Dr. Teresa Cochran is Associate Dean for the College of Allied Health Professions at the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex in Kearney. She joined the Physical Therapy program as an Associate Professor in 2017 and assumed the role of Assistant Dean in 2018, later becoming Associate Dean in 2024. During her tenure, Dr. Cochran’s leadership role helped the expansion of the College in Kearney, contributing to both its design and ongoing development to meet the institution’s growing needs and those of the programs it supports. As the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Public Health continue to expand in Kearney, Dr. Cochran’s collaborative leadership will remain a valuable asset to both the College and UNMC.

In 2020, Dr. Cochran was awarded the CQuence Distinguished Professorship for Innovation in Health Care, recognizing and supporting her leadership at the forefront of interprofessional education (IPE). She remains actively engaged in developing a longitudinal curriculum designed to equip students with the collaborative skills essential for rural healthcare practice.

Dr. Cochran has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association since 1993 and was granted Emerita status as a geriatric clinical specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2021. She also became a charter member of the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative in 2015 and was elected a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice in 2016, reflecting her national work to in advance interprofessional education and collaborative care.