Hawaiian Rehab Services

Katie Click, also known as "KC," joined Hawaiian Rehab as a Physical Therapist in June of 2019 after earning her Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Missouri.

Katie's primary focus at Hawaiian Rehab is on lymphedema treatment and education. As a LANA Certified Lymphedema Therapist, she is dedicated to helping individuals manage this condition effectively and improve their quality of life.

Beyond her specialization in lymphedema therapy, Katie has also been certified as an LSVT BIG practitioner, an achievement that reflects her dedication to addressing the unique needs of patients with Parkinson's Disease. Her commitment to improving the lives of her patients extends to a variety of conditions, ensuring that each individual receives the highest standard of care.

Outside of her professional life, Katie enjoys the natural beauty of Hawaii. She can often be found at the beach, engaging in stand-up paddle boarding, or exploring the island through hiking.

Katie's professional skills, combined with her genuine care for her patients, make her a desired therapist among patients and an essential asset to the Hawaiian Rehab team. She is passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of those she serves.

Lori received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from USC with a minor in Psychology and her Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy from USC. She did stint in “everything but the kitchen sink” rehab at Rancho Los Amigos followed by 5 years in a dedicated Spinal Cord Injury Center (Casa Colina) working primarily with quadriplegics and paraplegics, but also amputees, polytrauma, burns, Guillain Barre, and any other non-cognitively impaired individuals requiring long term rehab.

From there she travelled to Northern California to work at UC Davis Medical Center, first as their neuro specialist and then as the Supervisor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her passion is in patient care – helping to restore function and mobility through hands on care, attention to patient needs and goals, procuring appropriate equipment and helping to serve and empower patients and families to live their best lives. Lori joined Hawaiian Rehab in early 2022 as our Neuro PT specialist, treating both complex neuro conditions and orthopedic diagnoses. For fun Lori enjoys all watersports – SUP, scuba, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, free diving – and even some landlocked ones – hiking, running, travelling, and dancing to rock’n’roll. She lives here in Kona with her sidekick/husband who is an RN on Hawaii island providing home care services.

Wendy re-joined our Hawaiian Rehab team in September 2021 Having gained her initial hand therapy experience as a new grad under Valery Hoke and Jean Thompson at Hawaiian Rehab, she went on to share her skills in her hometown of Umhlanga, South Africa. Wendy founded and directed a busy Occupational Therapy practice over a 20-year period. During this time, she became a Certified Hand Therapist and completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Hand Therapy at the University of Pretoria.

More recently, she achieved her goals of publishing in the Journal of Hand Therapy and achieving a Master’s in OT at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In addition to Wendy’s passion for helping people regain optimal hand function for return to work and leisure, she enjoys adult neurological rehabilitation and working with the elderly. Wendy is dedicated to quality patient care and pursues evidence-based practice.

Wendy is so grateful to be able to share the beauty of Hawaii with her husband and teenage daughter and strives to serve God in all she does. Wendy loves the outdoors, swimming, hiking, and has an interest in art and research.

Alexis earned her Bachelor of Science with a major in Kinesiology and minor in Psychology as well as her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Central Michigan University. Following graduation, she completed a year-long accredited Neurologic Residency Program at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital gaining experience in a wide range of neurological diagnoses in both the inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings. Soon after, she became a Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist.

Although she has worked in a variety of settings, most of her career has been in outpatient rehabilitation helping patients restore function and promote improved quality of life. She enjoys being creative with her treatment plans, focusing on her patients' specific goals. Alexis has additional training and experience working with individuals with vestibular diagnoses or post-concussion.

Outside of direct patient care, Alexis was an akjunct faculty member within the Department of Physical Therapy at Grand Valley State University. She taught a seminar course to promote clinical decision-making skills and navigate challenging case management issues to second year students.

Erica graduated from Husson University with her doctorate in Physical Therapy and BS in Exercise and Sports Science. Erica is also an ACSM certified personal trainer and enjoys helping people reach their fitness and sport-oriented goals. She enjoys making exercise and strength a sustainable and enjoyable part of her patient’s life. Erica’s goal is to always make her patients feel heard and understood.

