Driver Rehab Team
Ginger Hoang Le, DPT, CDRS, ATP, President
Master of Public Health, Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases- University of South Florida – Go Bulls!
RESNA ATP wheelchair, seating, assistive technology evaluator
ADED: Member of the Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists
Certified Driver Rehab Specialist, High Tech – Low Tech, Cognitive/ Behavioral
Certified Driver Instructor for the State of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Ergonomic Specialist: Evaluation for Workplace Fitting, Task Modifications, Worker Injury Prevention, Home Modifications, Adaptive Equipment, Aging in Place issues.
Yoga and Meditation Advocate – I embrace yoga and meditation for my own physical and mental health improvement. I have personally benefited so much from these techniques that I am paying forward to my families, friends, and our local communities. I am knowledgeable in the alignment of the body and physiological and medical basis to prevent injuries. Our company also has extensive experience (15+ years) in working with special needs population. Our therapists and teachers are trained to provide appropriate instructions. Classes are geared toward a safe environment for proper exercise progression. I wish everyone to be physically and mentally strong. When we build our own self-confidence, we will better engage in harmonious discourses and improve the communities where we live.
Experience with Diverse patient populations and abilities:
- Abdominal and Pelvic Pain
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders
- Balance and equilibrium training
- Foot/ Ankle Pain/ Plantar Fasciitis
- Hand/ Shoulder/ Repetitive pain and dysfunction
- Neck/ Back Pain
- Neurology (strokes, spinal cord injury, head injuries, neuropathies, developmental disability, muscular dystrophies)
- Orthopedics (sports injuries, orthopedic surgeries)
- Pelvic floor rehab for men, women, children
- Pediatrics
- Geriatrics (Senior Athletics, Aging issues, arthritis, osteoporosis management)
- Wheelchair Seating and Assistive Technology
Strong advocate of health promotion and preventive care, including education about risk factors and management of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, pulmonary diseases
Respected clinical instructor for DPT, OTD and PTA (Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy Assistant) students
Invited Guest Speaker for the community (American Heart Association, Arthritis network, ALS Association (Lou Gehrig’s), Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, etc.)
TB Bui, MBA, Driving Team Manager
Tung “TB” Bui is the Marketing, Adaptive Driving, and IT Manager at Ginger Health. He is great with people and strives to help them gain their independence. He’s the IT solution and community link for GH.
TB graduated from University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, then advanced to a Master in Business Administration and Master of Cybersecurity from Saint Leo University.
Originally from Vietnam, he came to the US when he was 17 years old all by himself to study overseas. TB’s long term goal is to become a university professor, so he plans to get his PhD in the near future in order to teach at the university level.
Janet Gardner, CDRS, PTA, CDI
Ms. Janet is a Hillsborean. If you are a long time native of Tampa, you would know that Hillsborough High School is a special place with tons of loyal alumni. She’s a Terrier forever!
She earned her PTA degree from Fayetteville Technical Institute with Honors in North Carolina and in Business Administration with Honors from the University of Phoenix.
She has been in the Physical Therapy field for 30+ years:
– 8 years in acute care at (what used to be called) Tampa Osteopathic Hospital and University Community, treating orthopedics, wound care, pain management, and rehabilitation for neurological and orthopedic injuries.
– After becoming Mom, she developed a passion for pediatrics and spent the next 23 years in the school systems of Hillsborough and Pasco Counties and with United Cerebral Palsy in Tampa.
– She is among the 400 active Certified Driver Rehab Specialists in the US and Canada and is a Florida Certified Driving Instructor for 4 years, specializing in working with the Differently Abled and Cognitive populations.
– Her comprehensive experience include:
Alzheimer’s and Memory care population as well as the frail elderly
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Behavioral management
Cardiac and Pulmonary rehabilitation
Cognitive and Behavioral training as related to driving
Early intervention
Facilitation of functional movements for low toned children
Fall prevention in the elderly
Manual therapy for children and adults
Myofascial Mobilization
Neurodevelopmental techniques (NDT)
Pelvic Floor Rehab
Rib cage mobility for breathing and speech improvement
Sensory Integration
She developed a love of working with severe and profoundly involved children, spending many years at a center for severely involved children where she assisted in training teachers and staff to move, position and interact with the students.
She was part of the Hillsborough County team that implemented equipment purchases and developed positioning programs and protocols for the school system using the MOVE program.
Managed monthly wheel chair clinics to coordinate wheelchair recommendations, adjustments and problem solving strategies with wheelchair vendors, families, the school system and UCP.
