Meet the Speakers
The MN Rehab Therapy Payment Forum brings together leaders from physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology, along with national experts from APTA and AOTA. Our speakers work on the front lines of payer contracting, coding, Medicaid policy, and new care models. Get to know them below, then reserve your seat. Space islimited to 100 attendees.
Rob Arnold Assistant Administrator for Third Party Reimbursement, St. Paul Public Schools Rob has worked in education for 36 years, first as a music teacher and then as a licensed speech-language pathologist and lead SLP for St. Paul Schools. He serves on Minnesota’s State Medicaid reimbursement advisory board and works with DHS and MDE on Medicaid policy for school-based services.
Jeremy Braun, M.A., CCC-SLP Co-owner and Operating Manager, Innovative Therapy Solutions, LLC
Jeremy has been an SLP for more than 25 years. He is a past President of MNSHA, previously chaired ASHA’s Joint Committee for State-National Association Relationships, and now co-chairs MNSHA’s Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Melanie Brennan, PT, DPT President, APTA MN; CEO and Founder, EA Therapeutic Health
Melanie leads a team of 20+ in Rochester in a hybrid model where insurance-based and cash-based care coexist in a neuro gym setting. A practicing neurologic clinician, she brings 30 years of experience in practice, payment, and administration.
Ashley Cassel, PT, DPT, OCS Chief of Outpatient Physical Therapy, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Ashley is one of six national subject matter experts advancing PT in primary care across the VHA. She led the petition establishing primary care PT as a recognized specialty and chairs the ABPTS Primary Care Specialty Panel.
Justin Elliott Vice President of Government Affairs, American Physical Therapy Association
Justin has led APTA’s legislative, public policy, and political efforts on Capitol Hill since 2015, after serving as APTA’s director of state government affairs. He joined APTA in 2002.
Maggie Henjum, PT, DPT CEO, Motion Physical Therapy and Therapy Partners
Maggie leads Motion, a 7-clinic private practice, and Therapy Partners, a managed services organization supporting more than 80 clinics. She serves as a Director of APTA Private Practice and chairs the APTA Minnesota Payer Committee.
Sydney Jacobson President-Elect, Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association
Sydney has been a school-based occupational therapist for nearly 10 years with Goodhue County Education District. She previously served as MOTA’s Vice President of Advocacy and is active on MOTA’s Government Affairs Committee.
Craig Johnson, PT Keynote and Payment Panel Facilitator
Craig has 44+ years in clinical care and independent practice management. A former APTA MN President and past chair of the APTA MN Payment Committee, he consults to Therapy Partners and is in his second term on the APTA Board of Directors.
Julie Lenhardt Manager of Reimbursement and Regulatory Policy, American Occupational Therapy Association
Julie represents occupational therapy with Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurers, and federal agencies. She brings more than 20 years of national health policy experience and a decade in clinical billing and practice administration.
Kelly Roberts Lane, DPT, FACSM Owner and Founder, Fix It physical therapy
Kelly founded her cash-based practice in 2013 and serves as Secretary on the APTA MN Executive Committee. She will share practical strategies for building and owning a cash-based practice.
Jim Leahy, CAE Association Management Division Head, Liberty Square Group
Jim has more than 35 years of experience in association management, lobbying, and volunteer leadership development. In 2025, APTA named him an Honorary Member for his impact on the physical therapy profession.
Rebecca Ludewig Lulai, SLPD, CCC-SLP Director of Clinical Programs in SLP, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Rebecca serves as MNSHA’s representative to ASHA’s State Advocates for Medicare Policy network. She has worked in public schools, hospitals, private practice, and outpatient clinics.
Lindsay Marth, MA, OTR/L, BCPR, BCB Chief of Outpatient Occupational Therapy and OT Fellowship Director, Minneapolis VA
Lindsay has 18 years of experience in persistent pain, headache, biofeedback, amputation, and mental health care. As chair of the VHA OT National Field Advisory Council, she has supported national initiatives including direct access for OT.
Brian McQuilken, DPT, OCS CEO and Co-owner, ActivePT
Brian earned his DPT at the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences and became a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist in 2018. He serves on the APTA MN Payment Committee and is a member of APTQI.
David O’Hara Luncheon Speaker, Brace Health David will present “Insights from AI on Third-Party Payers: Turning Knowledge into Leverage.”
Kathleen Picard, PT, DPT, FAPTA APTA Advisor to the AMA CPT Editorial Panel For 15 years, Kathleen has represented physical therapy as CPT codes are developed. She has co-chaired APTA MN’s State Government Affairs Committee for 27 years and serves on the DHS Rehabilitation Work Group.
Julie Somsky, PT, MSHA Rehabilitation Business Services Director, Fairview Health Services In 26 years with Fairview Rehabilitation,
Julie has held roles across the care continuum. She has served on the APTA MN Payment Committee for about 20 years, now as co-chair, and represents APTA MN on the DHS Rehabilitation Work Group.
Laurie Stein, MS, CCC-SLP President, Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association Laurie has 25+ years as an SLP, co-owns Innovative Solutions LLC, and is Lead SLP for South Washington County School District. As an ASHA State Education Advocacy Leader for Minnesota, she works on equitable reimbursement and proactive state policy.