Patricia Starkey | Peoria, IL

Dr. Tricia Starkey is known for improving the health of her community through education, clinical care and service. She is a licensed Physical Therapist and Assistant Professor at Bradley University, where she works full-time in the Department of Physical Therapy and Kinesiology and Health. Thomas Stimeling of the Peoria Fire Department praises Dr. Starkey’s Wellness in Action Initiative, which serves both firefighters and Bradley students. “Her collaboration with Bradley University’s DPT program has trained over 100 Peoria firefighters, reducing on-duty injuries by 21%, and she has extended this leadership to fire chiefs across Illinois.”

Dr. Starkey also works as a part-time Physical Therapist at Vitality Physical Therapy. She is a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and a practicing pelvic floor therapist, leading workshops on pelvic floor wellness and exercise engagement.

Drawing and sports both held Tricia’s attention while she was growing up. “Ball was life,” she writes, remembering her high school days. But tearing her ACL three times in high school had a profound effect on her. She went to Iowa State University intending to become an architect, while recovering from the third tear. “This experience taught me a few main things: 1) hard work always pays off. 2) mental toughness is essential for life, and 3) exercise is a magic pill for longevity and happiness.” In the process, Tricia changed her major to Kinesiology, graduating from Iowa State in 2015. She then earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Bradley University before completing her Orthopedic Residency with Evidence in Motion. Dr. Stakey is currently pursuing a PhD in Health and Human Performance from Concordia University – Chicago.

Outside of work, Dr. Starkey is an active parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul, where she is Chair of the Elizabeth Ministry and volunteers her time in the winter with Peoria Notre Dame Women's Soccer as a strength and conditioning coach. She mentors future physical therapists through Evidence in Motion's Orthopedic Residency and serves with the Alzheimer’s Association Walk. Dr. Starkey is most passionate about Dream Center Peoria and the Crittenton Center because of their direct impact on the community.

Even with all of these accomplishments, Dr. Starkey considers her roles as wife and mother the most important. Together with her husband Luke, a Special Education Teacher at Richwoods High School, they are raising three kids; Fred (6), Elaine (4) and Nick (1). After living near Chicago for roughly two years, the Starkeys moved back to Peoria in 2021, knowing their family would thrive here. They enjoy being active outdoors, coffee dates at CxT and discovering everything central Illinois has to offer.