Instructors for Live Workshops
Naomi Aaronson, MA, OTR/L, CHT, CPI is a nationally known presenter and author. She is an occupational therapist, hand therapist and Pilates mat instructor who has lectured for Integrated Rehabilitation and Fitness, Brick Bodies, the Cotting Connection, IDEA Fitness Fusion, and occupational therapy students. Naomi is a continuing education provider for Rehab Education LLC, ACE, AFAA, and NASM. As coauthor of the learning CD Breast Cancer Recovery: On Land and In Water and the Breast Cancer Recovery Exercise Program, Naomi seeks to educate both survivors and health professionals throughout the world.
Her writing has been featured in the ADVANCE, Exploring Hand Therapy, IDEA Journal, and MAMM magazines. Naomi believes that exercise is an essential component in recovery for breast cancer survivors. Her motto is "take back your body and improve your physical and mental health."
Marc Allen, OTR/L, CHT, has been in practice as an Occupational Therapist since graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1982. He received his Certification in Hand Therapy. in 1993. Throughout his career, upper extremity rehabilitation has always been an area of practice and passion. Marc serves on the advisory board for the Southwest Missouri Regional Arthritis Center. He has also served in the past on A.S.H.T. sub-committees to develop clinical guidelines. Marc has taught several hand therapy related courses since 1990, two of which were co-developed and taught with two hand surgeons that he works closely with. Marc enjoys teaching hand therapy related courses, making the learning experience both exciting and practical.
Sandra Artzberger, MS, OTR, CHT, CLT
Sandy Artzberger MS OTR CHT CLT is a national and internationally known hand therapist who helped established the first Hand Rehabilitation Center in Wisconsin. She worked for 24 years in a private practice hand therapy clinic for a group of plastic hand surgeons in Milwaukee, and she and two other therapists started the first Lymphedema Treatment Center in Wisconsin. In 1995, Sandy developed the technique of Manual Edema Mobilization. She shares this technique through her workshops that emphasize the transformation of the theoretical/scientific knowledge of the lymphatic system into critical thinking practical clinical techniques for sub acute and chronic extremity edema reduction. These workshops have been sponsored nationally and internationally in 7 countries.
Sandy is also a well known author and a former academic instructor, journal reviewer and research mentor. Her prolific writing includes journal articles, book chapters, an internet MEM course, and the VHI Kit for Lymphedema and MEM.
She is a Charter Active Member of the American Society of Hand Therapists and past Educational Division Director for ASHT.
Shrikant J. Chinchalkar OTR, CHT
Shrikant J. Chinchalkar OTR, CHT is a hand therapist at the Hand & Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Health Centre in London, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Nagpur University, India in 1971.
He has over 35 years of clinical experience in treating upper extremity conditions. Shrikant has conducted instructional courses on "Biomechanics of the Hand" at the American Society for the Surgery of the Hand, the American Association of Hand Surgery, the American Society of Hand Therapists, Australian Hand Therapy Association, South African Society of Hand Therapists and Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists' annual meetings.
He has presented papers and has conducted instructional courses on "Upper Extremity Rehabilitation" in Canada, USA, Mexico, Australia, Singapore, Belgium, Italy, France, Greece, Finland, UK, South Africa, India, Spain, Turkey and Venezuela. Shrikant was awarded the 2003 "Paul Brand Award of Excellence in Hand Therapy" by the American Society of Hand Therapists. He received the "Best Clinical Paper" and "Best Poster Presentation" awards at the annual meeting of ASHT and an "Award of Excellence" by the Sisters of St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario. He received an "Outstanding Alumnae" award by the All India Occupational Therapists Association in 2008. He has published papers and abstracts in numerous journals related to Upper Extremity Surgery and Therapy.
Elaine Ewing Fess, MS, OTR, FAOTA, CHT is an occupational therapist specializing in hand therapy for thirty-seven years, and is an enthusiastic advocate of evidence-based-practice. She currently teaches and conducts independent research relating to hand rehabilitation. Elaine is a frequent faculty member on national and international symposia relating to hand rehabilitation.
