Rather than include an Editor’s Message in this 2025 issue, I thought your time would be better spent reading a tribute to Dr. Tim and Mrs. Janet Field. To say that the Fields have been an integral part of the rehabilitation community for many decades does not fully capture their contributions. I reached out to several people who know the Fields well both personally and professionally and Dr. Roger Weed’s response, was as follows, “Anyone practicing private sector rehabilitation and doesn’t know who Tim is probably lives under a rock.” This is a perfect topic sentence for this tribute.
When asked to describe Tim and Janet Field, words like visionaries, inspirational, and infectious enthusiasm were repeated. Alongside such words describing the expansive quality of their professional activities were words reflecting their personal values including kindness, respect, grace and exceptionally collegial.
Dr. Tim Field is a lifelong educator. In the traditional sense of the term, Dr. Field served as a professor in rehabilitation, program coordinator and doctoral program advisor at the University of Georgia from 1972 until 1987. In 1979, while employed at the University of Georgia, he and his wife Janet founded Elliott and Fitzpatrick, a publishing company that became the premier publisher for rehabilitation journals, texts, software programs, and training and resource guides. At Elliott & Fitzpatrick, Dr. Field’s impact on rehabilitation education expanded from his classrooms at the University of Georgia to reach students and practitioners nationwide. Throughout his career, Dr. Field has been actively involved in professional development. Dr. Field was a speaker at the first annual NARPPS meeting in 1981 and later served as president of NARPPS from 1996-1997. For those of you who do not know, NARRPS became IARP in 2000. Dr. Field remains to this day actively involved in IARP as a speaker and journal editor and in 2002, he was awarded the much-deserved IARP Lifetime Achievement award. While many serve their tenure as a professor and retire or serve as IARP president and step aside, Dr. Field has chosen to remain involved in meaningful ways for over 40 years. I know very few who were actively publishing in 1979 who continue to actively publish today. Dr. Field’s contribution to a rehabilitation textbook published in 2023 was outstanding!
Dr. Field’s partner in business was also his partner in life, his wife of many years Janet Field, MA. Janet’s expertise in statistics and computer science has made her an invaluable member of our professional community for decades. I have personally worked with Janet in the publication of IARP journals only since 2017 during which time I have witnessed her command of data, grammar, and APA formatting unlike I have ever encountered. When asked about Janet, Cloie Johnson so eloquently said,
Janet, an accomplished editor, has played a vital role in shaping the written word and ensuring clarity and quality in the work she touches. With her keen eye for detail, she has helped countless authors, including Tim, present their ideas with precision and impact. Janet’s gentle, nurturing spirit and steadfast compassion make her an irreplaceable presence in both her professional and personal circles. Her dedication to her family, friends, and the rehabilitation community showcases a life led with purpose and love. Janet’s resilience and grace in the face of challenges serve as an inspiration to everyone around her.
The Fields also participated in the Carib Group (1992-2010), a think tank that met on at least 18 occasions in many exotic locations with the focus of contributing to the literature on a selected topic. From those efforts, multiple study guides for rehabilitation-related certifications were developed.
To say that the Fields are a rarity is an understatement. Thankfully, the Fields’ passionate commitment to rehabilitation has not wavered over the years. Through their efforts, they have touched the lives of thousands of rehabilitation students and professionals. As Dr. Weed said, the Fields “…built a legacy not just in the accomplishments they’ve achieved but in the lives they’ve touched and the hearts they’ve warmed.” Their impact is immeasurable, and their legacy will continue to inspire and uplift us all.