Dr. Clover Farr graduated from Northwestern University in 1998 with her Master of Physical Therapy. She spent over 15 years in full-time outpatient orthopedics, specializing in spine, workers’ compensation, and manual therapy. She earned her OCS from APTA and CMPT from NAIOMT. She spent the last 10 years working in various Home Health Agencies in
Dr. Vanessa Duran earned her Bachelor of the Arts in Neuroscience with a minor in medical humanities from Earlham College. She attended the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and obtained her Doctor of Occupational Therapy. She is a licensed and registered occupational therapist with expertise in orthopedic rehab, focusing on physical disabilities related
Dr. Eric Robertson is an experienced physical therapist, educator, and program builder with over 15 years in higher education. He currently serves as an associate professor, where he has led the development of innovative, distance-based and hybrid educational programs in physical therapy. His work focuses on advancing clinical reasoning, integrating health systems science into physical
Dr. Danielle Brito is a board-certified clinical specialist in Neurology and is currently a full-time instructor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. She graduated from George Washington University’s DPT program. Dr. Brito practices clinically at California Rehab Institute where she specializes in rehabilitation of individuals following spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic
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. Alayna E. Townsend is an Assistant Professor in the Master of Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences on the Dallas, TX campus. Dr. Townsend began her journey in higher education in 2015, combining her clinical experience with teaching, mentorship and service. She has spent the last 10 years
Dr. Albert Villanueva-Reyes is a bilingual, American Speech Language Hearing Association-certified (ASHA) speech-language pathologist with more than 30 years of experience in academic, administrative and clinical areas. He has taught at several academic institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico. He holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, a doctorate in teaching and curriculum
Dr. Penny joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) as a contributing faculty member in 2023. He teaches the Research Methods II class and serves as committee chair for students working on their Doctor of Education (EdD) dissertation research. At USAHS and in other settings, Dr. Penny has guided more than 85
Dr. Gagandeep Gill is a public health researcher and professor who has instructed as contributing faculty at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences since 2017. He is also a senior research and health services consultant for the National Environmental Health Association. Dr. Gill holds a Master of Public Health in Biostatistics and a
Dr. Grzina, who joined the University in April 2024, has worked in pediatric medical settings, including the neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, acute care and outpatient, and has served on cleft and craniofacial anomalies teams. She has specialized in working with infants and children with feeding and swallowing disorders, cleft lip and
Dr. Cynthia (Cyndi) Haynes is a pediatric therapist with more than 20 years of experience. She has worked as a clinician and director across diverse settings, including a regional pediatric hospital, pediatric rehabilitation facility, outpatient clinics, early intervention and community preschools, as well as home- and school-based services. As occupational therapy regional director with Employer
Dr. Michelle Sawtelle has served as a physical therapist since 2007 and has taught in higher education since 2013, with her primary expertise focusing on the evaluation and treatment of adults with neurologic movement disorders. Dr. Sawtelle is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy and serves as a board member for the Stroke