Rajendran Thangamuthu, DPT
Owner and Physical Therapist
Raj’s physical therapy career began in 1992 after graduating from SRIPMS College in India. He spent 3 years practicing there before moving to Kuwait and joining the Ministry of Health Hospitals system. In 1996, he came to the United States and practiced in various hospitals and clinics before opening his practice in 2008. AquatiCare Physical Therapy allowed Raj to focus on superior patient care and treat patients with fewer visits and better results. In 2011, he opened Empower Physical Therapy and Fitness – an innovative concept integrating Physical Therapy and Fitness in one facility.
Raj is devoted to lifelong learning and throughout his career has gained extensive experience in manual therapy including training at the Ola Grimsby Institute, C-OMPT specialist, Level 3 McKenzie NDT trained, IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) and Myofascial Release education through Thomas Myers Anatomy Trains. He received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2011. Raj is a certified Neurac Therapist, Pilates instructor, an avid student of Hot Yoga.
Raj is passionate about working with the elderly and has created a unique Fall Prevention Program to improve patient’s balance and coordination as they age. He utilizes a wide variety of equipment to address balance deficits including Pneumex Unweighting System, Biodex and Balance Gym.
Certified in performing Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE) and Work Site Analyses, Raj has pioneered the development of performance enhancement programs for DuPont. He has worked directly with the Resin, Dispersion, Fire Brigade, and Emergency Services departments.
In his free time, Raj enjoys spending time with his wife, son and two daughters.
Brittany Kozicki, PT, DPT
Director of Operations - Long Lake
Brittany graduated from Michigan State University in 2014 with a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and then attended the University of Michigan - Flint where she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017 and has been a practicing physical therapist for seven years.
She has a passion for orthopedic physical therapy and enjoys working with patients of all ages– whether it be helping patients return to sports or their functional abilities. She has a special appreciation for runners and has treated many sports-related injuries - aging from adolescents, collegiate athletes, and even former professional athletes. She has taken several continuing education courses and has training in Dry Needling, the McKenzie method for the lumbar and cervical spine, static and dynamic cupping, Graston techniques, Kinesio taping, ACL rehabilitation, and gait analysis for runners. Her treatment style includes an individualized physical therapy regimen to help you meet your goals and get you back to what you want to do.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her dog Maddie, rooting on the Detroit Lions, traveling, and participating in Pilates/Barre and all outdoor activities including - water skiing, snowboarding, and golfing. She ran her first Marathon in October 2019, which she views as one of her biggest accomplishments yet!
“I wanted to become a PT because I have a passion for exercise, being active, and people! One of my biggest joys in life is helping people get back to the things they love. I was drawn to PT because it encompasses all of those aspects”- Brittany
Stephanie Feng PT, DPT, Cert. DN. Cert. SMT, Dip. Osteopractic, FAAOMPT
Clinic Director - Hall Road
Stephanie graduated from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2013. Shortly after, she began her journey toward becoming a Physical Therapist at the University of Michigan Flint.
Stephanie graduated with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2017. In March 2020, she began Orthopedic Fellowship training. She spent nearly 18 months in this program, consisting of several week-long intensives, weekend courses, and 150 one-on-one mentor hours with a Therapist who has over 40 years of clinical experience in the US and abroad. Her main interests are in Orthopedics, with specialties in Dry Needling, Cupping, IASTM, the McKenzie Method, and Joint Manipulation. While her passion is largely in Orthopedics, Stephanie more recently took coursework in Pelvic Floor Therapy after learning of its relationship to Low Back Pain and other Orthopedic problems.
In true PT fashion, Stephanie enjoys being active in her spare time. One of her favorite activities is Rock Climbing, which her husband introduced her to when they first met. She is also passionate about cooking and trying foods of all cuisines and hopes to travel more to try something new and different.
Renata Zelenak PT
Physical Therapist - Hall Road
Renata Zelenak is a Michigan licensed Physical Therapist, who obtained her physical therapy degree in 1992, in Germany. After completing her Orthopedic and Neurologic Physical Therapy residency, she relocated to Michigan and started her career in a hospital-based outpatient clinic, at Cottage Hospital, in Grosse Pointe. Later, she worked at an orthopedic outpatient clinic, at Lowell Park – HFHS, in Sterling Heights, and in 2022, she joined the Empower PT and Fitness team, in Clinton Township.
