Meet the team at Regain PT! Our highly trained staff are caring and compassionate.
Meet the Team: Heather Nichting
Physical Therapist/Owner
Heather opened Regain in 2012 with a passion for people and a desire to provide personalized, one-on-one care. She believes that people come first and that therapy is more successful when therapists have time to really listen. This allows the therapist to personalize the treatment based on specific goals and needs. She founded Regain on this philosophy and has made sure to hire staff that share her vision.
Heather graduated from the Physical Therapy program at Nazareth College in 2003. She’s been licensed and working as a Physical Therapist since then. Her experience prior to opening Regain includes working with adults and children with various neurological conditions. It also includes serving as Director of Rehab at a nursing home. She has extensive training and experience with a variety of orthopaedic and neurological conditions including (but not limited to) joint pain, neck and back pain, vertigo, TMJ, dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson’s, and Cerebral Palsy.
Heather is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and continues to learn by attending additional courses. She holds a Level 1 certification in Kinesiology taping techniques, and has attended additional courses regarding strength and flexibility training, knee and hip rehab and prevention of injury, balance and coordination, fall prevention, shoulder, Vestibular rehab (vertigo), and the McKenzie Method Part A course regarding the lumbar spine.
When she is not working, Heather loves to golf and spend time outdoors with her husband and friends.
Heather is currently not accepting new patients.
Meet the Team: Ryan Shannon
Clinical Director
Physical Therapy Assistant
Ryan is a dedicated Physical Therapy Assistant who has been a valuable member of the Regain team since July 2014. After relocating from Lockport, NY to the Rochester area, Ryan brought with her a wealth of knowledge and a passion for patient care. She graduated from Niagara County Community College in 2003 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapy Assisting and has been a licensed practitioner ever since.
Ryan is proficient in both the McKenzie Part A (lumbar spine) and McKenzie Part B (cervical spine) courses. She has an extensive background in manual physical therapy, having completed specialized training in techniques such as Positional Release, Myofascial Release, and Mulligan Upper Quadrant techniques. Additionally, Ryan is a Level I certified Kinesiology Taping therapist.
A passionate runner with a deep understanding of running kinematics, she excels in treating running-specific injuries. Her evidence-based approach ensures patients receive skilled, effective interventions to help them heal and prevent future issues. Ryan prides herself on building lasting relationships with her patients, guiding them through their recovery journey with both expertise and compassion.
Outside of her professional life, Ryan enjoys spending time with her husband and children, running, camping, cooking, and embracing the great outdoors.
Meet the Team: Dr. Bryn Yoshida
Physical Therapist
Bryn joined the Regain team in October of 2016, after moving from the Seattle area where he was a practicing physical therapist for over 5 years. He has experience treating a wide range of orthopedic and vestibular conditions including the high school and college athlete, post-operative rehab, injured workers, and dizziness/balance. He graduated from the University of St. Augustine in San Diego, CA with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2010, where he received extensive manual therapy training.
Bryn has continued to learn and develop his skills through continuing education classes to expand his manual therapy techniques, vestibular rehabilitation training, and improve his ability to work with golfers. He has taken theMcKenzie Institute Parts A and B, has his Kinesiology Taping Certification, and is Level 2 Medical Certification through the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI). His Level 2 TPI certification allows him to work specifically with golfers to better assess any physical limitations that may affect their golf swing or lead to injury.
Bryn loves being a part of a practice that truly is dedicated to one-on-one care, which allows a personalized and productive experience for each patient visit. In his free time, Bryn enjoys spending time with his family and being outside golfing, hiking, and camping.
Meet the Team: Dr. Alex Kiley
Physical Therapist
Alex joined the Regain team in August of 2020. She graduated from Nazareth College in 2020 with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Alex has spent much of her clinical experience in an outpatient orthopedic setting, treating a variety of orthopedic diagnoses. She also has experience treating neurologic diseases in an outpatient setting including Parkinson’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and TBI.
Since joining Regain, Alex has completed the McKenzie Course Part A, which is an advanced training on treatment of low back pain. She excels in treating athletic conditions and return to sport activities.
She feels so fortunate to have found a clinic that values one on one time and patient centered care and has excelled at providing the most current evidence based practice for physical therapy.
