Meet The Team

Dr. AJ Cohen, PT, DPT

AJ Cohen founded Up and Running Physical Therapy to pursue his passion of helping people see what they’re truly capable of; whether coming back from an injury that they thought they’d have forever, or running a personal best marathon. Originally from Manorville, New York, AJ graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Sacred Heart University.

AJ trained in a variety of clinical settings including Orthopedic Outpatient, Acute Oncology, and Skilled Nursing and passed his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam. AJ is also certified in Functional Dry Needling II.

As an ultra-marathoner and rock climber, he has an affinity for working with athletes and active-adults, helping them in their various sports. AJ’s doctoral studies emphasized the importance of manual therapy, in conjunction with specific exercise, to maximize the benefits of therapeutic techniques to improve function, pain, and performance.

Some Races And Events AJ Has Participated In:

Dr. Joey Przybyla, PT, DPT

Joey is a licensed physical therapist who earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Texas State University. Originally from Michigan, he moved to Texas in 2011 where he spent his time learning and growing as a physical therapist.

He moved to Colorado in May 2022 and will call Fort Collins home. Joey has 8 years of experience in orthopedic, post operative and sports related rehabilitation. He brings additional perspective as an avid runner and was even able to reach the status of a competitive local-elite athlete. With the love of distance running and a personal record half marathon time of 70 minutes, Joey lives to help others reach their physical goals.

Specifically, he utilizes manual therapy, Functional Dry Needling and emphasizes the use of exercise to allow patients to get back to the activities they are passionate about! Outside of the clinic, you can catch Joey exploring all the nearby trails with his wife Kelsie and son Luka.

Some of Joey's Running Accomplishments

Dr. Stephanie Hope, PT, DPT

Stephanie earned a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology from The University of
Georgia and then later went on to graduate with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from
The University of North Georgia. She is originally from the southeast, born in South Carolina
but raised most of her life in Georgia. She loves to travel and has lived overseas as an
adult. Most recently, she and her family returned from New Zealand where she worked as a
physiotherapist for 2.5 years.

Stephanie specializes in pelvic floor dysfunction and this has become her passion within the
PT profession. She treats a wide range of women’s and men’s health issues, including
incontinence, pelvic pain, and pelvic post-op complications. She is also experienced in
treating musculoskeletal and orthopedic conditions and is certified in dry needling. She
enjoys creating bespoke exercise programs for her patients, whether it is for a pelvic health
issue or orthopedic problem, to help them achieve their goals.

In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her husband, young son, and dog.
She loves hiking in the mountains and exploring her community through a variety of outdoor activities. She is also a hobby potter and loves making functional pottery and ceramic art.

Dr. Jennifer Wright, PT, DPT, MTC

Jen earned her Bachelor’s degree in exercise science at Colorado State University and in the process worked as a physical therapy aide at the CSU health Network fueling her interest in working with athletes and active adults. She received her doctorate in physical therapy at the University of St. Augustine with a concurrent Manual Therapy Certification. Jen has also continued her education and is dry needling trained through Kinetacore with Level 1 and Level 2 certifications.

As a Colorado native she grew up running, biking, skiing, snowboarding, doing gymnastics, hiking, and showing horses. As a teenager she suffered an injury to her back that sidelined her from all her normal activities. She was seen and treated by many in the health community for 2 years with no real relief or changes. Facing a radical spinal surgery as a young teenager she finally found relief from a physical therapist with special education in the treatment of spine.

Her experience over the last 10 years in outpatient orthopedics has resulted in specialty work with the performing arts, specifically dancers. She is contracted with the professional dance company in town and treats dancers from all over the world. She works with women recovering from new and old breast cancer treatment including radiation, mastectomy, lumpectomy and anything in between. Lastly her passion lies in the treatment of the spine. Her doctoral and MTC (manual therapy certification) training provide a unique specialty in spine that allows diagnosing and treatment the root cause of back pain.

It has become my passion to treat individuals as an entire body and help them continue, maintain and improve in their activity of choice.

Lisa Zagorski, PT, DPT, OCS

Lisa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. She then went on to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from South College in Knoxville, Tennessee where she graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors. 

Driven by a desire to expand her expertise, she then chose to continue her education and completed Evidence in Motion’s Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program in Austin, Texas. This rigorous training led to her passing her board certification in Orthopedics, making her an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS). She is experienced in treating a variety of orthopedic conditions from sports injuries and post-operative care to chronic pain conditions. She also holds certifications in Functional Dry Needling I and II. She is currently advancing her expertise in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, to better assist her patients in reaching their goals and optimizing their health.

Lisa grew up in Austin, Texas, and moved to Fort Collins in 2021. In her time outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family. She also loves running, CrossFit, weightlifting, hiking, cycling, camping, and traveling.

 

Riley Nelson - Client Care Specialist

Riley is a Colorado Native, but grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. Riley moved back to Colorado and obtained her Paralegal Degree and has been in Fort Collins ever since. Riley is a Kansas City Chiefs and overall sports fan. She loves to take long walks and hike with her friends. She has a passion for people and is so excited to be a part of the URPT Team!

Interested In Joining The Team?

In the next few months we’re looking to add another PT to our amazing team.
If you’re interested, please email AJ at aj@upandrunningpt.com with a resume and cover letter.