Bios
Physical Therapy
David McHenry DPT, COMT: David is the director of physical therapy and the head of operations of PACE. He graduated with his bachelors of science in Kinesiology from Penn State University in 1999 where he was also a quarterback for the perennial powerhouse football team, the Nittany Lions. He then received his doctorate degree in physical therapy from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and subsequently moved to Portland to start his career as a sports therapist. Over the past 6 years David has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of athletes from recreational to Olympic levels and currently acts as the physical therapist and strength and conditioning consultant for many athletes, athletic teams and programs throughout the Northwest. Contact David at davidm@taiweb.com.”
Brooke Jordan, DPT: Brooke was destined to be a sports PT. She was a 5 sport high school athlete who went on to compete at the collegiate level. Brooke graduated from UCLA with a Bachelors degree in physiological science and was a member of the Bruin Women’s Division I varsity rowing team. Following graduation from UCLA she spent a year abroad as a ski and snowboard instructor and then returned to the states to continue her education at USC where she received her doctorate degree in Physical therapy. Brooke is still active as an amateur triathlete and continues her education through staying up to date with current research and courses.
Contact Brooke at brookej@taiweb.com
Shirley Dixon: Shirley is the Office Manager, aka Queen of Everything, of PACE. Joining David when his Physical Therapy practice started in 2003, Shirley, formally a stay-at-home Mother of 3, took charge of the daily office operations of David's practice. A serious motorcycle accident in 2006 gave Shirley a more personal insight into the patient side of physical therapy, spending months under David, Shawn and Kurt's care, being massaged, manipulated, scraped, worked-out and worked-over, eventually learning to walk again – without even a limp. Shirley is currently working on her BA in Business Administration. Contact Shirley at northportland@taiweb.com.
Pat Geraghty: Pat is the Director of Public Relations for PACE, and is responsible for relaying the product that PACE offers to more and more athletes. Pat received his B.S. in Life Science from the University of Portland where he played Division I baseball for the the Pilots from 2002-2007. He became interested in physical therapy as a patient after he underwent shoulder arthroscopy due to a baseball related injury. He hopes to give back to the therapists, trainers, conditioning coaches, and mentors that helped him recover by joining the rehab and fitness community. Pat will enter Physical Therapy School in the Fall of 2010. Contact Pat at patg@taiweb.com.
Chris Ramsey DPT, OCS: After practicing physical therapy for nearly a decade in Boston, MA, Chris Ramsey relocated to Portland earlier this year. During those years he provided instrumental rehabilitation to Olympic, professional, elite, high school, and amateur athletes across a range of sports including triathlon, rowing, swimming, volleyball, track and field, and Nordic skiing. Chris earned his bachelor’s in Kinesiology from the Univ. of Colorado, and his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in PT from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, MA, and is a certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS). He began coaching novice through world-champion triathletes 15 years ago, his sport of choice for nearly 20 years. He has raced 13 Ironman triathlons (PR of 9:10), has qualified for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships 6 times, and has multiple world and national championship qualifications in all other distances. His passion brings the pursuit of the extraordinary: in his therapy, his mentorships, and his results. Contact Chris at dr.chrisramsey@gmail.com.
Massage Therapy
Kurt Marion: Kurt got his BS in Sociology in 1995, then turned his attention to becoming a professional cyclist. Never getting further than the USA Cycling talent pool, he quit racing in 1999 and decided to pursue a career as a Massage Therapist at his wife's urging. Immediately upon completion of that degree he went on the raod for the next 3 years, travelling both domestically and internationally with professionally cycling teams. With he and his wife's pregnancy in 2003, Kurt came off the road to establish his Massage practice in Portland. He has currently works with athletes from the recreational to Olympic levels and serves as a cycling consultant for PACE. Contact Kurt at kurtmarionlmt@gmail.com.”
