Kaleckas Lecture & Synthesis Day

Stephen Hunter PT, DPT, OCS, FAPTA, received his Bachelor of Arts in physical therapy from University of Utah in 1984, and his clinical doctorate in 2008. He is board certified in orthopedic physical therapy. Currently, Stephen continues to treat patients and is the director of Internal Process Control for Intermountain Health’s rehabilitation services. He leads a team of 5 internal process control coordinators who work to establish a culture of quality and standardize evidence-based care across all rehabilitation disciplines and services.

He is the past president of NARA (National Association of Rehabilitation Providers and Agencies). He supports research efforts including data collection and clinical implementation. Examples include investigations on Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) and low back pain (LBP) resulting in recent publications (Minick 2022, Caplin 2022) and three randomized LBP trials (Brennan 2006, Fritz 2014, Delitto 2020). He was the lead clinical author for a review publication developing a care guideline for TKA for physical therapists (Jette 2020).

Ann Putnam Kaleckas was born in Chicago. She was awarded a Bachelor of Science in physical therapy from Northwestern University in 1982 and a master’s in health science from the University of Indianapolis in 1990. She pursued her passion and worked as a physical therapist before co-founding DuPage Physical Therapy in 1996. Her practice in orthopedic and spine rehabilitation brought her much pride.

Devoted to her family, friends, coworkers, patients and community, Mrs. Kaleckas’s generous and kind spirit enabled her to help improve the lives of countless individuals. She is remembered as one who went the extra mile in all her endeavors.

After a challenging battle, Mrs. Kaleckas succumbed to multiple myeloma in 2004. Upon her passing, her husband Rich Kaleckas, along with many family and friends, chose to memorialize her life within the Department of Physical Therapy, which held the inaugural Ann Putnam Kaleckas Lecture in 2008. The Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is grateful to the Kaleckases, their friends and their family for their extraordinary commitment to honor Mrs. Kaleckas's legacy of giving.