Doctor Bios
Dr. Melissa Foley, PT, DPT, CSCS
Dr. Foley is the owner of Private Care Therapies (PCT) and has been working in the private home care field for over fifteen years. She attended an accelerated six-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the Bouve College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University where she earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy as well as graduated Magna Cum Laude with her B.S. in Rehabilitation Sciences. She holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialty (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association of America (NSCA), through which she has worked with professional athletes and a Winter Olympian for injury rehabilitation during and between competitive seasons.
In addition to her full-time position at PCT, Dr. Foley is an adjunct professor at Northeastern University in the Physical Therapy Department (She teaches Foundations of Physical Therapy, Integumentary Science and Advanced Modalities, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, and Introduction to Healthcare Systems). Her clinical experience includes outpatient orthopedics, outpatient and inpatient neurological rehabilitation (at Boston Medical Center and Spaulding Rehabilitation), long term acute care, and home care interventions. Dr. Foley specializes in orthopedic rehabilitation, stroke/neuro/vestibular rehabilitation, cardiac and pulmonary therapies, as well as pre-surgical training and home safety adaptations. She is a certified Wheelchair Classifier for the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and participates in Classifier training for physical therapists through Boston University and Northeastern University. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and holds additional memberships with the subsections of the Neuro-Rehabilitation Section of MA Chapter of the APTA, the Private Practice section, and the Home Care Section.
Dr. Foley formed PCT to provide outcome driven treatment that was not limited by insurance restrictions or time frames after seeing patients fail to reach their maximum potential due to limitations of the care their insurance would cover. She found that patients were more motivated and dedicated to their rehabilitation plans when it could be adapted to their existing lifestyle and when it incorporated their favorite activities. Some of her most successful sessions have happened on the golf course, in the gym, on the sand at the beach, or at the workplace. By adapting the program to the preferred environment of the patient, she found she was able to improve patient compliance and independence with home exercise maintenance. She has found that customized, high-quality care on an as-needed or preventative basis is the most successful approach for rehabilitating the whole person, not just the impairment. Dr. Foley uses the “pre-habilitation” mindset to work with each client individually on their unique and life centered goals.
Dr. Foley is married with three little girls and lives in Jamaica Plain. She enjoys traveling, learning to cook new foods, reading, teaching, and jogging around Jamaica Pond.
Dr. Laura Blood, PT, DPT, GCS
Dr. Blood graduated from Northeastern University with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Science in 2010. She has worked in a variety of settings including outpatient orthopedics, inpatient acute care and home care. Dr. Blood has been working with Private Care Therapies as a Senior Physical Therapist since 2015.
Dr. Blood is a Board-Certified Geriatric Specialist and enjoys working with the geriatric population. She continues to expand her expertise within the specialty and has had the honor of presenting at a variety of conferences and continuing education courses. One of which was at the national APTA CSM convention in Anaheim, CA in 2016. She continues to expand her expertise by seeking out additional opportunities to receive continuing education in addition to developing continuing education opportunities for other physical therapists and the community. She remains a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Dr. Blood also holds a part time faculty position in the Northeastern University Physical Therapy Department. She has taught a variety of courses since 2013 including Foundations of Physical Therapy, Cardiopulmonary Management, Integumentary Management, and Lifespan- Geriatric Management. She has also held the positions of Cooperative Education Advisor and Director of Clinical Education at Northeastern University.
Dr. Blood lives with her husband, two daughters, and two cats in Wrentham, Massachusetts. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, loves traveling to the beach whenever possible, and enjoys expanding her talents in baking.
Dr. Ashley Richard, PT, DPT, GCS
Dr. Richard graduated from Quinnipiac University with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences. She has been working in the homecare setting for six years and has been with Private Care Therapies for four years. She has worked in a variety of other setting including inpatient acute care, inpatient ICU rehab and skilled nursing facilities. Dr. Richard has extensive experience and interest in Cardiopulmonary rehab including chest physical therapy that incorporates the use of chest percussion, vibration and postural drainage. Dr. Richard also has interest in Oncology and Geriatrics and became a Board-Certified Geriatric Specialist in early 2021.
