Faculty

The Institute's faculty represents some of the most experienced physical therapists inthe treatment of incontinence, pelvic pain and pelvic dysfunction. Their clinicalknowledge and expertise will ensure that the Herman & Wallace Pelvic RehabilitationInstitute courses will consistently offer the most current information and treatmentconsiderations for pelvic floor and pelvic girdle dysfunctions.

Our mission is to foster an interdisciplinary approach toward patient care, multi-siteresearch and use of consistent outcome measures. We have some of the best practitionersand researchers in the country supporting the Institute.

Holly and Kathe are pleased to introduce the following members of the faculty:

Mary Lou Cokl, PT, MHSA

Mary Lou Cokl, PT, MHSA has worked in women's health since 1992. She started the first women's health practice in South Florida and currently co-owns Partnership In Therapy, in Miami, Florida - a private practice specializing in women's health, pelvic floor dysfunction, lymphedema and spine care. Additionally, she has consulted local health care organizations on development of women's health programs and Joint Commission Accreditation.

In 2000, Mary Lou was a contributing author for the American Medical Women's Association publication, Urinary Incontinence and Overactive Bladder in Women, Education for Primary Care Providers, Master Faculty Manual. Between 2003 and 2005, she held several advisory positions to the Section on Women's Health, APTA including the Post Professional Education and Credentialing Task Force and the Women's Health Certification and Specialization Task Force. Mary Lou speaks frequently for community and professional organizations on women's health topics.

Mary Lou graduated in 1975 from Florida International University with a BS in Physical Therapy and received her MS in Health Services Administration from Barry University in 1995. She is currently seeking her certification in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback from the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America.

Pamela A. Downey, MSPT, DPT, WCS, BCB-PMD

Pamela A. Downey, MSPT, DPT, BCIA-PMDB has been a physical therapist since 1991. She is the co-owner of Partnership in Therapy for Wellness, located in Coral Gables, Florida.  Established in 1999, this private practice caters to the needs of women and men with pelvic floor dysfunction, related urogynecological and colorectal issues, spine dysfunction, orthopedic complaints associated with pregnancy, and lymph edema.

Dr. Downey is an adjunct professor in the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Miami School Of Medicine in Coral Gables, Florida, and at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  She has taught coursework in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Orthopedic Spine, Female Lifespan, Pelvic Floor and Ob/Gyn PatientManagement.  A certified Polestar Pilates Educator, she teaches a continuing education course integrating Pilates and therapeutic exercise interventions in peri-nataland other women’s health clientele.

Dr. Downey received her  Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. She graduated both institutions with high honors, including the Clinical ExcellenceAward (first in class) for her professional training. She received her Doctoratein Physical Therapy from the University Of Miami School Of Medicine in Decemberof 2002. She has presented at many national meetings including the Combined SectionsMeeting of the APTA. Dr. Downey is the author of multiple published research articles and papers, and a book chapter for a medical text on "Chronic PelvicPain" published in 2008.

Bridgid Ellingson, MPT, OCS, BCB-PMD

Bridgid Ellingson, MPT, OCS, BCB-PMD has been working in the area of women’s health since 1994.  She treats women and men with pelvic pain, bowel and bladder dysfunction, musculoskeletal dysfunction related to pregnancy and childbirth, as well as pediatric bowel and bladder issues. She opened her private practice, Lakeview Physical Therapy, P.C., in Chicago, Illinois in 2000. Bridgid earned her Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Michigan in 1993. She is an APTA Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and is certified in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback. She has lectured locally and nationally to physicians, midwives, nurses and to various community groups. She is a member of the Women’s Health Section of the APTA, National Vulvodynia Association, International Pelvic Pain Society, and the American Urogynecologic Society.

Cynthia Markel Feldt, MPT, ATC

Cynthia Markel Feldt, MPT, ATC is owner of a rehabilitation consulting company, Rehab Initiatives. She provides consultation for health care practitioners in the area of women’s health rehabilitation, pelvic floor dysfunction and pediatric incontinence. Cynthia has been a practicing physical therapist since graduating from Emory University’s Master’s program in 1986. She specializes in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, pregnancy related musculoskeletal pain and incontinence for men, women and children.  She also has a strong backgroundin manual orthopedic and sports physical therapy. Cynthia has lectured nationally and written numerous articles on topics related to physical therapy and women’s health and recently co-edited the book The Pelvic Floor.

