ARP members honored for significant contributions to rheumatology research, education & patient care
WASHINGTON, D.C.—During ACR Convergence 2024 in November, the ACR and the ARP honored a group of distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care. This month, The Rheumatologist profiles the recipients of the ARP President’s and Merit Awards.
Dr. Dewing
ARP President’s Award
The President’s Award is given to the ACR/ARP member or team performing outstanding service within the present year to advance the goals, standards and ideals of the ARP. ARP President Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD, announced the recipient of the 2024 President’s Award: Kori Dewing, DNP, ARNP, a rheumatology nurse practitioner (NP) in the division of rheumatology at the University of Washington, Seattle.
“Some examples of Dr. Dewing’s unique accomplishments include onboarding a new ARP executive director, creating and producing an ARP volunteer orientation video, and coordinating a Zoom call with our European Colleges to provide ‘know before you go’ information about ACR Convergence in San Diego.
“She consistently demonstrates a proactive approach to identifying ARP opportunities, actively seeking ways to engage professionals with our organization. Additionally, she remains vigilant in identifying outdated documents and efficiently facilitates revisions within remarkably short timelines.
“These examples illustrate why Dr. Dewing was selected for the President’s Award; there are many more examples that further highlight her contributions.”
In accepting the award, Dr. Dewing says, “I am honored to be selected for the ARP President’s Award, highlighting the work I have done this past year to support volunteers and members, and advance the goals, standards and ideals of ARP.”
More About Dr. Dewing
Dr. Dewing completed her undergraduate degree at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. After serving as a public health volunteer with the Peace Corps in Guinea, West Africa, Dr. Dewing returned to school to earn her nursing degree. She attended the University of Washington, earning her master’s degree in nursing and becoming an NP in 2003, accepting a clinical position in rheumatology. She returned to the University of Washington to earn her doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2011.
Since 2005, she has served as faculty in the University of Washington School of Nursing, Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, teaching advanced practice nursing courses, leading skills-based labs, precepting and mentoring graduating NPs interested in rheumatology.
Dr. Dewing’s contributions to the field of rheumatology have been through her dedication and support of the interprofessional team. Throughout her career, she has strived to highlight the importance and best practice use of the full interprofessional team to improve outcomes for patients not only in her day-to-day clinical practice and teaching roles, but also through international exchange partnering with colleagues in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan and across Europe.
Since accepting her first position in rheumatology, Dr. Dewing has been involved in the ACR/ARP. She is a past president of ARP and has served as chair and member of numerous committees, task forces and workgroups throughout the College over the last two decades. These include the ACR Executive Committee and Board of Directors, ARP Executive Committee, Rheumatology Research Foundation Board of Directors, ACR and ARP Nominations and Appointments committees, Workforce Solutions, ACR Committee on Finance, Volunteers to Expand Rheumatology Access (VERA), Committee on Rheumatologic Care, ARP Practice Committee, ACR Committee on Education, ARP Annual Meeting Planning Committee and Abstract Oversight Committee, Advanced Practice Skills Training Task Force and Clinical Focus Course Task Force.
Dr. Dewing’s passion for supporting and training new NPs and physician assistants (PAs) in rheumatology has been demonstrated by her commitment to creating educational content, as an invited speaker at the ACR annual meeting, serving as an author on the Fundamentals of Rheumatology Course and as an assistant scientific editor for the Advanced Rheumatology Course. She has also participated in The Training Rheum and NP/PA-specific initiatives with the Lupus Initiative.
ARP Merit Awards
Dr. Bartlett
ARP Master Award
The ARP’s highest honor—the Master Award—went to Susan J. Bartlett, PhD, MARP, for her outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology over nearly 30 years. Dr. Bartlett is a professor of medicine at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, adjunct professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, and senior scientist with Arthritis Research Canada.
Dr. Bartlett received her master’s degree in counseling psychology from McGill University, a PhD in clinical psychology from Syracuse University, New York, and completed postdoctoral training in clinical trials and behavioral epidemiology at Johns Hopkins, where she served on the faculty from 1998 until 2008 when she relocated to McGill.
For decades, Dr. Bartlett has helped to train rheumatologists and health professionals on rheumatology teams to enhance patient-clinician communication. Dr. Bartlett has been at the forefront of improving quality of life for people with rheumatic diseases, as well as patient engagement and patient-centered outcomes research in rheumatology for many years. Her current research focuses on ensuring we capture outcomes that matter most to people with rheumatic diseases in arthritis research and care. She has led clinical trials to improve health behaviors in people with arthritis, including diet, exercise, smoking, weight, yoga and treatment adherence in the U.S. and Canada, and has authored more than 240 scientific articles.
