Allied Health Faculty - Dominican College

Athletic Training

James T. Crawley, M.Ed., ATC, PT

Program Director, Assistant Professor

Phone: 845-848-6004
Email: jim.crawley@dc.edu

BS, Physical Education/Athletic Training – Towson State University
M.Ed., Sports Medicine/Athletic Training – University of Virginia
M.S. Physical Therapy – Dominican College

James Crawley was appointed the first Program Director of Athletic Training in August 1998. Jim has overseen the Athletic Training Program’s through its candidacy stage and directed the Program towards initial accreditation by CAATE. Jim has brought a wealth of Athletic Training experience to his position as Program Director. This extensive experience included Athletic Training at The United States Military Academy, Monmouth University, and MARC Physical Therapy.

Mr. Crawley teaches Therapeutic Modalities, Therapeutic Exercise, Organization and Administration of Athletic Training, Pathology and Management of Athletic Injuries I & II and Introduction to Athletic Training. Additionally, Jim is responsible for program administration, student recruitment, student advisement, and curriculum review and academic planning. Jim also serves on several college committees. He is also the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative and has served on the NCAA Division II Management Council, the Division II Degree Completion Award Committee, and the Competitive Safeguard & Medical Aspect of Sports Committee.

Jim received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education/Athletic Training from Towson State University in 1985 and his Master of Education in Sports Medicine/Athletic Training from the University of Virginia in 1986. Jim completed his Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Dominican College in 2004. Jim has two beautiful twin-daughters, Nicole and Jennifer, and resides in Manhattan with his wife Martha.

Jenna Tacinelli Hach, MS, LAT, ATC, CCT, CKTP, ITAT

Clinical Education Coordinator and Assistant Professor

Phone: 845-848-6003
Email: jenna.tacinelli@dc.edu

B.S., Athletic Training – Canisius College
M.S., Exercise Physiology/Cardiac Rehabilitation – Canisius College

Jenna Tacinelli Hach joined the Dominican College Athletic Training Program in August of 2007. As the Clinical Education Coordinator, Jenna is responsible for many facets of the program. Jenna is responsible for maintaining all aspects of the program’s relationships with clinical sites. These duties include, but are not limited to, creating clinical affiliations, performing clinical site visitations and monitoring clinical proficiencies. Under Jenna’s leadership, the program’s number of clinical sites utilized by the students has dramatically increased since Jenna’s arrival. Jenna has proven to be an asset to The Athletic Training program as it continues to grow since her appointment.

Jenna specializes in both Cardiac Rehabilitation/Health & Human Performance and Sports Medicine/Athletic Training. Her passion for anatomy and physiology along with her vast clinical experience has allowed her to become a unique professor. Jenna’s courses include, but are not limited to, Assessment of Athletic Injuries I & II, Health Assessment, and AT Technique Labs V & VI. She is an active member of several committees at the campus and is the mentor of the Athletic Training Iota Tau Alpha Athletic Training Honor Society.

Prior to her faculty appointment here at Dominican College, Jenna was the second shift Head Athletic Trainer and Exercise Physiologist/Staff Specialist at the General Motors Tonawanda Facility. She was responsible for all aspects of patient orthopedic care in addition to maintaining all on-floor intervention programs. Jenna’s diverse athletic training career also includes the Adjunct Faculty position she held at her alma mater, Canisius College’s Undergraduate Athletic Training & Physical Education Program.

Jenna received both her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and her Master of Science in Health & Human Performance at Canisius College. She holds additional certifications as a Certified Cardiographic Technician and ImPACT Trained Athletic Trainer, as well as an American Red Cross Instructor and Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner.

