Jennifer L. Vonarb M.P.T., C.L.T. (The Owner)
Jennifer L. Vonarb was raised in Southern California and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1985. At UCLA, during a friendly game of football she tore her ACL and underwent an ACL reconstruction. After months of therapy, her interest in helping others was sparked. In 1985, she went on to graduate school in Philadelphia to earn a Master’s of Physical Therapy from Hahnemann University.
After graduating in 1987, she worked at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthpeadic Clinic specializing in sports medicine and orthopedic patients. For 25 years, she has worked with outpatient orthopedic patients varying from postoperative shoulders and knees, to spinal patients.
During this time she has been doing fitting and fabrication for custom orthotics. In 2000 Jennifer's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and even with years of physical therapy training she was not able to help her mom during her recovery. That is when she became inspired to become certified in Lymphedema therapy. She has had great success in treating Lymphedema and continues to enjoy being able to help her patients during their recovery.
Jennifer has completed numerous continuing education courses over the years with a special interest in Ola Grimsby's techniques and philosophy and is trained in Kinesiotaping.Jennifer enjoys spending time with her three kids, going to yoga, cycling, traveling, cooking and healthy living. One of her favorite quotes that she uses to enjoy life is:"Life is not about how many breaths you take, it is about the moments that take your breath away."
Tessa Waggoner, MS, PT, CLT
Tessa is a southern California native. She completed her undergraduate studies in Kinesiology at Cal State University, Northridge. She went on to receive a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy from UC San Francisco in 1999 and has enjoyed working in outpatient orthopaedic settings ever since. In 2001, Tessa received a Certificate of Completion for the Intensive Year Long Manual Therapy Course which was based on the Australian Approach to the management of Neuro-Orthopaedic patients.
Since then, she has continued to build on the foundation of strong clinical reasoning and has incorporated an ecclectic approach to getting the best outcome possible for her patients.
Tessa also has a special interest in rehabilitating cancer patient and those with edema problems. In 2004, she completed a special certification course with The Academy of Lymphatic Studies to become a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT). She is currently enjoying helping patients with Lymphedema manage their swelling and improve their quality of life.
Tessa's favorite pastime is being with her young family. Spending time with her two daughters and keeping fit through running, yoga, pilates, and hiking helps to balance out her life.
Favorite Quote:
"In daily life, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but it is gratefulness that makes us happy."
Meet the Team at Conejo Valley Physical Therapy
Joanna Kassar, DPT
Joanna was born and raised in Southern California. She went to the University of California, Irvine for her undergraduate studies in Public Health Sciences. At UCI, she participated in women's club water polo. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine in San Marcos, CA. She developed an emphasis on manual therapy based on the Dr. Stanley Paris approach. Her clinical affiliations involved a wide range of experiences from inpatient rehabilitation, inpatient acute for post-operative conditions, and outpatient orthopedics.
Joanna is passionate about improving the way people move at work and their daily lifestyles. She enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. soaking the sun rays at the beach, watching movies, swimming, patiently waiting for the Summer Olympics, and working out at the gym.
Nathan Saito, PT, DPT
Nathan was born and raised in Santa Barbara County and attended the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in Integrative Biology and Physiology. Nathan participated in club baseball, taught as an undergraduate teaching assistant for Human Anatomy, and worked as a research assistant in the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at the Semel Institute at UCLA.
Nathan attended the University of Southern California where he graduated in 2017 as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. At USC, Nathan was involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society where he helped construct individualized exercise programs for clients with Multiple Sclerosis in a health promotion and wellness setting. Nathan has clinical experience working in variety of clinical settings and patient populations including orthopedics, neurological and vestibular rehab, and sports rehab.
Nathan has been a part of Conejo Valley Physical Therapy since February of 2018 and has greatly enjoyed his time working here as he gets to know the Conejo Valley area. Nathan currently resides in Camarillo with his wife, daughter, and son. He enjoys playing basketball, softball, riding his motorcycle, and spending quality time with his family.
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