Staff

Co-owner of Pleasantview Physiotherapy Clinic, Chris is a graduate from Dalhousie University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Physical Therapy. Shortly after graduation, he moved to Edmonton and began working in private practice. He continues on a lifelong path of learning and has completed a variety of postgraduate courses including Gunn IMS, acupuncture, functional dry needling, and TMJ management. He has also completed numerous mobilisation and manipulation courses. His special interests lie in treating the elite and aging athlete, complex motor vehicle accident clients, chronic pain conditions, TMJ problems, and headaches.

Outside of work Chris is a father of two children who are actively involved in hockey, football and cheer. In his free time he loves to golf, snowboard, and play basketball.

Ellen graduated from University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy in 1990.Since graduating, she has worked in both hospitals and private practice settings. Ellen has completed numerous courses including diagnostic imaging, dry needling, acupuncture, manual therapy, neuroproprioceptive taping, and exercise therapy. She is authorized by the College of Physical Therapist of Alberta to order diagnostic imaging, in the use of dry needles, and to perform spinal manipulation. She is currently employed at 2 jobs: one at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital working in conjunction with physiatrists at the peripheral nerve injury clinic, and with amputees and complex musculoskeletal services, and part time at Pleasantview Physiotherapy treating orthopaedic conditions.

Ellen is fluent in Cantonese. Her special interest lies in treating musculoskeletal injuries and movement disorders such as Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, and tension neck and back syndrome. Ellen has been active in her profession as a Clinical Associate Professor of the University of Alberta and the examiner for the Physiotherapy National Exam Board.

Ellen is an avid traveler outside of work. She enjoys hiking, swimming, music, painting, and sharing the company of good friends.

Anne has been a physical therapist in private practice since graduating from the University of Alberta in 1997. She is invested in continuing education and over the years has completed additional training in chronic pain, sports assessment, evaluating the jaw. and breathing dysfunction. 2016 Anne completed a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Science and published a paper on rotator cuff tears in the shoulder.

In addition to treating all traditional physiotherapy problems like sprains/strains, car accidents, post-surgery or post-fracture problems, Anne has several areas of interest in her practice.

Exercise and Self Management
Function and performance are big priorities for Anne, and exercise is part of everyone's treatment. As a road and trail runner she knows the importance of self maintenance. Teaching people to take care of their own body and develop an exercise habit is her goal. She also offers Healthy Athlete assessments to look at specific movement and strength related to a person's sport or activity to offer guidance and treatment before an injury happens.

Ongoing Pain
Anne has had success treating chronic pain in areas like the neck, shoulder, back and hip, often using Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS). She has been a certified Gunn IMS practitioner since 2003 and has training in Active Release Techniques and other hands-on treatment methods.

TMD and Headaches
Another area of focus for Anne is treating orofacial pain. This includes headaches, face pain and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. She can also work with your dentist to help sort out these issues.

Breathing Dysfunction
Poor breathing can affect many aspects of life.

Altered breathing patterns and breathing weakness can be a factor in problems traditionally treated by physiotherapy such as ongoing neck or back pain. Symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness or anxiety that are not caused by a medical problem may be triggered by poor breathing habits. Even asthma and COPD can be made worse by dysfunctional breathing.

Anne can identify any connections between dysfunctional breathing and your symptoms. Treatment is aimed at optimizing breathing for daily activities, work or sport and may include exercises to reduce carbon dioxide sensitivity or increase strength of the diaphragm as well as addressing poor posture, stiff joints or other weak muscles which may contribute to breathing limitations.

Jo-Anne completed her Physiotherapy schooling in Ontario, where she was born into a family of Dutch immigrants. She began with a diploma from Mohawk College and McMaster University, later earning her BHScPT from McMaster. Jo-Anne has worked in hospitals, home care and private practice. Private Practice has been her home now for over 30 years. She has been married for 40 years to her husband Richard and they have 3 awesome adult children. When Jo-Anne isn’t at work at Pleasantview she works for her husband's Engineering company, loves to cook and bake for her family and friends, read fiction and cookbooks, and try to exercise regularly. Jo-Anne is very involved in her community church as well and loves to travel whenever she can. Jo-Anne still enjoys her work after all these years and looks forward to meeting and working with every new client.