6 years working in Home care, Nursing homes, and Memory care centers
Vestibular rehabilitation, training in the Safe Stride program,
Used a team approach in Home care and Assisted Living facilities to help the elderly to maintain their independence and dignity as long as possible.
Collaborated in developing a positioning, therapy, and stimulation program for medically fragile children in nursing home setting.
In the past several years with Ginger Fitness and Rehabilitation, she has embraced the philosophy of doing our best and going the extra mile for our patients and finding ways to serve those who need us the most.
“I love the diverse caseload which has allowed me to practice ALL my skills!”
“Working with students as a Clinical Instructor has given me the opportunity to give back some of the teaching gifts I have been given and contribute to making the next generation of therapists”.
For fun, Janet still gets together with her long time Hillsboreans and newer friends to camping, kayaking, dancing, music, and travel. She loves belly dancing (great Core Control, folks!!!). She is boisterous yet calming when needed. She makes funny remarks which add humor and help patients remember her instructions (memory cueing).
She is excited about further developing the Grace Adaptive Driving program to serve many more Diverse Ability populations.
Carlos Abella, DRS, CDI
Carlos is a Certified Driving Instructor with the State of Florida and a Driver Rehabilitation Specialist with ADED.
Carlos has been with Ginger Health – Grace Adaptive Driving (GHGAD) for almost 8 years. During this time, he has worked with patients facing numerous challenges as he helps them to increase their independence through adaptive driving techniques and vehicle equipment.
Carlos is a certified CARFIT Coordinator and Volunteer. He helps set up Carfit events to provide services for the community, checking for correct seating and safe set up for driving.
Carlos has experience working with a variety of vehicle adaptations including:
Wheelchair set ups
Tie downs
Lifts
Transfer seats, Valet, sliding board transfers
Low Tech Mechanical Equipment
Low to Mid Tech Electronic Equipment
High Tech Hand Controls
Carlos also has experience working with a variety of populations and specializing his services to their individual needs:
Cerebral Palsy
Head Trauma
Fall Risk
Gait Disturbances
Transfer Challenges
SCI- para and quadriplegic patients
Muscular Dystrophies
Multiple Sclerosis
Scoliosis
Hip dislocations / Hip Hemipelvectomies
Cognitive and Behavioral Challenges
Carlos has trained many patients in skilled driving including practicing safety behaviors. Patients have been able to obtain their drivers licenses using adaptive devices in their vans and sedans.
Carlos is happy to be part of the Grace Adaptive Driving team for the differently abled population. He has been training with Ginger Hoang Le, DPT, CDRS in the past 8 years and continues to update his knowledge. We are very enthusiastic about learning and teaching. We want to provide the best individualized services to our patients.
Carlos attends conferences to remain current on new technologies and test drive systems. Vendors are invited to come to our clinics to demonstrate and discuss equipment options. Ginger Health – Grace Adaptive Driving (GHGAD) works with many equipment companies including: MPS, Suregrip, Veigel, Menox, Bruno, Hamar, and high tech Joysteer, Paravan, EMC, as well as many types of manual and power chairs, etc. We have partnerships with multiple Installers in the region.
Carlos has experience setting up high tech EMC equipment, low tech adaptive equipment as listed in all our vehicles. Ginger Health – Grace Adaptive Driving (GHGAD) adapts to fit each individual patient’s needs prior and during driving practices.
Carlos is excited to further grow our Grace Adaptive Driving program for many years to come. It is a great opportunity to work with all patients including through Vocational Rehab and Rehab Engineering, Workman’s Compensations, etc. There is so much more to learn, and so many more patients to assist toward independence.
Yasmin Baksh, DRS, CDI
Yasmin has 12+ years’ experience working with adaptive equipment through accredited NMEDA Dealers. She also worked 15+ years in electronic communications creating and designing electrical components, such as communication devices, computer parts, and medical equipment. Before becoming a CDR, Yasmin also worked as a Massage Therapist for 3 years at The Ritz Carlton.
Yasmin has customized, fabricated, and helped hands-on with the installation of adaptive equipment for a variety of clients’ mobility needs. She is accredited and certified with equipment from:
- SURE-GRIP
- MPS/GUIDOSIMPLEX
- VEIGEL/MPD
- VMI/RICON
- BRAUN ABILITY
- EZ-LOCK
- Q-STRAINT
- BRUNO
- ADAPT SOLUTIONS
- EMC
- DSI
- DRIVE MASTER
- COLLIEBUILT
Within each vehicle setup, Yasmin has grown to know that the need for each client is unique and requires attention to the details. She loves working in an industry that focuses on building someone’s quality of life through independence, and confidence in driving.