Dr. Bartlett has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on studies funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Arthritis Society, the Arthritis Foundation and others. She sits on steering committees of the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) and the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN). She is co-founder of the McGill Health Measurement Centre, the Canada-PRO initiative, a former chair of the Patient Centered Outcomes Working Group for the American Thoracic Society, the Standards and Methods Committee of the International Society of Quality of Life (ISOQOL), and immediate past president of the NIH’s PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Health Organization. She previously co-chaired the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Group and Drug Safety Group.
An active member of ARP since 1998, Dr. Bartlett was the first recipient of the Lawren Daltroy Fellowship in Patient-Clinician Communication. She joined the Rheumatology Research Foundation Board in November, and most recently served on the ARP Executive Committee (2021–23). She is currently an associate editor for The Rheumatologist magazine and served as editor of the ACR’s Clinical Care in the Rheumatic Diseases, 3rd edition.
“Throughout my career, I have passionately harnessed the power of behavioral science to improve communication, inspire positive health behaviors and ensure our research focuses on what matters most to people living with rheumatic diseases,” says Dr. Bartlett. “Although our treatments have seen remarkable advancements, the ARP Master Award serves as a powerful reminder: by addressing the psychosocial aspects of rheumatic diseases, we pave the way for better outcomes and enhanced quality of life for all our patients.”
Dr. Poole
ARP Lifetime Achievement Award
Among the ARP’s highest honors is the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented to a current or past member who has made meaningful and lasting contributions to the field of rheumatology. This year’s award recipient is Janet Poole, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, professor emerita, former division chief and director of the occupational therapy graduate program in the department of pediatrics at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.
“I am very honored to have been nominated for, and to have received, the ARP Lifetime Achievement Award this year,” says Dr. Poole. “The ARP has provided me with many leadership and networking opportunities, including being the president of the ARP. It has been exciting for me to be a member of an interprofessional organization and to participate in such a variety of committees and taskforces. With an interest in a rare rheumatic disease, scleroderma, the ARP/ACR was the go-to place for me. I got so much inspiration and support from attending and networking at the annual scientific meetings. I have developed lifelong friends and collaborations from volunteering and being a part of the ARP/ACR. Thank you so much.”
Dr. Poole received her Bachelor of Science in occupational therapy from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, her master’s from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Poole began working with people with arthritis early in her career as an occupational therapist at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Her clinical interest and dedication to people who have scleroderma was fostered by Thomas Medsger, MD, and Virginia Steen, MD, at the University of Pittsburgh and supported by other rheumatologists and people with scleroderma.
As an occupational therapist, Dr. Poole is invested in the impact of scleroderma on daily life activities and recognized the role of occupational therapy services in the non-pharmacological management of scleroderma. She developed educational materials on hand and face exercises, designed an internet self-management program (i.e., Taking Charge of Systemic Sclerosis: TOSS) and two virtual group education programs: FAME-iSS to support people with scleroderma to manage fatigue and Making it Work Systemic Sclerosis (MiW-SS) to keep people with scleroderma in the workforce. She has tried to ensure these programs are easily accessible to patients and shares information at patient conferences.
Dr. Poole was recognized by the Scleroderma Foundation with the National Volunteer of the Year Award in 2011 and the Doctor of the Year Award in 2023. She was also named a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and inducted into the Academy of Research for the American Occupational Therapy Foundation, where she also serves as vice chair. Dr. Poole has a history of productive research projects and funding with the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the Rheumatology Research Foundation, the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Scleroderma Foundation, resulting in numerous publications and national and international presentations, often involving her students.
An active member of ARP since 1984, Dr. Poole has served on numerous ARP and ACR committees as both a member and chair. Dr. Poole was the 2019–2020 ARP president and served in officer roles as secretary, president-elect and immediate past president. Dr. Poole was designated a Master of the ARP in 2022 and delivered the 2018 ARP Distinguished Lecture. She also received the ARP Master Educator and Master Clinician awards.
Dr. Poole collaborates with patients, patient groups, professional organizations and rheumatology professionals from Canada and Europe to develop educational materials and guidelines for non-pharmacological interventions for people with scleroderma. Dr. Poole feels that the ARP/ACR has provided networking and leadership opportunities that have led to a successful and enjoyable career in rheumatology and lifelong friendships and collaborations.