She joined Hawaiian Rehab in 2023 after working in a diverse, orthopedic outpatient clinic in northern VT. She grew up playing multiple sports and even ran collegiate track and cross country which is where her love for sports rehabilitation grew. She loves working with athletes of all ages and interests and has significant experience in orthopedics. She has a special interest in running form and has successfully performed many running gait analyses to keep her athletes training efficiently to avoid injury.

In her spare time, you can find Erica hiking, running, or swimming. She loves spending time with her husband and dog, Waffles.

Brendan Lauria has worked in the physical therapy industry since 2014, starting as an Aide in an outpatient clinic in New Jersey. He studied at Mercy College in New York state while working part time in an outpatient clinic, diligently achieving his degree as a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2021.

He enjoys helping patients achieve their individual goals, find solutions to their mobility needs, and support a positive environment to care for the people he treats. Throughout his physical therapy career he has focused primarily on orthopedic rehabilitation, helping his patients achieve a full life by reaching mobility goals and pain relief, getting back to the things they enjoy most.

Outside of physical therapy, Brendan enjoys drawing, going on local hikes, gardening, running, and the occasional itch to bake some bread from time to time. If you don't see him laughing and enjoying the beautiful Kona views, you may catch him walking around town to find the best food.

With a great attitude, bright spirit, and willingness to help others, Brendan has been an essential asset to the Hawaiian Rehab team.

Alana, originally from Kailua-Kona, graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with both a Bachelor of Science degree in Audiology & Speech Language Pathology in 2011 and a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology in 2013. She has experience working with a range of ages from birth to adults, in Early Intervention, rehabilitation, and preschool to high school settings, across Colorado, Washington, and Kaua’i. Her experience also includes working with occupational and physical therapists, psychologists, and special educators, as part of multidisciplinary teams.

Alana joined Hawaiian Rehab in May 2019, treating a variety of communication impairments like, articulation/language delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, stuttering disorders, voice, Aphasia, Dysphagia, cognitive-communication, and Deaf/hard of hearing. She values the importance of caregiver and family member input in creating an individualized and functional therapy program, while utilizing evidenced-based research and considering cultural views. Her background in dance has supplemented her therapy programs for children, using hands-on and movement to support learning and processing.

Tanya joined Hawaiian Rehab in October 2022 to assist with our neurological patient population. She brings with her 22 years of experience in a variety of settings (Skilled Nursing, Home Health, Outpatient, Rehabilitation Hospital, School District). Her past patient population includes pediatrics, geriatrics, chronic pain, orthopedic, spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, and neurological disorders.

Tanya earned her Occupational Therapy degree at UW-Madison, Wisconsin. She also has training in Yoga Therapy and created the Therapeutic Mediation Process (TM) (TMP), to support her patients with pain and stress management. She has also spoken at many Occupational Therapy conferences on the benefits and use of Meditation for Stress Management.

Tanya prides herself on treating the whole person with compassion. She has been on the other side several times, and knows how challenging it can be to heal from an injury or illness.

Tanya feels blessed to live in beautiful Hawaii with her husband. She loves the outdoors, snorkeling, paddleboarding, traveling, and learning.

Katie Lopez, born and raised in Kailua-Kona, grew up immersed in the Big Island health care industry. Hawaiian Rehab, established in 1980, was a family business owned and operated by her parents, Jean Thompson, Physical Therapist, and Paul Thompson, Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Communication Studies from California State University of Long Beach, Katie ran a successful business in Carpinteria, CA for seven years. In 2019 Katie and her husband moved back to Kona with plans to take over the family practice and continue the legacy her parents started.

Katie’s focus as owner and director of Hawaiian Rehab is to provide exceptional care for the Big Island community, develop specialties currently lacking on the island, and work alongside professional alliances to ensure accurate and timely care for our patients. Her leadership has gained Hawaiian Rehab a reputation for providing excellent customer service while delivering exceptional patient outcomes and fostering both a positive and productive workplace culture for her team.

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