The Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU) Alumni Association Board is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Alumni Awards. These awards recognize graduates who exemplify the University’s core values of service, leadership, scholarship, and innovation in healthcare.
Early Career Alumni Award- Dr. Kirsten Thornhill
Since earning her PhD in Health Sciences from RMU in 2024, Dr. Kirsten Thornhill has demonstrated extraordinary professional drive, creativity, and commitment to health equity. She currently serves as a regulatory researcher on the Women and Newborn Research team at Intermountain Medical Center, specializing in maternal-fetal medicine research and earning accolades for her contributions to neonatal healthcare studies.
In early 2025, Dr. Thornhill co-founded Alma.me, an international consulting firm supporting PhDs in biomedical and health sciences as they navigate career transitions. She also joined Norkova Health, a nonprofit organization in Salt Lake City, as lLead facilitator. There, she creates accessible wellness events centered on mental health equity and culturally responsive practices.
Her multifaceted efforts across research, career development, and community wellness reflect a deep passion for inclusion, service, and personal empowerment, making her a shining example of RMU’s mission in action.
Outstanding Alumni Award- Dr. Nick Rainey
Dr. Nick Rainey stands at the forefront of innovation in physical therapy. Board certified in orthopaedic and temporomandibular therapy and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapists. Dr. Rainey is the founder of Rainey Pain & Performance, Sierra Vista Headache and TMJ Specialists, and Access Therapy in Sierra Vista, Arizona.
Dr. Rainey’s influence spans clinical excellence, professional mentorship, and continuing education. He serves as adjunct faculty at Tufts University-–Phoenix and is known for his passion for elevating the profession one provider at a time. Each year, he provides RMU students with transformative 24-month internships that deliver hands-on, evidence-based learning and leadership development. His clinics are among the most highly praised clinical sites in the DPT program.
His unwavering dedication to his patients, students, and the broader healthcare community makes Dr. Rainey a truly outstanding alumnus.
