Meet Our Experts — 90+ Years Combined Expertise
Kathy Johnson, PT, MSPT, OCS, Board Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Founder, BEST PT
Kathy Johnson, PT, MSPT, OCS, Board Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Kathy founded BEST PT in 1995. She knew from the age of twelve, after receiving physical therapy treatment for an ankle injury, that her goal was to become a physical therapist. She completed her undergraduate work at UC Santa Barbara and received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of the Pacific. She went on to obtain her Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinical Specialist Certification (OCS). Kathy has coached club level youth soccer for years, she is an avid tennis player, and has competed in field hockey, softball, and soccer. and has coached club level youth soccer for years. Kathy competed in field hockey, softball, and soccer. She specifically enjoys helping athletes return to their sport. In her spare time, you will find her watching youth sports, playing tennis and skiing.
Specialties include: neck and lumbar spinal conditions, shoulders, hips, ankles, and TMJ
Chaula Vakil, PT, MPT
Specialties include: Neck and back injuries
Chaula Vakil, PT, MPT
Chaula received her Master’s of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. She is passionate about her profession and very proactive about enhancing her skills by taking long-term courses to add to her repertoire — as evidenced by her year-long study of Australian Maitland Manual Therapy, joint mobilization, and dynamic core stabilization. She enjoys educating and empowering her patients about their injury. She is an advocate of core exercises and incorporates the principles of proper body mechanics. Chaula enjoys running, swimming, and spending time with her two little girls and her husband.
Specialties include: Neck and back injuries
Jon Brennan PT, DPT
Specialties include: Manual therapy, balance, and proper breathing techniques
Jon Brennan PT, DPT
Jon became fascinated with the biomechanics of the human body while earning his black belt in martial arts and learning about eastern philosophies of healing. After courses in massage, Jon eventually discovered the career of Physical Therapy, graduating with a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Samuel Merritt College. Since graduating Jon has worked solely in outpatient orthopedics and loves being a PT because h can work with the diverse population that makes up the Bay Area. He enjoys focusing on manual therapy, balance, and proper breathing techniques. In the past, Jon enjoyed trips to Europe and Hawaii but now devotes his time to his wife and two young children.
Specialties include: Manual therapy, balance, and proper breathing technique
Vinita Ghate, PT
Specialties include: Knees, athletes, and racquet sports
Vinita Ghate, PT
Vinita graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Sancheti Institute College of Physical Therapy. Since graduation, she has worked in an inpatient hospital setting, skilled nursing facility, and outpatient facilities overseas, and in Indiana prior to moving to the Silicon Valley.
She joined the BEST PT team in January 2019, and has been a wonderful asset to the team. She shows great compassion towards her patients, and being an athlete herself, enjoys helping her patients and other athletes achieve their desired goals. She shows a keen inclination over a wide spectrum from orthopedics and sports injuries to having a knack fort helping and working with the geriatric population.
In her spare time, she continues to pursue her passion for badminton, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.
Specialties include: Knees, athletes, racquet sports
Kinjal Solani, PT
Specialties include: Spine and shoulders
Kinjal Solani, PT
Kinjal graduated with her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Loma Linda University. Since high school, she wanted to be a physical therapist to help people in the community to heal and get back to activity. She is a certified clinical instructor and has deepened her knowledge through various continuing education courses including advanced sports rehabilitation and the McKenzie technique. She loves to learn new languages and is fluent in Gujarati and Hindi. In her free time, she loves to go hiking with her husband, read books, listen to music and explore new places with her toddler.
Specialties include: Spine and shoulders
Meghana Sukhtankar, PT
Specialties include: Work rehab, ergonomic training
Meghana Sukhtankar, PT
Meghana received her Bachelors in Physical Therapy from Pravara Medical Trusts College of Physiotherapy in India. She has worked in various outpatient clinics in the Bay Area and earned extensive experience in this setting with a diverse population. Meghana’s passion towards helping her patients has led her to continuously learn and acquire new skills. She believes in empowering her patients with education about their injury and to provide compassionate care. She incorporates Manual Therapy, Therapeutic exercise, Taping and education about Body Mechanics in her treatments. She enjoys hiking, traveling, reading and spending time with her son and husband.