Elaine Fess served as the first statistics editor of the Journal of Hand Therapy (1988-1998); received ASHT's highest honor--the Lifetime Fellowship Award (1999); and is the immediate past Chairman of the American Hand Therapy Foundation (1996-2004). She has authored over 90 professional publications. Elaine was lead author on all three editions of Hand and Upper Extremity Splinting Principles and Methods (Mosby/Elsevier, St Louis, MO (1981, 1987, 2005)
Ken Flowers, PT, CHT, is a well-known speaker, educator, and leader in the hand therapy community. He has taught at the University of California, San Francisco, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Delaware. He has been the President of Current Clinical Concepts since 1975. Ken is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the ASHT Petzoldt Research Award, ASHT Nathalie Barr Lectureship, Honored Professor Philadelphia Hand Symposium, Visiting Professor Southern Florida Hand Therapy, and the Dorothy Kauffman Lectureship. He has numerous publications and is the past Editor of the Journal of Hand Therapy. Ken is also a member of the HTCC Test Committee.
Graceann G. Forrester PT, DPT, CKTI is a New York State licensed Physical Therapist. She has earned Bachelor’s degrees from College Miseracordia, Dallas PA and New York University. She completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy through Boston University.
In her 20 years of practice, Dr. Forrester has provided treatment programs for acute care patients, for community hospicare and youth correctional facilities. She has offered PT to elementary school children and taught clinical application classes for Ithaca College’s Physical Therapy program, Ithaca, NY. She uses her Certifications as a KinesioTaping Instructor, Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor to develop training regimens for competitive athletes of all ages. As a Board Member of Hope Unites, an “international ecumenical organization specializing in humanitarian aid and disaster relief”, Dr. Forrester has offered educational programming to improve transportation and therapeutic positioning for children with disabilities at an orphanage in Port Au Prince, Haiti.
Internationally, Dr. Forrester serves as the Curriculum Chair, for the KinesioTaping Association –of the Americas: Board of Education. She continues to teach Kinesiotaping certification courses across the United States and Europe. She resides in NY with her husband and four children.
Mo Johnson, MS, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 1990 specializing in adult neurological rehabilitation. She obtained her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University in 2001.
She developed her Occupational Therapy knowledge and honed her skills at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center from 1990-1994. She served as a Community Rehabilitation Therapist for the Peace Corps in Paraguay from 1994 to 1996 and returned to Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center working as a Clinical Specialist/Educator from 1997-1999.
Currently, she is a clinician at Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego, CA where she has practiced since 2000. Mo has presented nationally and internationally on numerous topics such as management of adult brain injury, cerebral vascular accidents, constraint-induced movement therapy, spasticity management, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. Mo is also a guest lecturer for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation at St. Augustine University, San Diego Campus.
Martin J. Kelley, PT, DPT, OCS is a Clinical Orthopaedic Specialist at Penn Therapy and Fitness, Good Shepherd Penn Partners at Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. He graduated from Arcadia University (formerly Beaver College) in 1984; and received his clinical doctorate from Temple University in 2005. He is a member of the University of Pennsylvania Shoulder and Elbow Service. Marty serves as an adjunct faculty for Arcadia University. He lectures nationally and internationally on examination and treatment of shoulder disorders, and has presented shoulder workshops at the Philadelphia Hand Symposium every year since 2001.
During Marty's many years of practice, he has co-developed an educational video on shoulder pathology and exercise, and has published over 30 articles or book chapters in multiple peer reviewed journals and texts. Marty published several chapters in "Rehabilitation of the Hand" by Hunter et al. He is the past-president of the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists. He is also the co-editor of the textbook "Orthopedic Therapy of the Shoulder".
Judith Bell Krotoski OTR, FAOTA, CHT
is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience including adaptive hand splinting for various disabilities. She is a strong proponent for a biomechanical approach to the remodeling of soft tissue and correction of the hand and upper extremity developed by Paul W Brand. Paul Brand has been recognized as the hand surgeon most responsible for the development of the concept of "hand therapy". She worked extensively with Dr. Paul Brand and the Rehabilitation Research Laboratory he established at the National Hansen's Disease Program, United States Public Health Service Hospital, formerly located at Carville, LA, and during the time he was a surgical consultant to the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital for seamen, formally in New Orleans, LA. She had the opportunity to work with Dr. Dan Riordan who was responsible for bringing Dr. Brand to the U.S., and served as a consultant to the Carville hospital for many years. She also had the opportunity for further specialization in hand therapy through working with Drs. James Hunter and Lawrence Schneider, and therapist Evelyn Mackin, at the Hand Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia during the early years of the establishment of this second "Hand Center" in the U.S.
