Physical and Occupational Therapy Ambulatory Service - Staff

Clare E. Safran-Norton PT, PhD, MS, OCS
Clinical Supervisor

Clare E. Safran-Norton is an orthopedic physical therapist with more than 35 years of experience and is currently the Clinical Supervisor at the Ambulatory Main Campus Clinic, where she oversees and manages all aspects of the Clinic. She also sees patients with varied musculoskeletal diagnoses, is the Leadership Mentor of the BWH Rehabilitation Research Committee (and past Rehab Liaison to the Brigham Research Institute) and an active leader in research at BWH. Dr. Safran-Norton is involved with multiple research studies that can be found on the research page, several of which are national multi-centered random controlled trials.

Dr. Safran-Norton has a PhD in Gerontology, completed a post-doc fellowship in outcome studies with Dr. Alan Jette at Boston University Medical Center and holds dual Masters Degrees in Orthopedics/Sports and Gerontology. Prior to her clinical position, she was a professor in the doctoral physical therapy program at Simmons College and graduate programs at Boston University and Harvard College for 20 years. She has published in many peer reviewed journals, is a manuscript reviewer for other international-acclaimed research journals and has presented in a multitude of scientific conferences nationally, internationally and locally.

Jasmine Bolanos
Practice Assistant II

As a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Jasmine is new to the Brigham family. She describes herself as a proud Latina who is ready to share her knowledge while also continuing to learn more.

Kelly Belinsky OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Kelly received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University in 1989 and was hired from her last clinical at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She spent 7 years where most her tenure was spent in out-patient hand therapy and treating musicians’ injuries. She also gained experience on a variety of in-patient floors including neurology, orthopedics, burns, and trauma. Kelly’s other experience includes working at the BWH Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromuscular clinics. Various rehabilitation centers, and school systems. In 1997, she founded a private OT practice which specialized in treating performance artists. Over the 18 years of running Performing Arts OT she established herself with the surrounding music schools, orchestras, and physicians.

Kelly works closely with Dr. Michael Charness in the BWH Performing Arts Clinic. He was instrumental in helping to bring Kelly and her patients back to BWH at the end of 2014. She now splits her time between the BWH clinics at 70 Francis street in Boston and 850 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill, treating musicians, hand, and upper extremity patients.

Kelly has been a welcomed guest speaker at several Boston area music school on injury prevention and has presented at professional development seminars for her fellow OT’s interested in learning about her approach to treating injured musicians. Kelly is an active member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Performing Arts Medicine Association, and the American Society of Hand Therapists.

Setara Castillo
Practice Assistant II

Setara earned her high school diploma from Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers in 2020. Following graduation, she gained experience working in retail for three years while pursuing part-time studies in liberal arts. In 2023, Setara transitioned to the healthcare field at BWH. Currently, she is enrolled full-time at Bunker Hill Community College, where she is focused on advancing her education with the goal of being accepted into their accelerated nursing program next fall.

Minica Cheng, PT, DPT

Minica earned her Master’s of Physical Therapy in 2013 from California State University, Sacramento. She has been a licensed therapist for 10 years and an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist since 2021. Prior to joining the BWH team in 2024, Minica worked in Northern California for 10 years primarily in outpatient orthopedics and a few years in home health. Her clinical interests include orthopedics, geriatrics, vestibular/concussion, running gait analysis and treatment of running injuries. Minica has been an APTA credentialed clinical instructor since 2023 and has taught Physical Therapy students in an outpatient orthopedic setting.

Kapryce Cohen
Practice Assistant II

Kapryce has a certificate in medical assistant from Lincoln Tech Institute in Somerville, MA. Prior to working at BWH, she has worked at Uphams Chiropractic, a private business in Dorchester, maintaining the front desk, importing the skills she learned in school into her work. Currently, Kapryce is taking a break from school but plans to return. She looks forward to learning more and getting more involved with helping patients at Mass General Brigham.

George Damaa PT, DPT

George received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professionals in 2024. He completed his year-long internship at Brigham and Women’s main campus outpatient department and was hire as a full-time staff therapist in September 2024. Prior to attending graduate school, George completed his Bachelor’s in Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2020. His clinical interests include a general orthopedic population with special interests in the running and athletic populations.

Saloni Doshi PT, DPT
Senior Physical Therapist

Saloni Doshi received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Simmons College in 2005 and completed her Certificate of Advanced Studies in Orthopedics (CAS) from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professionals in 2012. She has been part of the rehabilitation department at Brigham and Women Hospital since 2005. Her clinical interests include orthopedics, geriatrics and working with patients with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. She is also interested in Evidence-Based Research and has published articles in peer reviewed journals. She is a Credentialed Clinical Instructor and is committed to teaching as a lab instructor for the Graduate Program at MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Sabrina Flores
Practice Assistant II

Sabrina received her high school diploma at Edward M. Kennedy Academy for health careers. She has more than 4 years of customer service experience, and within the last year she has been getting health care experience in retail pharmacy at CVS. She has aspirations to attend college in the future, and until then is looking forward to finding her career path while working at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Vivian Huang PT, DPT
Clinical Specialist, Physical Therapist

Vivian received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University in 2013. She received her bachelor’s degree in clinical medicine in Sun Yat-Sen University in 2007 in China before moving to Boston. She joined BWH outpatient PT in 2016, and previously worked as an outpatient PT at Cape Cod Hospital from 2014-2016. She has been a senior PT since 2019. She completed the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy program and became a Certified Manual Physical Therapist (CMPT) in 2020. Her clinical interests include orthopedics, neurology, and vestibular disorders. She is currently involved as PT evaluator in a research study for muscular dystrophies. She is APTA’s credentialed clinical instructor and enjoys working with physical therapy students.

