01/15/2026
A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to our first Staff SSTar of the new year, Caitlyn “Cat” Connor! Physical Therapist extraordinaire, Miss Cat, joined the practice in 2024 and we could not be more thrilled to have a therapist of her caliber represent us in both the school and clinic setting. According to SST President, Melanie Shultz, Miss Cat is a “joy to have on the team. She is a true team player and very well respected by both the school contracts she serves and her fellow SST therapists. We are so lucky to have her, and it is only fitting that someone as popular as Cat be honored as our SSTar!” In addition, Physical Therapy Department Head, Camille Bowshier, is “overjoyed” Miss Cat is being recognized. Camille states, “Cat has been an excellent asset to our physical therapy department! She is eager to learn and do what’s best for her students. She is a real team player, taking on
roles for SST such as working in the clinic when the need arises.” Furthermore, Camille states, “Cat is well liked by her various contracts, as they always have wonderful things to say. We are so grateful Cat found us, and we value her commitment to our department. Thank you, Cat!”
Way to go, Cat! It is that kind of positive energy that everyone at SST is totally here for!!!
A Buckeye through and through, Miss Cat was born and raised in nearby Pataskala. Sandwiched between two brothers, Miss Cat is quick to acknowledge her lot in life. “I am the only girl and a middle child. That certainly made things interesting!” All kidding aside, Miss Cat loved growing up with her brothers, who she lovingly refers to as “her best friends.” Throughout her high school years, Miss Cat was an athletic powerhouse. As a three
sport athlete, Miss Cat would often tear it up on the basketball court, softball field, and soccer pitch. During the winter months, you could find her snowboarding with the school ski club. As an elite athlete, Miss Cat was no stranger to sports injuries. At age fourteen she tore her ACL, resulting in surgery and rehabilitation. While in rehab, she witnessed a young boy and his sister also participating in therapy. “I asked my therapist about him and
learned he was in remission for cancer. His sister would join him in therapy to help keep him engaged and make it more fun for him. That right there was my ‘lightbulb moment.’ I knew I wanted to be a pediatric physical therapist.”
During her junior year in high school, Miss Cat decided to focus primarily on soccer, which resulted in a spot on the D3 soccer team at Ohio Wesleyan University where she would go on to earn her degrees in both Exercise Science and Psychology. In addition to being a collegiate athlete at OWU, Miss Cat also worked at the on-campus pre-school. “I always knew I wanted to work with kids. My mom was a preschool teacher, and I spent many years
babysitting, so I am very used to being surrounded by kids.” For graduate school, Miss Cat attended Ohio University in Athens, OH. During all her clinical rotations, Miss Cat never wavered on her commitment to the pediatric field. “I was exposed to a variety of different settings and demographics while working on my doctorate degree, but my personality is definitely best suited for the pediatric population.”
Despite falling in love with southern Ohio, Miss Cat always knew she and her husband would end up back in central Ohio near their family and friends. Luckily for us, this led Miss Cat directly to Specialized Speech Technologies! Miss Cat started her school placement in August of 2024 and she, “loves every second of it!” She states, “I have learned so much and have gained so much experience over the past year and a half. I am so grateful to be doing what I love every day!”
When not representing SST, Miss Cat loves spending time with her husband and forever high school sweetheart, Doug. The couple have two cats who they absolutely adore and refer to as their “babies.” Miss Cat can still be found on the soccer field and loves to go to the Columbus Crew games with her brother. She also loves to work out or just chill with a good book. Miss Cat and Doug remain best friends with all their brothers and their wives. “We all live about thirty minutes to an hour from each other, so we are able to get together quite a bit.” Another perk of being so close is that Cat and Doug can spend lots of quality time with their two nephews and niece. Although that number is about to grow as Miss Cat states, “everyone in my family is having babies. There are two more on the way this year and we couldn’t be more excited about it.”
Well, we here at SST know without a doubt that Miss Cat is the coolest aunt and PT around!
Congratulations Miss Cat and THANK YOU for all you do to make SST a better
place!