Judy is known and respected internationally for her role in developing monofilaments to advanced levels as objective sensibility test instruments, and for her extensive research in the area of sensibility testing, objective measurement of peripheral neuropathy, validation of objective testing, biomechanics of deformity and correction, and disability prevention.
She is one of the original six organizers, past president, of the American Society of Hand Therapists, and a founding and current Board member of the American Hand Therapy Foundation. She was one of the early initiators and advocate of a journal for hand therapists, and served as a member of Editorial Board for the Journal of Hand Therapy for many years. Most recently she has been involved in encouraging evidence-based practice by developing a therapist research and education website for the American Hand Therapy Foundation (ahtf.org), and working with HANDSIGHTS, a special interest group of hand therapists attending the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Meetings.
Judy has published numerous articles and chapters in hand therapy and surgery literature, including chapters on splinting. She was a co-editor on the first edition of the book "Rehabilitation of the Hand", by Hunter et al, and has subsequent chapters in all further editions including the most recent "Rehabilitation of the Hand and Upper Extremity by Mackin et al. She has writings in the books "Tendon Surgery in the Hand", and "Tendon and Nerve Surgery in the Hand, by Hunter et al. She has splinting chapters in the book "Hand Splinting" by Fess, et al, and has co-authored chapters in the book "Peripheral Nerve Injuries", by Omer et al. Her writings in journal publications include the Journal of Hand Surgery, and Journal of Hand Therapy. She lectures nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to the hand and to upper extremity rehabilitation and splinting, recently giving a two week lectureship series to hand centers through a grant sponsored by the Ministries of Health, in Singapore.
Paul LaStayo, Ph.D., PT, CHT, is the current Editor of the Journal of Hand Therapy and is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah.
A long-time hand therapist and researcher, Paul is renowned for his ability to help others move forward in their practice and/or clinical research endeavors. He has been awarded for his research at the ASHT eight times. Paul has over 50 peer-reviewed publications and he has been lauded for his clinical and teaching skills.
Mary Linder, OTR/L, Neuro-IFRAH Instructor® Neuro-IFRAH Specialist®
received her degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Tennessee in 1994. Mary works in inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient. She has served as team lead and Director of Clinical Services over inpatient and outpatient PT, OT and ST. She has specialized in the treatment of adults with stroke and brain injury since 1999 and continues to be mentored by Waleed Al-Oboudi, MOT, OTR, author of the Neuro-IFRAH®. She became a clinical educator with Healthsouth in 2001.
Mary finished the Neuro-IFRAH Instructor® Training Program in August 2004. She was issued her Neuro-IFRAH specialist® certificate in July 2006. Mary is an instructor for introductory and intermediate courses as well as introductory course for nurses, the 98 contact hour certification course and the Advanced Upper Extremity Course. She currently works at HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital per diem and treats private patients.
has been an Occupational Therapist since 1977. She has worked in a variety of settings: rehabilitation hospital, acute care, home health, independent living center and out-patient hand therapy clinics. She has been a member of the American Society of Hand Therapists since 1982 and is board certified by the state of California as an advanced practitioner in hand therapy, and in the use of modalities.
Susan has been teaching splinting workshops since 1991. She has been a guest lecturer at ASHT (American Society of Hand Therapists), AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) and OTAC (Occupational Therapy Association of California), RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America) and Hand Therapy Special Interest Groups. Susan has been an instructor at the University of Southern California, and has co-authored numerous articles in the field of physical disabilities.
She remains clinically active as an occupational therapist (in hospital and out-patient hand therapy settings) and as an educator for the therapy community. Due to her broad knowledge in UE management, and her love for teaching, Susan has been teaching and mentoring hand splinting throughout the United States since 1991. She provides workshops that facilitate an intensive, but relaxed learning environment. Topics include splinting for the orthopedic, neurological, acute and pediatric patient.