Samantha James, MS, ATC

Head Athletic Trainer, Preceptor and Adjunct Faculty

Phone: 845-848-7709
Email: samantha.james@dc.edu

B.A. – SUNY Stony Brook
M.S., Athletic Training – Long Island University

Samantha James began working at Dominican College in August 2004 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer. She was promoted to Head Athletic Trainer in August of 2007. Samantha’s classroom teaching includes: Athletic Training Techniques I & II, which includes emergency response training and the application of taping, wrapping and bracing techniques. She also teaches CPR/ AED for the Professional Rescuer, Oxygen Administration and First Aid as part of the curriculum for AT 118 – Introduction to Athletic Training. Prior to coming to Dominican College, she was the Assistant Athletic Trainer at Iona College for 3 years.

She began her athletic training career at Stony Brook University, where she started a student internship program. After graduating from SUNY Stony Brook in May 1997, she decided to complete the internship program by pursuing her Master’s degree in Athletic Training at Long Island University and finishing her clinical hours at Pace University. After graduating from LIU in September of 1999, she began working at HealthSouth Sports Physical Therapy Clinic as a rehabilitation technician and Athletic Trainer for the local high schools.

Samantha currently resides in Rockland County with her husband Mark and their two daughters, Haven and Celeste.

Dr. Richard L. Popowitz

Northeast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Medical Director

Dr. Jason E. Fond

Northeast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Team Physician

Dr. Barry S. Kraushaar

Northeast Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Team Physician

Dr. Robert M. Conenello

Orangetown Podiatry, Team Podiatrist

Lynda Chesterman

Director of the Student Health Center

Phone: (845) 848-7917
Email: lynda.chesterman@dc.edu

Lynda Chesterman, RN, BSN, MA, ANP-BC, has over twenty eight years of nursing experience in college health, occupational health, women’s health and critical care. She served as the Staff Nurse Practitioner from 2001-2008 in the Dominican College Student Health Center and took over in 2008 as the Director.

Board Certified by the ANCC, Lynda received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Pace University and her Masters of Arts as an Adult Nurse Practitioner from New York University. She is a member of both the NPA – New York State Nurse Practitioner Association and the ACHA – American College Health Association.

In addition to her role as the Student Health Center Director, she has taught as an adjunct faculty member and is currently a clinical preceptor in the Division of Nursing in Undergraduate, Accelerated and Graduate Programs. Her professional interests also include wellness and health promotion.

Julie Albrecht

Assistant Director of the Student Health Center

Phone: (845) 848-7923
Email: julie.albrecht@dc.edu

Julie Albrecht, RN, BSN, MS, FNP-BC, has over eighteen years of experience in internal medicine & college health as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She began as a Staff Nurse Practitioner in 2009 in the Dominican College Student Health Center, and prior to that worked in private practice for 10 years.
Board Certified by the ANCC, Julie received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from University at Buffalo and her Masters of Science as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Pace University. She is a member of the New York State Nurse Practitioner Association and the American College Health Association.

In addition to working at the Student Health Center, she is an adjunct faculty member and clinical preceptor in the Division of Nursing in Undergraduate, Accelerated and Graduate Programs. On campus, Julie focuses on assisting students in becoming more active and independent participants in their own health care.

Kerry Zona

Administrative Assistant

Phone: 845-848-6005
Email: kerry.zona@dc.edu

Kerry Zona has been working at Dominican College since August 2017 as an Administrative Assistant for the Athletic Training Program. Kerry prepares files, spreadsheets, schedules appointments, and Emily.

Occupational Therapy

Pam Story, OTD, OTR/L, CPAM, ITOT

Occupational Therapy Program Director
Allied Health Division Director
Assistant Professor

(845) 848-6039
Email: pamela.story@dc.edu

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B.S., Utica College of Syracuse University
O.T.D., Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions

Certifications/specialties: Certification in Physical Agent Modalities (CPAM); Impact Trained Occupational Therapist (ITOT); certified to administer the ADL-focused Occupation-based Neurobehavioral Examination (A-ONE); certified to administer the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

Interests: If it is Occupational Therapy, she is interested in it but has had more specific experience and expertise in hand therapy, neurological rehabilitation, acute and chronic mental health assessment and intervention, adult dysphagia (eating and swallowing disorders), cognition, physical agent modalities, and best practices in teaching and learning. Meeting the distinctive needs of clinical clients to participate in their preferred life activities is foundational to all occupational therapy. Carrying this concept over into meeting the distinctive needs of a diverse set of students learning to become the best entry-level clinicians they can be is a natural extension of her clinical interests.

