Breaking Barriers: How PTAs Step Into Leadership

What does it take to break through barriers as a PTA—and still build a life that feels full?In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Chris Junkins, PTA, ATC/L, co-owner of Dosher Physical Therapy Associates in upstate South Carolina, for an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, and saying yes to opportunity.Chris shares his journey as a PTA clinician working with athletes, testing employees for industry roles, and stepping into ownership—along with the real barriers he had to overcome along the way. We talk about what holds PTAs back, how to push past those limits, and what leadership actually looks like in the real world.Beyond the clinic, Chris opens up about the things that fuel him: outdoor adventure, good food, live music, and his roots in Georgia and South Carolina (plus the unexpected confession of being a Yankees fan).He also shares a book that deeply shaped his mindset—Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand—and gives a heartfelt shout-out to a group of PTAs who’ve influenced his career and become lifelong friends: David Emerick, Russell Stowers, John Linberger, Debbie Bormann, Juli Robine, Cherie Metz, and Nancy Brox-Koftan, known together as The Barefoot Gang.Listeners will walk away inspired by Chris’s adventurous spirit, his commitment to growth, and a clearer picture of what’s possible when PTAs lean into leadership—both professionally and personally.