Chiropractic
Darren Smith: Darren Smith DC, DACBSP: Darren’s service to the athletic community has been preceded by a well developed set of life experiences. After studying Kinesiology at the University of Victoria he was employed as a medic in the Canadian Coast Guard from 1990-1993. In 1997, he graduated from Western States Chiropractic College, and he soon after obtained diplomate status from the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. He has worked with various pro cycling teams such as the Navigators and Team Rubicon-Orbea, spent 8 years as the team chiropractor for the Portland Winter Hawks Hockey Club, and has worked with Oregon Youth Soccer for the past 7 years. Perhaps most paramount to Darren’s understanding of sports injury and rehabilitation is that he is a recovered stroke victim. During a surgical procedure intended to remove a benign mass from his back, Darren suffered a spinal cord stroke which left much of his lower body paralyzed. Although still very much affected by his spinal cord injury, Darren’s recovery has led him to staggering accomplishments as a physically challenged athlete; he was the Canadian National Triathlon TRI3 Champion both in 2008 and 2009, an Xterra Northwest Regional Triathlon Champion in 2009, and he continues to race with the Ironheads Multisport Team and Rubicon-Orbea Cycling Team.
Contact Darren at drd@hotmail.com.
Physiology Lab
Sean Coster: Sean has been passionate about running for the last 19 years. As an athlete he enjoyed competing in college at the division I level. As a student his graduate thesis project applied his knowledge of exercise physiology to a software program enabling coaches to manage their athletes. As a coach he has enjoyed the success that beginners to national class athletes have achieved with his well rounded, individualized coaching programs. Sean’s unique ability to evaluate each runner’s physiological and psychological responses to their training programs enables the athletes he partners with to realize their potential in running. Sean is currently interested in the relationship between self-selected running paces and energy expenditure in competitive runners and the role running specific strength training has on the performance of distance runners.
Sean is a coach of the Nike Bowerman Athletic Club, member of the coaching staff at the Nike Sports center in Beaverton OR and founder of Complete Running Programs. Sean’s coaching advice has been seen in Runners World, Competitor Magazine and Race Center Northwest. Sean has achieved level I coaching certification from USATF and accreditation with the Road Runners Club of America. Contact Sean at sean@crpusa.com
Russell Cree, DPT, CSCS
Cycling Coach, Exercise Physiologist, Bike Fitter, Physical Therapist
Russell is the founder of Upper Echelon Fitness and works exclusively with cyclists and triathletes. He is available for cycling coaching, physiology testing, bike fitting, and Physical Therapy. Russell grew up in Oregon and has been involved in competitive cycling for 15 years, ultimately earning a Category 1 license for road and cyclocross and a professional mountain bike racing license. Russell spent 4 years as director Sportif of the Broadmark Capital Elite cycling team, leading them to the Elite Road Championship in 2005. He has been coaching professionally for over a decade. Russell holds an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and Chemistry, as well as Masters and Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Russell has experience with all levels of clients from novice and recreational to world champions and Olympians. He is especially focused on road and cyclocross coaching, bike fitting, and VO2 and lactate testing.
Contact Russell at russell@upperechelonfitness.com.
Sports Nutrition
Monica Hunsberger PhD, MPH, RD: Monica is a Registered Dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition counseling, disease prevention, and diabetes. As a board member of the Oregon Dietetic Association, a member of the American Dietetics Association and the Portland Dietetics Association, Monica Hunsberger puts her more than 10 years of experience and knowledge to work for you. Whether you are interested in a speaker for your school, church, or office; menu planning; nutrition analysis; or one-on-one nutrition consulting Monica can help.
In addition to being a Registered Dietitian Monica holds a Masters in Public Health and a PhD in Public Health. As a board member of the Oregon Dietetic Association, Monica is the Director of Governance & Legislative Issues and is passionate about nutrition and public health policy. In 2008 she was recognized as the Young Dietitian of the Year. Contact Monica at monicahunsberger@yahoo.com.
