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Meet the Team

NGPT is powered by physical therapists and student physical therapists who are committed to your success.

If you’d like to join the NGPT team, check out the links below.

 


Associate Director of Residency Content

Aimee Depelteau, PT, DPT

Aimee is a #FreshPT who graduated from physical therapy school at East Tennessee State University. She completed her undergraduate coursework in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is will be starting a residency program with Evidence in Motion/Confluent Health in July, 2017. Her passions in physical therapy include functional movement, manual therapy, sports, and population health/wellness. Aimee is the co-owner/operator of www.fitnerdphysios.com and was previously the AAOMPT Student SIG Web Administrator. You can follow her on Twitter @fitnerdaimee.

Content Editor/Journalist

Lily Mercer PT, DPT

Lily is a physical therapist working at an outpatient sports practice in New York City. Lily received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Columbia University in 2016. Prior to pursuing her DPT, Lily received a Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition from Columbia University in 2012 and completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Villanova University in 2011. Lily’s diverse background in health and wellness allows her to take a holistic approach to patient care. Outside of the clinic, Lily loves to read, run in Central Park, and explore the NYC restaurant scene.

Staff Journalists

Clint Boone, PT, DPT

Clint is a physical therapist currently practicing for Independence Physical Therapy in Crete, IL. He graduated with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of New England in Portland, ME and completed his undergraduate studies at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. In his spare time, he likes to lift weights, travel, make new memories with his fiancé, and learn more about the profession of physical therapy. Clint chose to become a PT to help others and leave a positive impact in the world.

Kevin Burciaga, PT, DPT

Kevin graduated from the University of Saint Augustine in Florida in 2015. Originally from the Washington DC area, he has been a travel PT for a year and a half now, and has worked in four states in four different settings, and has driven almost 50,000 miles since he started traveling.

Sara Cates, PT, DPT, FAFS, HHP

Sara is a licensed physical therapist and a nationally certified massage therapist/ holistic health practitioner who has been practicing physical therapy since 2010. She received her doctoral degree from USA (San Diego) with undergraduate education at SDSU (San Diego) where she competed Track & Field/ Cross Country. Sara’s experience is extensive in outpatient sports medicine setting emphasizing biomechanics. She also is versed in pediatric and acute care. She is a certified Graston Technique provider and certified Clinical Instructor with a real passion for teaching. Sara is native to Carlsbad, CA and enjoys training for endurance sports such as triathlon and running. Her varied experiences in the practice of physical therapy has helped her develop a unique combination of manual skills with a holistic approach of treating the mind, body, and spirit of her patients and athletes.

Katie Chae PT, DPT

Katie Chae, PT DPT completed her undergraduate degree in Applied Health Science at Wheaton College and her DPT at the University of Missouri. She specializes in orthopedics, vestibular rehabilitation, and treatment of chronic headaches in an interdisciplinary program called IMATCH. Outside the clinic, she loves to travel and spend time with her husband, friends, and family.

Shante Cofield, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

Dr. C. Shante Cofield graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT), and is also  a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS). Shante practices in NYC, with specialties ranging from CrossFit injuries to pelvic floor dysfunction. As a certified Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) provider, Shante utilizes a movement-based treatment approach that incorporates manual therapy, corrective exercises, and techniques such as kinesiology taping and IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization). Additionally, Shante is a Functional Range Conditioning mobility specialist (FRCms) and holds a CrossFit Level I trainer certificate.

Outside of the clinic, Shante is a RockTape instructor and the creator of The Movement Maestro, a website and social-media based platform devoted to all things human movement and mobility related. Shante has served as a content expert for numerous publications  and has lectured at universities and exercise facilities on topics including screening techniques, movement patterns, and injury prevention.

Casey Coleman, SPT

Casey Coleman is originally from Chicago Illinois and currently a doctor of physical therapy student at Andrews University in Berrien Springs Michigan. He received his bachelor of health science from Andrews University in 2015. He admires the ability of the body to heal itself, with an interest in human biomechanics that respects human anatomy. Outside of physical therapy his hobbies include learning, laughing, music, and sports. Casey can be reached at his website caseycolemanpt.wordpress.com He is a member of Smart Success PT, which helps PTs increase their value and build their brand.

Mark Denesha, PT, DPT

Journalist – The Road to the NPTE Series
Mark graduated from SUNY Downstate Medical Center (Brooklyn) in May, 2015 and is currently the Clinic Director for Metro Sportsmed Physical Therapy (Motion PT). He also manages a website & blog, Muscles 2 Movement. Mark has interests in biomechanics, pain management, and strength training. Prior to PT school Mark played collegiate basketball and served 9 years in the U.S. Army. Beyond PT, Mark is a fitness adventurer, willing to try most anything. Eating too much ice cream and watching movies is how he recharges his batteries and turns off his brain. 

