Stephanie Hrabar

Stephanie Hrabar is a second-year physical therapy student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Pittsburgh.  She earned her undergraduate degree from Goucher College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Bachelor of Arts in Dance with concentrations in Performance and Dance Science.  In high school, Stephanie taught dance classes to individuals with disabilities and continued throughout college volunteering with Dance for Parkinson’s.  During her undergraduate years, she worked on a research team with a focus on gene expression, allowing her to better understand how genes can lead to disability.  After graduation, Stephanie worked as a Therapy Technician at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh, where she worked with children with an array of special needs in both an inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient setting.  It was here where her interest in working with children with special needs flourished and she began to learn about the personalized experience of every individual with disabilities, as well as the requirement for advocacy.  Stephanie frequently cares for a child with Bosch Boonstra Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome, allowing her to gain insight into the daily life of a family with a child with special needs.  In her spare time, Stephanie takes her dog, a trained therapy dog, to hospitals and schools to visit individuals with disabilities. 

As a LEND trainee, Stephanie hopes to further her understanding on legislative policy and enhance her leadership skills to better serve those with disabilities.  She looks forward to engaging with an interdisciplinary team, families, and other advocates to improve the delivery of healthcare to children with disabilities and their families.  After graduating from the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, Stephanie hopes to work in a pediatric setting providing physical therapy to children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and assist families in locating the resources they need.