Published August 26, 2025
CAPTION: Dr. Ashanti Jones, Associate Program Director of the Marjorie S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
at ULM (left), poses with APTA Louisiana President Dr. Karl Kleinpeter. Dr. Jones was presented
with the Dave Warner Distinguished Service Award in Baton Rouge on August 23.
MONROE, LA – Dr. Ashanti Jones, Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director of the Marjorie
S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at ULM, was recently awarded the Dave
Warner Distinguished Service Award by the Louisiana chapter of the American Physical
Therapy Association (APTA). The award was presented to Dr. Jones on August 23, 2025,
during the APTA Louisiana Annual Meeting at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center in Baton
Rouge, La.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to receive the 2025 Dave Warner Distinguished Service
Award from APTA Louisiana,” said Dr. Jones. “To be recognized by my peers at the state
level is incredibly meaningful, because it affirms that the work I’ve devoted to advancing
physical therapy, supporting students, and serving my community has made a lasting
impact. It also reminds me that leadership is not about titles or positions, but it’s
about service, advocacy, and lifting others up along the way.”
The Dave Warner Distinguished Service Award is one of APTA Louisiana’s highest honors.
It is presented to an individual who has made outstanding professional contributions
to APTA Louisiana and who has had a lasting impact on peers, the community, and the
profession of physical therapy. The award recognizes not only dedicated service but
also the embodiment of leadership, advocacy, and a commitment to advancing the mission
of physical therapy in Louisiana.
Dr. Jones was nominated for the award by Dr. Lisa VanHoose, Director of the Marjorie
S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. “Dr. Jones embodies the spirit of excellence
that defines our program,” said Dr. VanHoose. “Through her dedication, she demonstrates
the profound impact that service can have, not only on the profession but on communities
in need. Her work reflects the program’s vision of preparing practitioners who embrace
service as a calling and commit to leaving the world better than they found it.”
“I would like to thank my colleagues and mentors who have walked alongside me in this
journey, and I would like to thank Dr. VanHoose for nominating me,” said Jones. “I
am also grateful to my peers in APTA Louisiana for their trust and collaboration,
and to my students at ULM who motivate me daily to push the profession forward. Finally,
I must thank my family for their unwavering love and support, which allows me to fully
commit myself to this work,” she added.
“Service is not simply something Dr. Jones does; it is her life’s ministry," continued
VanHoose. “Every aspect of her personal and professional life illustrates what it
means to be a servant leader, providing a powerful, real-life model for colleagues,
students, and the community alike.”
About the ULM Marjorie S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
The Marjorie S. Price Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Louisiana
Monroe prepares students to address health disparities by serving rural and underserved
communities. Our students find holistic and creative solutions for their patients
and work with compassionate care.
ULM's eight-semester DPT program includes 32 weeks of experiential learning in 4 clinic
locations: in-patient, out-patient, rural, and the student's own preferred interest.
With more than 3,800 certified clinic sites and with a dedicated virtual day of the
week, the ULM DPT program is determined to help students serve the communities they
call home. For more information, please visit ulm.edu/dpt/program/
