Dr. Ellen Hillegass is a nationally recognized physical therapist with APTA board certification in cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialty. A Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association—the highest honor in the field—Dr. Hillegass is President and CEO of PT Cardiopulmonary Educators, a pioneering company delivering advanced education and residency training for DPT programs nationwide. She also founded the Clinical Residency in Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy at Mercer University in partnership with Piedmont Hospital. In 2024, Dr. Hillegass was honored as the Keynote Lecturer by the Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy, reflecting her enduring impact on the profession. A leading authority in clinical guidelines, Dr. Hillegass chaired the APTA’s Clinical Practice Guidelines Revision Committee on Venous Thromboembolism (VTE), overseeing the 2022 publication of both the revised and initial guidelines. She currently chairs the Oxygen Consensus Guidelines Task Force for the Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary PT. As the Editor of Essentials in Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy—now in its fifth edition—and the acclaimed PT Clinical Notes, Dr. Hillegass has set the standard for clinical education in her specialty. Her career is marked by groundbreaking contributions in education, research, and clinical practice, making her a true leader in cardiopulmonary physical therapy