Dr. Kirk Nelson serves as the program director and primarily teaches professionalism, integumentary, and research related content in the program. He completed his graduate degree in physical therapy in 2000, and PhD in Curriculum and Teaching from the University of New Orleans in 2010. His professional background includes expert legal testimony, facilitation of case based learning, and his clinical background includes orthopedics and wound care.
Dr. Jeff Thompson is certified in orthopedic physical therapy and mechanical diagnosis and therapy. He primarily teaches orthopedics, biomechanics, and oversees the clinical portion of the program as the Director of Clinical Education. Dr. Thompson has achieved credentialing level status indicating that he has demonstrated competency in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy® (MDT). His clinical background includes orthopedics, acute care, nursing home care, and administration, as well as serving as an expert witness in musculoskeletal content.
Dr. Kelly Rodriguez specializes in the management of neurologic injuries and is a Board Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS). She completed her graduate degree in physical therapy in 1999. Since that time she has worked extensively with traumatic brain injury, vascular accident, and spinal cord injuries patients. She completed the Brown Fellowship at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and her post graduate DPT in December 2017. Dr. Rodriguez primarily teaches Neuroanatomy, Neurologic Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation with Prosthetics, and Physical Therapy Seminar.
Dr. Page is an Assistant Professor and Research Director. He has a Masters degree in exercise physiology and doctorate in Kinesiology from LSU. He is a certified athletic trainer and strength and conditioning specialist. Dr. Page is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and received the Lifetime Excellence in Education award from the Academy of Sports Physical Therapy. Dr. Page has extensive teaching experience, presenting lectures and publishing articles on sports medicine and rehabilitation topics around the world. His clinical and research interests include muscle imbalance and electromyography (EMG), as well as musculoskeletal therapeutic interventions. Dr. Page also serves on the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board.
Jaime Caillet has been in orthopedic practice for 18 years and is certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties as a specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy. She completed a post graduate clinical doctorate in 2012 with emphasis in orthopedic patient management. She has authored and taught continuing education of Foot and Ankle Conditions. Dr. Caillet is certified in Dry Needling and has additional training in various manual therapy techniques. Her primary teaching interest include Orthopedic Physical Therapy.
Dr. Mari Kantrow joined the FranU DPT Core Faculty in the fall of 2020 as an assistant professor following 10 years of clinical practice. Dr. Kantrow specializes in the management of patients with neurological conditions including spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, and degenerative neurological disorders. She has an extensive understanding of the spectrum/lifespan/progression of neurological conditions as she has practiced both in the in-patient rehab setting as well as within an outpatient day-neuro program. Dr. Kantrow was head of the spinal cord injury program at Touro Hospital in New Orleans until 2014 when she moved to Baton Rouge and was lead Physical Therapist at Sage Outpatient Day Neuro Program until 2020. She will assist in teaching Neuroanatomy, Neurological PT, Orthotics and Prosthetics, and PT Seminar.
Dr. Michael Ludwig holds a PhD in anatomy from Penn State University and is a classically trained anatomist. He completed a number of cadaveric dissections for the education of the medical students at Penn State University College of Medicine, and has published several peer reviewed publications and poster presentations. Dr. Ludwig will teach Structural and Functional Anatomy.
Dr. Katie Peaslee Talamo specializes in the management of orthopedic conditions and rehabilitation and is a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy. She completed her doctoral degree in physical therapy in 2014. She specializes in the treatment of patients with orthopedic conditions into cervicogenic headaches, spinal pain, and balance and gait disorders with a background in outpatient orthopedic settings and private pay orthopedic practice. She will assist in teaching Orthopedics and Physical Seminar.
Dr. Bert Swafford is a cardiovascular physiologist, and specifically teaches physiology in the nurse anesthesia, physician assistant and human medicine programs. He completed his PhD in Physiology from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2003, and has numerous peer reviewed publications and presentations over the course of his tenure in academia. Dr. Swafford teaches Human Physiology I & II.
Katherine Brittain, DPT
Claire Kantrow, DPT
Mari Kantrow, DPT
Candi McElheny, PhD
Danielle Morris, DPT, PCS, CPST, C/NDT
Victoria Upton, DPT, CWS
Stephanie Wilks, DPT, OCS
Chaz Wu, PhD
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