In 1996, during the Combined Sections Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, Pauline Cerasoli was attacked and permanently injured by an unknown assailant.

Since then, only time has been able to soften the edge of our shock and heighten our awareness that such an event could happen to someone among us... to a close friend of many... and to a colleague of all of us. 

At the time of her injury, Pauline was serving as Director of Physical Therapist Education and Assistant Dean of Allied Health at the University of Colorado. She had been an active member of the APTA for more than 40 years, and throughout that time was very active in the Education Section. She was considered a widely respected mentor and leader, and her prodding encouragement pushed all those around her to new heights.

Today, Pauline continues to reside and receive excellent care at a long-term rehabilitation facility in the New England area.

To formally honor Pauline, several of her friends created the idea for a Cerasoli Lectureship and brought it to the Section Program Chairs who enthusiastically embraced the idea as an annual event at CSM.  The Education Section, APTA sponsors the Pauline Cerasoli Lectureship at Combined Sections Meeting each year. This lecture recognizes selected leaders, educators, and practitioners in the field of physical therapy. During the first Pauline Cerasoli Lectureship in 1998, her nephew read excerpts from letters her family received from Pauline's friends, colleagues, and students. The outpouring of love and respect for her contributions and her impact on the lives of so many was overwhelming.

It was determined that recipients of the Lectureship would be those who have distinguished themselves, as Pauline did, as esteemed educators, administrators, practitioners, and mentors, and likewise as articulate, sensitive, and caring individuals.
Support has been shown in the form of cards and letters sent to Pauline and in donations to the Pauline Cerasoli Fund.

The Cerasoli Fund was originally established to assist Pauline’s family in providing for her care however, Pauline’s family dedicated the fund money to initiate an on-going lectureship in Pauline’s name.

Thanks to this very kind and generous act and the continued support by the Education Section, each of us may continue to enjoy the annual lecture that has been created to honor the commitment and dedication of Pauline Cerasoli.

• 1998- Katherine Shepard, PT, PhD, FAPTA
• 1999- Colleen Kigin, PT, DPT, MS, MPA
• 2000- Beverly Schmoll, PT, PhD, FAPTA
• 2001- Laurie Hack, PT, DPT, MBA, PhD
• 2002- Martha Ferretti, PT, MPH, FAPTA
• 2003- Susan Deusinger, PT, PhD, FAPTA
• 2004- Samuel Feitelberg, PT, FAPTA
• 2005- Donna El-Din, PT, PhD, FAPTA
• 2006- Bette Ann Harris, PT, DPT, MS
• 2007- Elizabeth Domholdt, PT, EdD, FAPTA
• 2008- Geneva Johnson, PT, PhD, FAPTA