Our Team

Mark Powell PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

Dr. Powell is the Clinic Manager at our Boone at Appalachian State University clinic.

Mark earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, NC. Before this, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. While in Physical Therapy school, Mark provided pro-bono physical therapy services to areas in Winston-Salem that were significantly below the poverty level.

He became a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy in 2021. He then went on to complete Bellin College’s Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) Fellowship Program. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists; a designation obtained by less than 1% of all physical therapists. He spends additional time teaching both Doctor of Physical Therapy students as well as current physical therapists going through orthopedic or sports residencies.

As a former collegiate football player, Mark takes special interest in sports performance and rehabilitation as well as manual therapy and dry needling. In his spare time, he enjoys working out, watching sports, playing video games, and spending time with his family.

Paola Powell PT, DPT, LMC

Dr. Paola Powell earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). Prior to that, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She takes a special interest in pelvic health and has completed a nine-month Pelvic Health Specialist Certification through Evidence In Motion’s (EIM). She also completed an eight-month Lifestyle Medicine Certification through EIM to empower patients to make sustainable behavior changes that optimize their health.

Paola enjoys empowering patients by helping them optimize their ability to perform their activities of daily living. She is passionate about breaking the stereotype of pelvic health physical therapy being only women’s health and welcomes people of all genders. She is excited about serving the people of the High Country to improve their pain, confidence, and sports performance.

In her free time, she likes playing tennis, reading, spending time with family, and going on walks with her husband and their Golden Doodle, Zuko.

Rebecca Sabathe

Rebecca Sabathe received her BS in Business Administration Sales and Marketing from Davenport University in Grand Rapids Michigan. She has over 20 years of advertising and Pharmaceutical sales experience, winning numerous accolades for top performance. Rebecca was thrilled to join the BreakThrough Physical Therapy team in October of 2014 and is the Director of Marketing. Rebecca has a passion for helping all people live healthy lives by educating the providers she partners with.

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her family.

Laura Ranz

Laura earned her Bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Grand Canyon University. She has over 20 years of fitness experience, educating the community in the importance of fitness and wellness, and is excited to be part of the BreakThrough Physical Therapy team. In her free time, Laura enjoys working out, running with her son, shopping with her daughter, and going to the beach.

Kathy Murray

Kathy Murray has a B.A. in Business Management and Ethics from Laurel University in High Point NC.  She joined BreakThrough Physical Therapy in March 2017, bringing over 20 years of experience in medical sales, medical chemical analysis, and marketing.

She has a passion for promoting active and healthy lifestyles for all walks of life and is excited to help the North Carolina community gain access to BreakThrough Physical Therapy as a means of getting “back to work….back to play…back to life!”

Outside of work, Kathy loves being outdoors, gardening, exercising, baking sweet treats and spending time with her family.

Alex Corbett PT, DPT

Dr. Alex Corbett earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to earning his doctorate, he attended North Carolina State University for his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing. He later joined The United States Air Force as an active-duty service member.

Dr. Corbett has prior experience working in the strength and conditioning field. After years of coaching individuals of all ages, he understands what it takes to progress an individual from injury rehabilitation to performing at their best. Dr. Corbett has experience working with athletes, post-surgery patients, weekend fitness warriors, and the average person who is just trying to move pain-free and become stronger. He takes a special interest in getting active individuals back to the gym, their sport, or their hobby. Additionally, he has completed continuing education courses on Functional Dry Needling.

In his free time, Alex enjoys lifting weights in his garage gym, making homemade pizza, and hiking with his wife and two dogs.

Anastasia Engelsman PT, DPT

Anastasia Engelsman, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), graduated from Duke University and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Hope College. Her background as a competitive dancer, along with her continued passion and involvement in dance throughout college, has greatly informed her desire and ability to treat performing artists of all kinds.

Anastasia is committed to enhancing the quality of life of her patients and helping them return to their craft. She leverages her extensive experience in both the art and science of movement to achieve this.

Having worked with both amateur and professional dancers across a broad range of styles and techniques, Anastasia possesses a thorough understanding of the unique demands placed on these athletes and how to treat them.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Anastasia enjoys reading, refurbishing furniture, exploring her new surroundings in North Carolina, and cherishing moments with her fiancé, Adam, and their two feline companions, Tod and Copper.

Chelsea Martin PT, DPT

Dr. Chelsea Martin is a physical therapist at Breakthrough Physical Therapy, based in Carrboro, NC. she is a certified sports medicine specialist who completed a rigorous sports residency program. Her primary focus lies in shoulder therapy and working with overhead athletes. Chelsea has a passion for accompanying patients on their wellness journeys, enabling them to achieve optimal health and reach their objectives both on the pitch and in daily life.

Having considerable experience in working with athletes and active adults, Chelsea is dedicated to helping her patients maintain their peak physical condition and participate in their preferred sports at their highest potential. She also extends her expertise beyond her clinic by offering consultations to coaches, parents, and athletes in overhead sports, focusing on sports mechanics and injury prevention.

As a researcher, Chelsea has contributed significantly to the field of sports medicine. She has published papers and delivered presentations at national conferences, exploring critical areas such as clinical measures of adolescent overhead athletes, collegiate athlete health and well-being, and injury surveillance.