Strength and Conditioning
Jeff Tedder: Jeff is the owner of Solid Core Training. Cycling, Strength and Conditioning Coach. Jeff has a wide range of athletic background in several competitive sports; Cross Country, Track, Baseball, Softball and currently cycling.
He is committed now to primarily cycling and has been competing for the last 10 years in the Northwest doing Road Racing, Time Trials, Criteriums and Cyclecross.
His dedication to his athletes is something he is very serious about and he takes pride in being a very motivating coach, both in class and working individually with athletes. He coaches several Sports Conditioning classes and Cycling Interval classes at Portland PACE. Jeff is also a Hammer Nutrition Product Specialist. He stocks and sells Hammer’s complete line of products and educates athletes with Endurance Fueling programs for training and racing. Contact Jeff at sharkattack97219@peoplepc.com or visit his website at www.solidcoretraining.com.
Brian Abers: Brian is a former National cycling champion with 25 years of racing experience. The hard-fought knowledge that he gained as a top-level racer, as well as the continuing application to the latest training information, make for a very effective coaching program. In the 4 years as a USA certified cycling coach, Brian has developed a World Champion, multiple Worlds medalists, 11 US National Champions, 24 Nationals medalists and multiple State Champions and race winners. His program is all about focus, hard work and mental toughness, and enjoying it all in the process. Contact Brian at thekilomonster@verizon.net.
Lara Brown: Lara has settled back in to her hometown of Portland after graduating with a BS in Humanities from the Air Force Academy and serving 4+ years in the Air Force. She competed at a world class level with the United States Military Triathlon and Cross Country teams and then went on to pursue a career as a professional triathlete, based with a small women’s professional team in San Francisco. With a strong background as a 4 year Division I Cross Country and Track runner, Lara expanded her horizons to racing bikes and became a cycling instructor and coach at a top physiology lab and sports center in San Francisco, which ultimately led her to P.A.C.E., where she is currently working as a triathlon coach out of Upper Echelon Fitness.
Contact Lara at lara@larabrown.net.
Andre’ Petett: Andre’ has been a competitive athlete for a vast majority of his life. When a knee injury prematurely ended his career as a sprinter at the University of Oregon he was devastated. Almost 20 years later after re-assessing his goals and athletic aspirations he figured out which direction his athletic skills and efforts would be best optimized. In 2004 Andre’ dedicated himself to becoming a Pentathlete, and quickly has become internationally competitive and is one of USA Pentatholon’s rising stars in the sport. Through Andre’s personal experience and professional skill set as a strength and conditioning coach he has many things to offer the athletic and non-athletic population alike. Andre’ has recently recognized a void within the fitness landscape. While there are a multitude of options for personal training, there are few options for individuals to discover their true fitness baselines. Andre’ hopes to help fill this void through his partnership with TAI by offering a menu of fitness assessments that an individual can choose from. Along with these assessments he will provide personal training/coaching where he and the individual can utilize this information to better construct training protocols to address a client’s individual limitations.
Contact Andre’at pentathlete@gmail.com.
Baseball Specific Conditioning and Skill Training
Travis Vetters - Los Angeles Dodgers: Travis, a Port Orchard Washington native and 2002 graduate of South Kitsap High School, played right field and 3rd base for the University of Portland Pilots from 2002-2006. Travis was named to the All-West Coast Conference team in 2003, 2004, and 2005, highlighting a collegiate career in which he anchored the middle of the Pilot lineup and posted on overall .307 batting average. His lifelong dream of playing professionally began when he was acquired by the LA Dodgers as a free agent on June 28th of 2006. Travis has spent four years as an outfielder in the Dodgers farm system. In 2007 he hit .315 with 14 home runs and 41 RBI, and his offensive prowess continued in 2008 as he posted a .404 batting average with 9 home runs and 23 doubles. His professional career was accented when he was named Pioneer League Player of the Week twice - once in 2007 and again in 2008. He was also touted as being among the top 50 minor league prospects for the Dodger organization going into the 2009 season. Among Travis' many abilities are his strong outfield throwing arm and his keen knowledge of swing mechanics. He is no stranger to injury, and the facility at PACE has provided him with the opportunity to rehabilitate and condition his body to be competition ready each year. Travis currently gives back to the baseball community by passing on his passions which encompass hitting expertise, his awareness of the mental aspects of the game, and his knowledge of baseball specific strength and conditioning to up-and-coming players.