Jenni Gabelsberg, DPT, WCS, MSc, MTC

Dr. Jenni Gabelsberg, DPT, MSc, MTC is a women's health physical therapist specializing in urinary incontinence and pelvic pain since 1994. She strives to empower patients through education and self-awareness to encourage them to take responsibility for their own health. She believes that a physical therapist's education forms the cornerstone of her care. She attended the University of Vermont and earned a Bachelor of Science, Physical Therapy, in 1994. She went on to earn a Manual Therapy Certification (MTC) awarded by the Institute of Physical Therapy in 1995. Dr. Gabelsberg next earned an Advanced Masters in Orthopedic Physical Therapy from the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences in 1999, and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2003.

Judith Florendo, PT

The first ten years of Judith Florendo’s  career involved acute care with an emphasis in trauma and wound care, and management of  both hospital-based and off-site physical therapy clinics for in and outpatient care. She has also workedin the areas of orthopedics, sports medicine, home care and geriatric rehab. The next ten years has been spent working exclusively in the area of women’s health and pelvic rehab for men and women, particularly chronic pelvic pain and dysfunction. 

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, both at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She has been in private practice in downtown Chicago since 2000 when she started Florendo Physical Therapy, PC. She is Clinic Coordinator and instructor for Northwestern University Medical School, School of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences. She has presented to professional medical and community groups. Other activities include: Advisory Board member, Total Control, Women’s Health Corporation; member ofthe Vulvodynia/Vestibulitis Task Force, Section on Women’s Health, American Physical Therapy Association; and a member of the Interdisciplinary Pelvic Floor Journal Club, Chicago Metropolitan area. She is a member of the Private Practice Section and Section on Women’s Health, APTA.    

Stacey Futterman, MPT, BCB-PMD

Stacey Futterman, PT, M.P.T., BCIA-PMDB certified, received her Master’s Degreein Physical Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in South Florida in 1996. After graduation she relocated to Chicago where she began specializing in women’shealth issues including the treatment of incontinence, pelvic pain and prenatal/ postpartum musculoskeletal issues.  Stacey has recently joined forces with Amy Stein at Beyond Basics Physical Therapy, a comprehensive practice that specializes in all aspects of the treatment of pelvic rehabilitation for men, women and children.  Her current treatment approach not only uses physical therapy to treat chronic pelvicpain, but incorporates yoga, nutrition and psychotherapy in the overall treatment approach. She has been featured on CBS New York and has presented for the APTA NationalConference 2007 for the treatment of male pelvic pain. 

www.beyondbasicsphysicaltherapy.com   

Elizabeth Hampton, PT, WCS, BCB-PMD

Elizabeth Hampton, PT, BCIA-PMDB is a Board Certified Women's Health Clinical Specialist in practice since 1987, specializing in pelvic ring dysfunction and movement- education. Elizabeth earned her BS in physical therapy from Marquette University in 1987. She earned her post-bac Certificate in Women's Health PhysicalTherapy in 2002 and is also a trained childbirth educator and doula. Elizabeth earned the Rehabilitation Certification in Pilates through Polestar Pilates Education in 2003 and integrates the Pilates method into manual therapy and rehabilitation. She earned certification in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback through the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America in 2005. She has designed and instructed continuing education courses relating to pelvic floor dysfunction and Pilates- based rehabilitation. She is a member of the APTA, the Orthopedic section, the Section on Women'sHealth as well as the Washington State Physical Therapy Association. Elizabeth isa SACE item writer for the APTA Board Certification Clinical Specialist Exam inWomen's Health.

Elizabeth's professional publications include: "Use of Transabdominal UltraSoundImaging in Retaining the Pelvic Floor Muscles of a Woman Postpartum" (Ariail,A, Sears T, Hampton E, PT Journal October 2008), The Journal of the Section on Women's Health "The Relationship Between Pelvic Floor and Abdominal Musculature: Clinical Recommendations for Rehabilitation based on Emerging Literature," (Hampton E, April 2003) and The Gynecological Manual,APTA, Section on Women's Health, 2002, contributing editor of "Clinical Applications of SEMG Biofeedback of the Pelvic Floor."

Elizabeth owns Core Therapeutics Physical Therapy (www.corept.org) in Bellingham, Washington. She is married to Mike and they have two kids who are amazing individuals!

Ramona C. Horton, MPT

Ramona C. Horton, MPT co-founded the Women’s Health Program for Rogue ValleyMedical Center located in Medford, Oregon in 1993. She currently serves as lead practitioner in her clinic’s pelvic dysfunction program, treating both men and women with urogynecological and colorectal issues. She has used visceral mobilizationsince 1996.

Ramona has appeared on local news and radio programs and lectured throughout the region on topics of women’s health and pelvic dysfunction. She has presented to physicians, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants for CME at venues such as The Bill Young Conference on Women’s and Children’s Health and The Oregon Society of Physicians Assistants Spring Medical Update.