General background: Over 35 years of clinical experience as a Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR) across a wide variety of adulthood (ages 21 – 100+) settings. She has worked in acute care hospitals with inpatient rehabilitation units, outpatient services, acute- and long-term psychiatric care hospitals and units, extended care group homes for adults with developmental disabilities, and in subacute and long-term care facilities.

Clinical background: Her clinical experience encompasses orthopedics/hand therapy, complex medical, acute neurological, chronic or progressive neurological, psychiatric, and social-emotional conditions. “Dr. Pam” has established and expanded clinical services in each of her clinical settings and overseen the operation of both individual therapy services (Occupational Therapy) and multidisciplinary departments (Occupational, Physical, Speech-Language Pathology, and Respiratory therapies). Early in her career, she mentored occupational therapy students and continued to do so until she changed her practice area from clinical practice to academic practice. All through her clinical career, she was active in providing training and education to her department staff and the staff of other clinical and non-clinical departments.

Administrative background: In her roles as Rehabilitation Manager and Director of Rehabilitation, she also served as the clinical case manager responsible for developing and maintaining productive relationships with insurance company case managers to ensure appropriate coverage for client rehabilitation stays. During her 30 years of supervisory and management positions, she continued to actively treat a significant clinical caseload.

Academic background: She took her first foray into the academic world in 2011 as an adjunct instructor in a weekday master’s level occupational therapy program. She added the position of adjunct instructor at Dominican College in 2013. In 2014, she was recruited by the outgoing OT Program Director to take on the challenge of becoming the Interim Program Director, a full-time academic position, and has been fully committed to the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program and Dominican College ever since. Dr. Pam earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree in 2010 from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, focusing on Aging and a particular interest in cognition.

Courses taught:
Previous – Professional Practice Skills I
Current – Clinical Conditions, Adulthood I, Management and Leadership; Modules in Advanced Practice – Physical Agent Modalities, CarFit

Catherine Cavaliere, Ph.D., OTR/L

Occupational Therapy Program Director, Assistant Professor

Phone: (845) 848-6034
Email: catherine.cavaliere@dc.edu

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B.A., Catholic University
Post Baccalaureate Certificate in OT, Quinnipiac University
Ph.D., Seton Hall University

Certifications/specialties: Dr. Cavaliere has completed Mentorship Level 1 &2 and the Research Mentorship at the STAR center for sensory processing disorders. She has lectured extensively to various audiences including scholars, colleagues, teachers and parents, on sensory processing and related topics. In addition, Dr. Cavaliere is certified in verstibular rehabilitation, Therapeutic Listening, administration of the Safe and Sound Protocol as well as being trained as an advanced practitioner in Integrated Listening Systems ( ILs).

Interests: Sensory Health, Sensory Processing and Integration, Wellness

Clinical background: Dr. Cavaliere has been a practicing clinician for over 20 years and has spent 15 of those working with children and adolescents. She has worked in a variety of settings including. early intervention, schools, and outpatient clinics. Dr. Cavaliere opened her private practice in 2014 where she serves children, adolescents and adults with sensory processing disorders and their families. Dr. Cavaliere spends much of her clinical time coaching and empowering families to become self- aware and self- confident both as individuals, and as a family unit.

Academic background:

Research Coordinator Dominican College Graduate Occupational Therapy Program
Proposal Reviewer for the American Occupational Therapy Association National Conference 2020, 2021
Faculty mentor to the Gamma Alpha Chapter of Phi Theta Epsilon at Dominican College
Member of the Instiutional Review board at Dominican College
Member of the Faculty Affairs Committee at Dominican College
Dissertation Title: The Role of the Vagal System in the Regulatory Sensory Processing Patterns of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Physiologic Underpinnings and Reliability of Measurement

Courses taught: Current – Research in OT, Research Symposium, Adolescence and OT Practice

Research/Scholarly Interests:

Dr. Cavaliere received her PhD in Health Science from Seton Hall University. Using the Polyvagal Theory as a guide, Dr. Cavaliere investigated the physiologic mechanisms involved in sensory processing by analyzing the cardiac vagal response patterns of children with autism spectrum disorder in response to senasation and comparing those to that of typically developing children.

