Certified Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Specialists

CERTIFIED SPECIALISTS

Project Walk is a pioneer in activity-based recovery programs and, with over a decade of experience, its staff is on the cutting edge of this emerging field. Each center across the globe is staffed with highly qualified Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Specialists who treat thousands of client hours every year from more than 20 countries and 6 continents.

Team Leads

Josh Salic, CSCS, ACE, CSRS I,
Josh earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from California Lutheran University. While at CLU he participated in football, track, and club volleyball. Once he left the university he pursued his love of football and played for two arena teams, the San Diego Riptide and the Pamona Cool Riders. He ended his career with the San Diego Thunder, a semi pro team that went to the national championship game in 2008. While living his dream and getting paid to play football he also became a personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness. Becoming a Master Trainer and training over 10,000 hours he used his degree every day to help a wide range of fitness, athletic and rehabilitation clients to achieve their goals. He also worked with over a dozen sports teams and other professional athletes along his journey to Project Walk. Josh is a positive and outgoing individual who loves life and enjoys every minute of it.

Bri Hamilton, CSRS II
Bri received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology from Scripps College in 2002. Immediately after graduation she completed an internship and training certification program at ADAPT, formerly known as Function Dynamics in Portland, Oregon. After working with a variety of clients at Function Dynamics, ranging from injury rehabilitation, chronic pain reduction and high-end athletic training, she found her passion in SCI. In 2005 Bri relocated to Carlsbad to work at Project Walk. Since then Bri has completed both her Level I, II and Instructor certifications and has been training and instructing Project Walk staff, clients, family members, personal trainers and physical therapists about Project Walk’s program. She has also traveled to Australia and Texas for continued education at our provider centers, and spent two weeks in Norway teaching the introduction to The Dardzinski Method® at a rehabilitation center just outside of Oslo.

Sachi Gundrania, CSRS I
Sachi graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a B.S. Degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Clinical Exercise Science. He worked in a physical therapy clinic before moving back to his hometown of nearby Vista, California. He enjoys sports, working out, and the outdoors. Sachi feels truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful place and is looking forward to making Project Walk the best spinal cord injury recovery center in the world.

Jason Smith, CSCS, CSRS II

Jason graduated from California State University of Long Beach with a degree in Kinesiology. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He was a personal trainer for many years, but found himself wanting more out of a career in the fitness industry. That desire led him to Project Walk. He considers himself very fortunate to be a part of this amazing place and wonderful people.

Specialist

Kathi Anderson, ATC, CSRS I
Kathi graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Kinesiology, emphasis in Athletic Training in 2008. She completed a two year internship at UC San Diego’s sports medicine facility where she worked with women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s lacrosse, and men’s/women’s rugby. She is currently the Assistant Athletic Trainer for Rancho Bernardo High School and an adjunct instructor at San Diego State University.

Kimberly Davis, CSRS II
Kimberly has been with Project Walk since 2005 when she began an apprenticeship as she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. She has created many personalized home programs for clients with all levels of spinal cord injury. Additionally, she has performed several Train Your Trainer/Therapist programs, educating therapists from all over the world including Japan, Australia, Norway, Spain, and England. With an original background in coaching youth soccer, as well as having played at the college level, she appreciates and encourages a hard work ethic, and is dedicated to the recovery of spinal cord injury. Kimberly feels honored and extremely privileged to have been able to work with the wonderful staff and clients at Project Walk for so many years and looks forward to continuing to help her clients reach all of their goals

Genny Kroll, CSRS I
Genny has a BS degree in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. She has nine years of experience working with people facing a variety of challenges including: young athletes; seniors; post-operative clients of all ages, people with neural and muscular disabilities and anyone who is looking to feel stronger and improve their overall sense of well-being. She started with project in 2010 and enjoys the challenge of going against the odds of traditional recovery and creating new opportunities for her clients. Genny is passionate about SCI recovery, loves working for Project Walk, and is continuously inspired by her clients.

Ryan Carpenter, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, CSRS I
Ryan joined Project Walk in August 2010. He has a B.S. and M.S. in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Strength and Conditioning from Cal State Fullerton. Ryan has been working with and training a wide variety of individuals from personal training to performance training for the past four years. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Ryan is very excited to come to work every day where he observes what the body can accomplish against odds through intense exercise. He enjoys staying as active as possible and his hobbies include surfing and training for marathons.

Andon Gamache
Andon graduated Pre-Med from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Physiology and a minor in Exercise and Health Science. Before Project Walk Andon worked and volunteered as a Surgical Technician at hospitals in Santa Barbara and San Diego. He is a certified EMT in San Diego County. Andon spends any free time snowboarding, motorcycling, playing Racquetball, or camping with his friends and family. After being hired as an Aide, Andon has worked his way to becoming a Specialist at Project Walk. He looks forward to pushing his clients everyday and helping them achieve their goals.

