Staff

Robin Erker, PT, DPT

Robin Erker, licensed Physical Therapist and owner of Grayslake Rehabilitation, has been treating patients for over 25 years. Robin graduated from Saint Louis University in 1993 and went on to work as a physical therapist receiving numerous awards including 2008 YWCA Woman of Achievement. Robin is also a clinical instructor and mentor for multiple Physical Therapy schools. Robin’s goal is providing her patients with the best possible care and leading them on the road to wellness and fulfillment.

Gretchen O’Connor, PT

A native of Buffalo, NY, Gretchen graduated from Russell Sage College in Albany, NY. While taking time off to raise her four children, she coached their grammar and middle school track and field teams, trained for and completed 3 marathons. The emphasis on proper movement techniques and training with this young population allowed her to learn from and focus on normal movement patterns. Gretchen is certified in Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and Functional Movement Screen (FMS) to be better able to identify abnormal movement patterns, get to the core of the problem and determine the best treatment option for the individual’s needs. Gretchen believes “it’s all connected”, whether in the body from the feet to the cervical spine, or in life from your physical to mental and spiritual self. The body is a complex integrated system, not “a knee problem” or “back pain” and has to be treated as such.

Ryan Carroll, PT, DPT

Ryan attended North Central College in Naperville, IL, where he graduated with honors and received a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis on wellness. Ryan received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Rosalind Franklin University in 2017. During undergraduate studies, Ryan was an active member of the Health and Exercise Science Organization and participated in exercise-based classes and fundraisers for a variety of athletics and populations. These ranged from children to seniors and from the recreational walker to competitive lifter and athlete. Ryan has also previously worked as an agility and conditioning coach, personal trainer, and strength and conditioning intern at the Bulls/Sox training academy. Ryan believes every person is an “athlete” if there is some goal they are trying to achieve and spent his time at work developing every aspect of fitness to achieve those goals. Ryan also believes every component of fitness is vital to the development of the “athlete” as a whole and for injury prevention.

Sheila Taylor, PT

Sheila Taylor graduated from Rosalind Franklin University/The Chicago Medical School in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Over the course of her career, Sheila has worked with neurological, geriatric, sports medicine and orthopedic patients. Her love is neurological as she finds these cases to be more of a challenge in piecing the puzzle together to get the patient back to function. Growing up in Gurnee, Sheila was an athletic trainer for her high school. The head trainer asked her what she wanted to pursue in college and she was not sure but knew she wanted to work with people in a medical capacity. Sheila was then introduced to a physical therapist and after watching what he did and how he helped his patients, she knew that was her career path! About a year and a half ago, Sheila was involved in a serious car accident and she suddenly found herself on the other side of the PT equation – she was not the patient. Sheila credits her work as a PT in giving her the insight into what a patient goes through from initial injury to rehabilitation, to coming home and getting back to work. She knows now the hard work you must put into being a patient if you want to get back to 100% – you have to put in the time and desire. Sheila’s accident gave her a better perspective and empathy for what her patients are going through but she also knows that you can get back to a functional lifestyle if you are willing to work hard.

James Rabbitt, PT

James obtained his Master’s degree from Central Michigan University in 2005 and has been a practicing orthopedic physical therapist for over 14 years working with various orthopedic conditions and post-operative cases including, but not limited to, ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, joint replacement, and lumbar fusion. Throughout that time, he has employed evidence-based practice to provide the highest quality rehabilitation to his patients allowing him to work with people of all ages and abilities ranging from children to Olympic athletes to geriatrics. James is a certified Graston practitioner and employs a combination of manual therapy treatment, corrective exercise, and education with all his patients. He believes that best outcomes are achieved by consistent communication between the patient and therapist, and direct one-on-one treatments. James is married and has 2 young boys, and lives in Vernon Hills where he spends his free time chasing his children, cooking, practicing CrossFit, and enjoying any outdoor activity that is in season.

