Ellen Donald's Profile

Dr. Donald joined the faculty at FGCU in 1996 as the founding Department Chair of Physical Therapy. She has served as Assistant Dean in the College of Health Professions (now Marieb College of Health and Human Services), and continues to be an active member of the graduate faculty for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. In 2023, she was asked to create and serve as Director of the Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disability Initiative (GIDDI), funded by the Golisano Foundation. This initiative strives to move FGCU toward a more inclusive campus for those with and without IDD, assist faculty in developing students toward more acceptance of those with IDD, and serve as a regional conveyor of supports and services to improve the lives of individuals with IDD in SW Florida.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Boston University in 1985, and a Master of Science in Adult Education from Syracuse University in 1995. In 2016, she earned her PhD from the University of South Florida in Curriculum and Instruction with focus on Educational Measurement and Research. Prior to coming to Florida Gulf Coast University, she was Director of Clinical Education for the Physical Therapy Program at the University at Buffalo.

Dr. Donald has served two terms on the Board of Directors for the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and on numerous committees for the FSBPT since 1999. She is the Chair of the Florida Board of Physical Therapy and served on the board since 2016. She serves as a Clinical Director for FUNfitness for the Special Olympics and sits on the advisory committee for Special Olympics International Global Curriculum initiatives. Dr. Donald’s clinical expertise is working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities of all ages.