Nelly Geronimo
Nelly is one of our newest Specialists and we are glad to welcome her to the Project Walk family. I joined the Project Walk family in June 2011. I’ve earned my B.S. degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Fitness, Nutrition, and Health and M.A. in General Kinesiology (Rehab Science based) from San Diego State University. I’ve been working for the YMCA for 2+ years as a Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer. Project Walk is a one of a kind organization that provides me the opportunity to learn something new every day, challenge myself and apply what I’ve learned, and meet new people from across the globe. I look forward to helping our clients attain their goals. During my spare time I enjoy working out, watching sports, and hanging out with friends.

Travis Haywood, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, CSRS I,
Travis Holds a B.S. in Kinesiology and will obtain his M.S. in Kinesiology (pending his thesis defense) from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Travis is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Travis has been a collegiate strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer since 2005. In 2007 he began working with a staff of physical therapists designing programs for individuals with differing injuries to restore physical function. He immediately knew that helping people heal his true passion. Travis saw an advertisement for Project Walk, took one look at the website, and ran over as fast as he could with his resume…he never left!

David Hofmaier, MA, CSCS, CSRS I
David has over twelve years of experience working with athletes, coaches, and medical staffs across the United States. David graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Human Development from the University of Nebraska. During that time he was an assistant to the Director of Reconditioning for all Division I student-athletes at Nebraska and an assistant for strength and conditioning with Football. His five years’ experience with Nebraska Football led to an assistant with Strength and Conditioning for the San Diego Chargers. After the 2002 Charger Season he went on to Idaho State University where he was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for their 13 Division I varsity sports and finished with a Master’s Degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Administration. David also taught PE courses for the university. After four years coaching and teaching at Idaho State University he went on to become an assistant strength coach at Cal and to direct their Reconditioning Program for varsity athletics. After one season at Cal, he returned to San Diego where he finished his third season with the Chargers and is in his first at Project Walk.

Rodney Marquez
Rodney began Project Walk as an Aide during his undergraduate courses and slowly worked his way up to becoming a Certified SCI Apprentice. His plans for the near future is obtaining his physical therapy license and becoming a prestige physical therapist for Project Walk. He truly believes in Project Walk for its determination of clients, unity of coworkers, and its unbelievable feeling of helping SCI clients achieve any type of goal small or big.

Yoshi Ozaki, MS, CSRS I
Yoshi has earned a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology with emphasis in Adapted Physical Activity at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and two Bachelors of Science degrees in Kinesiology at CSUN and in Lifelong Sports and Health Science at University of Yamanashi in Japan. He has four years of experience in working with individuals with different disabilities at the Center of Achievement, a nonprofit rehabilitation center at CSUN, as clinical staff who designs client’s therapeutic exercise programs based on clinical evaluation. Yoshi has also worked as a Teaching Associate instructing various kinesiology classes, such as land-based and aquatic adapted therapeutic exercises for people with special needs. He enjoys challenges because he believes that through a challenge an individual becomes stronger. His lifelong desire to assist people to succeed in challenges has motivated him to become patient and committed to not only his own behaviors, but also helping others with disabilities achieve their physical activity goals.

Kimmy Sanborn, MS, CSCS, CSRS I
Kim has been training athletes for more than 10 years. After earning a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, she started her career as a strength and conditioning coach at Syracuse University where she trained varsity athletes of all sports and ability levels. Prior to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Kim was recruited by the New South Wales institute of Sport in Sydney, Australia to train Olympic and developmental athletes in their preparations for the Sydney Games. In 2004, Kim moved back to the U.S. and after a short stint at Brown University took a position with the Unites States Olympic Committee as a Strength & Conditioning Coach. Kim spent 4 1/2 years preparing America’s athletes for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics in 2008. Kim earned a BS in English and Exercise Science from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida and an MS in Exercise Physiology from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. For fun she enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, road races, triathlons, scuba diving and anything that involves the ocean or the outdoors!

Steve Waite, CSCS
Steve earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from the College of William and Mary in 2008. After graduation he became certified in Strength and Conditioning through the NSCA and was hired as an Exercise Specialist at Crest Physical Therapy in New Jersey. While at Crest, Steve founded and directed the Gait Analysis Department giving him the opportunity to the improve functional movement and gait patterns of clients at both the clinical and athletic levels. Steve has worked with several sports teams and athletes from all levels (including the NBA, NFL, and Olympic Track) but believes that, at Project Walk, he will be able to train even more focused and driven individuals.

Kyle Yamauchi
Kyle graduated from San Diego State University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Physical Therapy with an emphasis in Rehabilitative Science. Hired as an aide in early 2011, he is working towards certification as an SCI recovery specialist. Kyle enjoys working with children, plyometrics, and sports. He is excited to use his education and experience to compliment Project Walks recovery philosophy.

Aides