Priya Thakkar, PT, MPT
Specialties include: Neck, spine, knee, and ankle injuries
Priya Thakkar, PT, MPT
While competing on her school’s track team, Priya became interested in physical therapy after having a positive experience with her physical therapist. She began exploring careers that would allow her to help others heal from injuries and live a healthy lifestyle. Priya received her Bachelor and Master of Physical Therapy from Rajiv Gandhi University of health Sciences, India in 2013. During her Masters, Priya conducted research on Berg Balance scale as an outcome measure for special children.
Priya received her manual therapy certification in 2011. She tries to leave no stone unturned in diagnosing her patients, and goes above and beyond in helping them recover and get back to their active lifestyle. In addition, she ensures that every patient leaves not only rehabilitated, but with a better understanding of their pathology and what they need to do to ensure long term functionality. Priya loves meeting and talking with people of different backgrounds and loves learning new languages. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Gujarati.
In her spare time, Priya loves exploring wineries of Napa and Sonoma. She enjoys being outdoors, hiking, camping and biking with her husband and her friends.
Adan Ramirez, PTA
Specialties include: Knees, ankles, soccer, high level agility and wellness training
Adan Ramirez, PTA
Adan received his B.S. in Kinesiology from San Jose State. To enhance his rehabilitation skills, he earned his Physical Therapist Assistant degree from Ohlone College. Adan’s interest in physical therapy started after personal injuries from years of playing high level competitive soccer. He gained firsthand experience working closely with athletes at the high school and collegiate levels. Adan strives to help people of various patient populations get back to healthy and functional lives. In his free time, Adan enjoys playing soccer and hockey, traveling, and playing the guitar.
Specialties include: Knees, ankles, soccer, high level agility and wellness training
Kathryn Garcia, PTA
Specialties include: Body mechanics and specific exercise training
Kathryn Garcia, PTA
Kathryn received her B.S in Health Science from Fresno State and an A.S in Physical Therapy Assisting from Ohlone College. A desire to gain knowledge of the proper functional movement patterns of the human body led her to physical therapy and functional rehabilitation. Kathryn leads an active lifestyle that includes yoga, working out, and running half and full marathons. One of her greatest accomplishments includes finishing the Boston Marathon in 3 hours and 50 min. She enjoys working with patients to develop proper functional body and movement mechanics specific to their lifestyle.
Specialties include: Body mechanics and specific exercise training
Niloo Mehdipour, PTA
Specialties include: Balance and gait deficits
Niloo Mehdipour, PTA
Niloo attended West Valley College where she earned an Associate degree in Science and Liberal Arts. Shortly after, she received her Physical Therapy Assistant degree from Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts.
Niloo has a passion for improving the quality of life for her patients through education, manual therapy, and exercise instruction. She specifically enjoys helping the senior population to improve their balance, achieve their goals and maintain long-term wellness. She strives to provide an energetic therapeutic experience and believes a positive environment is a pivotal component to recovery. She is a welcome addition to the BEST PT team.
Outside of work, her favorite pastimes are reading, painting, hiking, relaxing at the beach, and going to the gym.
Specialties include: Balance and gait deficits
Patricia Trupp, PT
Specialties include: Manual therapy
Patricia Trupp, PT
Graduated form the Catholic University in Chile with a BS in Physical Therapy. After graduation I came back to the United States, where I continued until today to expand my knowledge and skills, attending numerous advanced courses in the field of orthopedics. Manual therapy has always been my main focus.