Ms. Kremer
Addie Thomas Service Award
The Addie Thomas Service Award is presented to ARP members in honor of the association’s first president and recognizes active volunteers in arthritis-related activities. This year’s recipient is Courtney Kremer, MSN, ARNP, C-PNP, a pediatric nurse practitioner at University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Addie Thomas Service Award,” says Ms. Kremer. “Throughout my career in pediatric rheumatology, providing volunteer service has been instrumental in growing my patient relationships and developing a community and collaboration with incredible providers and advocates throughout the country and worldwide. I am so grateful to my colleagues, fellow volunteers and to everyone who continues to advocate for those affected by rheumatic disease. Together we are making a difference, and this award motivates me to keep pushing forward.”
Ms. Kremer completed both her bachelor’s in nursing and pediatric nurse practitioner training at the University of Iowa College of Nursing. In addition to providing patient care, she serves as the advanced practice provider (APP) lead supervisor for the pediatric rheumatology, pulmonology and allergy/immunology divisions at University of Iowa Health Care.
Ms. Kremer is actively engaged with the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), participating in registries and sub-studies. She provides pediatric rheumatology lectures to APP students and staff and serves as a preceptor for pediatric learners in the clinic. Additionally, she is a medical advisor for the Arthritis Foundation of Iowa and is a member of the Iowa Walk to Cure Arthritis planning committee. Ms. Kremer has also volunteered with Camp Spirit and Jingle Bell Run. Her contributions to the Arthritis Foundation of Iowa have earned her the Governor’s Volunteer Award.
A passionate advocate for pediatric rheumatology, Ms. Kremer’s most significant achievement to date is the establishment of the division’s first pediatric rheumatology support group, Joining Hands. Initiated shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joining Hands was designed to connect patients and families through educational activities, networking events and community awareness of pediatric rheumatic diseases. In addition to organizing three to four patient events annually, Ms. Kremer helps develop fundraising opportunities to maintain the support group at no cost to patients. The group now has more than 150 patients and continues to expand and thrive.
Ms. Kremer has been an active member of ACR and ARP since beginning her role in pediatric rheumatology. She has served on the Annual Meeting Planning Committee and the Workforce Solutions Committee, and has been a reviewer for several modules and abstracts. She is also a member of the ACR Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium (PRSYM) planning committee for the upcoming 2026 meeting. Ms. Kremer has been honored with the Top 10% Provider in the Nation award.
Beyond her rheumatology work, Ms. Kremer is involved in the Iowa National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (Iowa NAPNAP) and is on the scholarship and awards committee. She attributes much of her success to her outstanding colleagues at University of Iowa Health Care, as well as her supportive husband and three children.
Dr. Crowson
Distinguished Scholar Award
The Distinguished Scholar Award, presented to an ARP member who demonstrates exceptional achievements in scholarly activities pertinent to arthritis and rheumatic disease, was given to Cynthia S. Crowson, PhD, professor of biostatistics and medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
“I am beyond grateful to the ARP for choosing me as this year’s Distinguished Scholar,” says Dr. Crowson. “I have been blessed with wonderful colleagues, collaborators and friends at Mayo Clinic and within [the] ACR and ARP who have contributed to my success. I am deeply honored to see my name added to the list of incredible people who received this award in prior years.”
Dr. Crowson received bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and statistics from Winona State University, Minn., in 1989, a master’s in statistics from Iowa State University, Ames, in 2005, and her doctorate in biostatistics from the University of Oslo, Norway, in 2018.
Dr. Crowson has been conducting clinical research involving rheumatic diseases for over 35 years and has co-authored more than 450 peer-reviewed articles. She has contributed substantially to knowledge of the epidemiology of rheumatic diseases and to the investigation of cardiovascular disease risk among people with rheumatic diseases. She also contributed substantially to the development of the ACR classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica. Dr. Crowson is the principal investigator of grants from the NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studying population-based cohorts of people with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. She has extensively studied risk factors and outcomes for these diseases. Recent investigations are focused on multimorbidity and rural health disparities.
Dr. Crowson has contributed to the ARP through membership on the Registries and Health Information Technology Committee, Quality Measures Subcommittee and Abstract Oversight Committee. She has also served numerous times as an abstract reviewer, abstract category lead, session moderator and task force member, and has presented at Stats Bootcamp sessions. Dr. Crowson is an associate editor of the Journal of Rheumatology and a member of the editorial board for Arthritis Care & Research.
Ms. Ruffing
Distinguished Clinician Award
The Distinguished Clinician Award is presented to an ARP member who is engaged in clinical practice and demonstrates outstanding clinical expertise in arthritis and rheumatic diseases. Victoria Ruffing, RN-BC, director of patient education and director of nursing for the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, Baltimore, and adjunct faculty for the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, was this year’s recipient.
