Our Skilled Staff

At Advanced Physical Therapy, our physical therapists, exercise specialists, and massage therapists are some of the most highly trained specialists in their fields. They receive extensive, on-going training from the IAOM-US and employ sound techniques of clinical evaluation, manual therapy, and movement restoration. All these practices are based on the most up-to-date research available in medical, scientific, and sensory motor literature.

We have a passion for our professions, compassion for our patients, and the strongest dedication to excellence.

	Valerie Phelps, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT, graduated with a degree in physical therapy from the University of Minnesota in 1981. She was certified by the International Academy of Orthopedic Medicine, IAOM, in orthopedic manual therapy in 1989, and became an international instructor for the IAOM in 1994. At that time she also received recognition as a specialty instructor in manual therapy by the German Physical Therapy Association. She became a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist, OCS, through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2003. She is a Fellow with the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists, FAAOMPT. She is currently enrolled in the doctorate of science program in physical therapy at Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX. Along with being the founder and current education director of the IAOM-US, (www.iaom-us.com) she gives courses and lectures in the USA and Europe. Ms. Phelps has co-authored books, book chapters, and numerous peer review journal articles. She is the founder and practice director of employee-owned Advanced Physical Therapy in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and the Mat-Su Valley, Alaska.
	Zuzana Rogers, PT, COMT, graduated from the University of Washington Rehabilitation Medicine program in 2003 with a Master in physical therapy degree. A former member of the Czechoslovak and Slovak National Ski Teams, she is now actively involved in the Anchorage’s sports community as an athlete, coach, and a volunteer physical therapist. She is the lead therapist of the Advanced Physical Therapy sports physical therapy program providing outreach to the professional and recreational athletes. She has completed her IAOM-US certification in the spine and extremities. Currently finishing her ScD in Physical Therapy through Texas Tech University.
	Chad Ross, DPT, COMT, graduated from Northern Arizona University with an entry level Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2001. Since 2001, he has experience as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Currently he works as co-director of the Industrial Medicine program with Advanced Physical Therapy. He completed his certification through the IAOM in orthopedic medicine and manual therapy for both the spine and extremities.  He worked as a volunteer Physical Therapist helping the athletes of the 2010 Winter Olympics.  He works in the Anchorage clinic.
	Melissa Sundberg, DPT, OCS , COMT, graduated from Washington State University with a BSc in Biology and an entry level Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2001 from Pacific University. She has been practicing in outpatient orthopedics in Anchorage since 2001; specializing in disorders of the spine and rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities. She completed her certification through the IAOM in orthopedic medicine and manual therapy for both the spine and extremities.  She specializes in treating rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities and disorders of the spine.
	Michelle Axelson, DPT , COMT, was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and moved back to join the Advanced Physical Therapy team in June 2008. She graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a BSc in Biology and went on to receive an entry level Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Pacific University in 2007. After graduation, Michelle attended the Kaiser-Permanente Advanced Orthopedic Manual Therapy Residency in California where she received a level III certificate of manual therapy. She completed her certification through the IAOM in orthopedic medicine and manual therapy for both the spine and extremities. She specializes in treating disorders of the spine and rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities.
	Maria Wade, PT, COMT, NDT trained, graduated in Physical Therapy from the University of Chile in 2005. She started training in Neuro-developmental Treatment Approach (Bobath Concept) in 2005 and she specializes in treating children and adults with neurological problems. She has broadened her scope of practice with IAOM-US certification in orthopedic manual therapy of the spine. Maria is currently pursuing Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) certification. As the coordinator and the lead therapist of the Neurology Program at Advanced Physical Therapy, Maria practices at APT clinics in both the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage.
	Sebastián Castañeda, PT COMT, graduated in physical therapy from the University of Chile in January 2008 with Maximum Distinction. He has worked in outpatient orthopedic physical therapy in Santiago and with a U-18 professional soccer team. He is certified in diagnosis and manual therapy of the spine and the extremities through the IAOM-US.
	Tanya Smith, ScD, COMT Currently working with Advanced Physical Therapy in Anchorage.
