From competing on the soccer field at Berkshire and Drexel University to working in the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS), Keunna Dill’s journey has always been driven by a passion for movement and working with children.

After earning a bachelor's degree in health sciences while playing Division I soccer at Drexel, Keunna moved to England to complete her master’s degree in physiotherapy (with Merit) at the University of East Anglia. She spent the next five years in the U.K. sharpening her clinical expertise across leading NHS communities and specialist services, developing a holistic, compassionate approach to pediatric care.

Today, Keunna is a pediatric physiotherapist specializing in pediatric neurology, developmental rehabilitation, postural management, hydrotherapy, and sports performance care. In addition to her clinical career, she remains an active international footballer for the Bermuda Women’s National Team.

This past April, Keunna returned home to Bermuda alongside her partner and fellow Berkshire alumnus, Justin Donawa ’15, and their young daughter to launch her own private pediatric physiotherapy practice. We recently caught up with Keunna to discuss her path from Berkshire to launching her business back home.

Was there a defining moment that helped you realize you wanted to pursue pediatric physiotherapy? Was there a specific path?
My mom is a physiotherapist, so I've always had exposure to the profession, but I knew I didn't want to do exactly what she did. At the time, I wasn't aware of the different specialties within physiotherapy, but I did know that I always wanted to work with children. I used to work at nurseries and preschools during my summers at home from Berkshire and in college.

During my sophomore summer, a physiotherapist came to the nursery school to work with some of the children. It was the first time I had been exposed to pediatric physiotherapy as a profession. From then on, I haven't looked back.

What core skills or values did you build at Berkshire that were most valuable when navigating the challenges of college, earning your master’s degree, and your athletic career?
Living and going to school at Berkshire taught me to appreciate people with different backgrounds and cultures. It's especially important when engaging with families from different cultures in my day-to-day work.

I also learned discipline. Having the structure of school, practice, and study hall gave me the tools to prioritize my schedule, as I was already used to having a routine. This was especially helpful when navigating being a Division I student-athlete and playing semi-professional football (soccer) in England while pursuing my master’s degree.

What inspired you to return to Bermuda and start your own business?
Living in England was a great experience. It helped me grow professionally, while also allowing me to continue my football (soccer) career. Once my daughter was born, my priorities naturally shifted. Justin and I are both from Bermuda, and both of our families reside in Bermuda. We wanted our daughter to grow up around her family and have our village around us while doing so.

Pediatric physiotherapy is a niche in Bermuda, so there is a need for it on the island. However, that also means there aren't many existing employment opportunities within the profession. It made the most sense for me to open my own business and be able to deliver therapy to children there in the best way I've learned how.

How did playing DI soccer shape your leadership style and business approach?
I minored in entrepreneurship at Drexel. I balanced playing soccer, school, and working a part-time job while I was there. Running your own business often means you have to wear many hats, and there are a lot of things you have to juggle at one time.

There was one season when I experienced a season-ending injury—a torn MCL. It was hard because I still had to go to practice every day and participate in lifts, as well as focus on my own recovery, but I wasn't able to do the one thing I wanted to do, which was play.

I had to redirect my focus to how I could be of best use to the team without being on the field. I became known as the "mother" of the team. I ensured the freshmen integrated seamlessly into the team, made sure everyone had what they needed to prepare for game days, and was a listening ear for players who were struggling.

Having to put my personal feelings and emotions aside helped me realize that my leadership talents extended far beyond what I could do on the field. I ended up receiving the "Unsung Hero" award that season.

It showed me that you don't need to be in a position of influence to lead—caring about those around you and wanting to bring out the best in them is what's most important, especially when considering how I run my business and the lasting impact I hope to have on my patients.

What advice would you give to Berkshire students interested in building a business?
Success in entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. You won't always reap immediate results, but focusing on the small wins can help keep you moving forward.

Physiotherapy is a rewarding career that allows you to help people function more effectively. My best advice would be to pursue whatever your heart is in, because when things aren't going well, if your heart is in it and you love what you do, that will always serve as motivation to keep you going.