Physical Therapists

Morgan earned her doctor of physical therapy in 2015 from the University of St. Augustine in Florida. She has since completed additional coursework through the university, focusing on spinal and extremity mobilization and myofascial manipulation.

Morgan earned her manual therapy certification (MTC) in January 2017, and she is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). In addition, Morgan is trained in the Graston Technique® and she is a RockTape (kinesiology tape) provider.

Morgan is passionate about sports and working with athletes of all ages. In her free time she enjoys playing soccer, hiking, and traveling.

Molly is a Howard County native who attended Saint Francis University where she was a member of the D1 field hockey team. She received her bachelor's degree in exercise physiology in 2018, and became a certified exercise physiologist shortly after. She continued at Saint Francis to complete her doctorate of physical therapy in 2020. She has always been passionate about caring for others and sports medicine.

Using her experience as a former athlete, she is dedicated to helping others reach their fitness and health goals. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with family and friends, trying new things, and spending time with her dog

A Howard County native, Kirsten obtained her bachelor’s degree in health sciences from James Madison University while being a collegiate cheerleader. She earned a doctorate of physical therapy from the University of Maryland – Baltimore, graduating summa cum laude.

Kirsten has always had a passion for sports medicine, orthopedics, and helping others. She will take the extra time to make sure you fully understand your condition and rehab process, and she works with you individually to create a patient-centered plan of care. She enjoys treating all kinds of patient cases and especially providing patients with the tools and knowledge to improve their health.

Kirsten sees patients in our Catonsville location. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and trying new dessert recipes.

Kelly is an occupational therapist who works primarily on hand and upper extremity injuries at MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab (MASTR). She graduated with honors from Towson University with a master’s degree in occupational therapy.

Before joining the MASTR team, Kelly worked for four years as an occupational therapist on the spinal cord/multitrauma unit at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute, formerly known as Kernan Rehabilitation Hospital. Additionally, Kelly taught for three years at the Community College of Baltimore County as faculty for their occupational therapy assistant program.

Kelly is a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner® (CKTP®) and serves an active role as VP of communications for the Maryland Occupational Therapy Association.

Kelly lives in the Linthicum area with her husband and child.

Mary Beth is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Physical Therapy. She has over 30 years of experience in outpatient orthopedics and has treated a wide variety of orthopedic-related conditions in various settings.

Mary Beth was clinical director of physical therapy for 15 years prior to joining MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab (MASTR) in 2008. During that time, she specialized in joint replacements and was published on rehabilitation following total knee replacements.

At MASTR, Mary Beth continues her focus on general orthopedic rehabilitation with a special interest in total joint replacement. Outside of work she most enjoys spending time with her family and is a loyal Terps fan!

After earning her Bachelor of Science in exercise science from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, Denise completed her doctorate in physical therapy from UMDNJ/Rutgers, where she developed an interest in orthopedic and sports rehabilitation. Denise has been a part of our MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab staff since graduating in 2011.

She enjoys treating post-op patients and working with athletes of all levels. Denise uses a variety of techniques in her treatment plans. She trained in the use of Graston Technique® therapy, and she has taken courses on the use of Kinesio Taping® for various diagnoses.

In addition, Denise has received continuing education through Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars on the management of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine dysfunctions, and she uses these hands-on strategies in the treatment of many conditions. Denise is also working toward her certification in orthopedic manual therapy (COMT).

Denise is an active member of the orthopedic section of the American Physical Therapy Association. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially her husband and daughter.

Becca graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia University in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy. She completed her manual therapy certification (MTC) from the University of St. Augustine, Florida, in October 2004, and she is certified in the Graston Technique®, trigger point dry needling (CDNT), and selective functional movement assessment (SFMA).

Becca enjoys treating a variety of orthopedic patients, incorporating wellness and total health into her treatment planning. She specifically enjoys post-surgical rehabilitation and has also been involved with personal training and group fitness programming since 1994.

Becca’s husband, Aaron, is a physician assistant for Dr. Sam Sydney. Outside of work, Becca enjoys spending time with Aaron and their two daughters skiing, traveling, and hiking with their dog, Juliet Rose.

Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from West Virginia University in 2009 and his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2014. He also earned his manual therapy certification (MTC) from St. Augustine, which is a series of specialty classes in hands-on manual therapy with a focus on manipulation of the spine and extremities.

Dan has been trained in the technique of trigger point dry needling (TDN) for the treatment of painful myofascial trigger points throughout the body. He has also learned additional techniques in the manipulation of myofascial tissue and in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), which is a technique to improve motor control of the body.

Dan returned to MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab in April 2017 after working as a PT tech for two years before going off to graduate school. In his free time, Dan loves being outdoors: hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, and whitewater rafting. If he is not outside exploring, he’s inside rooting for the Washington Redskins, Washington Capitals, and West Virginia Mountaineers.