	Marc Whitman, MPT, CHT, graduated from Northern Arizona University with Master’s in Physical Therapy in 1996.  He has worked in various clinical settings until attending the Evelyn J. Mackin Hand Therapy Fellowship at the Philadelphia Hand Center in 2001 and received his Hand Therapy Certification in 2002.  He has specialized in treatment of the hand, elbow and shoulder for the past 8 years and recently joined Advanced Physical Therapy to continue treatment of the upper extremity and pursue further education through the IAOM in orthopedic medicine and manual therapy.
	Debbie Cohen, MSPT, graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a Master’s in Physical Therapy December, 2005. She has practiced primarily in a general orthopedics and sports medicine setting until October 2008, when I began working at the Woman’s Hospital of Texas, specializing in women’s health/ pelvic therapy. She comes to Advanced with expertise in treating urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and orthopedic issues specific to the prenatal and postpartum periods.
	Debbie Ballard, LMT, graduated in 1998 from GateKey School of Massage. She specializes in MyoFascial Release, Sports Massage, Deep Tissue, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, as well as being a Certified Reflexologist. She is certified in manual lymphatic drainage by the renown Vodder School in Victoria CA, and Walchsee, Austria. She has been practicing in Anchorage for 10 Years.
	Michael Henrich, LMT, graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Massage Therapy program in 2004. He also has an MBA from Alaska Anchorage. He specializes in deep tissue, sports massage and trigger point therapies.
	Sterling Rasmussen, LMT, currently works in the Anchorage and Mat-Su Valley clinics as a massage therapist.
	Peter Burke, CT, has been a certified trainer since 1988 from the Fitness and Health Institute of Tucson. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a fine arts degree in 1982. Peter holds a certificate for trunk stabilization training from Mariano Rocabado and is one of the few certified hydrotone instructors nationwide. He has been involved in exercise for cardiac care, and health and fitness for all ages in a variety of settings since the 1980’s. Peter has worked with IAOM-US since 1997, specializing in development and implementation of trunk and cervical stabilization and co-teaches the IAOM Cervical-Thoracic-Lumbar Restabilization course nation-wide. He is director of the wellness program as well as site developer at each of the Advanced Physical Therapy clinics: Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Mat-Su Valley, Alaska.
	Deborah Benson, PT, MEd, COMT, graduated from the University of Health Sciences/ Chicago Medical School in 1979. She completed certification in diagnosis and manual therapy of the spine and extremities by IAOM-US in 1992. She is currently clinical director at Advanced Physical Therapy in Fairbanks.
	Jim Pasek, MPT, is a 1999 graduate with a Master’s degree from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. He has been practicing in private out-patient orthopedics in Fairbanks since 1999 specializing in disorders of the spine and rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities. H e is also currently working on his manual therapy certification through the IAOM-US. He specializes in treating disorders of the spine and rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities, as well as adult neurological disorders.
	Pedro Castex, PT, COMT, is currently working with Advanced Physical Therapy as a Physical Therapist in Fairbanks.
	Wendy Johnson, PT, is currently working with Advanced Physical Therapy as a Physical Therapist in Fairbanks.
	Keith Poorbaugh, PT, ScD, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT, graduated from the Mayo School of Health Related Sciences, Minnesota in 1997. He received his terminal professional degree, Doctorate of Science in Physical Therapy from Texas Tech University Health Science Center in 2006. He completed the IAOM-US fellowship program in 2002 and was awarded the professional credential of Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. He has had extensive clinical experience in the treatment of sports related injuries, industrial rehabilitation, post-surgical rehab and manual therapy. In 2007 he was certified as an orthopedic clinical specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. He is lead faculty for the IAOM-US and teaches throughout the United States. He is the clinical director of Advanced Physical Therapy in Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage.
	Jack Wade, DPT, graduated with a BSc in Exercise Science from Indiana University in 2002. He graduated from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 2006 with an entry level Doctorate of Physical Therapy. H e is also currently working on his manual therapy certification through the IAOM-US. He specializes in treating disorders of the spine and rehabilitation of the upper and lower extremities at the Mat-Su Valley clinic.
	Kim Craft, PT, DPT, MTC, COMT, CKTP, graduated from Regis University in Colorado with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1998. She received the entry level Doctorate in Physical Therapy and her Manual Therapy Certification from the University of St. Augustine, FL. She is a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner and enjoys taping orthopedic and sports related injuries. Kim relocated to Wasilla from Colorado Springs, CO in May 2008 and joined the Advanced Physical Therapy team in August 2008. She leads the Women’s Health Specialty Program in the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage clinics.
	Eric Victor, PT, MS, COMT, is currently working with Advanced Physical Therapy in Wasilla.
	Jill Motz, LMT, CDT, MLDT, P/PMt, graduated from the Alaska Learning Institute in 2003. She was in private practice in Eagle River until 2008 when she joined Advanced Physical Therapy as the massage therapist in Wasilla.