Dr. Elvis Lopez began his career in rehabilitation in 1997 as a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and has since devoted his professional life to advancing clinical practice, education, service, and research. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Nyack College, New York, in 2000, a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from
Dr. Eryn Jayatilaka (formerly Dr. Tracy) earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Alabama in 2016 and went on to receive her Occupational Therapy Doctorate in 2019 from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She began her career working in the Medical, Burn, and COVID ICUs at UF Health Shands Hospital
Dr. Bansari Thakkar is a physical therapist with more than 15 years of clinical experience specializing in geriatric rehabilitation. She is a board-certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist, having integrated clinical expertise with rigorous inquiry into functional outcomes and aging-related impairments. Dr. Thakkar earned a Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences, emphasizing research methodology, evidence synthesis, and
Dr. Nishi Patel, OTD, OTR/L is a licensed occupational therapist and educator with more than 15 years of clinical, academic, and leadership experience across diverse practice and educational settings. She holds a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Shenandoah University, where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA, and a Master of Occupational Therapy degree
Dr. Archana Vatwani is the Program Director and Professor of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in Dallas, TX. Dr. Vatwani holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Master of Business Administration, and a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Education and Leadership in Healthcare. She previously
Dr. Hazel Anderson is an Associate Professor and core faculty member in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in Austin, Texas. Her primary areas of focus include health promotion, fitness and wellness, lifestyle medicine, and behavior change. Since joining the University in 2017, she has taught
Sheena Estalilla is a certified neuro specialist and brings extensive clinical experience in the acute care setting, with particular expertise in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neurological rehabilitation and early mobilization in the intensive care unit. With a strong commitment to advancing clinical education, Estalilla has presented at the Florida Occupational Therapy Association conference
Sally Ouimet Waters is a Clinical Coordinator for the University of St. Augustine Health Sciences Master of Speech-Language Pathology program on the St. Augustine, FL campus. Her clinical experience has focused on acute care, including management of communication and swallowing needs for the ICU patient population, as well as adult outpatient rehabilitation. Her areas of
Dr. Claryssa (Clary) Montgomery joined the University in 2023 as a clinical educator and transitioned to her current position in October 2024. Her experiences as a medical speech-language pathologist (SLP) navigating the healthcare systems in Texas and New York have influenced her approach to patient care and clinical mentorship. Dr. Montgomery’s areas of clinical expertise
Amanda Eaton, PhD, CCC-SLP specializes in adult medical speech-language pathology and is committed to advancing the education of future clinicians and the understanding of communication, cognitive and swallowing disorders in adults. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy with a specialization in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, where she developed a foundation in
Dr. Tania Tablinsky has an extensive background in allied health and physical therapy education with a focus on clinical education, program development and accreditation. Her background is in geriatrics and neuromuscular rehabilitation. She earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in physical therapy from Nova Southeastern University and holds a bachelor’s in biological sciences from Florida
Dr. Kristine (Kristi) Hanks received her Bachelor of Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Master of Science and Transitional doctorate degree in physical therapy from Marymount University, and Doctor of Health Sciences (Education) from Radford University. As a practicing physical therapist, she has experience in multiple settings for 25 years, including acute care,