The staff at Grayslake Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy & Wellness care about you!
- Our physical therapists can help you improve your mobility and quality of life without surgery or prescription drugs, in many cases.
- Our physical therapists have the most specialized education to help you restore motion.
- Our physical therapists are required to complete a graduate degree – either a masters or a clinical doctorate – from an accredited physical therapist program before taking the national licensure examination that allows her to practice.
- Our Physical therapists can teach you how to prevent or manage a condition so that you will achieve long-term health benefits.
- We care about your wellness and focus on your needs no matter how complex.
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, MBAFellow, 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.
Victoria Mackriss, PT, DPT
Tori attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL where she majored in Exercise Physiology. Tori took a few years after graduation to work and save money for graduate school. She ended up working for a crisis hotline, where she learned the importance of active listening and helping patients to feel heard and cared for. Tori received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Rosalind Franklin University in 2019. During her time at Rosalind Franklin, she volunteered for community health fairs and the Chicago Marathon as a sweep team member.
While volunteering for various events, she was able to provide care to people that have not had access to healthcare services in years. She believes that all patients deserve quality, compassionate care, and it is her goal to provide and advocate for every person she works with. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband and daughter. She is a general physical therapist and enjoys working with orthopedics, neurological, and pelvic health patients.
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.
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.