Ms. Ruffing has served in the field of rheumatology for 24 years. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in 1979, and her RN from Harford Community College, Bel Air, Md., in 1991.
Under Ms. Ruffing’s leadership, the Scope and Standards for Rheumatology Nursing were developed, allowing rheumatology nursing to be recognized as a specialty by the American Nurses Association. She has had a long interest in education for rheumatology professionals and has been one of the course directors since 2005 of the annual Johns Hopkins Advances in Rheumatic Diseases continuing medical education course. She was one of the editors of the textbook, Clinical Care in the Rheumatic Diseases, 3rd edition, published by the ACR in 2006.
In 2007, Ms. Ruffing became a founding member of the Rheumatology Nurses Society, where she served as president for eight years. She developed the Nurses Tool Kit, which included protocols for administration of biologic agents and practice management. She served as editor for the first edition of Core Curriculum for Rheumatology Nursing. More recently, Ms. Ruffing served for six years as an associate editor of the ACR publication The Rheumatologist.
Ms. Ruffing has been an essential member of the Johns Hopkins rheumatology faculty, with a major teaching role for fellows, sharing her knowledge of biologic administration and safety, and how to speak with patients about their illnesses in terms they understand. This has been a very important role for which she is highly sought for ongoing advice to trainees. She has mentored nurses new to rheumatology across the country, as well as a contingent of nurses from Hong Kong.
Ms. Ruffing has been an innovator in developing patient educational materials. These have included fact sheets for the Arthritis Foundation and ACR, and her development of more than 100 educational videos found on the Johns Hopkins website rheum.tv, for patients with various rheumatic diseases, concerning pathobiology, treatments and side effects, and lifestyle considerations. These videos are also distributed on YouTube and Facebook. Videos developed by Ms. Ruffing have now received over 4 million views. She received the Medical Champion award from the Maryland Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation in 2024 for her contributions to improving patient outcomes through education.
“To be recognized by one’s peers for years of hard work is both humbling and heartwarming,” says Ms. Ruffing. “This award is for all registered nurses trying to improve the lives of patients with rheumatic disease.”
Dr. Westby
Distinguished Educator Award
This year’s Distinguished Educator Award was presented to Marie Westby, PT, PhD, physical therapy clinical resource therapist in rheumatology at the Mary Pack Arthritis Program, Vancouver, British Columbia, for demonstrating excellence in teaching patients, trainees and health professionals. She also serves as a clinician scientist at the Centre for Aging SMART and a clinical associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver.
“Receiving this award is a tremendous honor as it acknowledges my career-long passion for mentoring and teaching diverse groups—from the general public, patients and their families to physical therapy and medical students and fellow clinicians,” says Dr. Westby. “Teaching is most rewarding when I’ve been able to spark students’ or clinicians’ curiosity or interest in pursuing further rheumatology training or clinical practice. I am grateful to my nominators and ARP colleagues who have been my mentors and role models for teaching and engaging the next generation of arthritis practitioners.”
Dr. Westby earned a doctorate in rehabilitation sciences from UBC and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Her clinical, education and research interests include osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis and joint replacement, with a focus on rehabilitation and exercise prescription, outcome measurement, practice guidelines and quality of care. Dr. Westby’s current research engages clinicians and patients in implementing an online toolkit of hip and knee replacement rehabilitation quality indicator resources and evaluating their uptake and effects on quality of care, patient outcomes and experiences.
For 30 years, Dr. Westby has been teaching in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, including courses in rheumatology and evidence-based practice in the master’s of physical therapy and undergraduate medical school programs. After publishing the results of a Canada-wide survey on rheumatology instructional hours and curriculum among entry-level physical therapy programs, she was successful in advocating for, and designing, a 30-hour course at UBC that remains one of the most comprehensive rheumatology curricula 25 years later.
Dr. Westby is the physical therapy lead instructor and coordinator of the long-running Arthritis Continuing Education (ACE) program, which offers an annual hybrid, evidence-informed and practical workshop for physical therapists, occupational therapists and nurses from across Canada. She has also been active in developing patient educational materials and providing both in-person and virtual patient education in clinical and community settings throughout her career.
A member of the ARP since 1992, Dr. Westby has chaired several ARP committees including the Practice Committee, eLearning Subcommittee and the Clinical Focus Course Task Force and, most recently, has been a member of the ACR/ARP Committee on Research. She is also a long-standing member of the Canadian Arthritis Health Professions Association, for which she chaired the Career and Professional Development Committee and is currently a member of the Research Committee. Dr. Westby was the recipient of the 2014 ARHP Distinguished Clinician Award.
Patrice Fusillo is a writer and editor based in Oakland, Calif.
