Meet Our
Faculty
Our network of faculty spans the country, from Florida to Texas to California—and beyond. USAHS boasts the country’s largest teams of OT and PT faculty-practitioners, who draw from their diverse expertise to develop our blended learning components—the online coursework and real-world lab activities. Our faculty members have vast experience as clinicians and researchers, and they share a passion for educating and mentoring the next generation of practitioners.
Select from the filter options below to find practitioners that are relevant to your area of interest.
Anas (Sal) Ababneh, PT, PhD, MSc
With specialties in acute care, adult rehabilitation, geriatrics, anatomy, cardiovascular and pulmonary, Dr. Ababneh brings expertise from a diverse career spanning clinical practice, education and advanced research.
Halah Alateeq, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Alateeq specializes in neurological disorders, traumatic brain injuries and adult rehabilitation. Her research focuses on bilingualism, concussion, cognitive-communication abilities and how language skills are affected by neurological impairment.
Kefah Alshebber, PT, MS, PhD
With specialties in anatomy and neurological rehabilitation, Dr. Alshebber has a robust scholarship agenda in vestibular disorders. She has contributed to disseminations through peer-reviewed publications and scientific and professional presentations globally.
Hazel Anderson, PT, DPT, ScD, MDT
Dr. Anderson has experience working in hospital and outpatient clinic settings and enjoys outpatient orthopedics and incorporating general wellness and health promotion into her education. Specialties include acute care, adult rehabilitation, anatomy, orthopedics, pelvic health and professional ergonomics.
William (Allan) Besselink, PT, DPT, PhD, Dip. MDT
With specialties in anatomy, orthopedics and sports medicine, Dr. Besselink’s expertise is in sport- and fitness-related injuries. He is a certified practitioner of the McKenzie Method, with a focus on applying it to a sports population.
Fabian Bizama, PT, MPT, PhD
Dr. Bizama is a pediatric specialist with more than 15 years of clinical experience. His areas of interest include motor learning, task attention and the effects of distraction on gait. Dr. Bizama has developed continuing education courses for development of clinical skills, critical thinking and professionalism.
Elise Bjork, PT, DPT, SCS
Dr. Bjork is a Sports Clinical Specialist with expertise in orthopedics, manual therapy, population health and adult rehabilitation. Research interests include upper extremity return-to-sports testing and physical therapy practice influenced by trauma.
Angela Labrie Blackwell, PhD, OTR
Dr. Blackwell's passion for occupational therapy centers around pediatric care and the promotion of important childhood occupations in authentic environments. Her specialties include pediatrics and school systems.
Blaise Bourgeois, PT, DPT, ScD, MTC
Dr. Bourgeois is a seasoned physical therapist specializing in adult rehabilitation, kinesiology, manual therapy and orthopedics. With a background as a firefighter, he established BB Physiotherapy & Wellness, providing comprehensive in-clinic and mobile outpatient services in Austin, TX.
Derrick Campbell, PT, DPT, DSc
With more than 30 years of clinical practice experience, Dr. Campbell is a skilled physical therapist with expertise in orthopedics, pediatrics, geriatrics, and acute care. As a national delegate and nominating committee member, he participates in advocacy and policymaking. Delivering his findings internationally, research activities include clinical decision-making and factors facilitating successful clinical experiences.
Ashley Hall Campbell, PT, DPT
Dr. Hall Campbell specializes in geriatrics, traumatic brain injuries and neurological disorders and rehabilitation. Her clinical experience includes the neurorehabilitation of adult clients with Parkinson’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, vestibular dysfunction and brain injury. Interests include balance-fall prevention in the aging adult population.
Maya Clark, PhD, CCC-SLP
With a background in speech-language pathology, Dr. Clark specializes in clinical education, higher education, higher education leadership and pediatrics. She brings expertise in multicultural issues in communication and healthcare and has held multiple leadership roles focusing on inclusion, equity and access.
Zoe Crawford, PT, DPT, NCS
Dr. Crawford specializes in geriatrics and in neurological disorders and rehabilitation. This includes treating patients with Parkinson's Disease, vestibular dysfunction and movement disorders. She practices in home health and outpatient settings and conducts research on cognitive load in Parkinson's Disease.
Edla da Silva, PT, MSc, PhD
Dr. da Silva specialties include acute care, adult and pediatric rehabilitation, dementia care and neurological disorders. Her expertise lies in post-stroke patients, muscle tone dysfunction, neuropsychomotor development in early childhood, and cognitive and behavioral neuroscience.
Catherine (Cat) Daniel, MOT, OTR/L
Cat Daniel has more than 10 years of experience as a civil servant in the public school system. Daniel is an expert in pediatrics and school systems. Research interests include integrative/classroom therapy and self-regulation/sensory modulation.
