Meet the PHRC Team
Clinical Team
Stephanie Prendergast, MPT
Cofounder
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena, CA
Stephanie grew up in South Jersey. She received her Bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from Rutgers University and her Master’s in physical therapy at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University in Philadelphia. In 2013 Stephanie was the first physical therapist to be President of the International Pelvic Pain Society. For balance, Steph turns to exercise, cooking, and spending time outdoors with her husband and their rescue dogs, Carlo and Reyna.
Elizabeth Akincilar, MSPT
Cofounder
Merrimack, NH
Merrimack, NH
Liz received her Masters of Physical Therapy from the University of Miami Medical School. She is a Pennsylvania native but spent much of her early professional career in San Francisco. In 2015 Liz was excited to move back to the east coast to open PHRC’s first New England location. Now she is a fully acclimated New Englander who loves the four seasons. Liz’s happy place is in the kitchen cooking for friends and family or in the mountains with her partner and two rescue German Shepherds, Gunner and Jackson.
Melinda Fontaine, DPT
Walnut Creek, CA
Melinda is a native of Concord, California. Melinda earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise biology from UC Davis and her doctorate in physical therapy from Simmons College in Boston. She enjoys working with children and adults of all ages, and she believes in listening to a person’s whole story when making a treatment plan. When she’s not at PHRC, you’ll find her either dashing around in her running shoes or cooking up delectable meals for her family. She’s famous for her killer baked chimichangas and her inability to stick to a recipe.
Courtney Mikowicz, DPT
Walnut Creek, CA
Courtney is an East Bay, CA native. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Florida in Gainesville. She began her career working in orthopedics and developed a passion for pelvic floor physical therapy after the birth of her first child. She is passionate about working with the peripartum/postpartum populations and is excited to help reach more patients who need additional support in order to feel their best. She is currently working on becoming a pregnancy and postpartum certified specialist (PCES). In her free time, you can find her spending time with her husband, and chasing her two kids around the East Bay parks. She also enjoys music, coffee, traveling, baking cookies, and HGTV.
Rebecca Arkin OTD, OTR/L, PRPC
Walnut Creek and Berkeley, CA
Rebecca received her doctorate and masters of Occupational Therapy from New York University. She was immediately drawn to pelvic health when she observed the impact it had on patients' ability to engage in activities they love. Her passion lies in educating individuals of all genders about the role and significance of the pelvic floor. With a holistic approach in mind, Rebecca has completed a 200-hour yoga training program, aiming to help patients establish a stronger mind-body connection through movement. Outside of the clinic, you can find her practicing yoga, cooking, or hiking with her fiance and dog, Winston.
Celine Loiselle MSOTR/L, CLWT
Merrimack, NH
Celine is a native of Westford, MA and earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from UMass Lowell. She relocated to the Sunshine State, and earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of St. Augustine. She has a passion for holistic health and wellness, and boasts over ten years of experience working in rehabilitation and wellness spaces while traveling the country as a military spouse. Celine found her passion for pelvic health through her own pregnancy and post-partum journey, and strives to help others feel safe, informed, and empowered with their pelvic health. Before finding her niche in pelvic floor therapy, Celine specialized in lymphedema therapy and intensive care medicine in trauma one settings. gap_next_line
When she's not in the clinic, you can find Celine teaching pilates, scuba diving, traveling, reading, and chasing after her toddler and rescue pitbulls!
Brianna Quade, PT
Los Gatos, CA
Brianna was born and raised in the beautiful Napa Valley. She received her bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Science from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. While attending LMU, she was on the Division 1 women’s water polo team. She then moved across the country and obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from University of South Carolina. Brianna knew early on in her career that she wanted to work in pelvic floor after having exposure to the specialty while working as an aide. Her passion for the field only grew as she began to work with patients of her own and realized the impact she can make on one’s pelvic health. Outside the clinic, Brianna enjoys hiking, hot yoga, baking sweet treats, and traveling with friends and family.
Kira Sterling, OTR/L, CLT
San Francisco, CA
Kira received her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. While in fieldwork had the opportunity to study pelvic floor therapy and has never looked back. Her passion is working with people experiencing pain with sex and working with the LGBTQIA+ community. Kira is also a Certified Lymphatic Therapist with experience treating individuals post-operative. While a new transplant from NYC to San Francisco when Kira is not working you can find her rock climbing, hiking, swimming or curled up with a good book and a cup of coffee.
