Welcome! I'm Martha Kalisz.

Where I'm From

I grew up in a suburb of Chicago, IL with three siblings who have inspired and challenged me, nurturing a highly motivated and self-driven individual. Discipline and teamwork were instilled in me at a young age by both playing and watching sports – go Cubbies, Packers and Blackhawks! My respect for the arts and keen interest in an ongoing pursuit of knowledge was solidified by trips to word class museums and attending performances. The shores of Lake Michigan sparked my love for the beach, while my desire to travel was cultivated by trying foods from around the world (plus lots of deep-dish pizza!).

Where I've Been

I completed my undergraduate degree earning a Bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in May of 2015. Club and activity involvement included being elected as Vice President of the School of Education’s Kinesiology Club, participating in club ice hockey, and volunteering with Badger Volunteers. I held two jobs throughout my college career as a research assistant with a pediatric cardiopulmonary lab as a Campus Visit Specialist with Campus and Visitor Relations, which involved managing multiple accounts and collaborating with Campus Partners to plan specialty visits and tours for approximately 30,000 guests per year. Throughout my undergraduate career I stayed busy while keeping up with my studies, demonstrating excellent time management, communication and prioritization of tasks.

I completed my graduate degree earning a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in August of 2018. Club and activity involvement included being elected as Vice President for the Student Physical Therapy Association, and volunteering for student-run Student Health Action Coalition. I held a job as an office coordinator while juggling coursework and clinical rotations. Once again, time management and communication were integral to my success, and my critical thinking and problem-solving skills were put to the test. After graduation, I moved to New Hampshire to begin my career as a Physical Therapist.

My love for travel was realized and solidified with the opportunity to study abroad in Spain during my undergraduate studies. Through that experience, I was able to become a conversational Spanish speaker. In addition, I traveled within Europe with friends as well as independently, building my confidence, self-determination, and autonomy. I continue to travel as much as possible with friends and family!

Where I'm Going

I am based in Portsmouth, NH and began pursuing software development in November 2020 while maintaining my full-time job as a pediatric physical therapist. I plan to continue to study and learn in my free time to develop skills in software engineering with a goal of changing careers as soon as my growing skillset allows.