Kavork Hagopian, PT, DPT, MBA

Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Dr. Kavork Hagopian earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Augustana College, a Master's Degree in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis, an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and his doctorate in physical therapy from Rosalind Franklin University. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Science. Kavork is also a faculty member at Rosalind Franklin University. Kavork is a fellowship-trained therapist in advanced manual and orthopedic physical therapy and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. His clinic interests are in manual therapy, amputations, and performing arts therapy. Kavork serves as district vice president and representative of the Illinois Physical Therapy Association. He is also a founding executive board member of the Academy of Amputation and Limb Difference. Kavork is married and has two teenaged children. He enjoys choral conducting, playing the piano, and cooking.

Kristin Kenny, PT, DPT

Kristin joined the Grayslake Rehab team in September of 2021 but has been practicing in outpatient orthopedics since June 2005. She is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2003 with her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and in 2005 with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Kristin started her PT career in the Chicagoland area in 2005 with initial interest in sports medicine and outpatient orthopedics due to her background with collegiate tennis and her love of running and fitness in general. As her treatment interest in patients with complex lower back and hip pain grew, she began her specialized training in the evaluation and treatment of men, women and children with pelvic floor disorders. She continues to treat general orthopedic diagnoses, she has extensive experience with lower back, sacroiliac and hip dysfunction, along with her continued focus on pelvic floor issues. Pelvic floor issues treated include (but are not limited to): pelvic pain, tailbone pain, stress incontinence, urge incontinence, rectus diastasis, urinary frequency/urgency, constipation. Kristin has always been passionate about physical therapy and the ability to educate and empower patients. She is excited to bring a pelvic floor PT program to Grayslake Rehabilitation! In her free time, Kristin enjoys reading, learning more about health and nutrition, cooking, and being active and spending time with her husband, four young children and their Vizsla.

Jenna Fulks, PT, DPT, LVST BIG

Jenna attended University of Cincinnati and graduated with a B.S. of exercise science in 2019. Throughout her undergraduate career, Jenna volunteered for various hospitals in the Cincinnati area including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the Spinal Center of Christ Hospital. After undergraduate, she earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Rosalind Franklin University of Science and Medicine in 2022. Jenna’s interests include orthopedic injury rehabilitation, individuals with Parkinson’s, as well as pediatric rehabilitation. Jenna believes the patient-therapist relationship is vital and always spends extra time to make sure all patients concerns, and needs are heard! Outside of the rehab setting, Jenna enjoys playing guitar or taking her dog Colby Jack to the dog park. Jenna is originally from the Huntington, WV area and tries to visit home as often as she can! Jenna is LSVT BIG certified.

Carla Ghanem, PT, DPT

Carla Ghanem earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Sports and Science from Carthage College in 2008. She went on to work as a personal trainer and strength coach for 10 years where she worked with all types of populations from the elderly geriatric population to professional athletes. Carla was a competitive boxer for 5 years where she won the Ringside international Championship Belt as a Novice and was a Chicago Golden Glove finalist. Since then, she’s been able to share her passion for boxing as a coach and fitness instructor. In 2016, Carla obtained her Massage Therapy License through College of Lake County and joined the Physiology Testing Team as a volunteer for the Chicago Blackhawks for 4 seasons. For her final clinical rotation, Carla worked with the Chicago White Sox minor league team in Arizona before graduating with her doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2022. Carla has always seen herself as a teacher and mostly enjoys the ability to empower her patients with the tools she’s encompassed throughout her journey. She takes joy in sharing their successes and getting people strong and back to the things they like to do. Carla is married with two little girls and two dogs. When she’s not spending time with family, she enjoys sporting events, traveling, exercising, dancing, and reading about the human body and health.