Yasmin is a versatile, and resourceful professional providing valuable customer support and problem resolution expertise. She has a solid reputation for ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.
Outside of work, Yasmin loves spending time at the beach. She also likes to cook and enjoys dancing to good music.
Occupational Therapy Team
Lan Cassella, OT- Occupational Therapy Team Leader
Jan Steinman, OT, ATP
Jan Steinman is an Occupational Therapist (OT) and a certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), practicing 35 years as an OT with a specialty in assistive technology for 12 years.
Jan attended University of Florida in Gainesville, Fl ’76-’78 and Florida International University in Miami, Fl ’78-’81 and received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. Jan received her certification as an ATP in 2005.
Jan’s work experience includes 17 years at Tampa General Hospital; she has taught Occupational Therapy assistant students at Keiser University.
Jan advocates for clients through community support with organizations like Self-Reliance, Division of Blind Services and Habitat Hillsborough for home safety and modifications.
Occupational Therapy looks at the “whole person” and how they function in their environment. Jan looks at what is meaningful to each client and helps them achieve their personal goals with an individualized treatment plan.
Jan’s specialties include providing Occupational Therapy (OT) evaluations /treatment services to those with Neurological Diseases such as stroke, Parkinson, Alzheimer’s/dementia, ALS, spinal cord, cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities to name a few;
Evaluating and fitting orthosis/splints to improve hand function;
Working with those with arthritis and joint protection;
Shoulder limitations and pain to enhance function in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and
Strategies to promote safety and wellness across the lifespan.
Jan is married to Joe and they have a daughter in college and 2 dogs. One dog is a Pet Therapy Dog with Project PUP-Pets Uplifting People and Jan volunteers once a month and takes her dog to “uplift people’s spirits”. Jan enjoys exercise, gardening and cooking, when she is not working as an occupational therapist.
Kelsey Broccollo, OTA
Kelsey is originally from Naples Florida, but now calls Tampa her home.
She attended USF and Graduated in 2012 with a BS in Communications. She returned to school to become an OTA and graduated from Keiser University in 2016. Kelsey is considering returning to school to continue her education and become an OT.
Kelsey has experience working as a Pre-K Teacher as well as in Office Management prior to coming to Ginger Fitness in August of 2018.
Kelsey enjoys watching the progression and growth as patients improve through treatment. Making a difference in her patients’ lives is what drives Kelsey to be the amazing OTA she is. Her outgoing, friendly personality is contagious to all who meet her and she enjoys getting to know others.
Kelsey works with patients of all ages and has a special connection with our younger group. She enjoys working with individuals who have neurological challenges, CP, and autism. She enjoys helping her patients through working on strengthening, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills.
If you are wondering who is behind all the amazing posts on our social media sites, its Kelsey. She promotes the connection between Ginger Fitness, our patients, and the community. Kelsey’s outgoing, infectious personality also makes her an amazing advocate for promoting the company in her Marketing role. She networks with local businesses to introduce who we are and what we do, building those important relationships.
In her free time, Kelsey enjoys spending time at the beach, playing volleyball and tennis, and she enjoys photography.
Kelsey volunteers at USF Relay For Life as well as assisting with fund raisers for All Children’s Hospital. She also teaches vacation bible school through her church and coaches volleyball.
Kelsey is a true team player, valued by all who work with her.fundraisers
Lauren Sheridan, OT
Lauren Sheridan is an Occupational Therapist (OT) with a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy and Bachelors degree in Health Sciences. Having grown up in Ohio, Lauren attended the University of Findlay for her undergraduate and graduate education.
Lauren joined the Ginger Health Family March of 2020. She takes a holistic approach to patient care and looks forward to getting to know each patient so that she may best promote their independence.
While in college, Lauren was an active philanthropist. Serving as an active volunteer for Special Needs Parent Support, I Bear Gifts hospital visitation, Children’s Mentoring Connection, Colleges Against Cancer, Clothe a Child, and S.T.R.I.D.E. (Students Teaching Respect for Individuals with Disabilities Everyday). As a new Tampa resident, she looks forward to seeking out opportunities to serve the Tampa Bay community.
Lauren is married to Mike, and as animal lovers they are pet parents to Adelaide the rabbit, Kunu the golden retriever, and Gerry the cat. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and outdoor sports such as swimming, biking, and hiking.