In the clinic I enjoy exchanging ideas and knowledge with my coworkers and when it comes to my patients, I like to make them active participants of their rehabilitation process by learning about their condition, proper body mechanics and how to self-manage their symptoms in addition to the very important exercise program.
In my spare time I like to go for long walks in nature in good company. I also like to travel to learn about the different cultures, their people and through photography (my hobby) capture their natural and manmade beauty.
I’m also fluent in Spanish.
Meet Our Experts — 80+ Years Combined Expertise
Kathy Johnson, PT, MSPT, OCS, Board Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Kathy founded BEST PT in 1995. She knew from the age of twelve, after receiving physical therapy treatment for an ankle injury, that her goal was to become a physical therapist. She completed her undergraduate work at UC Santa Barbara and received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of the Pacific. She went on to obtain her Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinical Specialist Certification (OCS). Kathy has coached club level youth soccer for years, she is an avid tennis player, and has competed in field hockey, softball, and soccer. and has coached club level youth soccer for years. Kathy competed in field hockey, softball, and soccer. She specifically enjoys helping athletes return to their sport. In her spare time, you will find her watching youth sports, playing tennis and skiing.
Specialties include: neck and lumbar spinal conditions, shoulders, hips, ankles, and TMJ
Chaula Vakil, PT, MPT
Chaula received her Master’s of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. She is passionate about her profession and very proactive about enhancing her skills by taking long-term courses to add to her repertoire — as evidenced by her year-long study of Australian Maitland Manual Therapy, joint mobilization, and dynamic core stabilization. She enjoys educating and empowering her patients about their injury. She is an advocate of core exercises and incorporates the principles of proper body mechanics. Chaula enjoys running, swimming, and spending time with her two little girls and her husband.
Specialties include: Neck and back injuries
Jon Brennan PT, DPT
Jon became fascinated with the biomechanics of the human body while earning his black belt in martial arts and learning about eastern philosophies of healing. After courses in massage, Jon eventually discovered the career of Physical Therapy, graduating with a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Samuel Merritt College. Since graduating Jon has worked solely in outpatient orthopedics and loves being a PT because h can work with the diverse population that makes up the Bay Area. He enjoys focusing on manual therapy, balance, and proper breathing techniques. In the past, Jon enjoyed trips to Europe and Hawaii but now devotes his time to his wife and two young children.
Specialties include: Manual therapy, balance, and proper breathing technique
Vinita Ghate, PT
Vinita graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Sancheti Institute College of Physical Therapy. Since graduation, she has worked in an inpatient hospital setting, skilled nursing facility, and outpatient facilities overseas, and in Indiana prior to moving to the Silicon Valley.
She joined the BEST PT‘s team in January 2019, and has been a wonderful asset to the team. She shows great compassion towards her patients, and being an athlete herself, enjoys helping her patients and other athletes achieve their desired goals. She shows a keen inclination over a wide spectrum from orthopedics and sports injuries to having a knack fort helping and working with the geriatric population.
Specialties include: Knees, athletes, racquet sports
In her spare time, she continues to pursue her passion for badminton, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.
Kinjal Solani, PT
Kinjal graduated with her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Loma Linda University. Since high school, she wanted to be a physical therapist to help people in the community to heal and get back to activity. Â She is a certified clinical instructor and has deepened her knowledge through various continuing education courses including advanced sports rehabilitation and the McKenzie technique. She loves to learn new languages and is fluent in Gujarati and Hindi. In her free time, she loves to go hiking with her husband, read books, listen to music and explore new places with her toddler.
Specialties include: Spine and shoulders
Meghana Sukhtankar, PT
Meghana received her Bachelors in Physical Therapy from Pravara Medical Trusts College of Physiotherapy in India. She has worked in various outpatient clinics in the Bay Area and earned extensive experience in this setting with a diverse population. Meghana’s passion towards helping her patients has led her to continuously learn and acquire new skills. She believes in empowering her patients with education about their injury and to provide compassionate care. She incorporates Manual Therapy, Therapeutic exercise, Taping and education about Body Mechanics in her treatments. She enjoys hiking, traveling, reading and spending time with her son and husband.
