NAIOMT

Allison Bartholomew
PT, DPT, CSCS

My name is Allison and I graduated in 2020 from Daemen College in Buffalo, NY where I also grew up. I began my career as a travel therapist working with the pediatric population and travelling across country. I made the transition to outpatient orthopedics with PRN and the opportunity to participate in the residency program to enhance my manual skills and clinical reasoning to better provide for my patients. I also became a certified strength and conditioning specialist to assist in my treatment and intervention planning. I currently work and live in Morgan Hill, CA. I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, going to the beach, and playing soccer. I am a big sports fan and will either be cheering for the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Red Sox, or Cincinnati Bengals! My career goals include working with a specialized focus on sports rehabilitation and participate in more research on blood flow restriction therapy.

Kaitlyn Clark,
PT, DPT, CISSN

Kaitlyn is a native of Southern California. She grew up doing gymnastics which lead her to becoming a student athlete at the University of Alabama. Kaitlyn got her B.S in Exercise Science at Alabama before moving onto physical therapy school. She finished her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Western University of Health Science in 2019 and practices in an outpatient orthopedic clinic in Orange County, California. Kaitlyn enjoys treating a wide variety of patients but specializes in gymnastics and dance rehabilitation. She is also involved with high level athletes including the Women's National Philippines’ soccer team. She joined the orthopedic residency to expand her knowledge and become a more effective clinician. In her free times she enjoys watching football, playing with her dogs and exercising.

Kayla Hindle Ferguson,
PT, DPT 

Kayla was born in Encinitas, CA, and received her Bachelor's in Exercise Science from Willamette University in Salem, OR. She received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences located in San Marcos, CA. She has been a physical therapist since 2017 and has been working within the PRN family as a physical therapist since 2018 and has been at PRN Encinitas since April 2022. Kayla is passionate about guiding her patients through their rehabilitation process and helping them get back to their function after injury or surgery. She is an avid learner and is participating in a NAIOMT Residency program to further herself as a clinician and continue her learning process. She is also excited to participate in student physical therapists' educational journeys as they endeavor to get their own Doctorate in Physical Therapy by providing mentorship as a clinical instructor along with providing mentorship to new physical therapists just out of school. On the weekends, Kayla enjoys hiking, playing with her dog, and hanging out with her friends/family.

Isabel Gracia,
 PT, DPT, OCS

My name is Isabel Gracia and I’m a current Orthopedic Resident at NAIOMT- Messiah University. I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. I was a former Division 1 collegiate soccer athlete at the University of the Incarnate Word, where I also attended their Doctor of Physical Therapy program. I completed my undergraduate degree in rehabilitative sciences with a minor in psychology, where I fell in love with the capabilities of the human body. In hopes of completing my orthopedic residency, I am excited to explore the most innovated techniques to re-define wholistic treatment. I'd like to promote and educate teams on injury prevention programs within adolescent athletes, serve as a mentor for others, and specifically bridge healthcare communication barriers within the Spanish-speaking community to further improve prognosis. Orthopedics serves as a foundation for my aspirations in life as a PT – which is to make a long-lasting impact with my patients, specifically among female athletes, as well as delivering quality care to all. I am extremely humbled to serve others who share the same passion for athletics and quality of life as I do.

Shannon Herman,
PT, DPT

Shannon Herman earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA where she graduated Cum Laude. After graduating she began working in the outpatient orthopedic setting in San Diego, CA working with a variety of patients providing care for post-operative, neurological, geriatric, and sports populations. Most recently she moved to Orange County and is working at California Rehabilitation and Sports Physical Therapy in Newport Beach.

Prior to receiving her doctorate she earned her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University majoring in Kinesiology with a Fitness Special. While at SDSU she was a member and team captain of the Swimming and Diving team. She was a Scholar-Athlete and Mountain West Conference Scholar Athlete all four years.

Her personal interests include maintaining an active lifestyle through exercising at the gym, running, hiking, wakesurfing, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with her cat, Junie! Upon completing the NAIOMT Orthopedic Residency she hopes to earn her Orthopedic Clinical Specialty (OCS). Her career goals include becoming a Clinical Director and continuing furthering her education to be able to help her patient’s live a healthier and more active lifestyle.

Kaitlin Hesse,
PT, DPT

Hello my name is Kaitlin Hesse. I have worked in outpatient orthopedic PT since graduating in 2020. I graduated from Texas A&M University in 2017 with a BS in Kinesiology, then from Texas Tech University Health Science Center in 2020 with Doctorate in Physical Therapy. I have been able to take multiple continuing ed courses since graduating and enjoy any opportunity to further my clinical skills. I’m excited to be a part of this residency program and to learn skills from more experienced clinicians. Outside of work I enjoy spending time outside whether that’s running, hiking, or playing soccer.

Ruchi Jain,
MSPT, DPT, CLT, BRM

Ruchi received her bachelor’s degree from India and went on to pursue her master’s and Doctorate degree from Boston in 2017 and New York in 2020 respectively. She has worked in a skilled nursing as well as an outpatient clinical setup for nearly 5 years which makes her competent in treating patients of various age groups, activity levels and complexities. Ruchi received her Mulligan certification in 2014 followed by sports taping and dry needling certification in 2018. She is also a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and is passionate about working with patients to educate and treat them. She plans to seek continued education and certification for vestibular rehabilitation in 2023. Ruchi uses a multifaceted approach by incorporating manual therapeutic skills, neuromuscular re-education, and motor control training to optimize the outcome and help patients reach their maximum potential. Ruchi loves exploring the mountains as well as relaxing by the water with a book and some Bollywood music. She likes spending her time travelling and exploring different cultures.