Dr. Cavaliere is passionate about the role of Sensory Health in well-being. She is currently authoring a chapter in an interprofessional text book for health care professionals introducing the concept of Sensory Health and has presented on this topic at professional conferences.

Dr. Cavaliere is spearheading the Take Charge! Program at Dominican College, in collaboration with the efforts of the director of Student Retention and Success. This jointly run program will provide occupational and academic supports to undergraduate students who are at risk for academic failure.

Dr. Cavaliere, along with other faculty members of the Dominican College Occupational Therapy Program, coordinates DC OT Practice Chats. These virtual chats are an opportunity to bring the DC OT community together to discuss current trends in practice.

Recent Publications and Presentations:

Cavaliere, C. (2020). Sensory Health: Expanding Our Thinking about Sensory
Processing. World Journal of Yoga, Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation,2(3). WJYPR.MS.ID.000540.

November 2020

The Impact of Sensory Health on Well-being
New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference Virtual

April 2020

The Role of Sensory Health in Overall Health Promotion and Well-being
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) National Conference – Short Course ( conference cancelled) Boston, MA

January 2020

Let’s talk Sensory Health with Dr. Cavaliere
The Innovative OT podcast – Episode 7

Mary Walsh Roche, MS, OTR/L, LMT, RYT

Occupational Therapy Program Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Assistant Professor

Phone: (845) 848-6038
Email: mary.walshroche@dc.edu

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A.O.S., Swedish Institute
B.A., Iona College
M.S., Columbia University

Certifications/specialties: Licensed Massage Therapist, Trained in Peggy Huddleston’s Prepare for Surgery: Heal Faster Program; Alumna of the Center for Mind Body Medicine’s (CMBM) Advanced Training program; Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Training Program; Certified yoga teacher; Reiki Master Level Teacher; Tai Chi Easy Practice Leader; Certified Infant Massage Instructor

Interests: cooking, literature, music, yoga

General background: Mary has over twenty years of experience as an occupational therapist in a variety of practice settings.

Clinical background: Mary was as an occupational therapist with the NYC Department of Education for eight years. There she participated in the Senior Instructional Therapist Training Program teaching workshops on seating and positioning and adaptive equipment to therapists in the New York City school system. During that time Mary was also involved in performing home accessibility evaluations and recommending environmental modifications for clients in the community. In 2007 she transitioned to work in adult inpatient rehabilitation at Bellevue Hospital where she worked on the orthopedic and neurological units. She also worked in outpatient traumatic brain injury rehabilitation at the James J. Peters Bronx VA Hospital and on the inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.

Prior to working at Dominican College, Mary was an Integrative Health Specialist with the NYU Department of Integrative Health Programs at Rusk Rehabilitation. There she designed and implemented programs to help pediatric and adult patients, their families, caregivers, and staff ease pain, anxiety and stress through integrative health modalities such as reiki, guided imagery, adaptive yoga, and meditation.

Administrative background: Mary started as the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Occupational Therapy Program at Dominican College in the summer of 2016. From 2012-2015 Mary served as the Westchester Rockland District Chair for the New York State Occupational Therapy Association. Mary is currently the Director of the Bronxville Senior Citizens where she develops wellness and social programs for active community dwelling older adults.

Academic background: Mary’s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Iona College, in New Rochelle, NY. She received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University. After beginning her career as an occupational therapist, Mary studied at the Swedish Institute in New York City, where she received an A.O.S. in massage therapy. Mary completed a certificate in advanced shiatsu studies from the Ohashi Institute. She is a graduate of the first cohort of the Integrative Health Leadership Program at Duke Integrative Medicine. In 2018, Mary served as the Project Scholar for the New Jersey Council for the Humanities Literature in Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Healthcare program where she led a series of Literature and Medicine Sessions for first and second year medical students in the Arbor Vitae Literary Society at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Mary is currently a doctoral student in the Medical Humanities Program at Drew University working on her dissertation which focuses on loss and the lived experiences of older adults.

