Mira Mariano
By Harry Minium
Mira Mariano, a clinical assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at Old Dominion University, was elected vice president of the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy at the group’s August board meeting.
The seven-member board, which is appointed by the governor, regulates physical therapists and physical therapy assistants throughout the commonwealth. It also conducts hearings and renders decisions on complaints lodged against practices or individuals and issues professional licenses.
“It’s a big responsibility, especially when the board is called upon to make a decision on whether someone keeps their license,” Mariano said. “The board helps protects the public. This is a service board, and nobody gets paid for time. You do it truly because you care about the profession.”
Appointed to the board by former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2017, she is in the third year of a four-year term. She will serve as an alternate delegate to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy convention in October.
Mariano has been a faculty member in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program since 1996, and her teaching emphasis includes musculoskeletal, neurological, geriatric evaluation/intervention and the use of standardized patients.
She has been active in local and state leadership positions in her professional organizations, serves as the advisor of Physical Therapy Club and maintains a clinical practice in orthopedics/geriatrics and has been recertified as a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist through 2029.
Mariano has two daughters: Sarah, an ODU graduate and a nurse, and Malia, a sophomore on the ODU women’s soccer team who is majoring in mechanical engineering.
