When I joined the Foundation for Physical Therapy, it was at a moment of reflection. The organization was approaching its 40th anniversary with a brand identity that hadn’t changed in nearly as many years.
In 2018, I took a leadership role at an organization that served as the research funding mechanism of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Despite decades of impact in funding research and launching dozens of scientific careers, the Foundation for Physical Therapy’s outdated logo and name no longer communicated the organization’s relevance or its future. I led the charge to bring the brand into the present. Building on existing stakeholder research, I guided the rebranding effort from strategy to execution. I located a designer within budget, designed every creative deliverable, and oversaw a complete overhaul of the organization’s online presence, publications, and event displays in under three months. This included personally redesigning the main site at foundation4pt.org and the student-facing site marquettechallenge.com.
This transformation was both visual and political. The foundation’s board was uncertain about moving away from the legacy identity. Change required building trust. I worked individually with key board members, presented options with clarity and empathy, and ultimately brought the group to consensus on updating the brand along with the new name, the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research. This shift made the organization’s purpose unmistakable. The new identity debuted on time at APTA’s national meeting alongside a full suite of new materials to appeal to APTA’s nearly 100,000 members.
The transformation would not be complete without connecting the organization’s long-time donors with the new look. I created a commemorative booklet for our annual gala and presented each of our major and legacy donors with a lapel pin to create a tangible connection connecting the organization’s past and its future.
Guiding an Event-Driven Nonprofit Through COVID
Shortly after the debut of FPTR’s new identity, the organization faced another challenge —COVID-19. Student-led and fundraising events were a key development strategy for the organization. With in-person engagement no longer possible, I played a key leadership role in rapidly transitioning to a virtual strategy, organizing, executing, and marketing 10 successful online events in just 8 months. These events sustained grassroots fundraising and awareness by engaging audiences ranging from student fundraisers to major donors and emerging scientists. By engaging rising leaders and influencers in the world of physical therapy FPTR was able to both reach new audiences and recruit new board and advisory committee members.