In 2016, Dr. Richard had the honor of presenting within the Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care sections at the national American Physical Therapy Association Conference in Anaheim, California. The presentation, which was titled “Aerobic Conditioning in the Acute Care Setting for Patients with Cancer-Related Fatigue,” was presented with colleague Dr. Blood and was selected to be transformed into an online course through Educata.com. Dr. Richard also has a love for philanthropy and has been on three medical mission trips to the Dominican Republic: 2014, 2015 and 2017. There, she worked with a group of surgeons, nurses and other therapists to rehabilitate the ill residents of Barahona, Dominican Republic.
Dr. Richard lives with her husband and sons, Henry and Charlie, in Lynn, Massachusetts. She enjoys traveling, hiking, anything outdoors, baking and spending time with her family.
Dr. Leeza Meteleva, PT, DPT
Dr. Meteleva earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is fluent in Russian.
In addition to her position at PCT, Dr. Meteleva works as an orthopedic physical therapist. She specializes in dance rehabilitation, manual therapy, and post-operative rehabilitation. Dr. Meteleva also has experience working in skilled nursing facility and long-term care facilities as well as New England Baptist Hospital. Dr. Meteleva has first-hand clinical experience in acute care at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and she worked with professional dancers at Boston Ballet Company. Dr. Meteleva has personal experience being a dancer for over twenty years and is excited to bring her energy and perspective to each client's individual needs.
Dr. Meteleva has completed her level one certification in Functional Dry Needling and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). She enjoys attending lectures and events hosted by the manual therapy and geriatric Special Interest Groups (SIG). Dr. Meteleva is a repeat volunteer for Pan Mass Challenge and Best Buddies Challenge fundraisers.
In her free time Dr. Meteleva enjoys listening to audiobooks, taking dance classes, horseback riding, running, and visiting her hometown of Sevastopol, Crimea.
Dr. Lauren Mazzone, PT, DPT
Dr. Mazzone graduated from Northeastern University, where she completed an accelerated six-year Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the Bouve College of Health Sciences, as well as a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Sciences, graduating Cum Laude. She has experience in several practice areas including inpatient acute care in the cardiopulmonary and medical intensive care units, inpatient acute orthopedics, skilled nursing facilities, and intensive inpatient rehabilitation.
Dr. Mazzone specializes in neurorehabilitation with an interest in patients with traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries. She maintains a per diem relationship with Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital of Braintree, where she was a full-time staff physical therapist and clinical instructor prior to joining PCT.
Dr. Mazzone is proficient in creating individualized care plans for patients with varied diagnoses including those recovering from COVID-19, traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries, acute and chronic cardiopulmonary diagnoses including the management of left ventricular assistive devices (LVADs), as well as neurological conditions including stroke, Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Dr. Mazzone currently lives with her husband in Quincy. She enjoys reading, knitting, kayaking, bike riding, and spending time near the ocean.
Dr. Maureen Watkins, PT, DPT, OCS, MBA, LMT, cert MSK US
Dr. Watkins is a licensed physical therapist who has worked in the Boston area in acute care, orthopedics, and homecare for over 25 years. She is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at Northeastern teaches entry-level and advanced musculoskeletal, women’s health, health administration, and integument content.
Her research focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning to include ultrasound imaging, injury prevention, and the role of wellness in physical therapy. She earned her BSPT and tDPT at Northeastern University, Boston, MA and her MBA from Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA.
She is certified in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging, a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedics and is a licensed massage therapist with a certification in the Graston Technique.
Dr. Eliana Field, PT, DPT
Dr. Field graduated from Northeastern University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Science. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings with experience in home health, outpatient, and inpatient rehabilitation.
Dr. Field has completed courses in pelvic health physical therapy with the American Physical Therapy Association and is a member of the APTA Special Interest Groups in Pelvic Health and Home Health.
Her clinical interests include prenatal and postpartum, geriatric, orthopedic, and neurological rehabilitation. Outside of work, she enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, and traveling.
Dr. Abigail Jamula, PT, DPT
Dr. Jamula earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and a Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Science from Northeastern University. Dr. Jamula brings clinical expertise from her time in outpatient clinics, aquatics, acute care orthopedic settings and short and long term rehab facilities.