Lizzie Rash, MSOT, OTR/L
Lexington, MA
Lizzie is a native of Braintree, MA and earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the New England Institute of Technology. She has been practicing in the field of occupational therapy for four years and discovered her passion for pelvic health after a close family member experienced pelvic floor dysfunction. This personal connection inspired her to pursue a career helping others navigate similar challenges with compassion and expertise. gap_next_line
Lizzie has a special interest in working with athletes experiencing pelvic health-related dysfunction and is committed to delivering care that supports performance, function, and overall wellness. gap_next_second_line
When she's not in the clinic, you can find Lizzie reading a book, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, or and spending time outdoors, especially at the beach during the warmer months.
Tabitha Lin, OTD, OTR/L
Pasadena, CA
Tabitha earned her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from USC. She has built a diverse clinical foundation across hospital units, home health, and outpatient settings, with specialization in oncology rehabilitation and pelvic health. She employs evidence-based protocols that include pelvic floor training, behavior modifications, manual therapy, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and functional lifestyle adaptations—all rooted in a biopsychosocial framework. gap_next_line
She is a passionate advocate for empowering patients to understand and self-manage their health, bridging systemic gaps through education, resource navigation, and hands-on advocacy. She speaks both Mandarin and Spanish and can cater treatments to clients of various cultural backgrounds. She believes that pelvic health is for ALL bodies. gap_next_second_line
Outside of work, she unwinds by boxing, playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, and discovering camping spots that fuel her connection to nature.
Zoe Saunders, OTD, OTR/L
West Los Angeles, CA
Zoë was born and raised in New Rochelle, NY, and relocated to Los Angeles to complete her Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy and Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California. She has two years of experience as an occupational therapist, specializing primarily in pediatrics, and developed a strong clinical interest in pelvic floor therapy during graduate school. gap_next_line
Zoë is committed to delivering evidence-based, high-quality care that prioritizes client comfort, dignity, and well-being. She is certified in Sensory Integration and is currently pursuing certification as a Certified Sexuality Occupational Therapist (CSOT). Beyond her professional practice, you can find Zoë enjoying Pilates, spending time at the beach, and traveling internationally.
Administrative Team
Lisa Topete
Director of Administration
Berkeley, CA
Berkeley, CA
Lisa is a Bay Area native with 29 years experience in medical office management and billing /collection management.
She enjoys cooking, reading, watching Hallmark movies and spending time with her family. You can always find her with a dark roast coffee in her hand.
Sabrina Dickerson
Senior Administrative Assistant
and Training SpecialistWest Los Angeles, CA
and Training SpecialistWest Los Angeles, CA
Sabrina is a Washington Metropolitan area native and has a strong passion for helping people. She spends her free time writing and creating music. She also enjoys spending time with her partner, tiny pup Kizzy, friends and family (especially at the beach, hiking and picnics in the park).
Emily Tran
Social Media Manager
Emily is Ventura, CA local. With a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, she is deeply committed to specializing in the care of individuals and families affected by chronic pain. Passionate in the field of mental health and chronic pain, she continues to devote her time to continuing education and serving her community via outreach and awareness.
Amanda Baker
Merrimack, NH
Amanda is originally from Westford, MA. After graduating high school, she moved down to Myrtle Beach and began taking classes for sonography. Amanda moved back home to New England home in 2018 to spend more time with family, her grandmother and 1st niece. While helping to care for her Grandmother, she started to look into ways to stay healthy and discovered the benefits of Pelvic floor therapy. She enjoys spending her weekends at the soccer field with her five step kids and vacationing in the northern NH mountains.
Jacob Berg
Lexington, MA
Jacob was born in Boston and raised in Bedford, MA. He has an associate in Information Technologies from Southern New Hampshire University. Jacob is an identical twin and currently has two cats (Corvo and Goku). Jacob enjoys anything that gets him outdoors and into the woods, he is an avid gamer of both tabletop and video games; and dabbles in bass guitar.
Wendy Rosas
Content Creator and Social Media Assistant Encinitas, CA
Wendy graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She was born and raised in Northern California but made San Diego her home in the summer of 2021. In her free time she enjoys painting, jewelry making, and relaxing at the beach.
Gwyneth Barlow
San Francisco, CA
Gwyn grew up in the Portland, Oregon area and has always valued the importance of family and community. She is the proud caretaker of two rescue cats, Peanut and Wesley, one of whom has special needs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending quality time with her loved ones, and exploring as much as possible. She credits her father for instilling in her a compassionate and hardworking spirit, which continues to guide her in both her personal and professional life.