The 2025 ARP President’s & Merit Awards

Beyond clinical care, Ms. Nemoy is engaged in professional leadership and advocacy. She has held numerous volunteer roles in the ACR and ARP, including serving on the Government Affairs Committee, ARP Executive Committee, Practice Committee and Committee on Training. She is especially passionate about education and workforce development and is engaged in initiatives to increase educational opportunities in collaboration with the ACR and ARP. She also is an active member of the Association of Women in Rheumatology, the Chicago Rheumatism Society, the Obesity Medicine Association and the Illinois Obesity Society.

Ms. Nemoy lives in Chicago with her husband, Matthew, a pulmonary critical care and sleep physician. They have embraced their new roles as parents after welcoming their first child this summer.

“It is a privilege to work alongside dedicated colleagues to deliver high-quality care and improve patient outcomes,” says Ms. Nemoy. “Being recognized with the Distinguished Clinician Award is a true honor and a meaningful affirmation of this work.”

ARP Award of Appreciation

Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award

The ARP Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award recognizes students advancing rheumatology in education, practice, research and/or advocacy, and is open to non-physician health professional students who have not yet achieved the highest academic degree in their field of study. This year’s awardee is Sydney Liles, PT, DPT, MS, a PhD student in biomechanics and movement science at the University of Delaware, Newark.

Dr. Liles earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Science from the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Va. She is a licensed physical therapist who integrates clinical expertise with academic scholarship and serves as a teaching assistant in the Department of Physical Therapy, supporting courses in research methods, biophysical agents and clinical gross anatomy.

Dr. Liles’ research centers on physical activity and treatment strategies for individuals with arthritis, focusing primarily on knee osteoarthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Her work uses clinical trial and cohort data to explore physical activity patterns, pain and treatment utilization in adults with rheumatic conditions. Her long-term goal is to identify barriers to physical activity and enhance communication among adolescents with JIA, their families and healthcare providers. She was awarded the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research’s Promotion of Doctoral Studies (PODS) I Scholarship and has presented her research at prominent national and international meetings including the ACR/ARP Annual Meeting and the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Congress.