Specialties include: Work rehab, ergonomic training
Priya Thakkar, PT, MPT
While competing on her school’s track team, Priya became interested in physical therapy after having a positive experience with her physical therapist. She began exploring careers that would allow her to help others heal from injuries and live a healthy lifestyle. Priya received her Bachelor and Master of Physical Therapy from Rajiv Gandhi University of health Sciences, India in 2013. During her Masters, Priya conducted research on Berg Balance scale as an outcome measure for special children.
Priya received her manual therapy certification in 2011. She tries to leave no stone unturned in diagnosing her patients, and goes above and beyond in helping them recover and get back to their active lifestyle. In addition, she ensures that every patient leaves not only rehabilitated, but with a better understanding of their pathology and what they need to do to ensure long term functionality. Priya loves meeting and talking with people of different backgrounds and loves learning new languages. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Gujarati.
In her spare time, Priya loves exploring wineries of Napa and Sonoma. She enjoys being outdoors, hiking, camping and biking with her husband and her friends.
Specialties include: Neck, spine, knee, and ankle injuries
Adan Ramirez, PTA
Adan received his B.S. in Kinesiology from San Jose State. To enhance his rehabilitation skills, he earned his Physical Therapist Assistant degree from Ohlone College. Adan’s interest in physical therapy started after personal injuries from years of playing high level competitive soccer. He gained firsthand experience working closely with athletes at the high school and collegiate levels. Adan strives to help people of various patient populations get back to healthy and functional lives. In his free time, Adan enjoys playing soccer and hockey, traveling, and playing the guitar.
Specialties include: Knees, ankles, soccer, high level agility and wellness training
Kathryn Garcia, PTA
Kathryn received her B.S in Health Science from Fresno State and an A.S in Physical Therapy Assisting from Ohlone College. A desire to gain knowledge of the proper functional movement patterns of the human body led her to physical therapy and functional rehabilitation. Kathryn leads an active lifestyle that includes yoga, working out, and running half and full marathons. One of her greatest accomplishments includes finishing the Boston Marathon in 3 hours and 50 min. She enjoys working with patients to develop proper functional body and movement mechanics specific to their lifestyle.
Specialties include: Body mechanics and specific exercise training
Niloo Mehdipour, PTA
Niloo attended West Valley College where she earned an Associate degree in Science and Liberal Arts. Shortly after, she received her Physical Therapy Assistant degree from Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts.
Niloo has a passion for improving the quality of life for her patients through education, manual therapy, and exercise instruction. She specifically enjoys helping the senior population to improve their balance, achieve their goals and maintain long-term wellness. She strives to provide an energetic therapeutic experience and believes a positive environment is a pivotal component to recovery. She is a welcome addition to the BEST PT team.
Outside of work, her favorite pastimes are reading, painting, hiking, relaxing at the beach, and going to the gym.
Specialties include: Balance and gait deficits
About Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs)
Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement.
After making a diagnosis, physical therapists create personalized treatment plans that help their patients improve mobility, manage pain and other chronic conditions, recover from injury, and prevent future injury and chronic disease.
You do not need a physician’s referral to make an appointment with a PT for an evaluation.
Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) are educated and licensed clinicians who provide care under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist.
Care provided by a PTA may include teaching people exercise for mobility, strength and coordination, training for activities such as walking with crutches, canes, or walkers, massage, and the use of physical agents and electrotherapy such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation. PTAs may also measure changes in the patient’s performance as a result of the physical therapy provided.
PTs and PTAs care for people of all ages and abilities.
PTs and PTAs empower people to actively participate in their own treatment. They work collaboratively with each other, and with other health professionals, to ensure patients receive the best care.
You can see a PT and PTA almost anywhere, including outpatient clinics, hospitals, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and nursing homes.