Her experience comes from treating patients with orthopedic and neurological medical conditions, with an emphasis on improving their quality of life and returning patients to their desired level of fitness. She also has experience working with the pediatric orthopedic and sports population. Renata believes that through effective communication/education and use of manual therapy in conjunction with functional re-training, every person can make improvements in their physical fitness.
Renata has always enjoyed working with people of all different ages and backgrounds and additionally, she served as a clinical instructor at her previous clinics, as a proctor at Wayne State University, and as a medical interpreter for Slovak, Czech and German speaking natives. Additionally, she keeps up with current research to combine both evidence and research-based practice with interventions to maximize the outcomes.
Jenna Harris, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist - Long Lake
Jenna Harris graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology in 2017. She traveled to New York to attend New York Medical College where she graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2020. Jenna loves working in the outpatient orthopedic setting where she can treat patients with a variety of different conditions and has taken a special interest in women’s health and pelvic floor conditions of which she has completed additional specialized training. She has also completed courses to become certified in Dry Needling, Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, and Kinesiology Taping. Jenna entered this field because she enjoys helping others improve their quality of life.
Outside of work, Jenna likes to go hiking and spend time outdoors with her husband and their dog. She recommends Grand Island and North Manitou Island for hiking or backpacking trips in Michigan.
Rutva Chokshi, PT
Physical Therapist - Hall Road
Rutva Chokshi went to school in India and graduated from physical therapy school in 2017. During her studies, she took a special interest in Cardiopulmonary science and did her post-graduate studies in the field. Rutva has been practicing for five years and has acquired a vast set of skills throughout her career. She worked in an ICU setting for two years which trained her to manage challenging situations. Through this experience, her knowledge in cardiac rehab and pulmonary rehab for post-CABG, valve replacement, and lung surgical patients makes her a well-rounded physical therapist with the Empower team. Though her interests in medicine have always been vast she has now directed her attention to helping patients live a pain-free life and works hard to see patients leave happy and with the ability to get back to their daily lives with no restrictions. Currently, Rutva is expanding her efforts into treating low back pain, cervical fusion, shoulder replacement, and rotator cuff repairs. She recently completed a pelvic floor certification to help patients in private and desperate need!
Kristie Grochowski, PTA
Physical Therapist Assistant - Long Lake
Kristie graduated in 2000 from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. She was a certified personal trainer for a few years after graduating, then took time off to start and raise a family. After 10 years as a Stay at Home Mom, Kristie returned to school in 2017 to pursue her passion-working in the physical therapy field. In September 2019, she graduated from South University with an Associate’s degree in Applied Sciences in Physical Therapy Assisting.
Outside of work, Kristie’s time is spent with her husband at numerous sporting events cheering on their 3 boys.
Shattanna Hilliard, PTA
Physical Therapist Assistant - Hall Road
Shattanna prefers to be called Shay. She graduated in 2020 with an associate degree in applied science as a Physical Therapy Assistant from Macomb Community College. Throughout high school, she has played various sports including basketball, volleyball, and soccer. She has always valued the ability to keep the body moving and has been fascinated with the science of the human body with how it operates. She loves helping people and it brings her happiness to see how Physical Therapy can help others overcome or improve various difficulties in their lives.
When she is not at the clinic helping patients reach their goals, she enjoys reading various genres, hiking, and making people laugh.
Rachel Creagh, PTA
Physical Therapist Assistant - Hall Road
Rachel graduated in 2019 from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. She has furthered her education and graduated from Macomb Community College with her Physical Therapy Assistant degree in 2021. She loves working with all types of patients with different injuries and assisting them to regain control of their lives and specifically likes getting athletes back to sports.
In her spare time, Rachel is an event coordinator with LDT Events and loves to travel and hang out with family and friends.
“This passion grew from my background as a gymnast for 18 years and competing as a collegiate athlete for 4 years.” - Rachel