Jenna Cohn, PT, DPT

Jenna earned her doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 2014, and in doing so she discovered her passion for pelvic health. With nearly a decade of exclusive pelvic floor experience, Jenna is well equipped to treat a multitude of pelvic floor dysfunctions including, but not limited to: bowel/bladder dysfunction (leakage, constipation, pain, incomplete emptying, urgency/frequency), pelvic pain, dyspareunia, coccydynia, pelvic organ prolapse, diastasis recti, pre-postnatal, pre-post prostate treatment, and oncology related pelvic floor dysfunction. Prior to her graduate work, Jenna finished her undergraduate studies at Augustana College in 2011, while playing four years of volleyball and working as a student assistant athletic trainer. The time competing collegiately, and the time spent in Augustana’s athletic training room herself helped develop her passion for healthcare and rehab. Jenna remains very passionate about the pelvic health population and takes pride in educating her patients and the community on pelvic health to facilitate better care and bring more awareness to this underserved patient population. Jenna has a strong belief in treating the patient as a whole, and acts as a guide to allow her patients to reach any goal they set to accomplish, whether it be it big or small. In her free time, Jenna enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and their sheepadoodle, Walter. Jenna loves being active, spending time outdoors, cycling, running, practicing yoga and pilates, and enjoys cooking.

Sarah Glick PT, DPT, OCS, SCS

Sarah Glick PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, joined the Grayslake Rehab team in February of 2024 but has been practicing at the University of Miami since 2017. She graduated from Denison University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science. She later completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at University of Miami in 2017 followed by her Sports Residency with the University of Miami and became a board certified Sports Clinical Specialist as well as a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Patient-centered, evidence-based, and compassionate care are fundamental to her practice in order to assist patients in achieving their goals. Sarah enjoys treating patients of all backgrounds in outpatient orthopedics with a true passion for the treatment of patients with chronic pain, athletes of all levels, and patients with complex pathologies. She also is dedicated to academics with experience in teaching and mentoring in physical therapy programs and residencies. She recently moved back to Illinois to be closer to family and has loved every minute of it. Sarah enjoys the outdoors and endurance sports in her free time.

Kathy Szalinski, PTA

Kathy graduated from Oakton Community College in 1987 with an Associate’s Degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant. She began her career at Suburban Arthritis and Back Center in Schaumburg, IL working with chronic plain and fibromyalgia patients. In 1993, Kathy joined Caremark Orthopedic Services working in Arlington Heights and Barrington, IL. In 1996, she stayed on with HealthSouth (formally Caremark) where she remained working in Orthopedics until 2005. Kathy joined Grayslake Rehabilitation in 2005 working part-time in the evening and staying home to raise her children for the past 19 years. Her main interests are orthopedics, sports injuries and pain management.

Kaitlin Andler, PTA

Kaitlin (Kait) Andler is a dedicated Physical Therapist Assistant with seven years of experience in outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation. Her journey in healthcare began with a degree in Exercise Physiology from Saint Francis University, where she also competed as a Division 1 collegiate softball player. This experience, which frequently involved her own time in the athletic training room, ignited a deep passion for rehabilitation and sport performance. Kait furthered her education at Oakton Community College, earning an AAS as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Over the past seven years, she has worked closely with patients in orthopedic rehab and participated in clinic wellness programs, always striving to enhance her patients' recovery and overall well-being. Kait has a special interest in helping patients recover from cervical and lumbar spine issues, balance difficulties, and neurological disorders. She is equally passionate about working with young athletes and weekend warriors, ensuring they return to their sports stronger and more resilient. Certified in LSVT BIG and the Barbell Rehab Method, as well as a former CrossFit L1 trainer, Kait has also completed advanced training in gait analysis, and movement mechanics. She is committed to developing wellness and exercise programs that foster lifelong healthy habits, empowering her patients to achieve their personal goals. Outside the clinic, Kait enjoys attending CrossFit classes, Olympic weightlifting, and anything competitive or outdoors. She loves spending time in Michigan with her family as well as playing with/walking the family dogs.

Elizabeth "Bitsy" Miller LAT, ATC

Elizabeth “Bitsy” Miller graduated from Purdue University in 2021 with a B.A of Science degree in Athletic Training with a minor in psychology. At Purdue, Bitsy worked with many different D1 teams, but spent most of her time with the Men's Basketball Team. She then went on to work as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for The University of Iowa's Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country Teams. While at The University of Iowa, Bitsy received her master’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management. Bitsy's passion is working with the young athletic population. She loves helping them reach their athletic and fitness goals. She also works with all different types of orthopedic injuries and strives to help her patients achieve ultimate health and well-being.

