Clinical Excellence Awards

2026 Clinical Excellence Award Winners

PVA Healthcare Summit + Expo
Las Vegas, Nevada
August 30 – September 2, 2026

The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Clinical Excellence Awards recognize and honor peer-nominated Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinicians who demonstrate clinical excellence among their professional peers and embody quality values in the care of people living with SCI, ALS, and MS.

Nick is a Board-Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy and a clinical specialist practicing inpatient rehabilitation at the Spinal Cord Injury unit at the West Roxbury VA. Passionate about helping individuals with spinal cord injuries optimize their mobility, he collaborates with colleagues across disciplines to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care. He also enjoys integrating rehabilitation technology into clinical practice to support functional gains and provide the highest level of evidence-based treatment.

Before joining the VA, Nick completed a neurologic physical therapy residency at Boston University and gained experience in a variety of clinical settings, including acute care as well as inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. He also worked in research and academia as a clinical research physical therapist at Boston University. Motivated by his commitment to helping individuals with neurologic conditions become their most active and best selves, Nick brings both expertise and enthusiasm to his practice. Outside of work, he can often be found running in the Boston area or walking his dog, Goose, with his wife

Liam is a Senior Physical Therapist in the Spinal Cord Injury and Diseases (SCI/D) Center at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Marymount University after completing his undergraduate education at the University of Colorado Boulder. He completed the inaugural Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System and is dual board-certified as both a Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS) and Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS). He is also completing a fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy through Regis University.

His passion is helping veterans with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, ALS, and other neurologic conditions achieve meaningful goals through innovative, evidence-based rehabilitation. He has enjoyed helping introduce advanced technologies such as blood flow restriction training, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation, functional electrical stimulation, and body-weight-supported gait training into their SCI/D program while contributing to research, quality improvement, and clinical education. He also serves as faculty for the VA Neurologic and Geriatric Physical Therapy Residency Programs, mentors physical therapy students and residents, and has presented nationally on rehabilitation for individuals with neurologic conditions. He believes that some of the most rewarding moments in physical therapy come from helping veterans accomplish goals they once believed were impossible—whether that is returning to a favorite hobby, completing the BolderBoulder, or climbing a Colorado 14er after a spinal cord injury.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, their five-year-old daughter, and their two German Shepherds. Living in Colorado allows them to take advantage of everything the mountains have to offer, and they spend much of their free time hiking, skiing, camping, and exploring the outdoors together. These experiences continually reinforce his passion for helping others regain mobility, independence, and confidence.

Dr. Marinella Galea is a graduate of the University of Milan Medical School in Italy. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Spinal Cord Medicine. Since 2000, Dr. Galea has practiced in the Bronx at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center (JJPVAMC) Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Center. In 2017, she was appointed Chief of Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders. Under her leadership, Dr. Galea implemented patient-safety initiatives that have resulted in zero rates of HAPU, CAUTI, CLABSI, and C. difficile infections since 2024. She has also expanded the SCI/D Center mission to serve veterans with additional neurologic conditions, including MS and ALS.

During her tenure, JJPVAMC became a Regional MS Center and received the ALS Association (ALSA) Treatment Center of Excellence certification. Dr. Galea specializes in the care and rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities, with a mission to empower patients to achieve their fullest potential and best possible quality of life. She is an Associate Professor of PM&R at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She also serves as Associate Director of the Spinal Cord Injury Fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she assists with recruitment and selection, designs and delivers training and professional development for early-career clinicians, coordinates all fellowship activities, and provides direct mentorship to fellows.

Dr. Galea also fosters and conducts research to improve the quality of life of individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders. She has received funding to study the medical consequences of spinal cord injuries and has published in numerous peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Galea has held numerous leadership roles, including membership on the ALS Executive Committee and participation in the International Society for the Spinal Cord Injury Disaster Committee.

Felicia Skelton, MD, MS is an investigator at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and a staff physician in the spinal cord injury care line at the DeBakey VA, where she serves as the Medical Director for the spinal cord injury home-based primary care program. She holds an academic appointment of Associate Professor in the H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Skelton completed medical school at Baylor College of Medicine and did her residency in Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington, serving as Chief Resident. She has completed a clinical fellowship in spinal cord injury medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and a VA health systems research (HSR) post-doctoral fellowship through IQuESt. Dr. Skelton is building a research portfolio that seeks to optimize primary care delivery to persons with spinal cord injury through designing and implementing patient safety, clinician decision support, and access to care interventions, including telehealth and virtual reality. Her current funding includes grants from the VA Office of Rural Health, VA HSR, VA Rehabilitation Research and Development, the National Science Foundation, and the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. She was awarded the Baylor College of Medicine Woman of Excellence Award in 2019, the Baylor College of Medicine Department of PM&R Research Excellence Award in 2017, 2019 and 2022, the IQuESt Mentor of the Year Award in 2021, and the Association of Academic Physiatry Early Career Academician Award in 2024.

Dr. Beth Whittington currently works with the VA National Tele-Neurology Program where she serves as a general neurologist seeing veterans in rural and highly rural settings through telehealth visits. She also serves as the National Tele-Neurology Program subspecialist for ALS-diagnosed veterans. She co-founded and currently serves as Co-Director of the Indianapolis VA ALS Interdisciplinary Clinic since 2009 and used that knowledge and experience to help co-found and serve as Co-Director of the VA National Tele-Neurology Program Interdisciplinary ALS Clinic in 2025.

Ginger Willoughby is a highly accomplished Master’s Prepared Registered Nurse, Certified Case Manager, and United States Navy veteran whose career reflects exceptional dedication to advancing the care of veterans with spinal cord injuries. She served honorably as a Hospital Corpsman for ten years, completing multiple deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, where she developed expertise in emergency response, complex clinical care, and leadership under pressure. Since joining the Cleveland VA Medical Center in 2013, Ginger has become a recognized leader within the Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders (SCI/D) Service.

As the Inpatient Nurse Care Coordinator, she provides expert-level care coordination, education, and discharge planning for veterans with highly complex needs. Ginger identifies gaps in care, develops solutions, and leads quality improvement initiatives that have enhanced patient outcomes, increased independence, and reduced hospital readmissions. Her achievements include facilitating the SCI 2 Day Annual Exam, which improved exam completion and reduced inpatient stay; implementing virtual and off tour caregiver training to overcome barriers during COVID 19; and developing educational materials and processes that strengthened continuity of care across VISN 10.

Ginger also instructs bladder, bowel, and autonomic dysreflexia management programs, contributing to staff competency and system-wide excellence in spinal cord injury care. Ginger’s leadership extends to mentoring staff, guiding interdisciplinary teams, and serving as a trusted resource for complex clinical decision-making. Her evidence-based approach, calm problem-solving, and unwavering advocacy have made her a cornerstone of spinal cord injury nursing practice. Through her military service, clinical expertise, and transformative impact on spinal cord injury and disorder care, Ginger exemplifies the highest standards of nursing excellence.