Lauren Jerd,
PT, DPT

Lauren received her Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from UC Irvine, with a particular interest in ethics. In 2022 she graduated from Samuel Merritt University with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She is drawn to physical therapy by an intrinsic desire to care for others. She worked in the hospitality industry for fifteen years and takes pride in bringing this skillset into the clinic. She believes in building trust with patients by explaining the reasoning behind clinical choices and using evidence-based interventions. She is currently studying to become a Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. She runs competitively and loves long distance backpacking, indoor cycling and Pilates. Ella habla Español básico.

Melissa Johnson, PT, DPT

Melissa is a Physical Therapist in San Diego, CA where she grew up and received a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. Following undergraduate school, she spent a year working as a personal trainer before pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. She has a growing passion for orthopedic rehabilitation and would like to specialize in vestibular and concussion therapy in the future. Melissa cares deeply about patient care and wants to better treat and guide patients toward an improved quality of life. In her free time, Melissa enjoys stand up paddle boarding, swimming, Pilates, and spending time with her husband and dog.

Kathleen Lopp,
PT, DPT, CSCS, USAW

I am a Southern California native, born and raised in Huntington Beach, CA. I adore all things related to the beach! Sunny days, a cool breeze, sandy toes, crisp surf, sand dollars, and tan lines. I attended undergrad at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA where I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Pre-Physical Therapy Studies. There I was able to get my Certified Strength and Conditioning Certification (CSCS) and Exercise Physiologist Certification (EP-C). I rowed on the Women’s rowing team while at LU until graduation in 2017. Shortly thereafter I began my journey with Olympic weightlifting that took me from VA back to CA. I then graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Azusa Pacific University in 2021.

As a fitness and CrossFit enthusiast, I began learning about Olympic weightlifting and then training at SoCal Weightlifting quickly after this. I was then introduced to Pelvic Floor therapy in the clinic setting. I became interested in pelvic health, orthopedics and sports all at once. I quickly learned that this area had a great need. My interest in orthopedics has only grown by my education in pelvic health. This approach has led me to desire growth in specialty orthopedics and pelvic health all while maintaining a strong strength and conditioning background.

Niki Mahmoudzadeh,
PT, DPT

My name is Niki, and I work at PRN physical therapy in Mission Valley, San Diego, CA. I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and moved to California as a teenager. I got my Bachelors degree at University of California, Davis, and decided to make the move to the East Coast for grad school. I graduated from the George Washington University with my DPT in May 2022 and started with PRN as my first job out of school. The opportunity to be a part of the NAIOMT residency program was a big driver in my decision to join the PRN team, as I found it a great opportunity to continue learning, working with great mentors and further develop my clinical decision making as well as manual skills and continue growing as a new grad PT. In addition to being a clinician, in the future I would love to be a mentor to other students, and possibly take on management roles as well. Outside of PT, traveling might be my most favorite thing to do when I get the chance. I have lived in 2 countries, been to 15, and looking forward to visiting many more.

Chad Rocha,
PT, DPT, BFR

I've been a PT for 2 years now. I am a born and raised San Diegan. I completed my undergraduate degree at San Deigo State University with a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy. I then went on to graduate from San Diego State University's DPT program in 2021. My main points of interest within the orthopedic scope is managing hip and knee pathologies as well as return to sport progressions. In my free time, I enjoy playing disc golf, playing board games (the more strategic, the better) and spending time with my beautiful wife and kid.

Sandy Ruiz,
PT, DPT

Sandy graduated with her bachelor's degree in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Missouri in 2011. She then received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University in 2014. She has been practicing in the outpatient orthopedic setting for the last 9 years in the Seattle area, also specializing in vestibular rehab and completing her comprehensive Pilates certification in 2017.In her free time, Sandy enjoys spending time with her family as well as exploring the outdoors in the beautiful PNW. You can find her enjoying neighborhood walks, lifting weights, and partaking in the occasional pickleball game with friends. She loves to travel and try new restaurants but is also lucky to have a husband that is an excellent cook!

Sara Schendel,
DPT, PT, CSCS, PPSC, BRM

Sara received her bachelor’s degree from Central Washington University and went on to pursue her Doctorate degree from West Coast University in Los Angeles, CA. She has worked for Highline Physical Therapy for the last 3 years. Sara has worked with various populations and injuries. She has her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) as well as Pain-Free Performance Specialist Certification (PPSC). She plans to seek continued education and certification for vestibular rehabilitation in 2024. Sara uses a multifaceted approach by incorporating manual therapeutic skills, neuromuscular re-education, and motor control training to optimize the outcome and help patients reach their maximum potential. Sara loves exploring the mountains as well as relaxing by the water with her dog Winston. During her free time, she enjoys traveling the world and visiting new places.

Harpreet Sohi,
PT, DPT

My name is Harpreet and I am a Physical therapist at California Rehabilitation and Sport Therapy in Vallejo, CA. I graduated from the DPT program at UCSF and SF State University in 2021. Being a part of the residency cohort for NAIOMT/Messiah University program has been a perfect opportunity for me to elevate my knowledge of the orthopedic specialty. I continually aspire to deliver a high level of patient care and this program has aided in this by providing great resources to refine my clinical skillsets.