As a new therapist, Lauren is eager to continue growing her career and gaining experience with the variety of patients served by Ginger Health.
Ginger Hoang Le, DPT, CDRS, ATP, President
University of Florida, Physical Therapist of 25+ years– Go Gators!
Master of Public Health, Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases- University of South Florida – Go Bulls!
RESNA ATP wheelchair, seating, assistive technology evaluator
ADED: Member of the Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists
bullet
Certified Driver Rehab Specialist, High Tech – Low Tech, Cognitive/ Behavioral
Certified Driver Instructor for the State of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Ergonomic Specialist: Evaluation for Workplace Fitting, Task Modifications, Worker Injury Prevention, Home Modifications, Adaptive Equipment, Aging in Place issues.
Yoga and Meditation Advocate – I embrace yoga and meditation for my own physical and mental health improvement. I have personally benefited so much from these techniques that I am paying forward to my families, friends, and our local communities. I am knowledgeable in the alignment of the body and physiological and medical basis to prevent injuries. Our company also has extensive experience (15+ years) in working with special needs population. Our therapists and teachers are trained to provide appropriate instructions. Classes are geared toward a safe environment for proper exercise progression. I wish everyone to be physically and mentally strong. When we build our own self-confidence, we will better engage in harmonious discourses and improve the communities where we live.
Experience with Diverse patient populations and abilities:
Abdominal and Pelvic Pain
Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Balance and equilibrium training
Foot/ Ankle Pain/ Plantar Fasciitis
Hand/ Shoulder/ Repetitive pain and dysfunction
Neck/ Back Pain
Neurology (strokes, spinal cord injury, head injuries, neuropathies, developmental disability, muscular dystrophies)
Orthopedics (sports injuries, orthopedic surgeries)
Pelvic floor rehab for men, women, children
Pediatrics
Geriatrics (Senior Athletics, Aging issues, arthritis, osteoporosis management)
Wheelchair Seating and Assistive Technology
/bullet
Strong advocate of health promotion and preventive care, including education about risk factors and management of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, pulmonary diseases
Respected clinical instructor for DPT, OTD and PTA (Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy Assistant) students
Invited Guest Speaker for the community (American Heart Association, Arthritis network, ALS Association (Lou Gehrig’s), Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, etc.)
Eric Lim, DPT, Therapy Director
We welcome Dr. Lim, DPT with 25+ years of experience, as our Clinical Team Leader. He has a great sense of humor and works hard to get everyone into the team spirit. He is always willing to help colleagues and ensures that all patients are taken cared of.
Our patients often request specifically for Dr. Lim. They are willing to travel to the locations where he works to get hands on treatment from him.
He’s fun and inventive. He creates functional and interesting activities for patients to work on while helping them heal physically for an effective recovery.
He has good manual hands-on techniques that helps patient improve pain and improve movement patterns.
He says that for each evaluation, his job is to help the patient feel better the same day, and the patient would want to return to get good care.
He cares deeply about each clinical intern and ensures that all students get the best experience here
He has been a Physical Therapist since 1991
He earned his DPT from Utica College in 2014 – where he earned a GPA of 4.0 ( “back in the old days”, PTs earned a Bachelor or a Master’s degree. Over the past 15 years, all PT programs have transitioned to a DPT degree with higher education and training for all PT’s)
He worked for a large publicly traded rehab company and was awarded the company’s Caregiver of the Year in 2005. He became Area Rehab and Specialty Director with practice concentrated in vestibular rehabilitation.
Prior to coming to us, he served as Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education for Keiser University and is a Credentialed Clinical Instructor by the APTA.
He is also our Clinical Coordinator for DPT and PTA students in all 4 clinic and home locations.
Areas of concentration:
Vestibular and Balance Rehab
Manual Therapy
Orthopedic and Sports Medicine
Pelvic Floor/ Incontinence for Men
Arthritis and Joint/ Musculoskeletal Pain
Neurological treatment for children and adults
Personally, he is married for almost 20 years. His wife is an accountant. His son is an engineering student at the University of Florida. *** Go Gators! ***
He enjoys watching football and just spending time with family.
Merryn Mathew, DPT
She specializes in working with Male Pelvic Floor patients.
Dr. Mathew is the definition of a people person. She enjoys helping her patients and building a rapport with them. Being a DPT is not work to her, it is who she is. She enjoys seeing the improvement in her patients and develops specialized treatment plans to provide for their needs.