Rakesh is a committed, caring, and friendly physiotherapist with a great passion for helping people of all ages. He has experience in supporting a variety of patients who are recovering from injuries and movement disorders. He is passionate about treating knee and shoulder injuries.

He has always been passionate about learning new things and the human body which led him to his bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy in 2012. From his experience, he strongly believes in creating individualized treatment and exercise programs. Rakesh has a certificate to use Biomedical Dry Needling.

Outside of work Rakesh likes to play cricket and likes spending good quality time with family.

Jessica has a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University. She is proficient in treating a variety of injuries and conditions of the musculoskeletal (muscles and bones) system, including but not limited to low back and hip pain, TMJ dysfunction, post-surgical and osteoarthritis. She has a particular interest in working with individuals who have neurological conditions with dizziness and balance disruptions to improve falls prevention. With her background as a competitive varsity track & field athlete, she enjoys treating clients with sports injuries including running, jumping and throwing injuries. Additionally, she enjoys working with people who are battling injuries related to the lower body including knee, ankle and foot.

Jessica is certified in the assessment and treatment of pelvic floor conditions. As a pelvic health physiotherapist, Jessica works with women of all ages who have prolapse, pelvic pain (including pain with intercourse) and bladder/bowel conditions including leakage/incontinence, urgency, and frequency. Jessica has a passion for working with mothers and families during the perinatal period of life. She has additional training in physiotherapy throughout pregnancy, delivery and beyond including c-section rehabilitation and care. Jessica has a penchant for helping mothers feel supported throughout their gestational journeys. She can assist you with positioning, core performance, birth prep, pelvic girdle pain, perineal stretching and much more to help you feel confident during pregnancy and after birth.

Jessica’s treatment plans utilize an active approach to rehabilitation with the primary focus on movement, education, and strategies to support your nervous system throughout injury. A large part of her treatments are geared towards helping her clients understand, reconnect, and reclaim their bodies, empowering them to self-manage their conditions. Health promotion and prehabilitation (to prevent injury) are vital to her clinical philosophy. When appropriate, she also incorporates manual/hands-on therapy: deep tissue massage, stretching, and joint mobilization.

When Jessica is not helping others achieve their functional goals, she is out putting

her brain and body to the test running and biking Edmonton’s river valley, hiking in the Rockies, weight-lifting, sprinting, and performing the three-legged dog in her self-led yoga practice. She is always looking for the next adventure and finding new ways to move. She is an avid traveler, having been to 21 countries (so far!), and enjoys a cozy coffee shop with a good book (usually a physio-related one that helps her further broaden her knowledge and skills!). Most importantly, she loves spending time with friends and family, especially her seven nieces.

Emily is originally from Victoria, BC where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Victoria. She then moved to Edmonton to complete her Master of Science in Physical Therapy at the University of Alberta. As a competitive triathlete in the past along with the knowledge learned from her degree in Kinesiology, this fuelled her deep interest in becoming a physiotherapist. During her first few years of kinesiology, she became fascinated with the study of human movement. Her passion for helping others move better paired with her joy in getting to know people from all walks of life has directed her to this very rewarding profession. Emily’s treatment philosophy is founded on providing optimal and quality patient care. She strives to create a positive and uplifting atmosphere to support her patients through their individual and unique journeys. Knowledge is power and Emily is a firm believer in active and purposeful treatment through education, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and functional dry needling. Additionally, she has taken up a special interest in vestibular and dizziness rehabilitation as well as assessment and treatment of running injuries. She has a deep desire to get to the root of why her patients come for physiotherapy services and is determined to help meet every patients needs that will ultimately lead to the independent management of their individual experience. Emily is excited to work with anyone who walks through the doors of Pleasantview Physiotherapy and is ready and determined to help you achieve your goals. Outside the clinic she enjoys hiking and camping in the mountains, running, mountain biking, road cycling, and swimming in lakes. In the winter she loves to downhill ski and skate and since moving to Edmonton she has picked up cross country skiing and bouldering. On a more musical note, she occasionally likes to sing and play guitar at open mics in Edmonton!

Trish graduated from MH Vicars School of Massage Therapy in June 2018.

As a Functional Range Conditioning (FRC®) mobility practitioner and, a RAPID Neurofascial Reset practitioner, Trish helps everyone from office workers to athletes to increase and optimize range of motion; reduce everyday aches and pains; and minimize risk of injury.