At Dominican Mary coordinates all Level I and Level II fieldwork placements and teaches the Introduction to Occupational Therapy and the Level I Fieldwork Seminar courses. Mary enjoys introducing students to the core tenets of the profession as well as its history and evolution. Mary also enjoys working with community partners to develop clinical affiliations and fieldwork experiences for students in traditional as well as emerging areas of practice.

Courses taught:

Introduction to Occupational Therapy
Level I Fieldwork Seminar

Research/Scholarly Interests:

Integrative health and wellness
Mind-body skills and non-pharmacologic methods of pain management
Narrative medicine and ethics
Productive Aging

Recent Publications and Presentations:

Lopes, A., Palase, N, Rigney, C. Wolosin, S., Garbarini, J., & Walsh Roche, M. (April 2019) The Effect of Mindfulness Practice on Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Perceived Stress and Well-being. Poster Presentation at The American Occupational Therapy Association Conference (AOTA), New Orleans, LA.

Lopes, A., Palase, N, Rigney, C. Wolosin, S., Garbarini, J., & Walsh Roche, M. (November 2018) The Effect of Mindfulness Practice on Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Perceived Stress and Well-being. Poster Presentation at The New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference (NYSOTA), Palisades, NY.

Rust, N. & Walsh Roche, M. (November 2018) True Partners: The Dominican Charism in Occupational Therapy Education and Practice. Poster Presentation at The New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference (NYSOTA), Palisades, NY.

Rust, N. & Walsh Roche, M. (June 2018). True Partners: The Dominican Charism and Occupational Therapy Education and Practice. 15th Biennial Dominican Colloquium, Providence, RI.

Lopes, A., Palase, N., Rigney, C., Wolosin, S., Garbarini, J., & Walsh Roche, M. (May 2018). The Effect of Mindfulness Practice on Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Perceived Stress and Well-being. International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health (ICIMH), Baltimore, MD.

Walsh Roche, M. (April 2018). Mindfulness Practices and Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Perceived Stress and Well-being. Drew University Medical Humanities Colloquium, Madison, NJ.

Lopes, A., Palase, N., Rigney, C., Wolosin, S., Garbarini, J., & Walsh Roche, M. (March 2018). The Effect of Mindfulness Practice on Graduate Occupational Therapy Students Perceived Stress and Well-being. Drew University Medical Humanities Symposium, Madison, NJ.

Walsh, M., DeSio, T., Abatemarco, J. & Tafurt, M. (May 2016). Integrative Occupational Therapy: Building a Pediatric Rehabilitation Family Integrative Health Program. International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health (ICIMH), Las Vegas, NV.

Walsh, M., Eberhardt, A., Ingraham, M. & Shrestha, D. (May 2016). Mindfulness and Imagination: The Creation of a Pediatric Rehabilitation Adaptive Yoga Program. International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health (ICIMH), Las Vegas, NV.

Walsh, M., Eberhardt, A., Ingraham, M. & Shrestha, D. (November 2015). Mindfulness and Imagination: The Creation of a Pediatric Rehabilitation Adaptive Yoga Program. New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference, White Plains, NY.

Walsh, M. (November 2014). Mind Body Skills and Occupational Therapy Practice. New York State Occupational Therapy Association Conference, Albany, NY.

Walsh, M. & Siminovich-Blok, B. (October 2014). The Practice of a Modified Form of the Ignatian Examen by Healthcare Workers. International Symposium of Contemplative Studies, Boston. MA.

