Clinic Staff
Steven Anderson, PT
Director
Steve Anderson has a lifetime love of exercise, movement and sports. A massive fracture to his leg threatened to take that all away, but is what ultimately brought Steve to physical therapy. Steve received his training (and met his future wife) at the University of Connecticut - the first step in his career. Accepting a position at Peninsula Hospital as Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and staff therapist was the second step. The third and most rewarding step was starting ABA Physical Therapy Associates in 1987 with his wife, Karen and he has been busy ever since.
Steve was blessed with great teachers in Osteopathic technique that provided the groundwork for his "epiphany of the body." This was the beginning of his self-learning phase in which he developed and refined his own technique, "Fascial Facilitation." This technique remains the basis of his treatments. Fascial Facilitation continues to be refined and is extremely effective.
Steve is the Director of ABA Physical Therapy Associates that provides a nurturing environment to share, grow and learn with other experienced physical therapists.
Karen Anderson, PT, OCS
Clinical Director
Karen Anderson has been a physical therapist since 1980 when she graduated from the University of Connecticut. She met her husband, Steve, there and together they have pursued a lifetime love of learning about movement and the body. Karen started ABA Physical Therapy Associates with Steve in 1987 and has enjoyed the challenge of working to create a supportive, creative and fun environment for patients and staff with an emphasis on education.
Karen has trained extensively in Osteopathic Manual Therapy techniques through continuing education with Michigan State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has been privileged to teach with them on occasion and also on her own through ABA. Always curious, Karen has pursued training in many aspects of physical therapy including TMJ disorders, Pelvic Floor dysfunction, spinal problems and some of the special challenges involved in chronic pain.
Jeri Stalford, PT, OCS
Jeri Stalford is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz (Go Banana Slugs!) and UCSF School of Physical Therapy. She worked for five years at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco gaining experience in a variety of areas including acute orthopedics, burn care, cardiac rehabilitation and stroke rehab.
She has been at ABA Physical Therapy Associates since 1985 and enjoys working with a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions including TMJ dysfunctions, spinal problems and shoulder rehabilitation. Jeri also works with golfers to improve flexibility and strength. Jeri enjoys the challenge that each unique individual brings and incorporates the osteopathic concept of treating the whole body into her approach to patient care.
Mary Ann Nahmens, PT
Mary Ann is a native of the Bay Area, received a BS degree from CSU Chico and graduated from Children's Hospital of Los Angeles with a Physical Therapy Certificate in 1979. As a member of the American Physical Therapy Association she has practiced PT continuously since then and studied Osteopathic Manual Therapy extensively.
Mary Ann also received an MBA from the College of Notre Dame. She volunteers for various educational and environmental organizations and resides with her husband and son locally. Since 1987 Mary Ann has worked with the staff at ABA Physical Therapy Associates with a focus on improving the musculoskeletal balance of the entire body.
Judy Siegel Cohn, PT
Judy Siegel Cohn trained in Boston at Simmons College. Prior to joining ABA Physical Therapy Associates almost 20 years ago, she worked at Boston Children's Hospital and the Shriner's Hospital in San Francisco.
Judy has had extensive training in Osteopathic Manual Therapy, mainly through the faculty at Michigan State University's, College of Osteopathic Medicine. "I've really enjoyed the finer 'touch' of orthopedic manual medicine practiced at ABA."
Gina Stathacopoulos, PT
Gina Stathacopoulos graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.Sc. in Sociology. She continued her education at the University of the Pacific receiving her Masters of Science degree in Physical Therapy in 1999. Gina began her career at Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital, an acute rehabilitation facility, where she primarily treated patients with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. During this time she also worked as a personal trainer at Fitness Power in Palo Alto. This intensive early experience provided a foundation for Gina's passion and later career focus in musculoskeletal movement and neurological rehabilitation. Gina has received extensive training in Osteopathic Manual Therapy from Michigan State University's, College of Osteopathic Medicine. Gina also completed the certification program from Pilates and Beyond to become a Pilates instructor. Gina's unique combination of Pilates experience with osteopathic-based manual therapy has proved to be very complimentary in treating patients with acute injuries and helping them return to a healthier lifestyle. Gina has been with ABA Physical Therapy Associates since 2000.
Jane Pittsinger, RPT
Jane graduated in 1973 from the London Hospital School of Physiotherapy. She worked in Wales and London before traveling to Guatemala and Colombia, South America to work as a volunteer physical therapist for 4 years. Jane came to the Bay Area in 1982. Her experience has been mainly in acute and outpatient rehabilitation settings. Jane has extensive experience with pediatrics, geriatrics and, since she came to ABA in 1988, outpatient orthopedics.
Specifically, Jane has specialized in manual therapy and adapting exercises (often quite subtle movements) to individual needs. One area of special interest to Jane is how lifestyle, attitudes, and cognitive states influence the healing process. Jane trained as a volunteer grief counselor and as a Rosen Method Bodywork practitioner. She teaches this method of awareness of the body/mind interface in the Bay Area and in the UK. "I continually learn from and am inspired by my patients. Hablo Espanol."
Katie Wipke, MS, PT
Katie was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri with a bachelor of science in biology. In 2001, she received her Masters of Science degree in physical therapy at the Washington University Program in Physical Therapy in St. Louis, Missouri, one of the most respected physical therapy programs in the United States. She started her career in acute care rehabilitation. After she relocated to the Bay Area in 2003, she transitioned to outpatient orthopedics. Katie specializes in movement impairments and correcting muscle imbalances of the body. Of equal importance, she strives to promote health and wellness as a means for improving the quality of life for her patients. She has a passion for educating people about preventing injury and incorporating proper movement patterns in her patients' daily lives. Katie is devoted to her family and loves to spend her days off with her two young daughters.
Andrew Wright, Feldenkrais Practitioner
Andrew Wright is a Guild certified Feldenkrais Practitioner since 1988. Andrew enjoys assisting patients in recovering from and/or preventing injuries and has extensive clinical experience with a wide range of orthopedic and neurological conditions.
Andrew's work is based on a strong biomechanical understanding of movement gained during his studies of Human Movement Science (B.Sc.) at the University of Wollongong in Australia (1988) with a double major in Biomechanics and Exercise Science. Andrew's style is influenced by his daily practice with exercise, tai chi, qi gong, body work, Pilates, yoga and meditation. He believes each person's treatment should be individualized and may involve both hands-on and movement based reeducation. His goal is to provide each patient with the skills to take care of themselves, often by learning movement sequences that become part of a daily home program. For more information about Andrew and Feldenkrais, go to www.mybodysense.com.
Terry Bell, CMT
Terry Bell has been a certified massage therapist for 15 years. She worked for 7 years in a hospital environment, taking new classes each year to add to her repertoire. Her specialties include myofascial release, trigger point therapy, Shiatsu, Swedish massage and craniosacral work. Terry takes into consideration the individual needs of her client in terms of pressure and styles of massage.
Marilyn Beames, Office Manager
Marilyn Beames came to ABA Physical Therapy Associates in 1988. A graduate of San Diego State University with a B.Sc. in Child Development with emphasis in severely handicapped individuals, Marilyn's education prepared her for working with physically challenged people. Her work experience in accounting and billing completed the requirements for ABA's office manager.
One of the "extras" Marilyn does at ABA is coordinate and prepare meals when continuing education courses occur at the clinic.
In addition to working at ABA, she schedules, prepares reports and billing for a neurosurgeon. Marilyn is trained as a Birth Doula, and has assisted in several births. She enjoys cooking, sewing and crafts, dancing and reading.
