Vanessa Ziccardi ’15DPT is the 2021 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award from the Florida Physical Therapy Association. The honor recognizes physical therapists in Florida who demonstrate extraordinary service early in their career.
After graduating from UCF, Ziccardi began her career in Palm Beach in the outpatient neurology setting and transitioned to her own business in home health where she developed a passion for working with the geriatric population. She has been an active member of FPTA since 2012, and is also a member of the Early Professional SIG membership committee, and the task force for addressing the opioid crisis.
In her application to the FTPA for her second term as Director of Membership in 2019, Ziccardi indicated that she was drawn to the role because of the advocacy efforts of the FPTA for the profession. “I do guest lectures for students on the importance of staying involved in the FPTA/APTA,” Ziccardi says. “I promote loan payment plans, job security, and use social media platforms to help students build a professional network to allow opportunities for jobs and advancing their clinical career.”
