footwear and Physical Therapy Partner for Running Success"
Jordan and Lindsey Andrews both grew up as runners, competing at the collegiate level before pursuing professional careers in the running industry. They opened their first independent running store in 2016 in Johnston, Iowa. Since then, they have acquired stores and opened more organic stores, totaling 6 locations across the state of Iowa. The Andrews also coached Cross Country and Track & Field at the collegiate level for 5 years, before stepping away to focus on their family and stores. Through their stores, Fitness Sports, they have developed an elite running team, garnering national recognition, and scale that to their local running groups for community building and support. Additionally, they coach various athletes of all ages, from beginner runners to elite marathoners. Race directing is another area Fitness Sports continues to grow, with various themed races around Iowa. As one of the leading independent running specialty businesses in the Midwest, the Andrews are eager to share their knowledge and experience in the run industry with others.
Daniel White, PT, DPT, OCS
"Spinal and Pelvic Mechanics in Running Efficiency"
Dan White currently works as the Lead Physiotherapist for the University of Oregon Track and Field and Cross Country Team as well as for the Nike Bowerman Track Club, both located in Eugene, Oregon. He is also a co-creator of The Pace Academy with David McHenry, an educational company focused on running related continuing education for medical providers.
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Dan graduated with his Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from The University of Iowa in 2005. He initially built his career working with Rock Valley Physical Therapy in Bettendorf, Iowa. During his time at Rock Valley he grew into the resident running expert of his community, working with athletes ranging from recreational to scholastic, and to collegiate. It was during his time at Rock Valley that Dan began working with David McHenry at Nike, with a goal of applying the skills of world class running rehabilitation to his local, diverse running community.
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It was also during this time that Dan created Rock University, a mentoring and education partnership between Rock Valley and the University of Iowa. During his leadership, Rock U onboarded and educated nearly 50 new therapists. Dan’s roles in developing Rock U and as adjunct faculty at the University of Iowa has guided his commitment to education and excellence of the health care providers he has since worked alongside.
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In 2017 Dan moved to Eugene, Oregon to take a position with the University of Oregon Track and Field Sports Medicine Staff where he continues to practice. In his years at Oregon, the team is consistently at the top of the PAC12 and national track standings. Moreover, the sports medicine team at the University of Oregon is responsible for an injury rate of less than 3% by championship season.