Compassionate, energetic, with a great sense of humor are just a few of the ways people describe Dr. Mathew. She is an out of the box thinker who goes above and beyond for others.
Dr. Mathew enjoys the family atmosphereat Ginger Health. Her coworkers are her friends and she feels valued as an employee with the company.
In her free time Dr. Mathew enjoys outdoor activities including kayaking, hiking, and jet skiing. In the future she wants to travel to other countries, see new places, and learn about different cultures.
She also enjoys going to the beach, visiting the local Springs, singing karaoke, and spending time with her family.
Dr. Mathew has spent some time volunteering at a hospital, performing a variety of tech jobs as well as manning the information desk and welcome center.
Kim Tran, PTA
Kim graduated as a PTA from South University in 2017.
Kimberly has been working as a Physical Therapist Assistant for 2 years. She brings experience in customer service, Orthopedics and Sports Rehabilitation, and she enjoys working with neurology patients.
Kim enjoys exploring new places and making memories with her family. She is a loving mother to 2 children, a son, 10yrs and a daughter who is 5yrs.
Kimberly is originally from North Carolina, but she grew up in Gulfport Mississippi. She now calls Tampa Bay her home and is planning to purchase a home here in the near future.
When asked what her professional goal is, she responded, “To let my success shineat Ginger Health by building a strong rapport with my patients and become invested in their pro-gress.”
Janet, Gardner, CDRS, PTA and Driving Team Mentor
Ms. Janet is a Hillsborean. If you are a long time native of Tampa, you would know that Hillsborough High School is a special place with tons of loyal alumni. She’s a Terrier forever!
She earned her PTA degree from Fayetteville Technical Institute with Honors in North Carolina and in Business Administration with Honors from the University of Phoenix.
She has been in the Physical Therapy field for 30+ years:
– 8 years in acute care at (what used to be called) Tampa Osteopathic Hospital and University Community, treating orthopedics, wound care, pain management, and rehabilitation for neurological and orthopedic injuries.
– After becoming Mom, she developed a passion for pediatrics and spent the next 23 years in the school systems of Hillsborough and Pasco Counties and with United Cerebral Palsy in Tampa.
– She is among the 400 active Certified Driver Rehab Specialists in the US and Canada and is a Florida Certified Driving Instructor for 4 years, specializing in working with the Differently Abled and Cognitive populations.
– Her comprehensive experience include:
Alzheimer’s and Memory care population as well as the frail elderly
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Behavioral management
Cardiac and Pulmonary rehabilitation
Cognitive and Behavioral training as related to driving
Early intervention
Facilitation of functional movements for low toned children
Fall prevention in the elderly
Manual therapy for children and adults
Myofascial Mobilization
Neurodevelopmental techniques (NDT)
Pelvic Floor Rehab
Rib cage mobility for breathing and speech improvement
Sensory Integration
She developed a love of working with severe and profoundly involved children, spending many years at a center for severely involved children where she assisted in training teachers and staff to move, position and interact with the students.
She was part of the Hillsborough County team that implemented equipment purchases and developed positioning programs and protocols for the school system using the MOVE program.
Managed monthly wheel chair clinics to coordinate wheelchair recommendations, adjustments and problem solving strategies with wheelchair vendors, families, the school system and UCP.
6 years working in Home care, Nursing homes, and Memory care centers
Vestibular rehabilitation, training in the Safe Stride program,
Used a team approach in Home care and Assisted Living facilities to help the elderly to maintain their independence and dignity as long as possible.
Collaborated in developing a positioning, therapy, and stimulation program for medically fragile children in nursing home setting.
In the past several years with Ginger Fitness and Rehabilitation, she has embraced the philosophy of doing our best and going the extra mile for our patients and finding ways to serve those who need us the most.
“I love the diverse caseload which has allowed me to practice ALL my skills!”
“Working with students as a Clinical Instructor has given me the opportunity to give back some of the teaching gifts I have been given and contribute to making the next generation of therapists”.
For fun, Janet still gets together with her long time Hillsboreans and newer friends to camping, kayaking, dancing, music, and travel. She loves belly dancing (great Core Control, folks!!!). She is boisterous yet calming when needed. She makes funny remarks which add humor and help patients remember her instructions (memory cueing).
She is excited about further developing the Grace Adaptive Driving program to serve many more Diverse Ability populations.
Dana Clouser, PTA
While in high school, Dana suffered a cheerleading accident leading to a year and a half of physical therapy. This experience sparked her love for the field and a desire to help others heal.
