A New Chapter for JWPHPT: Welcoming Patricia Crane as Editor-in-Chief
Introducing the Next Editor-in-Chief of JWPHPT
The Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy is pleased to announce that Patricia A. Crane, PT, DPT, MBA, DSc, OCS, GCS, FAAOMPT, Cert. MDT, CLT, CEEAA, has accepted the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Women's & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy (JWPHPT). Dr. Crane will begin a transition and onboarding period during the summer and fall of 2026 and will officially assume leadership of the journal as Editor-in-Chief, overseeing the publication of Volume 51, Issue 1 (January–March 2027).
Dr. Crane currently serves as an Associate Editor for JWPHPT and brings a diverse background as a clinician, educator, researcher, mentor, and academic leader. She is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at Thomas Jefferson University, maintains an active clinical practice, and has an extensive record of scholarly publications, peer review, and professional service within physical therapy. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to advancing evidence-informed practice, mentoring emerging researchers, and translating research into meaningful clinical application.
As she prepares to lead the journal, Dr. Crane envisions continuing to strengthen JWPHPT's role as a leading source of innovative and clinically meaningful scholarship.
"My vision for the Journal of Women's & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy is to further establish JWPHPT as the premier publication for innovative, clinically meaningful, and methodologically rigorous scholarship in pelvic and women's health rehabilitation."
She also emphasizes the importance of expanding the journal's visibility, scholarly impact, and interdisciplinary reach while maintaining a strong commitment to scientific rigor and clinical relevance.
"Ultimately, my goal would be to continue to cultivate a journal that not only publishes high-quality science but also meaningfully advances clinical care, professional development, inclusivity, and patient outcomes in pelvic and women's health physical therapy."
Honoring Cynthia Chiarello's Leadership
As we welcome Dr. Crane into this role, the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy also extends our deepest gratitude to Cynthia Chiarello, PT, PhD, for her exceptional leadership and service as Editor-in-Chief since 2016.
Over the past decade, Dr. Chiarello has guided JWPHPT through a period of remarkable growth, evolution, and increased scholarly influence. Under her leadership, the journal strengthened its reputation as the premier publication dedicated to pelvic and women's health physical therapy, expanded opportunities for authors and reviewers, and advanced the quality, rigor, and visibility of published research.
Among her many contributions, Dr. Chiarello played an instrumental role in the journal's evolution from the Journal of Women's Health Physical Therapy to the Journal of Women's & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, a change that more accurately reflects the breadth of contemporary pelvic health practice and the diverse patient populations served by the profession. This transition helped position the journal to better represent the expanding scope of pelvic health physical therapy and the interdisciplinary scholarship that supports it. The journal’s name change coincided with an expansion of 70 additional pages per year and its transition to a fully digital format. With this growth, JWPHPT reached a publication volume sufficient to support broader indexing efforts and subsequently applied to Clarivate for an impact factor.
Dr. Chiarello’s leadership has also been pivotal in preparing the journal for its next chapter, including advancing efforts to expand indexing opportunities, increase the journal's reach and impact, mentor emerging authors and reviewers, and celebrate the journal's historic 50th volume milestone. Her vision, dedication, and commitment to scholarly excellence have left a lasting mark on JWPHPT and the broader women’s health and pelvic health physical therapy community.
On behalf of the Academy, the Editorial Board, authors, reviewers, and readers, we thank Dr. Chiarello for her years of service and leadership and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
Please join the Academy in congratulating Dr. Patricia Crane on her appointment as the next Editor-in-Chief and in thanking Dr. Cynthia Chiarello for her remarkable contributions to JWPHPT.
Journal of Women’s & Pelvic Health Physical Therapy Therapy (JWPHPT) is the primary peer-reviewed, indexed resource for advancing pelvic health and women’s health physical therapy practice through the dissemination of definitive evidence, translation of clinically relevant knowledge and integration of theory into education, practice and research.
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