Karen Horton, Office Manager

Karen was born and raised in the Grayslake area. She is married with one daughter and 3 stepchildren. She has an extensive background in the medical administrative field. She started in family practice and made her way over to orthopedics and has now been with Grayslake Rehab for 7 years. Feel free to come to her with any questions concerning your care, appointments, insurance and payments. As the office manager, Karen strives to welcome you with consideration and compassion.

Kristi Smith, Billing

A native of Rockford, Kristi is a 1992 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. After serving five years in the Supply Corp, she became a stay-at-home mom for 20 years, raising three girls. She decided to return to the workforce and found her way to Grayslake Rehab. Starting as a temporary replacement, as the clinic grew, she found a permanent part-time position in the billing department. She can help you with your insurance questions!

Karen Whalen, Front Desk

Karen has been a Grayslake resident for over 25 years. Prior to being a stay-at-home mom to her 3 active kids, she was an elementary school teacher. She found her way to Grayslake Rehab front desk in August of 2018. Karen is always eager to greet patients, schedule appointments or show you around our facility.

Melissa Figueroa, Front Desk

Melissa is newer to the Grayslake area. She is married with 2 energetic boys. During the pandemic, she became a stay-at-home mom. Prior to that, she has 5+ years in customer service and loves what she does. Melissa found her way to Grayslake Rehab front desk in September of 2022 and is always happy to help everyone.

Tricia Olson, Front Desk

Tricia has been an Antioch resident her whole life. She graduated from College of Lake County with an Associates Degree in Business Management and is furthering her education in Human Resources/Management. She has been in customer service for 5+ years and has a true passion for it. She loves cuddling with her pit bull, Marge, and spending time with her friends. Tricia has recently found her way to Grayslake Rehab and couldn't be more excited to continue her journey in greeting patients, scheduling appointments, and helping to answer any questions.

Melissa Richter PT, DPT, WCS

Melissa grew up in Gurnee and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Movement Science from Winona State University in 2018. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Rosalind Franklin University of Science in 2021. Following graduation, she pursued her passion for pelvic health by completing the Women's Health Residency Program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in 2022 through which she became a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. Melissa passed her board examination to become Board Certified in Women's and Pelvic Health Physical Therapy (WCS) in 2023. During her residency, she received advanced training in treating pelvic floor conditions which she was able to put into practice while working at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. She now enjoys treating all genders with diagnoses such as, but not limited to: bowel/bladder dysfunction (leakage, constipation, incomplete emptying, urgency/frequency), pelvic pain, dyspareunia, vaginismus, coccydynia, pelvic organ prolapse, diastasis recti, pre/postnatal, pre/post prostate treatment, transgender care, and post-operative breast rehab. With a warm, personable approach, Melissa enjoys educating patients and creating a safe and supportive space for them to feel empowered on their journey to recovery. Melissa enjoys being active, reading, and spending time with her family during her free time.

Janelle Avila PT, DPT

Janelle earned her bachelor's degree in Pathophysiology with a minor in French at Aurora University. She played lacrosse there for two years before tearing her ACL. After graduating in 2018, she worked as a Physical Therapy aide for 2.5 years. After going through physical therapy rehab for her ACL and working in various PT clinics, she decided to pursue physical therapy school at Rosalind Franklin University. She graduated in November, 2024, having done a clinical rotation at Grayslake Rehab. Being in the medical field as a first generation Latina pushes her to want to educate and advocate for the underprivileged immigrant population as it can be difficult for Spanish speaking people to receive treatment due to insurance and language barriers. Janelle looks forward to caring for anyone who walks through the door at GLR to help them “travel the shortest distance from injury to recovery”. She is also a big Chicago sports fan and enjoys hiking with her dog Mila, spending time with family and friends, and may spontaneously sing and dance when the mood strikes!