Ramona received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Idaho State University. She completed the U.S. Army-Baylor University Program in Physical Therapy in 1985 and earmed a Masters in Physical Therapy from Baylor University in 1986.  The highlight of her educational experience was the opportunity to study urogenital manipulation with Jean-Pierre Barral DO, and Didier Prat, DO, at the Andrew Taylor Still Academy in Lyon, France in 2003. Her extensive experience in manual therapy has allowed her to work as a teaching assistant for courses in muscle energy technique, myofascial release and visceral manipulation. 

Theresa ("Tracy") M. Spitznagle, PT, DPT, WCS, MHS

Theresa Monaco Spitznagle, PT, DPT, MHS is currently an Instructor in the Programin Physical Therapy at Washington University. She is considered an Associate of Dr. Sahrmann and was integral in the development of the diagnostic categories impairments currently being researched at Washington University in St. Louis.

Tracy is a 1986 graduate of Marquette University. She completed her Masters in Health Science in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 1994. She completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2006. Her teaching responsibilitiesin the entry level doctoral program at Washington University include: Women’s Health (pelvic pain, incontinence, osteoporosis and the female athlete), Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes with an application to thoracic spine, pelvis and sacral pain problems. In addition, Tracy is the lab coordinator for Gross Anatomy, the Course Coordinator for Joint Mobilization, Modalities and the final capstone course, Diagnosis and Evidence Analysis. Her research and clinical specialty is in incontinence and pelvic pain. 

Tracy has published professional literature related to pelvic pain and diastases recti abdominis. She has presented at the American Urogynecological Society’s National convention and several of the APTA conferences, including APTA conference 2006 and CSM 2002 and 2007. She has been practicing physical therapy utilizing the MSI approach, as proposed by Dr Shirley Sahrmann, since 1987; when she was first introduced to the concepts while working on her master’s degree. Tracy is currently writing a new chapter for Dr. Sahrmann in the second book, diagnosis and treatment of movement impairments focusing on thoracic spine impairments. 

Holly Tanner, PT, BCB-PMD, MA, OCS, LMP

Holly Tanner, PT, BCB-PMD, MA, OCS, LMP was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, and has lived in the Pacific Northwest for the past eleven years. She graduated from the College of St. Scholastica in 1995 with a Masters of Arts degree in Physical Therapy. She currently works for Apple Physical Therapy and direct's Women's and Men's Health for the company. She has been an Orthopedic Certified Specialist since 2005. Holly is adjunct Faculty at the University of Puget Sound, where she has taught Functional Anatomy in the Physical Therapy program and where she currently teaches “Advanced Topics in Physical Therapy: Women’s Health.”  She presented “Male Pelvic Pain”at the 2007 APTA National Convention in Denver along with Stacey Futterman. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the APTA Women’s Health and Orthopedic Sections, the International Urogynecological Society, the International Pelvic Pain Society, and the American Massage Therapy Association. 

Tina Allen, PT, BCB-PMD

Tina Allen, PT, BCB-PMD has been a physical therapist since 1993.  After five years in acute care, trauma and outpatient physical therapy, she turned her practice towards women's health. Since 1998, she has focused her treatment on the care of women throughout their life spans with bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, pelvic pain syndromes, pelvic ring dysfunction, pregnancy/postpartum, lymphedema and breast cancer recovery. In 2002, she added male pelvic dysfunction, prostate cancer recovery and pudendal neuralgia for both men and women to her practice. Her treatment is largely focused on client education, manual techniques and SEMG.

Tina currently practices at Olympic Physical Therapy in Seattle, where she is the clinical supervisor. She has presented at professional medical conferences on topics such as lymphedema, pelvic pain and musculoskeletal examination of the pelvic floor. She is currently a physical therapist provider in collaboration with the University of Washington on a Multi-Center study for Interstitial Cystitis/ Painful Bladder Syndrome treatment intervention with physical therapy techniques.

Tina was born and raised just outside of Chicago.  After graduating from the University of Illinois – Chicago with a BS in Physical Therapy in 1993, she practiced at Loyola Medical Center for five years. In 1998, she relocated to Seattle to be closer to the outdoor activities she loves.