Elizabeth DeLuca-Berg, OTD, OTR, CAPS
With multiple certifications, Dr. DeLuca-Berg focuses on dementia care and geriatrics. She has more than five years of clinical experience in adult and geriatric settings, including home health, skilled nursing facilities, veterans affairs and inpatient psychiatric hospitals.
Kristen (Kristy) Demers, PT, DPT
As an orthopedic specialist, Dr. Demers has experience diagnosing and treating mobility limitation diseases, repetitive strain injuries and women's health issues. She is qualified in Pilates and integrates wellness and holistic health into her work.
Brent Denny, DPT
In addition to being an expert in manual therapy and orthopedics, Dr. Denny has years of experience working as an outpatient orthopedic surgeon in Texas, New Hampshire and Alaska.
Christopher Ebner, EdD, MS, OTR
Christopher Ebner, a medical professional with 15+ years’ experience, specializes in orthopedics, low vision rehabilitation and outpatient therapy. With expertise as an OT in the Department of Defense, active-duty U.S. Army officer and Army civilian, he is passionate about working with individuals with sustained amputations and poly trauma.
Eman Fayed, PT, PhD, MS
Dr. Fayed specializes in kinesiology, adult rehabilitation, and cardiovascular and pulmonary. With 10+ years of experience in education, she has served in administrative roles and has a special interest in pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases related to geriatric patients.
Christine Fiestas, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Fiestas’ clinical specialty areas include assessment and treatment of developmental language disorders, fluency disorders and assessment of language-based reading disorders. She has published research in the areas of dynamic assessment and bilingual early literacy screening measures.
Laura Finkel, MS, CCC-SLP
Laura Finkel is a Clinical Coordinator with specialties in higher education, interprofessional education, pediatrics and school systems. Her interests in speech-language pathology include human-centered authentic assessment and treatment practices for bilingual individuals.
Steven Gerardi, OTD, PhD, OTR
Dr. Gerardi is a retired Lieutenant Colonel with a 33-year career in the U.S. Army. He is a certified hand therapist with experience working with clients with upper extremity neuromusculoskeletal conditions and mental health conditions.
Nancy Hellman, PT, DPT, EdD
Dr. Hellman has expertise in pediatrics, clinical education and acute care. With a background in physical therapy and educational leadership, she focuses her research on DPT student mental health and interprofessional education.
Eric Hicks, PhD, MS, OTR
Specializing in kinesiology and vision rehabilitation, Dr. Hicks possesses extensive clinical experience and research interest in low-vision rehabilitation, assistive technology and cultural diversity.
Hatem Jaber, PT, MPT, DSc
Dr. Jaber is an expert in kinesiology, orthopedics and sports medicine and is dedicated to bridging the gap between biomechanics and psychosocial dimensions of musculoskeletal disorders. He focuses on sport-related injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and biopsychological factors in spine rehabilitation.
Casey Keck, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Keck is a certified speech-language pathologist who has worked on interdisciplinary neurorehabilitation teams in pediatric outpatient settings. With expertise in cognitive-communication skills, her specialties include neurological disorders and rehabilitation, traumatic brain injuries, pediatrics and community transition.
Mohamed Khallaf, PT, DPT, MS, PhD
With expertise in neurological rehabilitation, Dr. Khallaf has conducted research on task-specific training for stroke rehabilitation and utilized new technology to analyze posture in patients with Parkinson’s disease and herniated lumbar discs.
Lesley Khan-Farooqi, PhD, OTD, OTR
Dr. Khan-Farooqi has extensive experience working in various healthcare settings and has served on the board of the American Society of Hand Therapists.
Warren McAdams, PT, DPT
Dr. McAdams is a dynamic physical therapist, healthcare consultant and educator. As a probationary firefighter and EMT, he dedicates time to community improvement, highlighting his commitment to specialized areas, including emergency medicine, end-of-life care, interprofessional education, geriatrics and pediatrics.
Claryssa (Clary) Montgomery, SLPD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Montgomery is an experienced medical speech-language pathologist (SLP) specializing in acute care, adult rehabilitation, clinical education, end-of-life care and interprofessional education. She mentors students and young professionals nationwide.
Erica Ortiz, MCD, CCC-SLP
Erica Ortiz specializes in pediatrics and has experience in providing speech-language pathology services to children in various settings including home health, outpatient and public schools.
Erik Perez, OTD, OTR
Dr. Perez has 15+ years of clinical experience working with pediatric populations in outpatient, home health, early intervention and school-based settings. His specialties include Autism Spectrum Disorder, interprofessional education and school systems.
