Professor Behrens is the founding program coordinator of the PTA program at Mercer and she has been recognized nationally for her teaching expertise and was the recipient of the FA Davis Award for Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant Educator. She is actively involved in the profession of physical therapy as an instructor, presenter, former state representative to the National Assembly of Physical Therapist Assistants of the American Physical Therapy Association and author. Her books, Physical Agents: Theory & Practice 2nd ed. and Laboratory Manual for Physical Agents 2nd edition both published in 2006 have received widespread acceptance among the majority of Physical Therapist Assistant Programs across the United States and have been translated into several other languages.The third edition was published in 2014 with Holly Beinert (Kaiser) as her co-author.

Professor Behrens started her career in physical therapy by earning her Associate in Applied Science Degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant from Union County College, Cranford NJ. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Education from Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ and her Master of Science degree in Adult Education from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN.

Professor Behrens has lectured extensively throughout the country for more than 20 years on topics that include physical agents, professional networking, pain management, and the appropriate utilization and delegation of and to the physical therapist assistant. She also has experience in a variety of ancillary areas which include physical therapy product design, utilization management review services and clinical education consultant for physical therapy equipment distributors and manufacturers, virtual learning environment strategies, and the development of innovative online course techniques which she has presented at several national conferences.

In 2003 Professor Behrens was appointed by the Governor of NJ to serve on the NJ State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. She is the first PTA in NJ state history to hold that position. In 2012, she was nominated for and accepted the role of Vice Chairperson for the NJ State Board, once again as the first PTA to ever hold that position in NJ's history.

Professor Behrens currently represents NJ on the Physical Therapy Compact Commission. NJ was one of the first 15 states to become a member ot the PT Compact.

Professor Behrens is Physical Therapist Assistant licensed in several states including PA(inactive) and KS(inactive) and

NJ License # 40QB00015400(active).

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