Teri Elliott-Burke, PT, MHS, BCB-PMD

Teri Elliott-Burke, PT, MHS has been practicing physical therapy since 1978. She received a Masters in Health Science from the University of Indianapolis, a certificate in physical therapy from Northwestern University Medical School and a BA in biology and psychology from North Central College. She is the co-owner of Women’s Physical Therapy Institute (www.womensphysicaltherapyinstitute.com), in Lake Zurich, IL specializing in orthopedics and pelvic dysfunction for men, women, and children. She is an adjunct faculty member of Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL where she co-teaches Management in Physical Therapy Systems, Applied Management Skills in Physical Therapy Systems, and lectures on women’s health and pelvic dysfunction. She is a member of the APTA Section on Women’s Health, the Private Practice Section, the International Pelvic Pain Society, American Urogynecologic Society, and the Chicagoland PelvicFloor Research Consortium. Teri also speaks frequently to community and professional groups on topics related to pelvic dysfunction for men and women. She strives to maintain a balance between work, her family (1 husband, 2 sons), her church and community.

Jennafer Vande Vegte, PT, BCB-PMD

Jennafer knew she wanted to be a physical therapist from her first exposure to the field in high school. She graduated magna cum laude from Ithaca College in 1996 with a Masters of Science in physical therapy. She has been employed by Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, MI since 1997. She worked in acute care, cardiac rehab and outpatient orthopedics and also trained and worked as a yoga instructor before taking over her company’s small pelvic floor program in 2002.

Over the years, Jennafer has worked hard to educate physicians, therapists and the community through numerous conferences and speaking engagements. The pelvic floor program has grown and now boasts three part- time PTs with two more currently in training. Jennafer has a passion for training new therapists in the field and often has PTs and students shadow her work. She treats men, women and children with pelvic floor and bladder disorders and enjoys her pregnant and postpartum clientele. She speaks often to physicians, students, and community members.

She is a member of the APTA and the Women’s Health Section.

Brandi Kirk, PT, BCB-PMD

Brandi began her undergraduate work at Ohio State University and she completed her studies at Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, graduating from their acclaimed Physical Therapy program in 1996. She started practicing women’s health in 1997 and became a women’s health coordinator in 2003. It was at this time that she created the Women’s Health program at Northwest Community Hospital’s Wellness Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois. During 2004 and 2005, she was the Women’s Health Specialist at Women’s Physical Therapy Institute in Lake Zurich, Illinois. In 2006 Brandi founded Kirk Center for Healthy Living in Homer Glen, Illinois (www.kc4hl.com ). Her professional role at Kirk Centerfor Healthy Living is the women’s health coordinator and pelvic floor specialist. Kirk Center for Healthy Living specializes in treating men, women and children for pelvic pain, gastro-intestinal disorders, incontinence and pelvic dysfunction. Since its inception in 2006, Kirk Center for Healthy Living continues to grow rapidly and is always looking for highly-skilled pelvic health professionals.

Brandi earned certification in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback through the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America in 2009. She is a member of the APTA Section on Women’s Health, the APTA Private Practice Section, the APTA Research Section, the International Pelvic Pain Society, and is a current board member for the Chicagoland Pelvic Floor Research Consortium.

Brandi is currently conducting multiple research projects with Dr Denise Elser of Illinois Urogynecology Ltd, for future publication. Outside of work, she enjoys working in her yard, kayaking and spending time with her family.

Genné DeHenau-McDonald, PT

Genné DeHenau-McDonald, PT has been a physical therapist since 1989. Starting at University of Michigan Medical Center, she created a post-mastectomy program and then developed four comprehensive women’s health programs in Colorado and Gainesville, Florida - where she currently resides. The programs included treatment of the obstetric patient, pelvic floor dysfunctions, male and female urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic pain and dyspareunia, as well as post breast, ovarian and prostate cancer rehabilitation. She spent two years as clinical faculty at the University of Florida spearheading Cancer Rehabilitation Services at Shand’s Davis Cancer Center. An APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, she was an appointed member of the Specialization Academy of Content Experts in Women’s Health.

Genné has presented professionally at a number of national forums on a wide range of topics. Publications include the APTA brochure on Urinary Incontinence, Assessing Musculoskeletal Pain During Pregnancy in Primary Care Update for OB/GYNS, the Gynecological Manual for Women’s Health Section of APTA, Piriformis Syndrome in the OB Patient for APTA OB/GYN Journal and Rehabilitation After Breast Cancer Surgery for Nautilus Magazine.

She is founder and director of Team Survivor North Florida, a non-profit organization offering exercise opportunities to female cancer survivors and was a consultant to the Mammatech Corporation on a grant to perform better clinical breast exams for women with disabilities. She is a Team Leader and Regional Advocate for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and an expert panel member of the LAF/YMCA Survivorship Collaborative. A 9-year breast cancer survivor, she is ACS North Central Florida’s Reach To Recovery Trainer and was awarded the state’s Terese Lasser Award. Her most cherished awards are the Yoplait Champion Award for Commitment to the Breast Cancer Fight, and Lifetime Television’s Hero Award for Breast Cancer Advocacy.