Bill Denz, PT, DPT

Bill graduated from Daemen College in Western NY in May, 2015.  He has been traveling with his fiancée and puppy, Lucy, ever since. He has worked in New York, Kentucky, and Texas with licenses pending for Virginia, Massachusetts, and Alaska. Bill has worked in outpatient orthopedics, skilled nursing, and inpatient acute, but his real passion is ortho. In his spare time, Bill works on his blog, ptexplorers.com, studies for his McKenzie Certification, and explores all the local hiking of wherever he’s living at the time.

Nick Ferrara, PT, DPT

Nick is a physical therapist from Long Island, New York. He graduated with his Bachelor’s in Exercise Science in 2012, and his DPT degree in 2016. He currently works in an outpatient clinic specializing in prosthetic, orthopedic, and neurological rehabilitation. He has his own personal blog at factualphysicaltherapy.wordpress.com, where he discusses the role of science and philosophy in physical therapy practice and how it can help us become better clinicians.

Shanon Fronek, PT, DPT, CSCS

Dr. Shanon Fronek completed her B.S. in Biology at Wilmington College of Ohio in 2011 and graduated from the University of Dayton in 2014 as a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). She is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Functional Movement Screen (FMS) provider, Emergency Medical Responder, and is a credentialed Clinical Instructor. After working for two years in outpatient orthopaedics, she is now working towards specializing in sports physical therapy while completing the Sports Physical Therapy Residency at Saint Francis University. She is passionate about being active within the sports section and expanding the body of knowledge in sports medicine. In 2015, she was appointed to the Public Relations Committee of the Sports Section. Her clinical interests include pathomechanics associated with lower extremity injuries in female athletes, concussion management, and injury prevention strategies for overhead athletes. Outside of the clinic, Shanon enjoys competing in various recreational activities including softball, basketball, and flag football. She also enjoys coaching youth league sports, and supporting the community by volunteering at local Ironman or other endurance-related events. Traveling, running, sunbathing, and watching the Real Housewives are things she likes to do when she turns off her brain. You can follow her on Twitter at @ShanonMarieDPT.

Jarod Hall, PT, DPT, CSCS

Jarod Hall is a 2014 graduate from the University of North Texas Health Science Center with his DPT. Currently, he is an outpatient orthopedic physical therapist in Fort Worth, TX where he directs Greater Therapy Centers Southwest Fort Worth location. He is also an adjunct instructor at University of North Texas Health Science Center in orthopedic and musculoskeletal examination and intervention as well as a guest lecturer on Therapeutic Neuroscience Education. Jarod runs an evidence based physical therapy website and blog platform at drjarodhalldpt.blogspot.com devoted to in depth writing on the topics of manual physical therapy, evidence based practice, pain science, and therapeutic alliance. His passion in physical therapy is mentor-ship of young clinicians and combining progressive exercise, manual therapy, and pain education into a simplistic and effective process of care for patients.

Kelsey Hattersley, SPT

Kelsey is currently a PT student at Angelo State University. Before coming to Angelo State, Kelsey graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor degree in Kinesiology. Aside from attending class and writing, she enjoys taking her dog to the park and dabbling in CrossFit. You can follow her on Twitter at: @kelseyhattSPT

Emma Lam, PT, DPT

Emma is a physical therapist with Kaiser Permanente in the SF Bay Area focusing on outpatient orthopedics. She graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt University in 2016 and obtained her undergraduate degree in Exercise Biology from University of California, Davis in 2011. She has a strong desire to give back to the profession through teaching and education, and continues to stay involved in ergonomic research with her graduate school advisor. Her goal as a staff writer here at NGPT is to continue the founders’ mission of creating a space for students and newly minted clinicians to share ideas, knowledge, and experiences in order to strengthen the PT community and support the exciting changes in the profession’s culture. Emma additionally enjoys creating art, reading, spending time with her puppy-like bunnies, and staying active.

Jasmine Marcus, PT, DPT

Dr. Jasmine Marcus, PT, DPT is a physical therapist at an outpatient orthopedic clinic in Upstate New York. She graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Columbia University and received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Cornell University. Before deciding to become a physical therapist, Jasmine worked as the host of a college sports radio show in Israel. She combines her passions for physical therapy and writing at her blog PT to Be in ’15.

