Executive Director News

ABPMR Hires New Executive Director

The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) announced in January 2016 that Carolyn L Kinney MD has been selected as its next executive director.

Dr Kinney is a board certified physiatrist with more than 30 years of experience in both private and academic practice. She is currently medical director of the Acute Rehabilitation Unit at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she also holds an assistant professorship in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. After graduating from Boston University’s six-year integrated BA/MD program, Dr Kinney completed her residency in PM&R at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. In addition to PM&R certification from the ABPMR, she is also certified in electrodiagnostic medicine.

Prior to her time at Mayo Clinic, Dr Kinney worked in private practice for more than 20 years, serving as medical director of rehabilitation hospitals in Massachusetts and Arizona. In addition to her clinical practice at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Dr Kinney held leadership roles in Diversity and Inclusion, and Physician Leadership and Organizational Development. She also serves as adjunct faculty at Arizona State University with ongoing research on functional outcomes through the School of Engineering.

Dr Kinney has a long history of service to the ABPMR, including as a Part II examiner for 13 years and as a Part I Examination item writer for six years before she was elected to the board of directors where she served for another 12 years from 1999 to 2011. During her time on the board, Dr Kinney served as chair of the Part I and Governance Committees as well as on the Executive Committee as secretary for four years.

She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) and a member of the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP). From 1995 to 1998, Dr Kinney served on the AAPM&R Medical Education Committee as the guest editor for the 4th Edition of the Archives of PM&R Study Guide.

“We are thrilled that Dr Kinney is coming back to the ABPMR as executive director,” says Karen Kowalske MD, ABPMR board chair and interim executive director. “She brings a wealth of experience in the field as well as a long history of leadership in the organization. I know that Dr Kinney will move the ABPMR forward and continue to position our board as the standard for quality and competence in PM&R.”

Dr Kinney is currently completing her commitments at Mayo Clinic and will start her new position at the ABPMR in July 2016.