Get to Know the Staff at LifeStyle Physical Therapy & Balance Center: We’re Here to Help
Dr. Michele Kehrer PT, DPT, ATC
Michele played a key role in developing the protocols and equipment used by the few specialists working with neurological dizziness and balance disorders today. Her success rates, contributions and ongoing innovations to this emerging field have built her reputation throughout the medical community.
As an athlete herself, Michele discovered her calling and began on her career path as a result of sustaining a serious sports-related injury in high school. After working in a variety of settings with numerous sports teams while earning her undergraduate degree, she served as athletic trainer for Highland Park High School’s LaCrosse team while simultaneously treating patients at Peak Therapeutics, a clinic specializing in sports rehabilitation.
It was during this time Michele’s attention was first drawn to dizziness and balance issues by the high number of students sustaining concussions and patients presenting with dizziness disorders at the clinic. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Michele worked with Peak’s neurology specialists to develop protocols to get their patients back to normal activities as soon as possible. These early successes were later acknowledged by the United States government when she was asked to assist in research conducted by NASA and the Department of Defense.
While laying the groundwork for her exemplary career, Michele also studied extensively in other areas of specialization. She worked in several clinical rotations in the acute and sub-acute inpatient and outpatient settings. Her clinical focus also included prosthetics fittings, gait training and pediatric high-risk physical therapy.
While Michele still works in a consultative capacity from time to time, her primary focus is her own clinic, LifeStyle Physical Therapy & Balance Center. She is happy to provide a resource for patients who previously had nowhere to turn, and to help them reclaim their daily routines in comfort. She also sees patients with difficult-to-diagnose issues, and enjoys the challenge of investigating until she finds a solution.
If you have been struggling with a dizziness, balance or orthopedic issue that has defied resolution, Michele would like to help.
LaShonde Brown- Vice President of Administration
LaShonde Brown started working at LifeStyle Physical Therapy & Balance Center in September of 2008. She started as a physical therapist aide and moved up the LifeStyle ladder to become the Vice President of Administration. LaShonde graduated from the University of Houston in 2008 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and a minor in Health. She is currently getting her Master’s in Health Care Administration. Once her degree is complete LaShonde hopes she can use what she has learned to help LifeStyle Physical Therapy & Balance Center grow and accomplish all the company’s goals.
Octavia May- Patient/ Physician Liaison
Octavia May began working at Lifestyle Physical Therapy & Balance Center in January 2011. Octavia started out working as a Physical Therapist Aide, and has now taken on the position of Patient Liaison. Octavia received her Bachelors degree in Biology, from St. Xavier University in Chicago. She plans to further her education and receive a Masters degree in Health Administration. Octavia loves working with patients and helping them get back to there normal daily activities. She hopes to continue to help lifestyle grow and accomplish outstanding achievements and goals in the future.
Colleen Newton PT, DPT-Physical Therapist
Colleen Newton began working at LifeStyle & Physical Therapy Balance Center in July 2012. She attended Marquette University where she majored in Exercise Science, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 2009. Specific clinical experiences at Marquette helped shape her interest in pursuing a career in physical therapy. These included working with outpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation classes, interning with a well-respected personal trainer known in the pro-sport arena, and interning with a physical therapist at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin. Additionally, she worked as a group exercise instructor at Marquette’s Recreational Department and volunteered in the rehabilitation department at Aurora Sinai Hospital in Milwaukee, WI.
Knowing that physical therapy was the best way to incorporate her passions into an exciting, life-long career, Colleen went directly on to PT school and earned her Doctorate of physical therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating May 2012. Beyond the regular course schedule, she was awarded an opportunity to be part of the grant providing greater coursework and a specialized clinical in the pediatric, early Intervention, setting working with 0-3 year olds. Her clinical experiences prepared her to work in a variety of settings and various patient populations. They included inpatient at Edward’s hospital and the University of Illinois Medical Center, Early Intervention, as well as outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation.
It was Colleen’s outpatient clinical experience, working with patients post-op or with overuse or athletic injury that pushed her to seek a position in an outpatient setting where she could truly impact a patient’s quality of life. LifeStyle Physical Therapy & Balance truly was the perfect blend that incorporates her interest in orthopedic rehabilitation along with the neurologic aspect of vestibular rehabilitation. Colleen is looking forward to further developing these skills here at LifeStyle.
Wendy Wurtzel PT, DPT (Bio and Picture coming soon)
Trevon Bush- Physical Therapist Aide
I graduated from Eastern Illinois University in December 2012, with a degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science. I started as an intern at Lifestyle in January 2013, and was promoted to an aide after the completion of my internship. Some of my future goals are to have a career as a physical therapist and to pursue a master’s degree in exercise science. While pursuing my master’s degree, I plan to complete some necessary classes required for admission into PT school. Working at Lifestyle is a great experience because you get to work with patients that have vertigo (dizziness) problems as well as orthopedic patients. It also provides me with a chance to become familiar with the physical therapy field and different type of injuries that I may encounter in the future. Outside of work I love to play baseball, basketball, and videogames (Xbox 360 & PS3). I also enjoy watching sports on my free time as well. Some of my favorite teams that I enjoy watching are the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, and the Wisconsin Badgers.
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