Nick Mazzone, PT, DPT, CSCS

Nick is a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist from Staten Island, NY. He received his bachelor’s degree in health science with a concentration in disability studies in 2013 from Stony Brook University. He then went on to earn his doctorate in physical therapy from his alma mater in 2016. Nick currently works in an outpatient orthopedic sports clinic and is an independent contractor working with pre-school and school-aged children in Staten Island, NY. Nick hopes to earn orthopedic and sports clinical specialties from the APTA in the next few years in order to build on his current skill set.

Chloe Moreno, SPT

Chloe is a student at the University of South Florida class of 2019. She moved from the windy city of Chicago to sunny Florida, and swears it wasn’t just for the weather 😊. She loves reading almost anything, bad reality TV, and spending time with her dog Bennett (who is a huge mommas boy!). She enjoys volunteering in the Tampa community, and is currently working on ways to increase her DPT’s program involvement. Chloe also enjoys mentoring other students who are applying to PT school. If she could give one piece of advice, it would be “Always make time for you; there is always something to do or learn, but not always time to just enjoy the moment.” She also blogs, and you can read some of her posts here: liveinthemovement.net. You can also email her at [email protected]. Smile because every week has a weekend!

Dustin Passigli, PT, DPT, MA

Dustin Passigli is a recent graduate (May 2015) of Long Island University-Brooklyn. Dustin is currently working at Pro Fitness Physical Therapy, an orthopedic manual therapy clinic in downtown Brooklyn, as well as performing duties as an adjunct lab instructor for anatomy courses in the physical therapy department at LIU-Brooklyn. Dustin’s background includes a master’s degree in motor learning and control from Teachers College-Columbia University. His recent research interests include manual therapy in the pediatric population, motor learning and control, neurodynamics, and lower extremity rehabilitation for the female athlete. Dustin plans on continuing his hands on manual therapy education by pursuing a manual therapy fellowship with Regis University. In his spare time, Dustin likes to travel,be an avid foodie, enjoy stand-up comedy, and expand his mind through the various museums in NYC.

Kevin Prue, PT, DPT, CSCS

Journalist – Cash Pay Physical Therapy Series
Kevin Prue is the president and director of Prue Physical Therapy and Sports Performance. He is a graduate of the Duke University Doctor of Physical Therapy program and played college baseball prior to beginning PT school. His clinical training was done at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro NC, Martin General Hospital in Williamston NC, and Duke University Sports Medicine. His clinical areas of focus are hands on manual therapy, orthopedics and sports medicine. He has worked with a wide array of patients including youth, recreational, high school, college and professional athletes as well as non-athletes. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Rachel Winter, PT, DPT


Rachel Winter is a pediatric & school-based physical therapist in Chicago, IL. She attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for her undergraduate work and went on to Northwestern University where she received her DPT in 2014. Her professional interests include aquatherapy, neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT), mentoring & connecting with her patients and fellow therapists. While her area of practice is pediatrics, Rachel enjoys learning about pelvic floor physical therapy and women’s health. In her free time, she enjoys singing in a choir, theater, writing, exercising, & being a part of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. For Rachel, the greatest joy of being a pediatric physical therapist is building a rapport with her patients and witnessing their improved confidence as they overcome physical challenges.

Cameron Yuen, SPT, CSCS

Cameron is currently a PT student at New York University, and research assistant at the Human Performance Lab at Lehman College. Before moving to New York, he was a strength and conditioning coach in San Diego, California. Outside of school, Cameron enjoys reading, practicing martial arts, and spending time with his two dogs. More of his writing can be found at his website, CameronYuen.com

 

 

 

 

 

Founders

Brett Kestenbaum, PT, DPT

Journalist/President
Brett escaped the winters of his native New York, in order to attend grad school at NOVA Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  He took a job at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego following graduation. Brett has chosen to pursue a versatile background in physical therapy, by providing care to a highly dynamic patient population in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Outside of physical therapy, Brett is an avid golfer and has developed a new technology to help physical therapists find jobs, while studying lifestyle design. Shoot him an email if you want to play a round of golf!
Historical Influences:  Albert Einstein, Alan Watts, Marcus Aurelius

Meredith Victor Castin, PT, DPT, CSCS

Journalist/Editor-in-Chief
Meredith attended UPenn for undergrad, then graduated from University of St. Augustine (San Diego) in 2010 with her DPT. Since then, she has worked in outpatient orthopedics, inpatient rehab, acute care, and home health settings. She currently works as a per diem rehab intake liaison for South Bay Rehab Center at Paradise Valley Hospital. She also writes for Demand Media Studios as a health/medical writer. She is passionate about helping new grads feel welcomed into the PT community, no matter how they choose to use their degrees. In her spare time, Meredith enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, creating art and music, and spending time with her husband and three cats.

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to introduce yourself sometime and ask questions in our articles. We promise to get back to you, or find someone to help you get the answers you need 🙂

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