My story in pediatric physical therapy began long before I became a physical therapist. It began as I watched my cousin, who has Down syndrome, receive physical therapy from Carmen Abril, a beloved physical therapist in Puerto Rico. Seeing how her work could open doors and transform lives awakened a calling in me that has been my north star ever since: helping every child discover their potential.
A calling that took me further
My first job was at SER de Puerto Rico, where my professional path began to take shape. My interest in understanding human movement took me to Chile, where I became certified in gait and movement analysis using advanced technology and three-dimensional analysis systems.
Later, during nine years at the Veterans Hospital in San Juan, I had the opportunity to treat more complex cases and deepen my work in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. Those experiences broadened my clinical perspective and taught me to see movement as a fundamental tool for recovery, function and quality of life.
At the same time, I directed a childcare and early-development center for eight years. There I connected deeply with families and confirmed a conviction that still guides my work: children learn by playing, exploring and discovering the world through movement.
Teaching, leading and growing as a team
Teaching and leadership have been natural extensions of my calling. As a professor of future Doctors of Physical Therapy and a clinical instructor, I love sharing my experience, encouraging critical thinking and helping shape professionals who are caring, committed and ready to transform lives.
I have also had the opportunity to serve as a Student Ambassador for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for Puerto Rico, as secretary of the Puerto Rico Physical Therapy Association, and as a member of the Social Media Committee of the APTA Acute Care section.
I firmly believe great achievements are built as a team. Sharing knowledge, joining strengths and working toward a common purpose lets us go further than we ever could alone.
Motherhood: my greatest transformation
I'm the mother of two beautiful girls who have profoundly changed the way I see life and my profession. They have taught me to celebrate small wins, to see development from a new perspective and to understand even more deeply the emotions, challenges and hopes that come with every family.
One of the most memorable moments of my life came on the day I was supposed to graduate from my Doctor of Physical Therapy program. I couldn't attend my graduation because I was giving birth to my first daughter. As I completed an extraordinary academic chapter, I was beginning one of the most important adventures of my life: motherhood.
This experience reminds me that life doesn't always follow our plans, and that some of our greatest achievements don't happen on a stage, but in the moments that change us forever.
Along the way, my husband and my family have been essential. Their support has allowed me to keep growing, dreaming and building projects that bring my different passions together. My story is also the story of those who have walked with me.
Sport and the power of belonging
Sport has been an essential part of my life. Through cheerleading I competed at different levels and had the joy of winning a medal at the Intercollegiate Athletic League (LAI) Games representing the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. There I learned that discipline, perseverance and teamwork can carry us to great goals.
Later, my involvement with Special Olympics led me to meet people and communities in different parts of the world. Those experiences reaffirmed one of the most important convictions of my life: we all want to belong, to be accepted and to have the chance to show what we can do.
I have found in movement and sport an extraordinary platform to promote inclusion, build connections and open opportunities to participate. That vision also fuels my interest in motor development from infancy: preparing children to enjoy movement, develop their skills and discover, at their own pace, everything they are capable of.
Today, all of those experiences come together
I'm a physical therapist, educator, mother, athlete and advocate for inclusion. Each of these roles has taught me something different: science has given me the tools to understand movement; families, the importance of listening; motherhood, a more empathetic eye; teaching, the chance to multiply knowledge; and sport, the ability to unite around a purpose.
Today I bring together pediatric physical therapy, motor development, family education and sport with a vision that begins in the first months of life and aims to walk alongside children well beyond their first skills.
My purpose is to help families recognize their children's potential, create opportunities to learn through play and help every child take part, grow and enjoy movement.
Because movement doesn't begin when a child learns to walk, and it doesn't end when they reach a sports goal. It's part of how we discover the world, connect with others and find our place in it.
“I believe that behind every movement there is an opportunity: to learn, to grow, to connect and to belong. And that is the purpose that keeps guiding my story.”