Alexa Vareldzis is a second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student at the University of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Colorado State University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in French. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, she worked as a clinical research coordinator at the University of Colorado Hospital. She collaborated on clinical trials for patients with neurological disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy and stroke. Another major focus of her job was recruitment and community outreach, both to spread awareness to patients about potential treatment opportunities and to advocate for the value of research. Her work with these patients continued to fuel her interest in neurodevelopmental disabilities, but her true passion lies in the pediatric field.

While at the University of Pittsburgh, Alexa has focused on further growing her leadership skills and interprofessional collaboration by earning a position on the Student Interprofessional Board. She is excited to continue this growth as a LEND trainee and hopes it will allow her to evolve as a leader while promoting better outcomes for children as they grow and develop.