Ari Ronick - San Francisco Giants: Ari is a left-handed pitcher from Boulder, Colorado who graduated from the University of Portland in 2008. During his college career, Ari was a four time letterman, ranking 2nd all time for the Pilots in games started by a pitcher. Ari was also twice named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team. In 2007, Ari led the pilots in earned run average(3.05) and opposing batting average(.225). Following the season, Ari was drafted in the 38th round by the Cincinnati Reds but elected to return for his senior year instead. In 2008, Ari was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 12th round. In 2009 Ari emerged as a top ten pitching prospect for the Giants after posting a South Atlantic league 2nd best 2.76 ERA. Ari attributes much of his progression to his physical and mental preparation. He believes that attention to detail breeds confidence; pre-game visualization and goal-setting are central to his routine. As a pitcher, it is important for Ari to maintain strength without losing range of motion, and the personnel at PACE have implemented a conditioning program that focuses on coordinated movement patterns which use the body's core as its power source. PACE has furnished Ari with a top tier training facility with professional instruction for his off-season conditioning. Ari shares his knowledge and passion for baseball by teaching pitching lessons and baseball specific personal training for aspiring players.
Kory Casto - Washington Nationals: Kory, after being named the "3A" State Player of the Year in 2000, graduated from North Marion High School in small town Aurora, Oregon. He went on to play for the University of Portland namely as a right fielder from 2001-2003. During his time with the Pilots, Kory was named to the Freshman All-American Team and placed on the All-West Coast Conference Team the following two seasons. After his junior season of 2003, he decided to take his talent to the pros when he was drafted in the 3rd round by the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). In both 2005 and in 2006 he was prestigiously named the Nationals Minor League Player of the Year. He was also dubbed the TOPPS Minor League Player of the Month in 2005. Two of Kory's seven seasons as a professional have been spent in the Major Leagues with the Nationals. His off-season training philosophy is to prepare physically and mentally to compete at the highest level for an 162 game season, and to find confidence in the knowledge that no one has readied themselves as thoroughly as he has. Kory has found that PACE allows him to participate in the most cutting edge sport specific training, and takes him through some of the most difficult physical workouts which increases mental toughness and self-confidence. He wishes to pass along the same "training awareness" to younger players. In terms of hitting, he subscribes to the believe that every hitter is an individual and thus deserves personalized instruction and that it is most effective to take the natural hitting position that each player is blessed with and to build upon that platform. One’s ability to create "torque" is derived from the hips and core, and combining this with smooth level swings and powerful legs produces more contact and "pop". A recent article in the Washington Post noted that Kory arrived at spring training of 2008 with 15 pounds of new lean muscle and some extra power at the plate. Kory cited Dave McHenry and the PACE staff as the source of the fresh "thump".
