Dr. Jennifer Ellis, PT
Co-Founder/Owner
Jennifer obtained her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Arcadia University in 2012. She received her APTA Board Certification as a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy in 2016. In 2016, Jennifer also attended the Emory University Competency Course in Vestibular Rehabilitation. Jennifer has been practicing for over 13 years in both the acute inpatient and outpatient settings for MossRehab and Good Shepherd Penn Partners. Her clinical passion is treatment of adults with neurologic illness especially strokes and traumatic brain injuries. She also specializes in the treatment of patients who have experienced concussion and vestibular injuries. Jennifer loves helping patients return to their prior level of activity and recreation. She truly believes everyone should be able to return to the activities they enjoy despite their injury. Jennifer enjoys swimming, traveling the world, hiking, baking, and crafting in her spare time. Jennifer, her husband and daughter live in center city Philadelphia. Find Dr. Ellis on instagram @DrEllisPT or email at DrEllis@whwphilly.com
Dr. Carolyn Murphy, PT
Co-Founder/Owner
Carolyn obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Ithaca College in 2008. She completed her residency training with the Kaiser Permanente Rehabilitation Foundation in Vallejo, CA for Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). She is certified by the International Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Association as a PNF therapist. It was there that she cemented her passion for working with patients with neurological impairments. She then received her APTA Board Certification as a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy in 2015. She continued her education by attending Emory University Competency Course in Vestibular Rehabilitation in 2016 and LSVT BIG certification in 2019. Over her 17 years as a PT, she has had the opportunity to work at some of the best hospitals across the country in acute care (ICU’s), inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient settings. Since 2014, she has specialized in seeing individuals with brain injuries, complex strokes, concussions and vestibular impairments at MossRehab’s Drucker Brain Injury Center. Carolyn enjoys doing anything outside including camping, hiking and rock climbing and exploring Philadelphia’s food scene. Find Dr. Murphy on instagram @DrMurphyPT or email at DrMurphy@whwphilly.com
Samantha Newell, OTR/L
Samantha Newell is an Occupational Therapist, who brings over 15 years of experience to Welcome Home Wellness. She earned both her Bachelor’s in Health and Occupation and her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Elizabethtown College, completing her graduate work in 2009. Samantha worked at Jefferson Moss Magee Brain Injury Outpatient Center as a Senior Clinician working with patients with both traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries. Samantha obtained Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation in 2018 after completing a year long residency program. During her residency, she completed extensive clinical rotations across inpatient and outpatient services, participated in over 200 hours of mentoring, and engaged in specialty evaluations, teaching experiences, and evidence-based research. In addition to her clinical work, Samantha is passionate about education and provides lectures on neuromuscular electrical stimulation and the use of cognitive assessments for occupational therapists at Jefferson Moss-Magee.She also served as a Professor’s Assistant at Temple University, helping occupational therapy students strengthen their foundations in kinesiology and clinical reasoning. Known for her warm, patient centered approach, Samantha is committed to supporting each person’s unique recovery journey. Outside of work, Samantha enjoys spending time at the beach in Sea Isle City, NJ, surfing, running, and being a mom to her two children.
Dr. Shannon Richardson, PT
Shannon received her doctorate in Physical Therapy from Drexel University in 2011. After beginning her career at a local rehabilitation hospital, she decided to focus her career on the neurological population. She received her APTA Board Certification as a Clinical Specialist in Neurological Physical Therapy in 2016. Her primary focus remains the neurological population including spinal cord injury, brain injury and stroke. Shannon enjoys playing sports (football, softball and diving) and spending her time with her family doing whatever the day may hold.
Dr. Amanda Parezo, OTD, OTR/L
Amanda obtained her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University in 2010. She completed her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2018 with a specialty track certification in remedial vision rehabilitation from Salus University. Amanda has been practicing as a clinician for over 10 years in a variety of settings. Her experience includes working in acute care (ICUs and lead OT for post-operative joint replacements), sub-acute care, acute rehabilitation, and outpatient facilities. From 2014-2019, she specialized in working with individuals with traumatic brain injuries and visual perception impairments at MossRehab’s Drucker Brain Injury Center in an outpatient setting. She has a passion for clinical education and currently works as assistant professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for Thomas Jefferson University’s Occupational Therapy Master of Science and Doctorate programs. Amanda enjoys traveling, documentaries, and spending time with her cat, Franklin. She also loves exploring outdoor adaptive activities, such as paddle boarding and surfing at the Jersey shore
Dr. Teresa Gero, PT
Teresa Gero is a clinical and academic physical therapist who specializes in wellness and pain management. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Arcadia University in 2016 and has worked primarily in an outpatient physical therapy setting with both neurologic and orthopedic patient populations. She is adjunct faculty at Jefferson University's Health Science program and lectures regularly for Arcadia University's Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. Her primary areas of research and clinical special interests include complex chronic pain, human wellness, and psychologically informed care. Teresa has a high regard for the values of human dignity and independence, and she finds expression of these ideals through the therapeutic relationships that are built with her clients.
Welcome Home Wellness (WHW) is a concierge wellness practice. The two founders, Jennifer Ellis and Carolyn Murphy, are licensed physical therapists who are board certified in neurology and specialize in balance and vestibular rehabilitation. WHW brings the quality of traditional outpatient physical and occupational therapy into the comfort of our client’s own home and community. We provide one on one attention for adults with neurological impairments, vestibular dysfunction and the aging adult looking to improve upon their balance and overall wellness. We are passionate about delivering an exceptionally high level of care along with providing honesty and respect that can get lost in large organizations.
meraki
[ma-rah-kee] Greek
(n.) To do something with soul, creativity or love; to put something of yourself into your work
