Dr. Samantha Sorce earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Pre-Physical Therapy from San Diego State University. She first joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2017 as contributing faculty and transitioned to full-time faculty in 2024. Dr. Sorce has instructed in courses covering musculoskeletal, movement science and
Dr. Morgan Ascher is a licensed physical therapist with more than five years of experience in clinical practice and education. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA, where he developed a strong foundation in evidence-based practice, orthopedics and sports medicine. Dr. Ascher’s
Dr. Trevyn Despain brings extensive expertise to the field of physical therapy, with subspecialties that include pediatrics, pelvic health, wound care and Kinesio Taping ® both as a practitioner and educator. He is a certified instructor in industrial medical testing, focusing on pre- and post-employment and functional capacity evaluations. For more than a decade, Dr.
Dr. Joshua Tizon is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist with expertise working with patients with pain and orthopedic conditions. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) in 2018 and returned to USAHS to assist in instructing the anatomy lab in 2019. He has worked primarily
Dr. Karen Leyva has been a licensed physical therapist since 1994 when she earned her degree in physical therapy from California State University, Long Beach. She subsequently earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the College of St. Scholastica. With more than 30 years of experience in sports and orthopedic physical therapy, her career has
Dr. Christopher Wise is a board-certified specialist in Orthopaedics (OCS), a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT), a certified manual therapist and a certified athletic trainer. Before joining the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in August 2024, Dr. Wise was the founding chair and program director for the
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,
Dr. Jessica Phung obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biophysics from the University of California San Diego and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS). Her clinical experience has been in various settings including inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient orthopedics, and in delivering concierge physical therapy care to
Dr. Cassandra (Kassi) Nelson is an occupational therapist, researcher and educator focused on improving the lives of individuals through holistic, client-centered treatment. In addition to her experience in ICU, acute care, inpatient behavioral health, outpatient adults and specialty pediatrics, she holds specialty certifications in neurology (CNS), ergonomic (CEAS I), oncology (STAR), functional movement (FMT), healthcare
Dr. Jerome Higgs is a Bahamas native and earned his Bachelor of Science with a minor in Chemistry from Voorhees University. He later pursued a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular and Cellular Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), focusing on the therapeutic potential of genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells expressing osteoprotegerin variants
Dr. Blaise Bourgeois completed his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2015 before earning his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) in 2017. In 2018, he returned to USAHS to further his expertise in manual therapy to earn
Dr. Laura Siviter has clinical experience treating in a variety of outpatient manual therapy and neurological settings, and possesses experience treating high-level sports athletes. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT). Additionally, she holds manual therapy and dry needling certifications from the University of St. Augustine for Health