Madhuri Kale, BPTh, DPT, MS, OCS
Clinical Specialist, Physical Therapist

Madhuri is an Orthopedic Clinical specialist with more than 10 years of clinical experience. She completed her post-professional Master of Science with orthopedic concentration at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professionals in 2007 and her Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2013. She received her entry-level Bachelors of Physiotherapy from Sancheti Healthcare Academy, Pune India in 2004. She worked for a year in Balabhai Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai before moving to Boston. She has been at BWH inpatient PT from 2008-2010 and since 2010 has been with BWH outpatient PT. Her areas of interests include orthopedics or musculoskeletal injuries, arthritis and clinical research. She is a member of the research committee and has a few publications to her name in peer-reviewed journals. She has presented at conferences at a state and regional level. Madhuri is also credentialed clinical instructor by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Ashton MacFarlane, PT, DPT

Ashton earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017 before receiving her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Simmons College in 2020. Before joining the BWH outpatient team in 2024, Ashton worked in geriatric outpatient private practice and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlestown, MA. Her clinical interests include a wide range of conditions including orthopedics, management of post-surgical patients, balance and fall risk reduction in the geriatric community, and return to sport for athletes and the general population. She has been an APTA member since 2017 and a part of the Geriatric section since 2021.

Elizabeth Nardella, PT, DPT
Senior Physical Therapist

Liz graduated from University of New Hampshire with a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science before receiving her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professionals in 2010. She completed her full year internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she has been working since graduation. She worked as a staff PT on the inpatient service before transitioning to the outpatient department as a Senior PT. Her clinical interests include orthopedics, neurology, vestibular disorders, and headaches. She also works with the neurologists in the Neuromuscular Disease clinic, which is funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Liz is an active member of the Committee Resource Committee, organizing volunteer opportunities for the rehab department and continues to be a clinical instructor for physical therapy students at BWH.

Matt Natanson PT, DPT, OCS
Clinical Specialist, Physical Therapist

Matt completed his undergraduate from University of Rochester and then earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in 2012. Since then, he has been licensed as a Physical Therapist and worked at Spaulding Rehabilitation Centers in sports, orthopedic, and work hardening settings until he joined BWH in 2016. Matt additionally has worked at Hebrew SeniorLife as an outpatient house call therapist, earned his Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) in 2015 and recently earned his Certified Manual Physical Therapist (CMPT) certification from the North American Institute of Manual Therapy in 2019. He is also skilled and trained in dry needling and blood flow restriction training and is a clinical instructor for interns and mentors colleagues on spinal manipulations and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilizations. He has been an APTA member since 2009.

David Pirani, PT, DPT, M Ed
Senior Physical Therapist

David earned his B.A. in Psychology at Boston College and his Master’s of Education in Counseling at Bridgewater State College. He received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of New England in 2007 and has been a licensed Physical Therapist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital since that time. He first worked on the Inpatient Service where he served as Co-Lead for the Orthopedic Team. He moved to the Outpatient Clinic on the Main Campus in 2011 where he continues to work. His main focus of clinical work involves working with patients with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, especially patients with shoulder dysfunction and the post-operative management of patients following shoulder and other orthopedic procedures and surgeries. Additionally, he works with athletes with sports-related injuries who desire to return to playing sports and individuals who are recovering from lower and upper back injuries.

David is a clinical instructor for the department, has worked extensively with the Northeastern University Coop Program, serves on the Rehabilitation Recognition Committee and is involved in various community service projects. He has served annually as a Medical Volunteer for the Boston Marathon since 2007 working with runners in the Medical Tent at the finish line on Boylston Street and with the Elite Runners at the Elite Finish.

Rebecca Quan PT, DPT
Senior Physical Therapist

Rebecca completed her DPT from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in 2010 and has spent most of her career at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in the outpatient rehab department. She became board-certified in orthopedics in 2014 and later completed a fellowship in orthopedic manual physical therapy with Evidence in Motion/Bellin College in 2019. Her clinical interests include working with individuals with cervical spine and shoulder conditions as well as balance issues. She also enjoys exploring her role as a PT beyond the clinic by assisting with community outreach programs, such as health and wellness programs, and serving as a lab instructor in the classroom.

Jolene Russo
Co-op Student

Jolene is a third-year Health Science student minoring in Sports, Media, and Communication at Northeastern University on the pre-PT track. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to enter Northeastern’s DPT program. She plans to focus on treating patients in return to sport for athletes once she graduates from DPT school.

Alanna Schwarz, PT, DPT

After graduating from Marist College in 2017, Alanna earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Alvernia University in 2021. Prior to joining BWH at the end of 2023, Alanna worked in a private practice in New Jersey. Her clinical interests are mainly in orthopedics, both operative and nonoperative rehabilitation, and geriatrics. Alanna maintains membership to the APTA to keep up to date on PT related issues to best serve her patients and has presented research at a state level conference.