Beth graduated with honors from Elizabethtown College with a degree in Occupational Therapy in 1989 and then earned her Certified Hand Therapy Certification in 1998. She was also a student of Modern Studies at Loyola University.

Her thirty years of experience includes work with burns, plastic surgery, orthopaedic and general medical and surgical populations.

Beth is also certified in open water scuba diving and is a Pilates and yoga enthusiast who enjoys the outdoors, traveling, cooking and eating food, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Laura earned her undergraduate degree in exercise science from Salisbury University and then obtained her PTA degree from Carroll Community College in 2004. She has since worked primarily in outpatient orthopedics with some exposure in workers’ compensation, pre/post partum, pulmonary, and pediatrics.

Laura joined MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab in July 2016. She holds a certification in Kinesio Taping (CKTP) and continues to take multiple continuing education courses specializing in orthopedic rehabilitation. Laura lives in Howard County with her husband and her two daughters. She enjoys spending time with her family and animals and, of course...GO, RAVENS!

Danielle graduated from the University of Delaware in 2012 with a degree in kinesiology and applied physiology. She then earned her doctorate in physical therapy from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2015 and joined the team at MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab shortly thereafter.

Danielle specializes in orthopedics and sports medicine, with an emphasis on manual physical therapy for the spine and extremities. Having been heavily involved in soccer and lacrosse in her younger years, Danielle has always had a passion for sports and enjoys working with athletes of all ages. Outside the office, she enjoys spending time with her husband, running, and traveling.

Duane graduated from Central Pennsylvania College with a physical therapy assistant degree and has worked primarily in outpatient orthopedics. He joined the team at MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab in the spring of 2015.

With nine years of experience and continuing education courses, Duane has developed a wide range of skills and techniques to use in rehabilitation. He has extensive training in the McKenzie method of treatment, primarily for neck and back issues. He enjoys helping competitive and recreational athletes get back to their activities.

In his free time, Duane can often be found running or biking on the trails of Columbia. He also does high-intensity interval training to stay in shape. Duane and his wife enjoy reading, having intellectual debates, watching movies, and walking together.

Russ earned his bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences from York College of Pennsylvania and then earned his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in St. Augustine, Florida.

While in school, Russ completed various rotations in specialized spine clinics and general orthopaedic settings. He also has a passion for sports rehabilitation, as he spent 16 years playing baseball. Russ enjoys working with all levels of athletes, but particularly with high school athletes because of their passion.

In his spare time, Russ enjoys playing all types of sports, spending time with his friends and family, and traveling.

Julie joined MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab in October 2014, shortly after earning her doctorate in physical therapy at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. She enjoys working with a variety of patients in an orthopedic setting to improve their quality of life.

Julie has attended several different continuing education courses to advance her manual treatment skills and expand her knowledge of the most current techniques available to improve patient outcomes.

In her free time, Julie's interests include hiking, camping, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle. She also enjoys working on house projects and cooking with her husband.

Samantha graduated from Randolph College in 2014 with a bachelor of fine arts degree focusing on dance. After taking a year off to undergo labral repair surgery on both her hips she went on to graduate from Marymount University in 2018 with her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. Shortly after this she joined the Mid Atlantic Sports Therapy and Rehab team. She has brought her 20+ years of dance experience to help return dancers back to class and performing.

In her free time Samantha teaches ballet and volunteers at Maryland Youth Ballet with their Music and Motion class.

Matteo was born in Rome, Italy. He moved to the U.S when he was 16 years old to attend the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Florida after playing for the youth professional teams of Juventus F.C and A.S Roma back in Italy. He then attended Towson University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2013, and played Division I soccer.

After a three-year sabbatical focusing on coaching youth club soccer and personal training, Matteo attended the DPT program at University of Maryland and graduated in the summer of 2020. Since 2011, he has been coaching youth soccer at Pipeline Soccer Club coaching teams from all age groups.

Matteo has a strong passion for all sports, and working with athletes of all ages. In his spare time, he enjoys training with his players, working out, watching soccer games, travelling and cooking.

Kim graduated in 1992 from an accredited physical therapist assistant program in Baltimore. Over the course of her 25+ year career, she has strengthened her orthopaedic background with additional training in balance and proprioception for the geriatric community. She also spent three years performing aquatic therapy for various patient diagnoses and is able to educate patients in a home aquatic program to enhance their rehab potential.

Kim joined MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab in November 2012, continuing her focus on sports medicine rehabilitation for multiple diagnoses in all age groups. She is passionate about injury prevention for the youth athlete, as she has two boys who are involved in sports. She loves the outdoors and enjoys rehabbing her patients to return to their previous level of function, so they can enjoy the outdoors as well.

