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Ashley Absmeier-Koppenhafer, PT, DPT received her doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the Colorado College.  Ashley’s focus is land and aquatic orthopedic physical therapy catered to the geriatric population.  Her interests include rehabilitation pertaining to patients with a lower limb amputation, Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis.  Ashley  volunteers for the Arizona Sports for the Disabled program where she has helped coach children in archery and assists with various sporting events.  She is an active member of the Wheelchair Sports, USA and the American Physical Therapy and Arizona Physical Therapy Associations.

Zane Arters, EP, graduated from ASU with a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Physiology. His focus at Desert Pain Institute is the Community/Maintenance programs. He has spent much of his career developing and incorporating aquatic community programs throughout Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler. Some of the community programs include: instructing fybromyalgia self help courses, training lifeguards through the American Red Cross, and training certified water fitness instructors through the Arthritis Foundation of Arizona.

Pam Banning, PT, graduated from Ithaca College with a B.S.P.T. degree in 1981. She is happiest working in patient care and has worked in a wide variety of clinical settings over the 25 years she has been a physical therapist, including a hospital inpatient/outpatient department and a home health agency in Virginia and a large private orthopedic & sports practice in California. She has served a wide scope of patients of all ages with diagnoses in many areas of medicine & rehabilitation acquiring a wide experience base. She has particularly strong interests in dealing with the pelvis & spine using various neuromuscular techniques including muscle energy. She is very excited about aquatic therapy as an extremely effective environment for rehabilitation.

Mary Kay Bisso, PT, is a native Arizonian with 27 years experience as a physical therapist. Her specialties include orthopedics with a manual therapy emphasis in spine rehabilitation with a particular interest in pain management. Mary Kay has spent much of her career in sports rehabilitation and is currently heading our golf program, “Back in the Swing”. Her plan for the golf program is to provide education with therapy skills and fun to increase the golfer’s enjoyment and activity level and therefore promoting full body rehabilitation. Cervical spine, TMJ and headache treatment are her specialties including cranio sacral, myofascial release and Watsu aquatic techniques.

Mark Gannon, DPT, received his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine with a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois. His focus is land and aquatic orthopedic physical therapy and orthotic fabrication. Mark's post-doctoral education has focused on aquatic therapy skills, low back and spinal abnormalities, foot dysfunctions and sports specific conditioning / training. He recently attended physical therapy combined section meeting learning specialty techniques for treating low back pain, aquatic therapy techniques, and techniques for treating scapula-humeral dysfunction. His past experience includes working with orthotic fabrication; professional cyclists and skiers; and developmentally delayed individuals in an aquatic environment. He is an active member of the American Physical Therapy and Arizona Physical Therapy Association.

Jennifer Guerena, PT, originally from San Diego, CA, received her Bachelor of Science Degree in General Studies with Magna cum Laude honors from Northern Arizona University in 1994. Jennifer then graduated with Summa cum Laude honors with her Master’s of Physical Therapy in 1996 and was the recipient of the Dean’s Award for outstanding performance in her clinical rotations. Early in her career, Jennifer worked in a subacute rehabilitation environment with neurologically and orthopedically involved patient populations and was lead therapist on a stroke unit. Jennifer then transferred to the acute care setting where she was actively involved in patient care and the development of an inpatient rehabilitation program. Currently, Jennifer is the Senior therapist at the Desert Pain Institute. She continues to be involved in per diem work in Home Health therapy and subacute rehab here in the valley and is Adjunct Faculty for Human Anatomy and Physioloby at Rio Salado College.

Lynette Jamison, MOT, OTR/L, is the director of rehabilitation at Desert Pain Institute. Completing her master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University her carrier has incorporated OT services in a variety of settings including outpatient, inpatient, psychosocial services, aquatic rehab, hand rehab, work hardening, and lymphedema. She consulted with the designers of Desert Pain Institute to develop the only peroxide therapy pool in the Mesa, AZ area. Lynette has published 2 aquatic therapy text books, “A Team Approach to Aquatic Rehabilitation” and “Aquatic Therapy Using PNF Patterns”, several chapters in other books, and numerous articles on lymphedema, Fibromyalgia, and aquatic therapy. Lynette is certified by the Dr. Vodder School of North America to use Manual Lymph Drainage ® to treat patients with lymphedema.

Dorene Hay, BS, PTA, received her associate's degree and certification as a Physical Therapist’s Assistant in 2007 from Gateway Community College. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Montana State University in Physical Education and Health Sciences. Since graduation from Montana State, Dorene has worked in rehabilitation in a variety of settings including skilled nursing facilities, Aquatic therapy centers, Pediatrics, Neurological and Orthopedic rehab centers. She has furthered her expertise in aquatics by receiving a certification in Watsu (water massage) and ATRIC (Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute Certification). Dorene says she loves treating patients in the water because, "for many patients the water is the only place that they can exercise. Water gives them the freedom to begin moving their body again without pain."

Beth Loffswold, PT, CHT, graduated from Stanford University with a MA in PT in 1984. She has worked in hospital based inpatient/outpatient programs; and private practice with emphasis on orthopedic and industrial injuries, ergonomics, and aquatic therapy. She began working more with upper extremity and hand injuries in 2002 and received the Certified Hand Therapy credential in 2004. She is an active member of the American Physical Therapy and Arizona Physical Therapy Association as well as the American Society of Hand Therapists.

Stacy Lynch, PTA, CPT, received an Associate of Arts degree in 1992, and an Associate of Applied Science in the Physical Therapist Assistant program from McLennan Community college in Waco, TX in 1995. He has become a Certified Personal Trainer from Pro-Fit through the Texas State Board of Physical Therapy in 2000. Since graduation in 1995, Stacy has worked in a number of therapeutic facilities in Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Texas and Arizona. Stacy has been associated with Desert Pain Institute since 2004. He has a strong interest in the education of body mechanics, postural education and pain-management concepts.

Charla Nelson, DPT received her doctoral degree in physical therapy from the University of Michigan-Flint. Her focus is land and aquatic orthopedic physical therapy oriented to the geriatric population. Charla’s post-doctoral education has focused on functional testing, vestibular rehabilitation techniques, myofascial release, aquatic therapy skills, and numerous orthopedic physical therapy seminars. Her past experience also includes outpatient pediatric and in-patient, rehabilitation in an in-patient setting, hospital physical therapy internships, home health care, and extended care. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science from the University of Michigan-Flint. She is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Aileen Walton, PT, MS, MLDT, is an ASU graduate who earned an MS in physical therapy from the University of Southern California in 1977. She worked for a local hospital for 26 years as a staff therapist, senior therapist, coordinator of outpatient PT and OT, and coordinator of clinical education. She has specialized training and certification in the Vodder technique of lymphedema rehabilitation and has been treating lymphedema patients since 1999. She has been instrumental in developing specialized programs in cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab, and lymphedema rehab. She has been an adjunct professor of physical therapy at Northern Arizona University since 1982 and has lectured to physical therapy students, peers, and community groups. Her clinical interests lie primarily in soft tissue pain problems and lymphedema. She joined the DPI staff in February, 2004.