Alex was a collegiate athlete while at Nazareth. She played soccer for The Golden Flyers all four years. In her free time, Alex enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and being outdoors.
Meet the Team: Dr. Julia Bliss
Physical Therapist
Julia joined the Regain team after moving from Washington DC where she was a practicing physical therapist at Children’s National Hospital. While there she worked in inpatient acute, outpatient pediatrics, as well as in the multidisciplinary pain clinic, managing acute and chronic pain. Julia has experience treating a wide range of pediatric, orthopedic and pain related diagnoses such as Cerebral Palsy, Gross Motor Delay, Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome, balance impairments, and sports injury rehab. Julia earned her Doctorate of Physical therapy from The George Washington University.
Julia is excited to be a part of a team that emphasizes one-on-one patient care so that she can truly address the patient’s needs and goals throughout their care.
In her free time, Julia enjoys spending time with friends, being outdoors, reading, cooking and exploring the Finger Lakes region. She is originally from San Diego, CA.
Meet the Team: Dr. Erin Leegan
Physical Therapist
Erin joined the Regain team in September of 2022. She moved from Florida “back home” with her two sons and husband to the town of Fairport, where she was raised. She loves the safety, schools, community and small town feel of the Rochester suburbs.
She has practiced outpatient physical therapy for the past 12 years, between Virginia, Florida and New York. She attended Colgate University for her undergraduate degree, followed by New York Medical College for her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2014. She has experience treating multiple orthopedic conditions, as well as vestibular rehab. She is passionate about, and continues to educate herself on, varying shoulder and upper extremity rehab.
In her free time, Erin loves to spend time with her family, swim with a masters team, run, lift and complete orange theory classes with her work colleagues. Her athletic background includes winning multiple New York state swimming titles with Fairport High school, followed by Patriot League titles at Colgate University. She coaches with the club swim team, FAST 1x/week, and particularly enjoys rehabbing competitive swimming injuries.
Erin believes in quality of care. She loves being a part of a team that treats patients one-on-one. She is excited to work at Regain Physical Therapy, and eager to help you feel your best!
Meet the Team: Sarah Lipinski
Physical Therapist
Sarah has been a Physical Therapist for 19 years. She grew up in Macedon NY, but now resides in Chili NY. She graduated from D’Youville College in 2004 with her master’s degree in Physical Therapy. Since then, Sarah has worked exclusively in the outpatient physical therapy setting. She has experience treating individuals with a variety of orthopedic diagnoses such as pre- and post-surgical joint replacements, rotator cuff, and SI joint pain. Additionally, Sarah treats women’s health clients who have pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, and prenatal and postpartum conditions such as symphysis pubis pain and low back pain.
She has learned and expanded her knowledge base professionally through continuing education coursework in the areas of kinesiology taping, pelvic floor dysfunction, and osteoporosis. She plans to continue her education to include additional coursework in pelvic health.
Sarah joined Regain in February 2023 and knows first-hand the importance of quality patient care as the top priority. She is excited to be a part of a team that shares the same vision. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, reading, camping, home improvement projects and hanging out with family and friends.
Meet the Team: Dr. Kristen Prohaska
Physical Therapist
Kristen joined the Regain team in August 2023 after graduating from Nazareth College as a Doctor of Physical Therapy with minors in Psychology and Bioethics. She has a diverse range of clinical experience including outpatient orthopedic, outpatient neurological, and inpatient acute (hospital) settings. Kristen loves providing compassionate care and rehab for injured athletes, post-operative conditions, prosthetics, and joint pain, as well as neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and balance impairments.
She truly believes in Regain’s mission- spending time getting to know our patients and empowering people to play an active role in their healing. This creates lasting results! At Nazareth, Kristen was a five-year member of the women’s soccer team and enjoyed working as a graduate assistant in Nazareth’s prosthetics and orthotics clinic. She was recently a recipient of the Nazareth College Award for Excellence in Physical Therapy. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active, reading, live music, exploring new places, watching sports (Go Bills), and visiting her family in Lockport, NY.
Meet the Team: Dr. Kellen Rotach
Physical Therapist
Kellen joined Regain in December 2023. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Daemen University in 2012 and brings over a decade of experience in the outpatient setting.
