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 Participated In:
- Run the Ranch 12hr - 1st OA and CR
- Run Rabbit Run 100 - Under 30hrs
- Never Summer 100k - x3
- Never Summer 60k - 10th overall
- Silverton Alpine 50k - 3rd overall
- Hogs Hunt 50k - 7th overall
- Quad Rock 50 mile
- Golden Gate Dirty 30
- Blue Sky Marathon x2
- Black Squirrel Trail Half Marathon
- Longview Half Marathon
- Various Trail and Road Races Shorter than 13.1M
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.
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.
Alexa Gerlach - Client Care Specialist
Alexa has recently moved to Colorado after more than a decade abroad in New Zealand, Australia and Germany. Professionally, Alexa’s dabbled in everything from pizza dough making in South Australia to pony walking in Sweden, but comes most recently from a recruitment background. Outside of the office, Alexa’s a registered yoga teacher with a passion for helping students find joy and freedom in movement. She also enjoys hiking, paddleboarding and reading as much as possible.
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.