Meet Our Team

Dr. Abby Merrin, PT, DPT, ATC

Staff Physical Therapist

Dr. Merrin earned her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training in 2016 and Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2018 through an accelerated dual degree program at Boston University. During undergrad, Dr. Merrin completed several athletic training clinical affiliations at high schools and colleges in Boston. In addition, she studied physiotherapy in Dublin, Ireland for a summer where she specialized in treating patients with chronic spinal conditions and worked with the University College Dublin’s Men’s Soccer team. She also volunteered in the medical tent at multiple Boston Athletic Association events, including the 2015 Boston Marathon. While pursuing her physical therapy degree, Dr. Merrin worked as an Athletic Trainer at Boston Public Schools and Boston College. Throughout school, she participated in clinical affiliations in several different settings, ranging from orthopedics to neurology. She has experience providing work rehabilitation services and on-site ergonomic evaluations at LL Bean Employee Health in Freeport, Maine. In addition to her sports specialty and following a rotation at Eisenhower Medical Center, Dr. Merrin developed a strong interest in helping older adults start and maintain an active lifestyle to recover from orthopedic health conditions. Dr. Merrin is a member of the APTA and NATA. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, fitness training, and trying new restaurants and cuisines. Dr. Merrin grew up in the Los Angeles area and is excited to return home to the west coast to join OSS Physical & Hand Therapy.

Dr. Adam “AJ” Kessler, PT, DPT, MLS, CSCS

Physical Therapy Supervisor Glendale

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of Southern California, 2018
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Exercise Science, Elon University, 2014
• Certified Movement Links Specialists (MLS)

Dr. Kessler received his Bachelor of Science degree from Elon University, where he also studied Spanish and Public Health. While in undergrad, he participated in biomechanical research at Elon’s school of Physical Therapy. After completing his degree, he returned to his hometown of Bethesda, MD where he worked as a physical therapy aide in an outpatient orthopedic clinic, as well as personally training several clients at a local gym. Dr. Kessler received his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) in 2018 from the University of Southern California. While in school, he studied independently in order to become certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He volunteered in his school’s Clinical Exercise Research Center where he performed exercise testing on subjects for research studies. Throughout school, he engaged in clinical affiliations in several local clinics where he specialized in treating patients with orthopedic and cardiopulmonary conditions.

In 2016, Dr. Kessler moved from our Burbank location to our brand new Glendale center. He soon became the Physical Therapy Supervisor of the Glendale location. He also became a Certified Movement Links Specialist (MLS), which are physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who have successfully completed the Movement Links course series and undergone the certification testing program. They have been trained in a systematic process to identify and manage both the source and contributing factors to musculoskeletal pain dysfunctions. Movement Links Specialists have demonstrated proficient knowledge, skills and clinical reasoning with regard to the application of movement-based approaches to assess and treat musculoskeletal pain dysfunctions.

In his free time, he enjoys resistance training and following strength-based sports. He is excited to join the community here at OSS and share his passion for movement and health with his patients to help them meet their personal goals.

Dr. David Tang, PT, DPT

Staff Physical Therapist

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of Southern California (USC), 2019
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Kinesiology, San Diego State University

While pursuing his physical therapy degree, David was the Vice President of Physical Therapy Multi-Cultural Leadership Alliance (PTMLA). This is an organization which strives to raise awareness of physical therapy and healthcare to low-income communities within Los Angeles County. Through PTMLA David was able to participate in an international humanitarian trip to Mexico, where he was able to provide physical therapy care to orphans with neurological disabilities. David hopes to continue being able to participate in future humanitarian efforts. David had been engaged in a variety of clinical affiliations where he specialized in treating patients with orthopedic and neurological conditions. He utilizes a client-centered approach in conjunction with an emphasis on movement analysis, manual therapy, and corrective exercise. David makes sure to engage his patients in a discussion on how to help them reach their goals. In his spare time, David enjoys watching TV and movies at home, hiking, snowboarding, and exploring the food scene available in LA.