Walsh, M., Lesser, S. & LaSorse A. (November 2005). Adaptive Environments for Children. United Cerebral Palsy of New York City Techworks Expo, Brooklyn, NY

Nadia Rust, OTD, OTR/L

Assistant Professor

Phone: (845) 848-6033
Email: nadia.rust@dc.edu

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B.OT., University of Kwazulu-Natal
O.T.D., Chatham University

Certifications/specialties

Dr. Rust is certified in Sensory Integration and Listening Therapy

Clinical background

Dr. Rust’s early clinical experience has spanned both medical based and community settings across the lifespan. She has focused on pediatrics for over 20 years and continues to practice in New York City in Early Intervention. Dr. Rust has also served as an independent evaluator in a NIH funded research study examining the efficacy of sensory integration intervention in autism

Administrative background

Dr. Rust has managed and overseen the operation of several occupational therapy and multidisciplinary departments over the course of her career.

She has over 15 years of managerial and clinical supervisory experience. Dr. Rust currently manages the occupational therapy department for The Bronx McCarton Early Intervention Center.

Academic background

Dr. Rust’s educational background includes Bachelors in Occupational Therapy from the University of Durban Westville, South Africa. She received a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Chatham University. Her doctorate capstone examined the impact of a collaborative training and consultat program on teachers’ competence in providing pre-writing instruction. Dr. Rust is a full time faculty member at Dominican College since October 2017.

Courses taught

Current – Tools of Practice, Professional Practice Skills I, Childhood and OT Practice
Prior – Adolescence

Research/Scholarly Interests

Pediatrics
Sensory Integration and related topics
Cultural humility and responsiveness
Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
Community health and wellness

Recent Publications and Presentations

Second year students worked with Dr. Rust on a research study that examined the efficacy of video and web-based games to increase cultural skill, cultural knowledge, and cultural awareness. The study was accepted as a poster presentation at the national AOTA Conference in Boston 2020.

Rust, N. & Walsh Roche, M. (June 2018). True Partners: The Dominican Charism and Occupational Therapy Education and Practice. 15th Biennial Dominican Colloquium, Providence, RI.

Rust, N. (April, 2016) Impact of Training and Consultation on Teachers’ Competence in Pre-Writing Instruction. Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA

Physical Therapy

Emil Euaparadorn

Director of Physical Therapy Program and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy

Phone: (845) 848-6048
Email: emil.euaparadorn@dc.edu

B.S., Health Science, Touro College
M.S., Masters in Physical Therapy, Touro College
DSc, Doctor of Science of Physical Therapy, Andrews University
Board Certified Clinical Specialist, Orthopedic Physical Therapy (OCS)
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) Certification
Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist (MSCS)
Certified Orthopedic Manipulative Therapist (COMT)

Dr. Euaparadorn is widely recognized as a leading Physical Therapist in orthopaedic and neurological rehabilitation. As one of the most highly credentialed PT’s in New York, Dr. Euaparadorn has spoken at both National and International professional conferences in his areas of expertise. Dr. Euaparadorn has achieved several certifications in both neurological and orthopaedic realms and has gone through a comprehensive fellowship program in manual therapy, in order to receive the highest distinction one can achieve in Manual Therapy, a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy.

Dr. Euapardorn began his career working at Mt. Sinai Hospital for many years before going into the world of private practice. He has taught at several other PT school institutions in both Physical Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistant departments. Dr. Euaparadorn continues to be involved with private practice and brings his real world experience, along with extensive training into the classroom, in order to provide students with practical hands on solutions to real world problems.

Mark Amir

Assistant Professor, Director of Clinical Education

Phone: 845-848-6045
Email: mark.amir@dc.edu

B.S., Physical Education in Secondary Education, Brooklyn College
B.S. Health Sciences, Touro College
M.A., Masters in Physical Therapy, Touro College
MPH, Masters in Public Health, City University of New York
t-DPT – Executive Private Practice Management, EIM
DipMDT, Diploma in Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy, McKenzie Institute International

Mark Amir helps students integrate newly acquired clinical skills that match their innate strengths to truly make a difference in the lives of their clients.

