PUGET SOUND NEURO RECOVERY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Medical Speech - Language Pathologist
Alissa Smith has worked as a medical speech-language pathologist and Certified Brain Injury Specialist in various settings including trauma intensive care and inpatient rehabilitation at UWMC. She has several professional publications and ongoing research projects related to psychosocial constructs of neurological recovery and communication accessibility. She is currently pursuing a doctoral research degree in Rehabilitation Science at UW.
Dot is an extremely skilled Physical Therapist with over 30 years of experience. She has worked across the continuum of care from critical care to inpatient rehab and brings a wealth of knowledge to the therapy she provides. Her years of working with all different diagnoses allows her to help clients work successfully towards improved independence.
" I consider myself lucky to have found a profession that fits. Every day I meet people confronted with physical challenges that are new to them, and figuratively ‘pull the rug out' from beneath them. My challenge and my privilege are to empower my clients to rediscover themselves post injury. I've been in this profession for over 30 years now, and the joy that I experience with 1:1 care never gets old. I value hard work, having fun, morning coffee, fresh air and dogs!"
Eva Fletcher has practiced physical therapy for over 30 years, with many of those years at Swedish Medical Center. She has worked in acute inpatient rehabilitation, Neuro ICU, Neuro/Medical Acute Care, Cardiac ICU, and general medical/surgical floors. Her primary focus has been neurological patients, but she also has a deep medical background and has provided clinical care and guidance for patients and families managing a range of clinical diagnoses.
"I feel so lucky to have found a profession that fits who I am. Not only do I get to be a part of my patients' rehab journey, providing therapy and using my skills to help improve mobility and quality of life, I get to know each patient as a whole person. Even after 30 years of providing PT, I am still passionate about what I do, and that thrill of helping someone to walk again, or be able to do something that seemed impossible to them, continues to inspire me".
Kate Rough has worked for over 10 years at University of Washington Medical Center, one of the top Rehab Centers in the nation. After her graduation from PT school, she participated in a neurologic physical therapy residency program for enhanced training in her field. She is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS). She has numerous professional publications in peer reviewed journals and has been a contributor to a few physical therapy textbooks. Aside from her clinical work, she also works part-time as a teaching associate for the University of Washington Doctor of Physical Therapy program with a focus on neurologic coursework.
Krista Gregg has worked as a speech language pathologist for over 16 years, working with patients of all ages and diagnoses. Most recently her work has focused on neuro rehabilitation, especially with the transition from in-patient to home care. Her years of experience allow her to optimally tailor her therapy approach based on a patient's goals and personal motivation.
"I believe communication is vital; it is part of every aspect of life. It helps us build relationships, express our needs, and connect to others. It's my passion to assist patients and their families with improved communication and quality of life. I enjoy getting to know my patients and learning about their unique interests and experiences. Working as a team, we create a plan to help each patient achieve their individual communication goals in their community."
Marie Fritzberg has worked as a PT for over 36 years in a variety of settings, predominantly at Harborview Medical Center, Washington's level 1 trauma center. She is a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist. She has extensive years of experience in trauma acute care and outpatient neurological rehabilitation, as well many years working in the inpatient rehab and outpatient orthopedic settings. She served as an adjunct faculty member, teaching the Adult Neuro Rehab course, in the PT Program at the University of Puget Sound in 1989-90. She is a graduate of Stanford University 1980 (BA in Human Biology) and 1983 (MS Physical Therapy).
Teresa Fair-Field is a neuro clinical specialist. She entered the profession with a passion for brain injury rehabilitation after growing up around an uncle with a service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). She became interested in occupational therapy after discovering a profession that uses everyday activities (occupations) to engage and motivate a person to participate in their own recovery. In her 30-year career, she has served clients across the lifespan, including 15 years at Virginia Mason Neuro-rehabilitation in the out-patient clinic.
"In many ways, the restrictive environments in traditional health care settings don't do enough to reconnect people to the value of their everyday routines and favorite activities. That's exactly the sweet spot where growth and recovery meets purpose and our sense-of-self. The customized home-delivery model found at Puget Sound Neuro Recovery is exactly what my profession was based upon, and I'm thrilled to be providing care the way it was intended."
Vicki Stevens worked for over 34 years at University of Washington Medical Center, one of the top Rehab Centers in the nation. She is a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist. She has numerous professional publications including the Physical Therapy Journal, The Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, and the O'Sullivan and Schmittz Textbook. She has been the Director of Puget Sound Neuro Recovery since 2017, and only employs expert neurologic therapists that are the best in their field.
Vicki Stevens is by far the finest physical therapist among the many with whom I have worked. Her professionalism, skills, dedication, compassion and patient-centered approach are inspiring. She has kept me moving and capable of doing things I never thought possible.
Vicki helped my daughter who suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury learn to walk again and continues to help her to achieve independence at home to this day. Vicki is an integral part of my daughter's recovery and how far she has come. I don't have the words to adequately convey what a blessing Vicki has been to our family.