Dr. Melanie is our Founder, CEO and Executive Director. She attained her Masters in Physical Therapy with honors in February, 1998 and her Doctor of PT in 2008, both from the College of St Scholastica in Duluth, MN. She has 25+ years experience working in a variety of fields including 11 years in spinal cord injury and brain injury acute rehabilitation while at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Her passion is embodied in her creation of ExercisAbilities, Ind now Doing Business As EA Therapeutic Health. Dr. Melanie is dedicated to improving access to rehabilitation and specialized fitness to all people who desire to continue to improve their abilities beyond our traditional medical and insurance models. Her practice specialties include anything neurologic in adults. Special certifications include activity based training from the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation NeuroRecovery Network, NDT (neuro-development technique) based rehab for stroke recovery, Neufit Neubie Master Certified, Frequency Specific Microcurrent, and aquatic therapy. Although these days Dr Melanie spends much of her time in meetings and in her office doing business work for EA, she loves to get out on the gym floor and mentor others in these areas of practice.

At home, Melanie is busy with 2 grown daughters and one still at home in school. She enjoys traveling to far off places which include South Africa, Europe, United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand.

Rhonda has been working with non-profit organizations for 14 years. She started at ExercisABILITIES in 2016 and serves as the Business Office Manager

She has lived in Rochester with her husband and daughter for 15 years. In her free time, Rhonda enjoys running and attempts to knit sweaters.

Nicole graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh with a B.A. in Economics. She has been working in the finance and pricing field for 20 years. As a part of the EA team, she uses her finance skills to support our clients as they work to achieve their goals. She recently became a licensed EMT and enjoys serving Rochester and the surrounding areas.

In her free time, Nicole enjoys spending time with her husband, 4 kids, and 2 dogs. Her favorite activities are kayaking, knitting, and visiting historical places. Nicole, and her family, also enjoy hosting students from abroad as they complete a year of high school in the US.  

Andréa has a BS in Criminal Justice and a MS in Psychology Counselling and Education.  Andréa has been working in the social services field for the past 20 years. She has experience working with non-profit organizations running licensed programs service birth to adult. She started at EA Therapeutic Health in 2019 as the Case Manager, has served as the Office Manager, and and today serves as the Customer Success Manager. As the Client Success Manager at EA, Andréa meets with each and every client, family or caregiver to set up for success on their journey at EA.

She has lived in the Rochester area for the past 9 years. She enjoys anything outdoors including fishing and fishing and more fishing. She also enjoy spending time with family and traveling.

Liana attended Iowa State University and received her Bachelors in Kinesiology and Health, Exercise Science and Recreation.  Following graduation in May of 2017, Liana and her husband moved and spent some time in Grand Island Nebraska where Liana started her career working with the geriatric population as an Activity Director. After working for 5 years as an Activity Director, Liana was ready to pursue her goals and career working with a more diverse population and incorporating her experience with recreation programming into exercise programs with clients. Liana is excited to grow, expand, and share her knowledge with her clients and to become apart of the EA Team.

Liana grew up in the small town of Cascade Iowa, just east of Dubuque Iowa. In her free time she enjoys spending time outdoors with her two kids and husband, playing soccer, hiking, and taking short day trips to explore new places with her family

Hello, I’m Jesus Yadiel Aquino, a 21-year-old originally from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, who ventured to Minnesota in 2020 for college baseball and education. I proudly graduated from Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota, earning certifications as a Massage Therapist and an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a focus on Physical Education and Coaching. My healthcare journey is just beginning, and I’m committed to achieving a Bachelor’s degree in Management-Marketing. Beyond my professional pursuits, I enjoy producing music, filming music videos, and diving into the world of video games. Balancing my passion for helping others with my creative interests keeps life exciting and fulfilling. 

As a communications specialist, Laura assists with EA's written communications, including newsletters, blogs, and social media posts. 

Dr. Rio graduated from Mayo School of Health Sciences in 2017 with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Prior to this, she attended California State University, Fresno, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science. Dr. Rio has focused her treatment specialty on working with adults in neurologic recovery.

Dr. Rio grew up just south of Rochester in Stewartville, MN on the family farm. In her free time, she enjoys equestrian, basketball, sand volleyball, hiking, and spending time outdoors with her dog Kobe.

Dr. Cynthia graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Texas. She has been practicing as a physical therapist since 2021 and enjoys the rewarding profession. She has a passion for treating patients with neurological conditions and helping them improve their functional mobility. 

She is excited to live in Rochester, MN, with her husband…and enjoy the weather (which is very different compared to south Texas). Outside of work, she enjoys running, going to the movies, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Hi, I’m Ryan! I am a graduate of NIACC in Mason City, IA where I obtained my Associate of Applied Science degree to become a Physical Therapist Assistant. I enjoy listening to music, playing basketball, and spending time with friends and family.

Zach is a certified personal trainer, Certified Health Coaching and group fitness instructor. In 2015, Zach received training from the NRN, neuro-recovery network on activity based exercise and rehabilitation interventions with a focus on working with those with spinal cord and brain injury. Zach is passionate about helping those with these injuries meet their goals and recover movement throughout their lifespan. Zach leads our Parkinsons’s PWR! Exercise Program and enjoys leading our activities in our healthy lifestyles program, in which he works with corporate wellness initiatives in the Rochester area to create a healthier workforce. He also enjoys working closely with our Dietitian on development of the Kidshape childhood obesity program.

Some of his hobbies include: running, wrestling/grappling, hunting, hiking and pretty much any type of exercise.

Hello! My name is Endy Calderon, I graduated from Winona State University in 2024 with a BS in Exercise Science. I am extremely excited to help people reach their wellness goals here at EA. A goal of mine is to further my education by getting a master’s in PA studies in the near future. 

I grew up in Rochester, Minnesota. Outside of school and working here at EA, I enjoy spending time with family and friends and playing basketball. 

Natalie graduated from Winona State University in 2016 with a BS in Exercise and Rehabilitation Science and a minor in coaching. Natalie is also a certified personal trainer through NETA. Natalie is dedicated in promoting health and wellness in all aspects of life and challenges those to step out of their comfort zone to achieve their goals. 

Natalie enjoys playing volleyball and softball on her summer rec teams and finding her next home DIY project to complete. Natalie loves spending time with family, friends, and going up to her family cabin in northern Minnesota. Natalie has a dog, Maya and her husband's cat, Mike. 

Hi, my name is Bri! I graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2023 where I earned my degree in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. For the past three years, I have been a Certified Personal Trainer and I am passionate about helping others overcome challenges and achieve their health and wellness goals. In my free time, I love spending time with my friends and family, visiting my cabin in Northern MN, and playing pickleball, sand volleyball, and golf

Hello! My name is Sam Ringham. I graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Kinesiology. I'm passionate about the science of the human body and helping individuals reach their health goals. 

Outside of work, I love to go on long runs, play basketball, water ski, and spend time with family and friends.