Dr. Amir has hired, trained and mentored hundreds of clinicians and aspiring clinicians over his 25+ year experience as a physical therapist, business owner, teacher and advocate of our profes-sion. He uses his passion of learning topics related to leadership, management, professionalism and customer service to educate new student professionals who are ready to tackle the challenges of their new career.

Dr. Amir is a private practice outpatient physical therapy and wellness center owner. He is also a managing partner of a company that provides innovative workplace injury prevention services to several local and national industries. From 2005 to 2010, Dr. Amir was a contractor to APTA’s Payment & Policy Department advising members and staff on regional and national health care issues. He remains active in NYPTA and APTA legislative activities.

Stefanie DiCarrado

Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy

Email: stefanie.dicarrado@dc.edu

B.S., Information Technology, Marist College
D.P.T. Hunter College Masters in Physical Therapy, Touro College

Dr. Stefanie DiCarrado received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Hunter College (NY) in 2014. Dr. DiCarrado is the owner of and physical therapist at DiCarrado Physical Therapy, PLLC a home based outpatient orthopedic and neurological rehab practice in Westchester County and New York, NY. She is board certified in Neurologic Rehabilitation (NCS), a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist (MSCS), and a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), and Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Dr. DiCarrado is passionate about the blend of neurologic and orthopedic rehabilitation and the use of technology to improve patient care; her research activities involve the effects of fatigue in individuals with neurologic diagnoses and the use of different cues to improve rehabilitation potential. Dr. DiCarrado is currently studying to become a CMPT (Certified Manual Physical Therapist) through the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy.

Ayse Ozcan Edeer

Associate Professor of Physical Therapy

Phone: (845) 848-7615
Email: ayse.edeer@dc.edu

B.S., Hacettepe University School of P.T. and Rehab (Turkey)
M.S., Institute of Health and Sciences Dokuz Eylul University (Turkey)
Ph.D., Institute of Health and Sciences Dokuz Eylul University (Turkey)

Dr. Edeer has more than 20 years of experience providing physical therapy for adults and older people with various orthopedic conditions and serving as faculty in professional entry level physical therapy in Turkey and USA. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at both national and international scientific meetings. Dr. Edeer’s primary research interests involve management of shoulder pathologies, preventing fall in geriatric population, exercise intervention in various conditions. Dr. Edeer joined the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program as full time core faculty in 2012. She teaches PT 639 Research I, PT 789 Research II and PT 889 Research III courses. She is on the NYPTA’s Research Committee and Dominican College IRB Committee. She is a reviewer for Disability and Rehabilitation, ISRN Rehabilitation Journal, Gulhane Medical Journal, Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation and she is rater for MORE Rehab.

Click here to see Dr. Edeer’s reviewed publications and grants funded.

Duane Grell

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Email: duane.grell@dc.edu

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, English, Colgate University
Bachelor of Arts, Spanish Literature, Hunter College
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Touro College, School of Health Sciences
Board Certified Clinical Specialist, Neurological Physical Therapy (OCS)
Board Certified Clinical Specialist, Orthopedic Physical Therapy (NCS)
Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist (MSCS)
Certified Manual Physical Therapist (CMPT)
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
LSVT BIG Certified Clinician

Dr. Duane Grell received his Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University, and received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Touro College, in New York City. Dr. Grell is Board Certified in both Neurology and Orthopedics, and is currently pursuing his Fellowship in Manual Physical Therapy, as a way of continuously advancing his clinical skillset. Dr. Grell has a passion for teaching and recognizes the importance of promoting skilled physical therapy throughout the profession. As a professor, Dr. Grell recognizes the importance of blending orthopedic and neurological assessments in the classroom, as he believes that the dynamic interflow between the two systems is what guides movement.

As a clinician based in NYC, Dr. Grell’s treatment approach is centered around driver assessment and movement analysis, addressing any underlying movement dysfunctions or arthrokinematic issues that may be causing the musculoskeletal dysfunction. When working with clients with neurological impairments, Dr. Grell follows an ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) based approach, identifying and addressing the specific body function or movement that is causing the activity and participation limitations.