Alyssa graduated from the Penn State in 2012 with a degree in Kinesiology. She then earned her doctorate in physical therapy from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2015.

Alyssa specializes in orthopedics and sports medicine, with continuing education courses in Maitland, Graston, and Kinesiotaping. Alyssa has a passion for sports and enjoys working with athletes of all ages.

Outside the office, she enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and traveling.

Deborah graduated from the University of Maryland in 1996 with a master’s degree in physical therapy.  Upon graduation, she worked in outpatient orthopaedics.  She had a passion to work with the older population and a desire to participate in medical missions.

Deborah spent 14 years treating the well elderly with multiple medical problems, addressing balance, gait, post-surgery, vestibular, and incontinence problems. She has gone on three medical missions trips, twice to Honduras, and once to Ghana where she addressed a variety of patient needs and focused on education.

At OACM, she is enjoying treating a variety of patients, along with assisting patients to return to work through a work conditioning program.  She believes in individualized patient care and educating her patients about their condition to allow them the ability to understand and be active participants in their care and recovery.

Valerie graduated from Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, in 2004 with a master’s degree in physical therapy and completed her transitional doctorate degree from Elon in 2005. Valerie has six years of outpatient experience along with six years of home health care.

Experiencing a patient’s progression is beneficial for understanding the wide range of functional limitations associated with orthopedic injuries and dysfunctions. Valerie has a passion for treating musculoskeletal injuries, and her priority is to provide quality individualized care.

Outside of work, Valerie has completed two marathons and is interested in helping other runners with training methods and injury prevention.

Nick earned his doctorate in physical therapy at Washington University in St. Louis and joined MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab in June 2015. While in school, he completed four clinical rotations with the primary focus on outpatient orthopedics, one of which was at Colorado College working with collegiate athletes.

Nick has taken continuing education courses centered on manual techniques, including the Graston Technique® and Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy, with plans to become a certified orthopedic manual therapist (COMT). He lives a very active lifestyle and enjoys hiking, biking, and kayaking in his free time.

A Maryland native, Sami completed his undergraduate degree in kinesiology with a focus in biomechanics from the University of Maryland in 2012. He then completed his doctorate in physical therapy from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.

Sami has spent the last few years focusing his career on helping athletes from all age groups and backgrounds return to their sport. With over 10 years of experience in competitive martial arts and an additional five years of exhibitional gymnastics and acrobatics experience, Sami brings a unique set of skills to the MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab group.

Outside of work, Sami is pursuing a performance enhancement specialty from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and serves as a gymnastics and acrobatics coach (Gymkana) for the University of Maryland.

Nina completed her undergraduate work at University of Maryland, College Park with a BA in Dance prior to working as a Personal Trainer and performing professionally as an Aerial Dancer for 13 years. She returned to school in 2015 to change her career to Physical Therapy and graduated as a PTA in 2017. Nina’s specialties include dysfunctions in the areas back, pelvis, sacrum, headaches and post-operative orthopaedics.

Nina also enjoys volunteering for adaptive sports programs to assist people with various disabilities learn to kayaking, snow skiing and water skiing. In her free time, she participates in figure skating, rock climbing, snowboarding, capoeira, and hiking for recreation.

Karyn obtained her doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore in 2007. After nine years of experience as a physical therapist in orthopedic and sports medicine, Karyn was happy to join the MidAtlantic Sports Therapy & Rehab team in January 2016.

Karyn is a certified provider of the McKenzie Method® of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy® (MDT) and a certified Mulligan Concept Practitioner (CMP). She is also a fellow of Applied Functional Science and has a certification in Functional Manual Reaction® (FMR) through a fellowship program of the internationally acclaimed Gray Institute.

Karyn uses evidence-based medicine in conjunction with biomechanical analysis to create individualized, functional treatment plans that enable her patients to reach their therapy goals. An avid endurance athlete herself, she enjoys working with runners in the clinical setting. Karyn is a certified Enhance Running technician, which enables her to coach runners to increase efficiency and prevent injuries. She has coached runners on injury prevention through various clinics at running stores and high schools.

In her free time, Karyn enjoys hiking with her dog, spending time with her family, and participating in marathons, triathlons, and adventure races. Karyn hopes to inspire, motivate, and enthuse others to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Kyle completed his undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2012 with a degree in kinesiological sciences, focusing his thesis on ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation outcomes. He then earned his doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

With over 11 years of competitive gymnastics and four years of acrobatic and aerial experience, Kyle has been able to combine his love for calisthenics and sports medicine to help athletes of all ages return to their sport. He specifically enjoys treating the extremities including the ankles, knees, and wrists.

In his free time, Kyle enjoys an active lifestyle and participates in rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking, and cycling.