Josh Roberts - Florida Marlins: Josh, a 6'5" right handed pitcher and 2002 high school graduate of Snohomish High School in Washington, was given All-League recognition in both the 2001 and 2002 seasons. He went on to play collegiately with the Division-1 University of Portland from 2002-2007. Josh was a workhorse as he set the all time Pilot appearance record by doing so 90 times. In 2005, he led the team in ERA and garnered WCC Pitcher of the week honors, all in a year in which he struck out 36 hitters in 74 innings. Upon graduating from the U of P, Josh was drafted in the 35th Round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Florida Marlins. After a stellar first professional season, his career was derailed by elbow problems as he underwent UCL replacement, also known as "Tommy John Surgery". Injured for the whole 2008 campaign, he spent his time with the PACE personnel rehabilitating and honing his skills for the seasons to come. Josh considers himself a student of the game, and through the years he has come to know that a simple pitching philosophy works best for him - he believes in keeping fast-balls in and breaking balls away - a philosophy he holds in common with many other large framed, hard throwing right-handers. As a power pitcher, he knows that proper pitching mechanics are crucial to his health and that to be effective as a power pitcher he must keep his legs and core as finely tuned as possible. Circuit training and kettle ball workouts implemented by the PACE staff have concentrated his training sessions on the key components of his "kinetic chain" and have taken pressure off of his surgically repaired elbow and gotten him back on the mound. In addition to his already proven pitching philosophy, Josh feels that he can pass on his newly found competitive advantages to younger ballplayers.
Danny Meier - Houston Astros: Danny, raised in Maple Valley Washington, was named to the 4A All-State Team in 2004 and signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Portland the following season. He split time as a pitcher, a third-baseman, and as a right-fielder for the Pilots, which represents the many tools Danny possesses. He was honored with the U of P Most Valuable Player Award in 2008, a year in which he led the league with 15 home runs and was named to the All-West Coast Conference Team. During the remainder of the same season, Danny was taken by the Houston Astros in the 24th round of the MLB draft. Danny firmly believes in and takes pride in the time he spends in the weight room, and the metamorphosis he underwent speaks volumes about what training can do for ballplayer. Between his freshman and sophomore years collegiately, he turned an average 84mph fast-ball into a 92mph heater. At the same time he began hitting the baseball with significantly more power. He attributes this to a hard nose attitude within the weight room walls. For Danny, it is crucial to add to his raw abilities and each off-season is a platform upon which he can do that; he has developed a Major League competent throwing arm due to work ethic, and at this point it is more about putting together a "complete package" than it is about developing new skills. Previously to working out at PACE Danny mainly performed what he calls "football style workouts." It was through PACE that he became an extreme advocate of "functional" lifting, which is drectly correlated to movements performed in baseball. Currently, he expects nothing less than workouts that increase mental endurance and that constantly shock the system of the body. Danny believes that in addition to passing on his aggressive and passionate training perspectives, he can teach baseball's youth how to utilize proper arm action, to gain balance and rhythm while throwing strikes consistently, and to maximize throwing velocity while preventing injuries.
Chris Siegfried - Chicago Cubs: Chris, a McMinnville, Oregon native and 2004 graduate of Jesuit High School, was a left handed pitcher for the University of Portland from 2004-2007. In 2007, Chris was faced with the decision to either enter the Amateur Major League Baseball draft or to continue his education and college baseball career with the Pilots. Being a childhood dream, he chose the former and was subsequently drafted in the 11th round by the Chicago Cubs. His professional career has given him the opportunity to start, relieve and close ball games. Known for his sinking fastball and above average slider, weapons that he continues to improve upon, Chris has experienced much success thus far in the Cubs organization, with teams such as the Boise Hawks(short season-A Cubs affiliate), the Midwest League Peoria Chiefs(long-A Cubs affiliate), and the Florida State League Daytona Cubs (high-A Cubs affiliate). During the 2009 season, Chris posted a 3.38 ERA in roughly 70 innings as a relief pitcher, and has been a part of two no hit games within the last two seasons. As a sinker ball pitcher, he takes pride in a high ground out to fly out ratio, a stat that is placed in high regard as he climbs through the minor leagues. The ability to keep the ball on the ground and involve the infield while avoiding long counts is key to his success and increases his durability and utility throughout a long season. Chris first came into contact with PACE during the fall of 2008, and he gravitated to the personnel's knowledge - learning new training strategies which honed in on his specific needs and completing workouts which tailored to his movement patterns are part of his recent success. As a pitcher, he feels he has a keen sense of how to get the ball to move, something he feels he can pass along to younger players.