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Our Team
The Right Hands
Lindsay Pimentel
OTR/L, CHT, CWCE, CEAS II
At the center of the practice is the clinic’s founder and visionary, Lindsay Pimentel. After graduating in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, she continued her training as a CHT (Certified Hand Therapist – 2001) and later as a CWCE (Certified Work Capacity Evaluator – 2004) and a CEAS II (Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist – 2007).
“I love what I do; this is my passion and my ministry and I feel so privileged to be a part of making a difference in peoples’ lives.” – Lindsay Pimentel
The Right People
Lindsay Pimentel Hand to Shoulder Rehab is home to some of Fresno’s top occupational and physical therapists. Only a creative and ambitious team could service so many patients and doctors across the Central Valley and beyond. The therapists, who work collectively alongside Lindsay to meet the diverse needs of their clients, and they are constantly furthering themselves in knowledge to deliver quality treatments.
Meet our Team:
Growing up with an entrepreneur as a father, she learned to see the world with an eye for identifying problems, finding solutions, and meetings needs. When she discovered the world of occupational therapy, it opened her eyes to a profession built on creativity, compassion, and science. In 2015, she earned a Master’s of Occupational Therapy from Milligan College in TN, and headed west the following week. She has since had the opportunity to work in various settings including acute care, skilled nursing facilities, pediatric outpatient, and hand therapy. Seeing her clients return to life’s daily activities at Hand to Shoulder Rehab, inspires her to continually pursue excellence in what she feel is her life’s calling.
Justin earned his master’s degree in occupational therapy at California State University Dominguez Hills, and prior to discovering the world of therapy, he had a career in international marketing. He has spent most of his life in Southern California, and has moved up to Fresno in 2020, drawn by the plethora of outdoor activities Central Valley has to offer. He enjoys many hobbies such as rock climbing, snowboarding, and wood working, and understands his client’s frustration when they cannot use their hands to participate in their favorite hobbies or work. Justin finds joy in being able to help his clients return to the activities they love to do.
Liesl discovered Occupational Therapy in high school thanks to a wonderful teacher. She graduated from the University of Cape Town, South Africa with a Bachelor of Science in OT. She then spent a year travelling in Europe with her husband and they emigrated to the United States in 1991. She has 30+ years of experience in hand therapy, neurology, ICU and acute rehab. She enjoys time with her family, plays tennis, rock-climbs, swims, hikes and mountain bikes. She also enjoys gardening, raising goats and reading Dickens and C.S.Lewis. “ What inspires me is seeing people regain their health and independence. Hand to Shoulder Rehab is a wonderful place to work, where therapists and patients feel like part of the family.
With a Bachelor’s degree in classical guitar from Florida State University, and a passion for music Suzanne has a special interest in hand and upper extremity care for artists and musicians. She graduated from Bay Path College with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, is also a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and a licensed Massage Therapist. She has had several years of experience working in this specialized field in the valley and recently completed a Hand Therapy Fellowship. She loves music, teaching and playing classical guitar, going to concerts and enjoys fellowship with friends in the arts. “I love to take the time to truly listen to my patients and educate them on their healing process so that I can make a difference, working at Hand to Shoulder Rehab, I get to do just that.”
Growing up he was always involved in sports and suffered a few injuries along the way. After recovering from an injury and then going on to have a second one which took a year-long recovery, his interest in therapy was well under way. He graduated as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) in 2015 from the College of Santa Ana and then certified as an Ergonomist (CEAS I) shortly thereafter. With his well rounded experience in the hand therapy field he works closely with our hand therapists to provide excellent care to our patients. “I’ve always had a passion for exercise and health in general. Having a background in mental health I feel I have an insight into the struggles people face when of dealing with injuries. Working in the hand therapy field at Hand to Shoulder Rehab allows me the means to help others in their recovery process.”
Stephanie completed her studies as a COTA and has traveled and worked throughout the US finding roots here in the Central Valley and now working in the Hand Therapy field. Her bubbly personality makes all her patients feel welcome and comfortable. She loves spending time with her family and friends, enjoys her church community and in particular her canine friend. “Working at Hand to Shoulder Rehab has given me a passion to help patients restore their function, my team is great and working closely with the Team ensures the quality of my outcomes.”
Brianna’s passion for helping others is what drove her to pursue a career in massage therapy. Since graduating from College in 2010, she has continued to expand her knowledge in the field of therapeutic massage by learning new techniques and applying them to her practice. She is an intricate part of the team and brings lots of experience to the clinic. She loves baking and spending quality time with her family. “At Hand to Shoulder Rehab I love that I have the opportunity to show how massage can positively impact my patients and improve their quality of life, I love that I get to be the calm in someone’s day or give them time to relax and just breathe for an hour.”