His clinical background includes extensive work with musculoskeletal and neurological conditions such as sports injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, vertigo and balance disorders, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. He has particular expertise in evaluating and treating injuries of the spine, knee, ankle, and shoulder.
Kellen has also completed advanced training in running and gait analysis, lifting mechanics as they relate to spine health, and rehabilitation approaches tailored to the aging population. His broad skill set is strengthened by his time in home care, where he gained valuable experience supporting individuals with complex medical needs. He is especially passionate about designing individualized exercise and functional programs that promote safety, independence, and confidence in both home and community settings.
Kellen is known for providing compassionate, patient-centered care and fostering a positive, supportive treatment environment. He values a collaborative approach, believing that strong communication and partnership between therapist and patient are essential to building trust and achieving meaningful outcomes.
Outside of his work at Regain, Kellen leads an active lifestyle. He enjoys spending time with his young family and participating in outdoor activities, including hiking, golfing, and boating.
Meet the Team: Dr. Jordan Hodge
Physical Therapist
Jordan joined the Regain team in the beginning of 2025. He graduated from D’Youville University in 2023 and has been fortunate to work as a travel physical therapist, gaining diverse experience in a variety of settings across the country, including Colorado, Northern Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
His journey into physical therapy was inspired by my lifelong love of sports. Having experienced firsthand the importance of physical health and recovery, he is dedicated to helping others regain mobility, strength, and overall well-being. Jordan specializes in treating orthopedic injuries, with a focus on the shoulder, neck, low back, hip, knee and ankle.He also has a strong background in hands-on techniques, using manual therapy and other hands-on approaches to help alleviate pain, improve mobility, and promote faster recovery.
Throughout his career, Jordan has had the privilege of working with individuals from all walks of life, which has allowed him to refine his skills in providing personalized care.
Outside of work, Jordan likes to stay active and enjoys hiking, running, and rock climbing. He also cherishes spending time with my friends and family, who are a constant source of support and inspiration.
Meet the Team: Dr. Natalie DiFrancesco
Physical Therapist
Natalie joined the Regain team in September 2025, bringing with her a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Duquesne University.
Throughout her education, Natalie gained extensive hands-on experience through three diverse clinical rotations: an orthopedic outpatient clinic, an orthopedic neurological clinic, and an acute care hospital setting. This exposure has given her a well-rounded skill set in orthopedics, neurological rehab, and vestibular therapy, and general deconditioning. She takes pride in working with patients of all ages and backgrounds, offering a fresh, youthful perspective on treatment.
From a young age, Natalie knew she wanted to pursue a career in physical therapy with the goal of helping others. She is passionate about the one-on-one nature of PT that Regain provides, where compassionate, individualized care can make a meaningful, lasting difference in her patients’ lives. Natalie is thrilled to be a part of the Regain team, where she can continue providing exceptional care to all those who walk through the door.
Originally from Penfield, Natalie grew fond of Pittsburgh during her six years in the city for PT school but always knew she would return home to be closer to family. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with loved ones, staying active outdoors, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.
Meet the Team: Randy Duong
Office Manager
Randy has been a part of the Regain team since October of 2019. Randy brings over 13 years of customer service experience with him. He has attended Monroe Community College for a certificate program in Cyber Security. As Randy is usually found behind the front desk as patient’s first walk in he strives to make sure everyone feels welcomed and prepared for their visits. He enjoy helping patients and co-workers alike and is always willing to lend a helping hand no matter the issue. In his free time, Randy enjoys relaxing inside as much as staying active and experiencing new things outdoors. A few activities these includes are reading, longboarding, hiking, and dancing.
Meet the Team: Viktoria Sobchuk
Care Coordinator/Certified Personal Trainer
Viktoria has been part of the Regain team since May of 2023. She received her certification for a personal trainer from ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association) in November of 2023. Viktoria has spent the last 3 years very dedicated to health & fitness and strives to help others reach their goals. Viktoria brings over 4 years of customer service experience with her. Viktoria is usually at the front desk greeting and assisting patients with their needs. If she is not at the desk you may find her training patients in our strength & flexibility program. Outside of work, she enjoys going to the gym, walks with her 2 dogs, and traveling & exploring new places.