Rossana Ramires, M.SLP, CCC-SLP, CB-SLP, OMTS
With a specialty in clinical education, Rossana Ramires has worked with children and adults as a speech-language pathologist for 20+ years. Fluent in three languages, her interests include bilingualism and multiculturalism, speech and language disorders, orofacial/craniofacial development and function, feeding disorders and orofacial myofunctional therapy.
Whitney Reese, PT, DPT
With certifications in orthopaedics and sports medicine, Dr. Reese specialties are clinical education, kinesiology and manual therapy. Her research interests include exercise prescriptions for post-concussion syndrome, advanced exercise prescriptions for return to sport and motor learning for exercise selection.
Heather Rennerfeldt, OTR/L
Heather Rennerfeldt has worked as an occupational therapist in acute care, ICU and inpatient rehab at Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, NV, and inpatient and outpatient rehab at Healthsouth Rehabilitation in Henderson, NV. She has worked with all adult demographics, though her passion is for the neurological, adapted sports and community reintegration populations.
Courtney Rivadeneira, PT, DPT
Dr. Courtney Rivadeneira is an Instructor and Associate Director of Clinical Education with over a decade of experience as a practicing physical therapist, and clinical instructor.
Kelly Roy, MS, CCC-SLP
Kelly Roy joined University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2019. Her clinical and research interests include speech sound disorders, literacy and clinical education. Before focusing on full-time clinical education, she worked in various settings, including public and private schools, outpatient clinics and private practice.
Robert (Bob) Salvatori, PT, DPT, DSc, MBA
Dr. Salvatori joined the Austin, TX campus Doctor of Physical Therapy program core faculty in 2022. He possesses more than 40 years of clinical experience specializing in general orthopedics, spinal dysfunction, persistent pain management and vestibular rehab.
Michelle Sawtelle, PT, MPT, PhD
Dr. Sawtelle is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy specializing in adult rehabilitation, spinal cord injuries, higher education, and neurological disorders and rehab. She is a national board member for the Stroke SIG within the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy.
Kristin Schaffer Mendez, PhD, CCC-SLP
As a clinician-scientist and educator, Dr. Schaffer Mendez specializes in adult neurogenic communication disorders and focuses her research on psychosocial factors in aphasia/primary progressive aphasia. She values interprofessional practice and is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Lacey Sims, OTR
Lacey Sims earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman's University. Sims began her career in acute care at a level one trauma center and later transitioned to outpatient working with both neuro and orthopedic patients.
Kunal Singhal, PT, PHD
Dr. Singhal is a trained biomechanist, with experience analyzing human gait, and a licensed physical therapist with experience treating adults with problems of falls and balance control. His research experience includes two separate Department of Defense-funded projects assessing functional outcomes, quality of life and gait.
Lacey Spark, OTD, MOT, OTR/L
Since moving to Austin in 2011, Lacey Spark has been serving the geriatric population in home-health, skilled nursing, assisted living, and independent living settings. She attended the University of Oregon and Pacific University for her undergraduate career before earning her Master of Occupational Therapy from Pacific University in 2010.
Rudie Spigarelli, PT, DPT
Dr. Spigarelli has practiced in several outpatient clinical settings including multi-disciplinary, mobile, orthopedic and vestibular clinics. She has experience and certification in concussion management, manual therapy, visual-vestibular functional integration training, clinical instruction and practice management.
Peyton Sykes, PT, DPT, EdD
Dr. Peyton Sykes has worked primarily in the Austin community as an outpatient orthopedic clinician, where he also garnered experience in various acute care hospitals as a travel physical therapist.
Amy Walters, PT, DPT
Amy Walters graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Psychology in 1996. She then went on to physical therapy school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. She moved to Seattle after graduation and worked in sports medicine with a focus on treating adolescent athletes.
Brooke Weber, MS, OTR/L
Brooke Weber is an experienced occupational therapist with a specialty in Autism Spectrum Disorder, pediatrics and sensory integration. She is dedicated to serving populations dealing with sensory-processing differences and learning disabilities.
Christopher Wise, PT, DPT, ATC, PhD
With robust experience in academics and physical therapy clinical practice, Dr. Wise has specialties in manual therapy, orthopedics, kinesiology and sports medicine. His clinical interest is orthopaedic manual physical therapy of the spine.
Ryan Wooley, PT, DPT
Dr. Wooley is a physical therapist (PT) and educator who is passionate about delivering individualized, evidence-based physical therapy care to diverse populations. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2015.
Jie Yang, PhD, CCC-SLP
With a specialty in pediatrics, Dr. Yang is a certified, bilingual speech-language pathologist with teaching experience in phonetics, speech science, speech-language development and speech sound disorders. Her research emphasizes speech production and perception in monolingual and bilingual children.