Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Debra Sellheim, Ph.D., and the reappointment of Kathy Polhamus and Elizabeth “Betsy” Schultz to the State Board of Physical Therapy. All three are appointed to four-year terms that expire on January 6, 2014.

Polhamus, of North St. Paul, is a utilization review coordinator with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in St. Paul, and previously served as an intake and project coordinator with the Child and Family Services Department during her 34 years with the hospital. Polhamus earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice summa cum laude from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She is a community affairs officer with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department, and previously was an emergency services volunteer with the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services, a member of the Roseville Ethics Commission, a volunteer advocate with WomanKind, Inc. as well as with Sexual Offense Services of Ramsey County. Polhamus, who has been a member of the Board of Physical Therapy since 2007, is reappointed as a public member.

Schultz, of Alden, is a physical therapist assistant with South Central Special Services Cooperative in Wells, where she serves a number of school districts in southern Minnesota. She is also an on-call physical therapist assistant with Aegis Therapies in Mankato and the Center for Specialty Care clinics in Blue Earth and Fairmont. Schultz has held physical therapist assistant positions for a number of organizations in southern Minnesota during her 22 years in the profession. Schultz earned her bachelor of arts degree from Winona State University, and her associate in applied science degree as a physical therapy assistant from Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois. She is a member of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, and previously has served as a member of the Alden City Council and the Riverland Community College Foundation Board. Schultz, who has been a member of the Board of Physical Therapy since 2006, is reappointed to as a physical therapist assistant member.

Sellheim, of Maplewood, is an associate professor and the curriculum co-director in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at St. Catherine University’s Minneapolis campus. She began her career as a staff physical therapist, then director of physical therapy with Time Rehabilitation Center, Inc. in St. Paul, and has held a number of physical therapy as well as academic positions during her 33 years in the profession.  Sellheim earned her doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota, her master’s degree in counseling, as well as her bachelor of science degree in physical therapy, from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), where she is a member of the Education Section and serves on the Awards Committee; and the Minnesota Chapter of the APTA, where she serves on the Quality Improvement Task Force. Sellheim replaces Corinne Ellingham on the State Board of Physical Therapy as a physical therapist member.

The State Board of Physical Therapy is responsible for licensing and disciplining physical therapists. The board consists of 11 members appointed by the Governor.