Dr. Phil McClure, PhD, PT, OCS, is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Arcadia University. He also practices at Penn Therapy and Fitness, an outpatient clinic affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. He received his B.S. in Physical Therapy from Temple University in 1982, his M.S. in Orthopedic Physical Therapy from Medical College of Virginia in 1987, and his PhD in Biomedical Science from Drexel University in 1996. He has been the recipient of the National Teaching Award from the Orthopedic Section, APTA, the Baethke-Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching by the APTA, and the Lindback Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award from Arcadia University. He serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Hand Therapy and the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy. He is also a manuscript reviewer for the Physical Therapy journal and the Journal of the American Medical Association. His publications have appeared in several journals including Spine, Journal of Hand Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. His research has been funded by the Arthritis Foundation and the Foundation for Physical Therapy and has focused on the clinical biomechanics of the cervical and lumbar spine as well as the shoulder.
Jill Peck-Murray, MOT, OTR/L, CHT
specializes in the treatment of pediatric hand patients. She has worked at Children’s Hospital of San Diego since 1982 and has been a certified hand therapist since 1995. She has presented nationally on multiple topics including pediatric hand therapy, pediatric splinting, and treatment of specific diagnoses including Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, muscle diseases, brachial plexus injuries, congenital anomalies, arthrogryposis, and cerebral palsy. She developed and co-taught the course "Introduction to Hand Therapy" at Grossmont College in San Diego, CA., for 3 years.
Jill is active in multiple professional organizations and is president of the San Diego Hand Special Interest Group, and Public Relations Chair for the California Foundation for Occupational Therapy.
Teresa Juodawlkis Pesci, MPT, CKTI,
received her Masters in Physical Therapy from the University of California: San Francisco. She has worked at Lucile Salter Packard Children?s Hospital at Stanford in Palo Alto, California, and the William Beaumont Rehab Center in Birmingham, Michigan. She currently works at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland as a senior physical therapist and provides home PT services through the Child and Family Support Program. Her interest areas are the birth to three population, infant massage, yoga for the special child and therapeutic taping. Mrs.
Pesci has been using a variety of taping practices throughout her career which has focused exclusively on pediatrics. She is a certified Kinesio®Taping instructor through the Kinesio® Taping Association.
Rosemary Schrauth, OTR, CLT, CKTI
is a clinician and educator at Cedar Haven Rehabilitation Services in WI. She specializes in myofascial release and lymphedema treatment. Rosemary has taken many courses in myofascial release, other soft tissue techniques and kinesiotaping and successfully incorporates these techniques into the treatment of edema and lymphedema. Ms. Schrauth became a certified lymphedema therapist in 1998 and a certified kinesiotaping instructor in 2003 and updated in 2008. She presents courses nationally on MFR, Manual Edema Mobilization and Kinesiotaping. She has been a guest speaker at Mount Mary College and Concordia University and a visiting clinical instructor at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She has written articles on the use of kinesiotape in the treatment of lymphedema.
Sara Shapiro, MPH, PT has been an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Graduate Program in PT at UCSF/SFSU, where she was a faculty member from 1983 until 2009. She is a graduate of SUNY at Buffalo, and holds an MPH from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she also completed a post-graduate fellowship in pediatrics. She has been practicing for 40 years, with certification in NDT and the Baby course.
Sara is presently working as a Clinical Program Manager for Accelerated Care Plus in San Francisco, CA. She continues to be a frequent speaker at conferences, and to mentor new therapists, teach and maintain a small caseload of patients, integrating her knowledge of electrical stimulation and ultrasound for wound care, pain management, women's issues, and rehabilitation of facial paralysis.
Sara is the author of the Electrical Currents chapter in Physical Agents in Rehabilitation, 3rd Edition, M Cameron, ed.
Elizabeth Spencer Steffa, OTR/L, CHT
is an Occupational Therapist since 1969 and a Certified Hand Therapist
since 1991 and is presently a clinician in private practice. She has
been a clinical faculty member at the University of Washington since 1987, a member of the American Society of Hand Therapists since 1979.
Betty is nationally respected for her workshops on hand rehabilitation, physical modalities, and splinting. She is coauthor of the chapter "Diagnosis and Rehabilitation of Peripheral Nerve Injuries" in Trauma Rehabilitation by Lawrence R. Robinson--Lippincott and Wilkins, 2006.