Dana treats her patients as though they were all part of her family. She provides treatment for her patients in a variety of settings. She is known for her lively and bubbly personality and she provides a positive energy that is loved by her patients and coworkers alike.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, she has a love for horses. She has been riding since she was seven year old. Her horses’ names are Stella and Charlie, and she also has a dog named Sushi. While growing up, she has participated in dance, cheerleading, horseback riding, gymnastics and snowboarding as well as several clubs and teams. Showing horses in hunter/jumper is her true passion as she grew up showing Charlie and obtained several ribbons and awards as champion in her divisions throughout his showing career. Charlie is now retired and Dana will start showing Stella this fall.
Kim Redito, PTA
Kim joined the Ginger Fitness Family at the start of 2019. Her experience as a Physical Therapist Assistant has allowed her to become an integral part of our patients’ path to health and wellness.
During her college years, Kim was an active volunteer for Gawad Kalinga as a Banquet Fundraising Director back in 2013. Within 2016 and 2018, Kim was also an active volunteer for Metropolitan Ministry providing food and services to the homeless in the Tampa Bay area.
Kim enjoys kickboxing to stay active and loves dining out with friends in her downtime. Keeping a healthy balance while staying focused in her career tra-jectory, Kimberly’s future with Ginger Fitness looks promising.
James Jared Repass PTA, LMT
Jared is a Physical Therapy Assistant and a Licensed Massage Therapist from Delray Beach, FL. He was introduced to massage therapy as a young man when his high school swim coach provided mini sports massages before home meets. In his early twenties he discovered his own natural talent when he enrolled in The Massage Therapy Program in 2003 at Florida College of Natural Health. Since then, he has been blessed with the ability to ease pain in individuals and provide relief from the stresses of life.
In 2011, he decided to further his education and knowledge of the functioning of the human body and he enrolled in the Physical Therapy Assistant program at South University. He graduated in 2014 and then spent 4 years working in the home health field. Jared has continued to work part-time as an LMT with private clientele.
Jared’s manual skill set is a great asset when working with patients suffering from pain. He continues to grow and evolve as a wellness practitioner/educator with certifications in Food Healing and Qi Gong; a western longevity practice that deals with the cultivation of life force energy. Outside of work, he enjoys being out in nature and participating in physical activities.
Jared is looking forward to helping our patients recover and feel better fast!
Douglas Howard, PTA
Douglas Howard is a 9- year licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, with a certification in Combined Decongestive Therapy. Douglas is originally from Missouri. He moved to Orlando, Florida in December 2008 to begin school at Herzing University. Upon graduation he worked at a sub-acute inpatient rehabilitation center for three and a half years. During this time, he also obtained a certification in lymphedema.
After leaving the rehab center, Douglas chose to enter the long-term acute care hospital setting to gain more knowledge and challenge his expertise at a more intense pace. This environment allowed Douglas to face life-threatening co-morbidities in patients on a daily basis. These opportunities allowed him to refine his ability to adapt his therapeutic interventions according to the current needs of his patients in an everchanging environment. Douglas spent a year in this long-term acute care hospital before venturing into the home health setting.
The home health setting allowed Douglas to independently schedule his own patients and further develop his communication skills with interdisciplinary teams in a variety of settings. Douglas spent five years in the home health setting before joining his final outpatient clinic, Ginger Health.
At Ginger Health, Douglas enjoys applying his expertise with patients varying from pediatrics to geriatrics. This outpatient setting provides him with a fast paced and everchanging setting while working with various individuals. While at Ginger Health, Douglas is also pursuing his education for his Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy (DPT).
Yoga Teachers / Therapy Tech
Paige Nguyen, Yoga Teacher, Therapy Tech
She has an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management from William Angliss Institute of TAFE in Melbourne, Australia 2010
Paige has her 200-Hour Teacher Training recognized by Yoga Alliance, completed in Rishikesh, India 2018
Previously, she worked as a flight attendant for both Eva Airways (2012) and Emirates Airlines (2013-2017)
Paige has been exposed to Yoga and practicing it since her early 20s, but eventually wanted to go deeper into a more traditional understanding and way of practice. This desire brought her to teacher training in Rishikesh, India, after which, she found herself traveling and teaching across Southeast Asia – Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines.
She is a motivated yoga instructor with an energetic, outgoing, and collaborative spirit. Paige’s teaching styles include Power Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin & Restorative, together with mindfulness meditation – emphasizing safe alignment and intelligent sequencing.
Paige is from the south of Vietnam but has moved and lived in several countries including New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan and Dubai. Travel has always fascinated her and fulfils her curiosity as it allows her to be active, experience cultural diversity and exploring beautiful and exotic environments.
She is a warm, positive and dedicated individual with a high standard work ethic. She eagerly takes on challenges and responsibilities. Her principal is to never do things half-hearted and it shows in her hard work and dedication to every task.
She enjoys being outdoors and staying active, such as rock climbing, surfing and hiking.
Julie Ann McDonald, Yoga Teacher, Therapy Tech
Jules has been practicing yoga for 5 years and been guiding, helping and teaching others to practice yoga for almost 3 yrs. She teaches different types of yoga such as restorative, yin yoga, senior yoga, vinyasa yoga, etc. She creates classes based on the client’s specific needs. Her practice is mainly Vinyasa yoga. Meditation is a great part of her practice. As a teacher, she enjoys teaching Yin Yoga as she believes it helps balance peoples’ Yang-driven lifestyle.
Jules joined Ginger Fitness in June of 2019
Outside of work, Jules keeps an active daily yoga and meditation practice. She enjoys listening to and playing music. She enjoys surfing, paddle boarding, hiking and watching live music. She has a great interest in different cultures and learning about different ways of life. This is what drives her and give her a great desire to travel and connect with people
Agnes Vero, Yoga Teacher, Therapy Tech
Agnes has always had a passion for exercise and group fitness. Fitness is an outlet for her. She was fortunate enough to study under amazing Yogis who guided her and she fell in love with the therapeutic uses of Yoga. Once she discovered this this new style of yoga she decided to work at growing her skills by taking workshops for pain and stress relief and Yoga for cancer patients. She continues to train and grow this specialization so she can improve her clients’ lives.
In her spare time she enjoys Landscape Painting and is a certified Bob Ross Instructor, teaching others to paint. She loves to travel and has visited 35 countries. Agnes also loves the ocean, exploring different cultures, visiting artistic locations, cooking, dancing, and bowling.
Karica Eldridge, Graduate Assistant, Therapy Tech
Karica received a BS degree from USF in Health Science in 2013. She then continued on for her Masters in Exercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania, and finally to Physical Therapy school at Florida A&M where she graduated in 2018.
She is originally from Pensacola, FL but now calls Tampa Bay her home.
Karica is an easy going, relatable, Tech who loves to work with Children. She has a particular fondness for those with Developmental Disabilities. While Karica is new to Ginger Fitness, she looks forward to growing with the company and furthering her skills.
Karica enjoys traveling to big cities including New York and Chicago. She has also been to Puerto Rico.
Karica has a creative streak that she expresses through drawing and painting. She also enjoys repurposing and upscaling furniture pieces. Karica enjoys decorating for all holidays and even makes her own Halloween costumes. She considers herself a foodie as she enjoys trying new restaurants and dishes from various cultures.
Shannan Atkin, Administrator
Originally from Michigan, Shannan calls Florida her home since 1989. She is our “Great Administrator” who oversees all staff and takes care of our entire company and multiple facilities. She has worked in the medical field for 26 years and has a wealth of insurance background, accounting and projected growth knowledge.
Shannan has a passion for life and people in the community. She treats staff and patients like family and with sincere respect. When there is good news, we celebrate together. When there are problems, we solve them with compassion.
She also has been a Licensed Realtor for eight years. When not busy at the office, she dabbles in the real estate market consulting and selling homes. She facilitates connections between GFR and homeowners for home modifications and adaptive home needs. She assists her elder clients with the sale of their homes and relocation to appropriately fitted aging in place communities in the Tampa Bay Area.
She is a patient mother of two teen agers with academic and extracurricular demands. A cancer survivor of 2 years, she enjoys bike riding, swimming, and walking as part of her wellness journey. We are Blessed to have her.
Her favorite quote: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation, and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently” -Warren Buffett
Laura Ramby, Billing Manager
Master in Public Administration from Troy University 2001.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of Central Florida 1995 -Go Knights!
Laura is originally from Ohio but came to Florida in 1988 for her college education. She has 15+ years of working with children and families through programming and development (4 of those years working with children on the autism spectrum). Laura loves working with people and has a wealth of knowledge in Customer Service and Communications.
She has been with us in many capacities for the past 5 years, during which time she has enjoyed the diverse and challenging population, “the staff and patients at GFR are fun, loving, and energetic”.
