Dr Destiny Gaddis PT DPT
Founder/Lead Instructor
Dr. Destiny Gaddis is a community leader, educator and mentor to many physical therapists, and inspires to motivate others in her passion of physical therapy. Destiny received her Masters of Science degree from the University of North Georgia. She was awarded a Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia.
Since that time, she has cultivated her Physical Therapy knowledge in the field of Orthopedics. She has completed several distinguished certifications, including Dry Needling, Spinal Manipulation, ASTYM, Vestibular, and the STAR Cancer Program. She completed an extensive manual therapy Fellowship granting her status with FAAOMPT.
In the past, Destiny has been a teaching assistant for the Spinal Manipulation Institute, Dry Needling Institute, and a guest lecture/adjunct faculty member for numerous Physical Therapy programs across the country. She currently owns and directs her own clinic for an outpatient physical therapy company where she treats a full patient load that include an array of challenging vestibular and orthopedic cases on a full-time basis. She also holds a faculty position at UNG at this time.
Dr. James Blackwell PT DPT
Instructor
Dr. James Blackwell earned his DPT degree in 2016 from Georgia Regents University. He has been treating full-time in the outpatient orthopedic setting since this time.
James has earned additional certifications including: Cert. DN, Cert. VRS, and Dip. SM. He has been traveling and teaching with AMSI since its creation.
James has also served as asst. coordinator of clinical education for the University of North Georgia DPT. Program.
James has had the opportunity to treat patients with many different diagnoses but particularly enjoys working with patients with balance deficiencies due to vestibular hypofunction, headaches, and mobility limitations.
James enjoys spending time with his family, target shooting, and cooking in his down time.
Cody Phillips PTA
Instructor
Cody Phillips is an instructor with American Musculoskeletal Institute. He travels the country sharing his passion for treating and teaching with other clinicians. On top of his role as an Instructor, Cody treats patients full time as a clinic owner and director of an outpatient physical therapy clinic, provides care to the members of the 5th Ranger Training Brigade at Camp Merrill, Georgia, serves as the PTA Caucus representative for the state of Georgia, and is the Chair for the PTA Focus Interest Network for the Georgia Chapter of the APTA.
He has certifications in Vestibular Rehabilitation, Spinal and Peripheral Joint Manipulation, and the use of IASTM. Cody developed his passion for serving during his 12 years of military service.
He currently spends his free time with his wife and two children staying active as a family and cheering on his son in Baseball and Football.
Dr. Ron Pavkovich PT DPT CDNMT
Instructor
Dr. Ron Pavkovich is a graduate of Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. Dr. Pavkovich spent the last several years as a senior fellowship faculty instructor for one of the largest Fellowships in the USA, teaching dry needling and differential diagnosis before deciding to create AOPT Seminars based on his extensive manual therapy background. He has trained through AAMT, Myopain Dry Needling, and Integrative Dry Needling, and taking all of that training and experience, has created the Credential in Comprehensive Dry Needling & Manual Therapy (CDNMT) 54-hour DN & Manual Therapy program combining the best of his knowledge to provide an extensive evidenced-based program aimed at making dry needing & manual therapy for MSK conditions easy to learn and apply immediately upon course completion.
Dr. Pavkovich was appointed to the Kentucky State Board of Physical Therapy 2018, and was considered the dry needling “go-to” for questions specific to dry needling and manual therapy for his duration while serving on the Board. Dr. Pavkovich lectures, trains, and certifies providers including MD, PA-C, DC, ATC, Acupuncture, and PT in dry needling and manual therapy techniques across the nation. Dr. Pavkovich has published and co-authored four case reports/ series and interventional papers in peer-reviewed journals on the topic of dry needling for various conditions.
Amanda Doran
Program Director
Amanda Doran has served as the Program Director for the American Musculoskeletal Institute (AMSI) since 2018, bringing a deep commitment to excellence and a passion for supporting continuing education in the physical therapy profession. In her role, Amanda manages all aspects of the business outside of instruction, including contracts, communications, invoicing, bookkeeping, and overall operations. Her leadership ensures that AMSI runs smoothly and efficiently, allowing the instructors to focus on delivering top-tier education. With a sharp eye for detail and a heart for service, Amanda plays a vital role in helping AMSI empower clinicians across the country with evidence-based training and professional development.
