Kristi Hallisy is a professor with the Doctor of Physical Therapy program with a joint appointment with the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She joined the UW–Madison Physical Therapy program in 1997 and teaches Health Promotion and Wellness (PT 668), Orthotics Application in Physical Therapy (PT 675), Musculoskeletal Dysfunction Examination, Diagnosis & Management I (PT 676) and II (PT 677) and an Independent Study in Tai Chi (PT 799).
Hallisy is a board certified clinical specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy (OCS), certified manual physical therapist (CMPT), certified exercise expert for aging adults (CEEAA) and certified Tai Chi Fundamentals® Instructor. She is the director of mentoring for the UW Health and Meriter Unity Point Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program, which includes leadership roles on the Curriculum and Steering committees. She also serves on the UW-Health Adult Trauma Injury Prevention Community Health Improvement Strategies (Dane County Fall Prevention) advisory committee (2023–present).
Hallisy’s research and clinical interests are in the physical therapy application of tai chi as an evidence-based falls prevention program for older adults (Tai Chi Prime) and management of acute and chronic musculoskeletal health conditions. In recent years, the team developed the culturally adapted Inclusive Tai Chi Prime for dissemination and implementation in African American/black and Latinx communities, the latter fully translated into Spanish for both Tai Chi Prime Leader training and community-based distribution.
Hallisy received a bachelor of science degree in physical therapy from UW–Madison in 1984, a master of science degree in kinesiology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 1992 and a doctorate of science degree in physical therapy from Andrews University in 2011.