Summary
Dr. Jennifer Nash is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic and geriatric physical therapy whose teaching, scholarship and service focus on balance, neurologic and vestibular rehabilitation, and fall prevention in older adults.
Her work focuses on translating evidence-based fall prevention programs, including Stepping On, Bingocize, Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance and Golden Steps, into community, rural and virtual settings across Nevada. She also evaluates their feasibility, reach and effects on fall risk, physical activity and fear of falling.
A master trainer for Stepping On and co-developer of APTA Geriatrics’ Balance and Fall Prevention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults credentialing course, Nash builds interprofessional service-learning partnerships that place physical therapy students in direct practice with older adults.
She is currently co-principal investigator on studies of the Golden Steps dance-based program and a revised Bingocize nutrition workshop in partnership with University of Nevada, Reno Extension. She also serves as co-principal investigator on a national survey study of sleep care in spinal cord injury.
Nash chairs the Nevada Goes Falls Free Coalition and serves as president of APTA Nevada.
Professional affiliations
- American Physical Therapy Association (1996–present)
- APTA Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (2000–present)
- APTA Geriatrics (2010–present)
- APTA Nevada (2008–present)
- APTA Academy of Education, Academy of Research, and Academy of Leadership & Innovation (2018–present)
- APTA Acute Care (2020–present)
- American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (2018–present)
Professional and community service
- APTA Nevada (2025–present)
- President (2025-present)
- Secretary (2024–2025)
- Chapter President and Nevada Delegate (2016–2018)
- Executive Secretary (2012–2016)
- Balance and Falls Special Interest Group, APTA Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy (2022–present)
- Chair
- Nevada Physical Therapy Board - Governor-appointed member (1998–2024)
- Chair (2021–2023)
- Vice Chair (2020–2021)
- Secretary/Treasurer (2018–2020)
- Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
- Treasury Committee (2023–2025)
- Continuing Competence Committee (2020–2022)
- Impaired Practitioner Committee (2020–2022)
- APTA Geriatrics State Advocate for Nevada (2017–present)
- Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy (2025–present)
- Manuscript reviewer
- Nevada Goes Falls Free Coalition (2022–present)
- Chair (2022 - present)
- Vice Chair (2018–2022)
- Founding member (2011)
- Nevada Interprofessional Healthy Aging Network (NIHAN), IPE/simulation consultant (2022-2025)
- Member
Selected publications
Rider, J. V., Martin, S., & Nash, J. (2025). Instructional insights: From classroom to community: Interprofessional learning through fall prevention screening. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2025.2558853
Allison, L., & Nash, J. (2025). Balance dysfunction. In R. T. Lazaro (Ed.), Umphred’s neurological rehabilitation (8th ed.). Elsevier.
Avedesian, J., Covassin, T., Baez, S., Nash, J., & Dufek, J. (2024). The influence of sports-related concussion on cognition and landing biomechanics in collegiate athletes. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 34, e14698. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14698
Avedesian, J. M., Covassin, T., Baez, S., Nash, J., Nagelhout, E., & Dufek, J. (2021). Relationship between cognitive performance and lower extremity biomechanics: Implications for sports-related concussion. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 9(8). https://doi.org/10.1177/23259671211032246
Landers, M., Donatelli, R., Nash, J., & Bashcharon, R. (2017). Evidence of dynamic visual acuity impairment in asymptomatic mixed martial arts fighters. Concussion, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.2217/cnc-2016-0032
Nash, J., & Ross, C. (2016, November). Application and interpretation of functional outcome measures for testing individuals with cognitive impairment. GeriNotes. APTA Geriatrics.
Education
- DPT, Physical Therapy, Northern Arizona University, 2008 (Summa Cum Laude)
- MPT, Physical Therapy, Northern Arizona University, 1999 (Cum Laude)
- B.S., Exercise Science, University of Arizona, 1995 (Magna Cum Laude)
Professional certifications
- Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS), American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, 2006–present
- Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy (GCS), American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, 2026–present