Meet Our Staff

Luis graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and received his Masters degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He has over 24 years of clinical experience in various aspects of rehabilitation including Critical Care patients. He was published in Critical Care Medicine on Rehabilitation of Chronic Ventilator dependent patients. With a Sports Medicine background, he brings a wealth of knowledge with our outpatient/Orthopaedic patient population. He has gained teaching experiences as an adjunct faculty with Temple and Widener Universities. Luis holds certifications in Ergonomic and Spine Evaluations, hand rehabilitation, and Strength and Conditioning. When he is not problem solving and teaching at the clinic, his passion is in coaching youth competitive travel soccer teams.

Mark has been practicing physical therapy for the last 17 years in a variety of settings. After graduating Temple University in 1997, he worked at Temple hospital for almost 10 years, primarily on their ventilator rehabilitation unit, where he also co-authored research article on rehabilitation of ventilator dependent patient. Mark has experiences as a travel physical therapist, home care physical therapy and outpatient therapy. He has recently completed courses specializing in kinesiotaping and use of the Graston technique to treat musculoskeletal injuries. My hobbies include playing racquetball and golf. I’m also an avid snowboarder.

Manish has been a licensed PA Occupational therapist for the last 13 years, where he has practiced in all areas of rehab. Manish has extensive experience in outpatient rehab, where he specializes in rehabilitation of the upper extremity and hand, as well as splinting, for clients of all age groups. Manish also possesses advanced certifications which enable him to conduct Functional Capacity Evaluations for workers compensation, disability, and post hire pre-placement screens. In addition, Manish possesses a certification in ergonomics, which allows him to consult and perform as an ergonomist to aid in work injury prevention. His expertise in the areas of ergonomics and functional capacity evaluations has lead to adjunct lecturing at universities and colleges.

Studied Athletic Training At West Chester Univ. 1998-2002. He went to study Sports Medicine at Temple University in 2002-2005. He’s worked with various sports groups at Temple University, Widener University and locally at Nueva Esperanza Academy. Josh is a member of NATA and enjoys bowling, football, and Pina Coladas.

Anna graduated University of the Sciences in 2015 with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She joined the Fortaleza family in 2010 as a volunteer, then worked as a physical therapy aide, and finally started working as a Physical Therapist upon graduation. Anna splits her time working with patients in the Physical Therapy gym and in the aquatic PT pool. She is currently pursuing her McKenzie certification. She is fluent in Polish. Anna enjoys staying active, traveling and is currently a new fan of American football. Go Eagles!!

Vincent received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of the Sciences in 2014. He mainly has experience in outpatient orthopaedics with a clinical experience in a skilled nursing facility. Vincent has an interest in obtaining his Strength and Conditioning certification and has taken an interest in functional movement assessments (SFMA.) He enjoys going out to eat, working out, and staying active.

My physical therapy career technically began many years ago when I was working as a Certified Personal Trainer. During that time that I observed that many of my clients were suffering from back, neck, and knee pain. In an effort to improve their strength while managing their pain symptoms I began researching therapeutic exercises that could benefit my clients. Over time, I started seeing noticeable results and improvements, which ultimately sparked my interest in the practice of Physical Therapy.

I graduated from Pennsylvania Institute of Technology’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program in 2016 and obtained a license as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Shortly thereafter, I was hired at Fortaleza Rehabilitation and am currently the Aquatic Therapist at the Port Richmond clinic, occasionally treating patients out on the clinic floor, as well.

I am also taking part time classes at Jefferson University and progressing towards a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. I enjoy hiking, kayaking, and trying new foods at restaurants all across the city in my spare time.

Camila graduated as a Physical Therapist in 2008 and has a Masters Degree in Bioscience and Rehabilitation (2012) from the Centro Universitario Metodista do IPA in Brazil. In 2013, Camila moved from Brazil to the United States and worked in different fields, however Physical Therapy has always been her passion. In 2019, she graduated as a Physical Therapist Assistant from Mercer County Community College and became part of the Fortaleza Rehabilitation family. She has multiple Manual Therapy certifications and is always ready to listen to her patients with a smile. On her time off, Camila enjoys exercising and traveling around the world.

Mario graduated from Hahnemann University in 1992. Since he has been treating patients in the Philadelphia area for over 20 years as a Physical Therapy Assistant. Mario offers bilingual service and fluent in Spanish. When not working Mario enjoys cooking, exercise, and travel.

Tom graduated with his Doctor in Physical Therapy from Widener University in 2017.  His clinical experience includes many outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinics, skilled nursing facility/long-term care, and some experience working as a Home Health PT.  Tom takes a holistoic approach to patient care, taking a whole body approach to addressing a person’s impairments.  Tom enjoys working out, playing hockey, and watching the Flyers.

Melissa received her Bachelor of Science degree at Chestnut Hill College in 1997 before becoming a school teacher. While teaching, she discovered her love for the field of physical therapy. Melissa went on to graduate school and received her Masters in Physical Therapy at Rutgers University in 2005. Her experience includes outpatient, inpatient rehab, acute care, skilled nursing, home care and correctional settings. Melissa is an STMT (soft tissue manual tool) Certified Practitioner.

Jackie received her BS in biology from Saint Joseph’s University, masters in PT from Widener University and her DPT from Temple University. Jackie has worked in all capacities including as a PT aide. Jackie is well rounded and has worked in all environments including in-patient rehabilitation and acute care hospitals, sub-acute facilities, home care and now outpatient with Fortaleza, Most recently Jackie has worked with a task force in a covid positive field hospital.

Jackie enjoys all outdoor activities including hiking, biking and skiing and is a mother of 3 teen-age children. Jackie brings with her a fluency in Spanish to serve our Latino population.