Beginning her career in the outpatient setting, Dr. Jamula treated orthopedic injuries, post-operative cases, neurological disorders, and sports injuries while specializing in spinal treatments. She started working in the homecare setting in 2019 and enjoys the unique ability to provide quality physical therapy and wellness services tailored to each individual client based on their lifestyle. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Jamula volunteered as the lead PT for We Can Row in Boston, MA, a women’s wellness program for breast cancer survivors. While at Northeastern, she also worked as a certified personal trainer at the Marino Fitness Center where she programmed workouts to meet her client’s fitness goals.
Dr Jamula is trained in the McKenzie Method ®, having taken all four courses on Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy through the McKenzie Institute USA and frequently incorporates these principles and techniques into her evaluations and treatments. She has also taken APPI’s Matwork Level 1 course and will often include pilates for rehabilitation into patient’s rehab programs. Dr. Jamula uses a wide array of treatment techniques to make detailed care plans and best achieve patients goals.
Dr. Jamula lives in Wilmington, MA with her husband, two daughters and two labs. She loves spending time with her family, taking trips up to her cottage in Maine, travelling, cooking, gardening and spending time outdoors.
Dr. Abigail Field, PT, DPT
Dr. Field graduated from Simmons University (formerly College) with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and a Bachelor's in Exercise Science. While at Simmons, Dr. Field became involved with the American Physical Therapy Association, serving as the Chair of the Student Special Interest Group for the APTA of Massachusetts.
Dr. Field started off her career as a traveling physical therapist, working in a variety of clinical settings across many states, enabling her to gain experience across the physical therapy practice while following her love for traveling. The majority of Dr. Field's career has been in the home health setting. She is passionate about providing care to people in their own homes, personalized to the individual.
Her clinical interests include geriatric, orthopedic, and neurological rehabilitation. In her free time, Dr. Field enjoys attending boxing classes, cross stitching, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.
Dr. Kristin Dunn, PT, DPT, NCS
Dr. Dunn graduated from Northeastern University in 2015, where she completed an accelerated six-year Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Sciences. During her time at Northeastern University, Dr. Dunn became passionate neurological rehabilitation and went on to get her Neurologic Clinical Specialty in 2019.
Dr. Dunn's career has primarily been focused in the acute care setting at Boston Medical Center and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. During her time at Boston Medical center, she gained extensive experience working with a wide range of diagnoses from total joint arthroplasty to spinal cord injury and beyond. Dr. Dunn spent much of her time at Boston Medical Center focused on promotion of early mobility in the surgical, neurologic, and medical intensive care units. As a staff therapist at Boston Medical Center, she assisted in the institution department to physician teams, and led the inpatient physical therapy response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to her time as an acute care therapist, Dr. Dunn has been an adjunct professor at Northeastern University since 2017, assisting in courses including Clinical Integration, Foundations of Physical Therapy, Neorologic Rehabilitation I and II. She is also an adjunct Director of Clinical Education. Dr. Dunn volunteered for Rock Steady Boxing program for patients with Parkinson's disease as well. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. (APTA).
Dr. Dunn lives with her husband Andy in Somerville, Massachusetts with their dog Ozzy and cat Pickle Pablo. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, cooking, live music, and checking out local breweries.
Esther Bertrand, MS, OTR/L, C/NDT
Esther Bertrand is an occupational therapist with over 25 years working in varied settings including inpatient rehabilitation, community based settings, home care, memory care, and education. She earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and her Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology at Tufts University. She has spent her career supporting clients across the lifespan with care and compassion to attain independence and functional living skills. She is certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment which uses guided movements as a treatment strategy in those experiencing neuromuscular dysfunction. She joined Private Care Therapies in September 2022. She works collaboratively with clients, their families and caregivers, physicians, and other members of the rehabilitation team to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment program for each person that is based on personal goals and current research. She is passionate about providing service in the client’s home setting and is skilled in environmental and home modification. She has a particular interest and passion for neurorehabilitation and memory loss and has presented on the sensory impacts of Alzheimer’s disease to the staff in Memory Care Assisted Living. She has a certificate in Fieldwork Education from the American Occupational Therapy Association and has mentored numerous Occupational Therapy Graduate students from Tufts University, Boston University, MGH Institute of Health Professions and Regis College during their fieldwork placements. She is a member of the Massachusetts Occupational Therapy Association(MAOT) and the Neuro Developmental Treatment Association (NDTA). Esther lives in Westwood with her husband and their rescue dog. She is the proud mother of two children. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, attending cultural events in and around Boston, exploring the beauty of New England and cooking.