Currently, she is advancing her academic pursuit by working towards a PhD at the University of Chapel Hill. Based in the Gillings School of Global Health, Department of Epidemiology, her research is centered on sports injury epidemiology.

Outside her professional life, she is an outdoor enthusiast who uses every opportunity she can to be in nature. She enjoys hiking, running, backpacking, and spending time with her husband and their dog, Beau.

Lee Hodge PT, DPT

Lee Hodge earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the Medical University of South Carolina. Prior to that, Lee obtained his Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Lee’s background in various sports including football, track & field, and rugby helps him to treat patients across the spectrum of injuries. While he greatly enjoys working with lower extremity injuries, he also has an interest for shoulders and the overhead athlete in addition to being the “Youth Sports Specialist” in the Carrboro office. Lee also holds certification for functional dry needling that can be used to facilitate healing, if necessary.

In his spare time, Lee enjoys playing Quadball, formerly known as quidditch, where he competes both nationally and internationally. He also loves Pokemon and competes in video game tournaments across the country. Other than these outlandish hobbies, Lee enjoys spending time with his wife, Courtney, and their lovely daughter Riley.

Smruti Shah PT, DPT, OCS

Smruti is the Clinic Director at the Carrboro clinic.

Smruti obtained her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the Medical University of South Carolina. She is also a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.

Smruti has had the opportunity to serve the Carrboro and Chapel Hill community for over a decade and is excited to continue learning and growing with them.

As a life-long runner, Smruti combines a keen interest in biomechanics with her mission to address the source of the problem. She is an expert in running-related injuries and dysfunction of the hip, ankle, foot, and TMJ.  Additionally, she holds advanced training and experience in functional dry needling and custom foot orthoses fabrication.

Recently, she has had the opportunity to further develop her expertise in dance medicine to promote dancers well being, and injury prevention and treatment.

The skills she has developed over the years allow Smruti to deliver individualized goal-driven care to maximize her patient’s participation and performance in life and sporting pursuits.  Her approach has helped many runners and endurance athletes achieve their personal bests.

In her free time, Smruti finds joy in running for hours, traveling with her family, serving as a chauffeur for her two daughters, and brushing her fluffy dog.

Samantha (Kim) Hamman PT, DPT

Dr. Samantha (Kim) Hamman earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Duke University and earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Vanguard University of Southern California. Samantha is Pelvic Floor Level 1 certified and has a history of training youth to college athletes with a focus on sport performance as well as experience with endurance athletes and runners. Her background involves a variety of sports including soccer, softball, cross country, basketball, and ultra marathons that have helped her to better understand and treat patients with their specific demands for each sport.

Samantha enjoys helping patients return to their activities that are most meaningful to the patient. She values working alongside each patient to develop an individualized treatment plan that helps them feel confident in their movement. Samantha enjoys giving her patient practical tools they can use beyond the clinic. She has a particular interest in endurance athletes and runners, gait analysis, and functional performance.

Outside of the clinic, Sammy enjoys spending time with her husband, Jake, their 2 sons and Colorado Mountain Dog, Kida. She stays active through weightlifting, trail running, playing pickleball, traveling, sauna/cold plunge, and camping outdoors. She is always on the lookout for her next ultra marathon to sign up for.

Chandler Christy PT, DPT, CSCS

Chandler Christy earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Franklin Pierce University in Goodyear, Arizona. Prior to that, Chandler earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology with a minor in Psychology from King University in Bristol, Tennessee. Upon completing his doctorate, Chandler also became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

Chandler has a passion for working with athletes and helping them return to their sports. Chandler also enjoys working with people of all ages and activity level return to their passions and duties. Above all else, Chandler enjoys having fun by making the exercises and treatment an enjoyable and productive experience.

In his free time, Chandler enjoys playing and watching sports. He also enjoys spending quality time with his significant other and their dog, Marky.

Linda Mason

Linda is a Physician Liaison for the BreakThrough team representing the Cary region. She was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended Michigan State University and received a B.A. in Organizational Communications.

She has over 15 years of pharmaceutical sales and teaching experience. She has won several top sales awards and trips. She is passionate about helping others achieve their full potential.

In her free time, she enjoys working out at the gym, painting, baking desserts, traveling and watching movies with her husband, Peter.

Linda loves her role as a Physician Liaison for BreakThrough Physical Therapy and the challenges and rewards that come with this role.

Tae-Sun Kang M.S. OTR/L

Taz Kang is a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) who received his Master’s of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy in from the University of Southern Indiana.

Occupational Therapy is a second career for Taz. He previously worked as a 3D Graphics Designer for a Fortune 500 Marketing company and has a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University in Computer Graphics Animation and Technology.

Taz has worked extensively with children diagnosed with intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and autism in outpatient rehab clinics during his time as an Occupational Therapist.

Taz is Kinesiology Taping Certification through RockTape and has a strong understanding of how muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together. Taz also enjoys working on improving handwriting for his patients and is trained in Handwriting Without Tears®.

In his free time, he works as a portrait photographer and enjoys spending time with his 2 cats and traveling with his wife.