Clinical Director – New Hartford
Erica has been an outpatient physical therapy clinician for 19 years. She graduated from Clinton High School in 1995 and played basketball, soccer, and lacrosse. After high school, she initially studied athletic training and played collegiate soccer at Russell Sage College. She transferred and received her graduate degree from Syracuse University in health sciences (May 2000) and her masters degree from Utica College in physical therapy (December 2001).
Since college, she has received a certification in Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment of the Spine (2010), through the McKenzie Institute International, which has increased her knowledge and understanding of mechanical treatment approaches to safely and effectively treat spinal pathologies (including disc herniations, spinal stenosis, spondylolithesis, and scoliosis) and surgical interventions. Erica has spent a lot of time outside of work, training local athletes (ages 4-26) in clubs (soccer, tennis), as well high school (ice hockey, football, soccer, basketball) and collegiate (soccer) sports. Her certification as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (2015), through the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), has given her advanced skills and knowledge through enhancing sports performance (including speed, agility, strength training, endurance, dynamic movement patterns, power, plyometric training, conditioning, nutritional needs, performance of tests and measures, athletic profiling, and assisting/collaborating with head coaching staff on program designs), for individual athletes and/or teams. Erica has fortunately worked closely with the orthopedic surgeons at Hamilton Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine for 18 years (2001-2019), which has nurtured and developed her experienced background in orthopedics and sports medicine related injuries and post-operative procedures. Lastly, she most recently has been certified in LSVT Big (2019), which has helped individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, by assisting them with BIGGER movement patterns, to improve their overall quality of life, including their functioning within and outside of their homes and communities. Erica joined the team at Function Better Physical Therapy, LLC in 2019, and since has been a clinical director at the New Hartford site and has also spearheaded the Worker’s Compensation Occupational and Industrial Athlete Rehabilitation program.
Erica resides in Clinton, NY with her husband, Rick, and 2 teenage daughters, Avery and Taylor. Outside of work Erica enjoys spending time with her family and friends in the Adirondacks (hiking, biking, kayaking and SUPS boarding); as well as, vacationing at the ocean along the east coast, or spending time in her backyard playing lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, basketball, can jam, or badminton.