Dr. Rafael Cahill, PT, DPT

Staff Physical Therapist

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of Southern California, 2020
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Integrative Biology, Minor in Nutritional Science, University of California, Berkeley, 2012

Dr. Cahill received his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in 2012 where he studied Integrative Biology and Nutritional Science. He started his career in the Biotech industry where he was a member of the team performing the largest Genome-Wide Association study to date. He has a longstanding passion for health and fitness, specifically resistance training. He sustained an injury during one of his training sessions which ultimately led him on the path to discovering the field of physical therapy. It was at this point he realized it was a perfect marriage of his desire to help heal with his love of exercise. He earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California in 2020. During his time, he conducted research regarding the impact of physical therapy following cervical spine surgery. He is very excited to use all the knowledge he has gained to help his patients and anyone else to move well, reduce their pain, and be able to do the activities they love. He still enjoys weight training, and also enjoys cooking/eating tasty food, strength sports, the outdoors, and videogames.

Dr. Vincent Ho, PT, DPT, TPS, CSCS

Staff Physical Therapist

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of Southern California
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Pharmaceutical Science, University of California, Irvine
• Therapeutic Pain Specialist (TPS)
• Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)

Dr. Ho received his Bachelors in Science degree in Pharmaceutical Science from UC Irvine in 2015. His interests shifted towards preventative medicine and the human body after being involved with research. He was an active participant of 2 research labs. The first lab involved exercise physiology studies which looked into the effects of exercise as a treatment for neonatal asthma. The second lab looked into utilizing neural stem cell transplants as a viable option in potentially reversing the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. He additionally has a passion for teaching as he became a Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor and certified students about how to react appropriately during a cardiac emergency.

Dr. Ho earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Southern California in 2019 and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He has a special interest in treating orthopedic patients as well as patients with chronic pain. He utilizes many techniques in his treatments which involve McKenzie, Mulligan, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), myofascial release and cupping.  He has a passion for educating patients about therapeutic neuroscience and explaining how pain is conceptualized in the body, which is why he completed a certification as a Therapeutic Pain Specialist. Additionally, he is a part of a pro-bono physical therapy organization called ‘The Movement Network’ which provides therapy services for underserved communities. In his free time, he enjoys lifting weights competitively, trying out the latest food trends, enjoying the outdoors, or snowboarding down the steepest mountain.

Jennie "Tomi" Eto, MA, OTR/L, CHT

Hand Therapy Supervisor

• Certified Hand Therapist
• Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
• Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California

Tomi Eto has been practicing hand therapy for nearly a decade. She has comprehensive experience in treating a vast array of diagnoses, both conservatively and post-operatively, and is excellent at fabricating splints. What Tomi truly loves about hand therapy is the one-on-one, hands-on nature of the treatment that gives her the opportunity to see her patients progress and improve while getting to know them individually, building strong relationships as she is teaching and treating them. Tomi is excited to be joining the OSS Elite team, which maintains close contact and open communication with the surgeons to create personalized treatment plans for each patient to get them back to doing what they love to do with their hands. In her free time, Tomi enjoys spontaneous adventures, quadrupeds, Harry Potter, playing and watching sports, reading, cooking, playing board games, trivia nights, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Jamie Lulejian, MS, OTR/L, CHT

Certified Hand Therapist

• Certified Hand Therapist
• Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
• Bachelors of Science Degree in Kinesiology, concentration in Sports Medicine, California Baptist University

Jamie graduated in April 2016 with a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Proceeding her schooling, she worked in a private outpatient hand therapy clinic and in an occupational health clinic, gaining experience treating a wide variety of diagnoses. She has advanced practice certifications through the California Board of Occupational Therapy and became a Certified Hand Therapist in 2020. She strives to continue to learn and has taken various continuing education courses and conferences to advance her knowledge in treatment techniques for the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Jamie is excited to be apart of the OSS Physical and Hand Therapy team and she feels that it is important for care coordination between the patient, therapist, and surgeon to create an individualized treatment plan for improved functional use of the arm. Jamie was an intercollegiate springboard and platform diver, which provides a greater background into treating athletes. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and her Goldendoodle Oakley, and also enjoys arts and crafts, painting, wine tasting, hiking and traveling.

Jesse Ayers, COTA

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

• Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, Dakota Wesleyan University, South Dakota
• Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), CBD College, Los Angeles, 2018
• NASM Certified Personal Trainer
• Licensed Emergency Medicine Technician (EMT)

Jesse Ayers graduated as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant from CBD College in Los Angeles in 2018. He switched careers from Criminal Justice to Occupational Therapy to be able to help people improve their quality of life. As a musician and athlete, he realized how important hands are to a person’s career and lifestyle, and he decided to pursue a career in hand therapy. He joined the OSS Elite Hand department in 2018. He takes pride in having a wide range of knowledge, which he incorporates into patient care and patient rehabilitation. Jesse has a strong background in athletics, as he played football in college. He also played baseball, and has performed as a drummer. He has maintained his NASM Personal Training Certification since 2011. His hobbies include working on restoring cars and wood items, making old items look new.