As an active person herself, Trish understands the muscle tension and injuries that can accompany an active lifestyle. She enjoys working with people in all ages and stages of life, to achieve their individual movement and pain reduction goals.

For best results, be prepared to be actively involved in each treatment session and be in ongoing communication with your therapist.

Courtney is a 2019 graduate from Sutherland Chan School of Massage in Toronto, Ontario and is registered with the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada.

She strives to deliver the best care to her patients through providing education to her patients, creating strong and effective therapeutic relationships, and creating achievable treatment plans. She offers a variety of therapeutic massage treatments General Swedish massage including a mix of deep tissue massage, relaxation massage, myofascial release, trigger point release, and joint mobilization. For your first visit Courtney recommends booking a minimum of a 45 minute massage.

Courtney was living in Guelph, Ontario for the last few years where she started her massage therapy practice, however, moved back to Edmonton August 2023 where she was born and raised. She is excited to continue to re-immerse herself in the Edmonton community!

During her spare time Courtney enjoys hiking, cafe hopping, indoor bouldering and time spent with her friends, family and cat.

Peri earned her Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bangalore, India, Master’s in Sports Physiotherapy from Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar, India.

In 2012, Perivinkel made the bold move to Canada, where she embarked on the journey to obtain her physiotherapy license. Her commitment to professional growth led her to join PVPT in 2016, where she has made significant contributions to the team, she is working as a Physiotherapy Assistant (PTA), gaining invaluable hands-on experience in the field. Peri did courses and trying to use her knowledge and also to improve her skills in techniques such as athletic taping and K-taping.

Beyond her professional endeavors, she enjoys painting and cherishes quality time spent with her family, balancing her career and personal interests with grace. Perivinkel’s dedication to her field and her compassionate approach to patient care continue to make a lasting impact on those she serves.

Basil has a diploma in rehabilitation therapy from CDI college and is also a certified veterinary assistant. He is a lifelong learner and is always interested in taking different workshops and seminars to gain new skills.

When he is not at the clinic Basil loves fitness, podcasts and is a part of the ARKA brotherhood men’s group.

Samantha is our weekday morning admin. You can often find her smiling face at the front desk throughout the week.

Guided by a desire to help others who are struggling, Samantha graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in psychology from the University of Alberta in 2017. Over the years, this developed into a particular interest on the impact of brain injuries and illness towards mental health and daily functioning. When it comes to health, she believes it is important to consider all aspects of life, including mental, physical, and social.

During her free time, Samantha likes to surround herself with stories from books, movies, and TV series. She gives equal love to all genres, and upon occasion will make her own attempts at writing some fiction. Good food and great conversation are two things Samantha finds difficult to resist.

Caitlin is our Wednesday and Thursday evening admin and the weekend admin.

She is passionate about helping people which spurred her to pursue a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of Alberta which she graduated from in 2018. She is also passionate about lifelong learning and decided to go back to school in 2020 to pursue a second bachelor's degree, this time completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in Computer Science at MacEwan University.

Outside of the clinic, she likes to spend her free time reading a good novel, indoor bouldering, playing video games, and spending time with her friends, family, and her cat Luna.

Meet Sierra! You’ll find Sierra at the front desk on Monday and Tuesday evenings. Sierra is from Beaumont, Alberta and having played sports all her life, she loves being active. She is currently studying psychology at Grant MacEwan university in hopes to become a child psychologist. She strongly believes your mental health is just as important as your physical health and it is so important we take care of both.

Sierra is a social butterfly who loves to spend her free time with family and friends, being around people is how Sierra recharges!

When asked her favourite part about her job Sierra said it is hearing patients’ stories so feel welcome to chat to her while you wait at the front. Sierra also loves to read so let her know if you have any book recommendations for her.

As Clinical Director, Dawn is usually tucked away behind the scenes ensuring the clinic runs smoothly. However, from time to time you will find her working the front desk assisting patients or answering the phones. Always passionate about helping others, Dawn graduated from Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Care in 2012.

Dawn moved to Canada from Ireland in 2015 and spent some time in hospitality management before joining the Pleasantview Physiotherapy team. She believes you should never stop learning and is currently completing her certificate in Human Resource Management by night through the University of Alberta. When she’s not at the clinic you can find Dawn enjoying Edmonton’s food scene, traveling, weightlifting, or enjoying the outdoors with her fiancé and their dog Murphy.