About

Inclusion | Innovation | Partnership | Positivity

Our Story

In 2009, our founder and CEO, Melanie Brennan, PT, DPT, identified a problem that needed to be solved – people of all ages with neurologic or medical conditions that impacted their physical mobility, cognitive awareness, and overall health were being dismissed much too soon from beneficial therapy services after life-changing diagnoses or neurologic injury due to arbitrary health insurance coverage issues.  Because the decision to end services is made by lacking health insurance as the primary reason, their needs, and potential for benefit from ongoing rehabilitation were being ignored.  A safe and affordable place was needed in the community for people to go to continue their recovery to optimal health and independence that was accessible with advanced rehabilitation technologies, accessible adaptive equipment, and knowledgeable therapy and adaptive wellness staff.  Melanie set to work to build a nonprofit company with this goal, and in 2011, ExercisAbilities was born (rebranded as EA Therapeutic Health in 2022).

Over the past 11 years, EA Therapeutic Health has grown into a full-service rehabilitation and adaptive fitness facility and includes services in intensive neurologic recovery, community rehab and health for those with complex medical conditions, adaptive fitness, wellness, and sports recreation, pediatric rehabilitation and family wellness and health and lifestyle coaching including the National Diabetes Prevention Program.  Our state-of-the-art community rehabilitation and specialized wellness facilities are located at 2530 Broadway Ave N and 2518 Broadway Ave N in Rochester, MN.  We also provide services in our community with many community partners.

WE MAKE HEALTHY HAPPY AND INDEPENDENT POSSIBLE FOR ALL!

We believe everyone should have equal access to health improvement services and programs.  We want to serve all in our community – whether you can afford to pay the full fee for the services or not.  For this reason, we have a wide range of ways that your services are covered financially at EA.  Through our proven process called the EA Health Action Plan, our entire team will work together with you or your child to complete an extensive in-person assessment, determine your personal health and independence goals, outline recommendations including a plan for care for you to meet your health and independence goals according to best practice and documented evidence for your condition. This plan will be created without any bias toward the ability to pay.  We are committed that everyone will be able to afford their recommended plan.

We are proud to be a 501(c)3 (EIN: 45-5214117018) nonprofit.  With this, we raise funds to be able to offer scholarships and organize a professional volunteer clinic so that you will meet your goals.  We also are in network with most major insurance companies including Mayo Medica Tier 2 in-network, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ucare, and many others.  We also can accept Medicare and MN Medicaid.  However, due to the nature of chronic conditions and lack of insurance coverage for rehabilitation long term, many of our services are not covered by insurance.  This does not mean that they are not necessary for you to achieve your health and recovery goals.  They are!  We will work with you through our many options of ongoing payment, including a financial assessment for a scholarship, to make sure you can continue to get the help that you need!

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY MAKES OUR WORK POSSIBLE!

Community support helps make our work possible. Disability knows no bias and is encountered by individuals of all races, genders, ages, and family financial standing.  We receive many grants and individual donations throughout the year.  We also welcome volunteers on many levels to extend our services to more people.  Check out our volunteer page for opportunities.

Finding your way to EA

Meet Our Staff

Jackson Hample

Therapeutic Health Technician

Pam Heins, PT

Clinical Volunteer Specialist/Physical Therapist

Natalie Kalmes, CPT

Therapeutic Health Specialist

Mitch Snitker

Therapeutic Health Technician

Marissa Rahlf, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Cindy Wiest, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Therapist

Lori Banks, PTA

Director of Clinical Services/Physical Therapy Assistant

Grace Mrozinski

Rehabilitation Technician

Ashley Adams

Care Coordinator

Chloe Schroeder

Therapeutic Health Technician

Seng Xiong

Therapeutic Health Technician

Alex Geraets

Therapeutic Health Technician

Jill Harkness

Volunteer Coordinator

Andréa Hanson, MS

Client Success Manager

Kristina Heimer, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Therapist

Liana Boffeli

Programs Coordinator/Therapeutic Health Specialist

Danielle Tazic

Pediatric Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

Elora Koepcke, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

Stef Bjerke, CIFT

Therapeutic Health Technician

Abby Grismer

Rehab Technician

Meaghan Hanrahan, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist/Pediatric Team Lead

Melanie Brennan, PT, DPT – CEO/Executive Director, Founder

Physical Therapist

Rio Bentley, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

Kathy Smith, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Therapist

Zach Curry, CPT, CHC

Therapeutic Health Specialist II

Alex McKay, MS, CSCS, CHC, CPT

Therapeutic Health Specialist II

Rhonda Burnap

Operations Director

Ronda Lovelace, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Therapist

Meet Our Board

PJ Peng

Director

Laura Olteanu

Director

Will Giesen

Director

Ron Hanson

Board Chair

Mark Ellingson

Director

Tom Holtackers

Kathy Karls

Director

Peggy O’Toole Martin

Director

Craig Wendland

Director

Melanie Brennan, PT, DPT – CEO/Executive Director, Founder

Physical Therapist

Get Involved!

Looking to join our team? Or possibly looking to volunteer your time?