Dr. Kelsey Nakamura, PT, DPT

Staff Physical Therapist

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of Southern California, 2021
• Bachelor of Science in Human Biology, University of California, San Diego

Dr. Kelsey Nakamura is a licensed physical therapist who received her education from the University of Southern California. She attended the University of California, San Diego for her undergraduate degree where she majored in Human Biology and minored in Economics.

As a therapist, Kelsey works together with her patients to come up with a plan that treats the individual as a whole person versus just their diagnosis. She likes to incorporate exercise therapy and feels that the more you move, the better you feel. She particularly enjoys working with the geriatric population and has had experience working with veterans at the San Francisco VA. Kelsey also has experience treating patients with balance and falls deficits, patients who require wound care services, post-surgical patients, and athletes.

In her spare time, Kelsey enjoys going to the beach, painting with acrylics, playing basketball, and weight lifting. She also enjoys a good cup of tea and exploring all the snacks and food LA has to offer.

 

Adrian Navarro, MS, OTR/L

Staff Hand Therapist

• Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 2021
• Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology, University of California Los Angeles, 2016

Adrian graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology in 2016. With an interest in learning about the human body, culture and society, and psychology, he pursued the field of occupational therapy with the aim of helping others to optimally function in their daily lives. He volunteered in a variety of rehabilitation settings and had previously served as a Rehab Tech in outpatient orthopedics where he built his knowledge of a variety of rehab exercise programs. At CSUDH, Adrian was inducted into Pi Theta Epsilon, the national honor society for occupational therapy students, and was involved in various activities including the Traumatic Brain Injury field day at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center and Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) conference.

He had completed a clinical fieldwork rotation at OSS Physical and Hand Therapy and grew to love helping patients make progress towards their goals and building rapport with his patients. After graduating from CSUDH with a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in 2021, Adrian is excited to join the OSS Team and hopes to provide patients client-centered, holistic, and evidence-based care.

In his free time, Adrian enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, learning about different cultures through documentaries, food, and travel, and staying active through hiking and weight training.

 

Christina Gaser, MS, OTR/L

Staff Hand Therapist

• Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, California State University, Dominguez Hills, 2021
• Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, California State University Northridge

Christina graduated in May 2021 with a Master’s degree in occupational therapy from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Prior to and during her time in graduate school, Christina obtained internships/completed volunteer work in various occupational therapy settings ranging from pediatrics to hand therapy. As a graduate student, Christina had the opportunity to complete a fieldwork rotation at California Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy, where she discovered her passion for hand therapy. What Christina loves about hand therapy is the ability to see patients progress enough to be able to engage in their desired occupations. Christina is excited to join the OSS team, where the continuous education she will receive will allow her to be the best therapist for her patients. Christina is excited to work one-on-one with patients to help them recover and reach their goals.

In her leisure time, Christina enjoys traveling, hiking, visiting national parks, playing tennis, volunteering for her Armenian community and spending time with family and friends. Christina is also trilingual in English, Armenian and Turkish.

Jae (Myungjae) Lee, MS, OTR/L

Staff Hand Therapist

• Masters in Science degree, Loma Linda University, 2018
• Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of Southern California, 2014
• Advanced Practice in Hands Certification (HTC)
• Advanced Practice in Physical Agent Modalities (PAMS)

Jae has been practicing hand therapy since 2018, working with adult and pediatric patients with skeletomuscular and neurological conditions. She is currently enrolled in a Hand to Shoulder Fellowship. She has certifications in PAMS (physical agent modalities) and HTC (hand therapy, certified in California), and is working toward getting her CHT (hand therapy, certified nationally) certification in 2022! She has delivered a lecture presentation on a topic of ‘Providing Holistic Hand Therapy to patients with PTSD’ in 2018 OTAC conference. She truly believes in, and practices holistic person approach in therapy, and seeks to treat the whole person, not just their fingers, or the elbows. She loves the outpatient setting in which she gets to build strong relationship with her patients, and be in a part of their rehabilitation process from the beginning to the end.

In her free time, she likes to cook, try new restaurants/foods, decorate her house, garden, and compost (she likes her warm worm friends!)