She began her new adventure with Grace Adaptive Driving by becoming a CDI in 2014 and has enjoyed learning and growing with our Driving team. This has been a natural as well as challenging and fun fit due to her previous experience with Autism and special needs. It’s a special feeling to know that our work has helped many become more confident and safe enough to drive. They acquire skills on the road to full independence.
Laura is solution oriented. She extends herself in many areas, mentoring staff, students, and getting questions answered from all directions. She’s behind all the coordination for billing. She’s a team player, keeping things calm, solving problems. She cares about the patients and wants to get them needed treatments. As you might know, insurance payments are very stingy and bureaucratic, but we try our best.
As a Driver Instructor, she is patient and calm, providing appropriate feedback to help steer students on the right path.
Giving back to the community is important to Laura and her children. They volunteer at churches and participate with several volunteer groups in Hillsborough County.
In her spare time, she enjoys the beaches, movies, good books, gardening, and new adventures with friends and family!
Ellen Garnett, Human Resources Manager
Juan Blanco, Clinic Coordinator
Juan joined the Ginger Fitness family in early 2019 having prior experience as a receptionist at a dog grooming shop. Juan’s compassionate nature draws him to work with animals in a variety of capacities. He recently nurtured an abandoned sibling group of baby squirrels back to health so they could be taken in by a wildlife rescue and reintroduced to the wild.
He became interested in Physical Therapy as a career to also nurture people back to health. He has been a wonderful addition to our company with his compassionate care and attention to each patient.
When you come here, Juan takes care of you from the beginning as a new patient to nurturing you as you attend therapy. He makes sure you are scheduled with the right therapist to meet your needs.
Juan is a laid back, kindhearted person who works to ensure each patient feels at home and cared about. Juan eagerly assists the therapists as needed. He is also invaluable with our Spanish speaking patients acting as translator. Juan is driven to complete his tasks in a timely manner and helps keep the clinic clean and neat.
Juan has volunteered at several physical therapy clinics around Tampa such as the USF Morsani Center Physical Therapy Clinic, Nova Southeastern Pro Bono Judeo Clinic, and Ginger Fitness. He enjoys assisting the Physical Therapists with patients, interacting with the Spanish speaking patients, and translating as needed. Juan also traveled to the Dominican Republic with a program called “The Kerolle Initiative”. While there he learned about their health care system and he provided services in pro bono clinics to impoverished areas. In this Initiative, he participated in transporting resources to families, and gathered demographic information for research purposes.
Family is very important to Juan and he spends as much time as he can with them. He enjoys Rock Climbing, Cooking, and trying new and different foods. He enjoys traveling with his girlfriend and exploring new places. Juan loves animals and has a pet snake, Neo. To hear Juan speak about his snake, you would think it was a pet dog! Juan plans to get more pets in the future.
Zach Ferrell, Administrative Assistant
Delana Colon, Billing Assistant
She was a Sargent in the army for 10yrs. She has a Military Education with distinguished honors. She attended Hillsborough Community College and became a licensed X-ray Technician in 2010. She has also worked as a Chiropractic Assistant and has experience in medical billing and insurance verification.
Delana is a goal driven individual who provides great attention to detail. These qualities make her ideal for her position. She enjoys the challenge of solving billing issues. She is a numbers person and always works to meet her deadlines.
Delana would like to increase her knowledge of the company, branch into other areas, and broaden her role in the company, becoming a key player.
Delana is friendly, helpful, compassionate, and has the ability to empathize with her coworkers and patients.
Delana has volunteered at a local Assisted Living Facility visiting with residents and spending time with them.
In her free time she enjoys tending to her plants. This helps her to relieve stress. She also enjoys spending time with her family.
Delana has been married 25yrs to her husband JR. They have 3 boys ages 29, 26, and 17. She also has two granddaughters, ages 6 and 3.
Megan Hawkins, Billing Assistant
She obtained a BS in Healthcare Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2015. She is considering returning to school to work on a Master’s Degree.
Megan has worked in customer service for the past 19yrs. She has experience in mental health, worker’s comp, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Her positive attitude and personable nature makes her perfect for this role. She is easy to get along with and goes out of her way to assist others any way she can.
Megan has been married 4yrs to her husband James and they are new parents to 1yr. old Connor.
Megan volunteers with The Red Cross assisting the Homeless population and providing school supplies for low income children.
In her spare time she enjoys scrapbooking and other arts and crafts activities. Creativity and expressing herself through art is essential for her. She also enjoys video games, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.
Links and Member of:
