Meet our Physical Therapists 
                       
Keith Claire, MPT 
Supervisor of Physical Therapy

Keith Claire is a lifelong New York resident who grew up in both the Adirondacks and New York City. He received his Master’s in Physical Therapy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1999 and has worked in orthopedic and neurosurgical settings for the past eight years.

Keith has a special clinical interest in applying his specialized training and knowledge of biomechanics in the rehabilitation of amateur and advanced golfers. He has also formulated a treatment style that emphasizes manual therapy techniques and core stabilization.
Keith is an avid outdoors enthusiast and enjoys spending time with his wife and three sons. 
                                     
Heather L. Fassell, MSPT, DPT 
Supervisor of Physical Therapy
Heather Fassell completed her professional coursework from Springfield College, where she received both her Bachelors’ and Masters’ Degrees in the field of Physical Therapy in 2001 and 2002, respectively. She continued her educational track in which she received her Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy from Sage Graduate School in 2007. Heather began her career in New Windsor, NY working in outpatient orthopedics. She continued her orthopedic concentration at Physical Therapy Associates of Schenectady, outside of the Albany, NY area, where she not only participated in traditional orthopedic care, but also lead the aquatic therapy program. Heather joined the Orthopedic Associates of Dutchess County team in August of 2008. Heather’s clinical approach is using manual techniques as well as therapeutic exercise and stability training in order to achieve optimal function. Heather has attended continuing education courses in aquatic therapy, manual therapy techniques, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques, and injury prevention and rehabilitation of the female athletic population.
Heather is from Wurtsboro, NY in Sullivan County, where she now resides with her husband. She is an avid downhill skier, and she raced competitively in both high school and college. She is also an enthusiastic windsurfer and water skier, and marathon runner. 
                                      
Robin Mostachetti PT
Robin Mostachetti has been with Orthopedic Associates since 2004. She received her Bachelor’s in PT from Hunter College in 1986 and her Master’s in Sports medicine from Springfield College in 1988.
Robin has over 20 years experience in physical therapy practice. She has had the opportunity to practice in a wide variety of settings including Orthopedics, pediatrics, in-patient rehabilitation, and home care, and draws on the diversity of her experience to treat the whole person. With hundreds of hours of continuing professional education completed during her career, Robin is currently pursuing certification in The Mulligan Technique, a manual therapy approach to treating the spine and joints.

Tami Claire, MPT
Tami Claire was born and raised in Pittsburgh PA and attended school at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences as well as her Masters degree in Physical Therapy in 2000. Tami has been practicing in the Hudson Valley for 10 years in a variety of settings including Outpatient (both orthopedics and neurological), Inpatient, Sub-Acute Rehabilitation and Home Care. Tami draws from her wide variety of clinical experience and Continuing Education to treat the whole person with a variety of techniques including: Mulligan, manual therapy and myofascial release, core stabilization as well as Postural Retraining. Tami also has a specialized interest in TMJ Dysfunction. Tami is married, enjoys spending time with her husband as well as step aerobics, snowshoeing, fishing and travel. 
 
Dean Havner, PT






                                          
                         
Cristine M. Poole, MSPT

Georgina Lerma, PT

Georgina received her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 1996.

Georgina has over eight years’ experience in physical therapy practice. She has trained patients for activities of daily living and assessed the need to use assistive devices, orthoses and prostheses. She firmly believes in the benefit of manual therapy which she applies to her patients. To stay current with the latest trends in physical therapy, she attends continuing education courses.  Georgina is proficient in Spanish and fluent in Tagalog.

  
Carolynn LaVigne PTA
An elite level mountain biker, Carolynn uses her own first-hand experience with goal-specific training and sports related injuries to treat her patients. The insight she has gained as a competitive athlete who has occasionally been sidelined due to injury enables her to develop a rapport with her patients that that helps them get better fast - she has always disliked being on the “injured reserve” list, and appreciates this sentiment in her patients.
After graduating from Orange County Community College in 2000 with her Associate’s Degree in Applied Science, she worked in a variety of clinical settings including out patient orthopedics and skilled nursing and rehabilitation. To date, Carolynn has completed over 50 hours of professional continuing education in the area of orthopedics

Rocco Occhiogrosso PTA

Rocco graduated from Mercy College’s PTA program in May of 2005 and became a licensed physical therapist’s assistant in April of 2006. He has worked predominantly in the clinical outpatient setting, excelling in the treatment of sports related rehabilitation.
An avid athlete and sports fan Rocco has always been involved in sports. He is a 2000 graduate of Mahopac High School where he was a 2 year starter on the varsity football team. He also undertook extensive study of Oyama Karate for five years. Prior to the pursuit of his PTA degree, he worked in athletic training for 3 years with several collegiate athletic programs

Michael Devens. PTA
Michael Devens is a 2008 graduate of Herkimer County Community College where he earned his Associates Degree as a Physical Therapist’s Assistant. He also holds an Associates in Exercise Science and Wellness from Dutchess Community College.
Michael draws on his experience as a high school athletic stand out when providing physical therapy to his patients. As a two-year captain of his varsity baseball team where he pitched and played outfield, he learned how to lead and motivate people during times of adversity and he uses these interpersonal skills to keep his patients moving to the next level of their recovery.A native of the Hudson Valley, Mike continues to participate in a competitive hardball league for the National Adult Baseball Association. Basketball, football, biking, and fishing are other activities he enjoys in his free time.  Michael joined the OADC team in July, 2008.

Denise Mincarelli Gardner, PTA

Denise Mincarelli Gardner, PTA joined our team in July and works in our Rhinebeck office. Denise earned her degree from Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY in 1994 and has been helping patients in the Hudson Valley since. Denise has experience in inpatient, acute rehab, and outpatient settings (outpatients 11yrs) and has earned numerous CEU’s (continuing education units). Denise has been a recipient of PT several times, beginning at age 3 after being in a body cast after surgery to correct a congenital hip defect. She knows the trials and benefits of PT and uses her training to help people with various problems to maximize their potential through individualized skilled PT.