Ann Marie Turo, OTR/L is an occupational therapist since 1982, a Yoga/Pilates instructor since 2001, Reiki master since 2006 and breast cancer survivor who went through the cancer journey without the benefit of rehabilitation. Her experience introduced her to complementary modalities such as Reiki, Yoga and Pilates. At Ann Marie's inviting facility, Integrated Mind and Body in Boston, a variety of approaches are used with clients living with breast cancer, joint replacements, scoliosis, back issues, orthopedic conditions, depression, connective tissue disease and stroke. Ann Marie embraces the concept of "holistic healing". In addition, Ann Marie is an instructor for Integrated Rehabilitation and Fitness, a visiting instructor at the F. Holland Day Foundation Healing Retreat for People with Cancer and The Greater Boston Knitting Guild. She has been a dancer for most of her life and has worked in the fitness industry for more than 25 years.
Joanne Wagenbrenner, PT, MOMT, CHT
Joanne received her certificate in Physical Therapy from Mayo School of Allied Health in 1981. For one year she was one of 2 therapists on the Evaluation Team at Mayo Clinic. In this capacity she worked closely with physicians in evaluating patients and developing treatment programs for them. In 1982 she returned to San Diego and spent the next 14 years specializing in Orthopedic Manual Therapy.
In 1992 Joanne successfully completed a two year, part-time clinical residency program with the Ola Grimsby Institute and received her Masters of Orthopedic Manual Therapy and certificate in Manual Therapy Part I. In 1999 she completed her doctoral dissertation “Demonstrating the Effectiveness of Longitudinal Soft Tissue Mobilization of the Extensor Forearm to Improve Tissue Flexibility and Grip Strength”. Valuing education she has completed over 100 continuing education courses in order to bring the best care to her patients.
Since 1995, Joanne has specialized in hand therapy using her skills as a manual therapist in her treatment techniques. She received her CHT in 2001. At present she works part-time in an outpatient orthopedic therapy office. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States teaching continuing education courses to occupational therapists and physical therapists who are specializing in Hand Therapy or wish to specialize in Hand Therapy.
While active in the Arthritis Foundation she served on the Medical and Scientific Committee and offered numerous in-services related to arthritis and Fibromyalgia.
Megan Warr, OTR/L, Neuro-IFRAH Instructor® Neuro-IFRAH Specialist® received her degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Tennessee in 1992. Megan has worked throughout the continuum of care in Acute/Trauma ICU, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Out Patient, Skilled Care and Home Health. She has specialized in the treatment of adults with stroke and brain injury since 1996 and continues to be mentored by Waleed Al-Oboudi, MOT, OTR, author of the Neuro-IFRAH®. She became a clinical educator with Healthsouth in 1999.
Megan finished the Neuro-IFRAH Instructor® Training Program in August 2004. She was issued her Neuro-IFRAH specialist® certificate in July 2006. Megan is a Neuro-IFRAH Instructor® for introductory and intermediate courses as well as introductory course for nurses, the 98 contact hour certification course and the Advanced Upper Extremity Course. She currently works at Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital per diem and treats private patients.
Karen Westervelt PT, MS, PGDipHSc, OCS, ATC is a clinical faculty member at the University of Vermont Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program. Karen is currently practicing at Copley Hospital out patient Physical Therapy in Stowe, Vermont. Karen has published in peer-reviewed journals in the area of orthopedics and has presented at conferences across the country. Karen earned an Athletic Training Certification, a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy, and a Master’s Degree in Movement Science and Rehabilitation from the University of Vermont. Karen also earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Science specializing in Manipulative Physiotherapy from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. In 2009, she gained recognition as a Nationally Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist.
Sonya Anderson Worth, PT, PGDipHSc, OCS is a clinical faculty member at the University of Vermont, Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. Sonya is currently practicing at Fletcher Allen Health Care out patient Physical Therapy in Burlington, Vermont. Sonya is involved in 2 research projects at the University of Vermont. Sonya has published and spoken at conferences across the country. Sonya earned Bachelor’s Degrees in Physiotherapy and in Physical Education (Kinesiology) from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Sonya also earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Science specializing in Manipulative Physiotherapy from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. In 2009, she gained recognition as a Nationally Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist.