Physical Therapy Staff
Linda Stremel
Linda Stremel was born in Chico, CA and grew up on the family almond farm. She graduated from the University of California of Davis majoring in Biological Science and from Physical Therapy school at Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles in 1973.
She has worked as a physical therapist in Siskiyou County since 1976. Her work experience has included: Siskiyou General Hospital and Mercy Hospital in Mt. Shasta, consulting for Siskiyou County Special Education Department in the Elementary schools, teaching childbirth classes, working as a pediatric physical therapist treating children with cerebral palsy, and providing home health physical therapy. Linda has been with Mt. Shasta Physical Therapy since 1985. She is one of the owners of the practice.
Linda's areas of expertise in physical therapy are the shoulder and spine, chronic pain, and weight loss. She has a passion for participation in year-round outdoor recreational sports in the Mt. Shasta area.
Joe Champagne
Joe Champagne was born in Waterville Maine and graduated from Daemen College in 1985 with his degree in Physical Therapy. Since receiving his degree, Joe has worked in many locations across the country before settling in Siskiyou County in 1998. He has worked primarily in the field of orthopedics and sports medicine and attained his Certification in Athletic Training in 2003. He currently resides in Lake Shastina with his wife Gita.
Joe enjoys participating in many outdoor recreational activities and especially enjoys hiking, backpacking and camping in the summer months.
Joe's areas of specialty are spine care, orthopedic and sports medicine with an emphasis on post surgical rehabilitation including extensive experience in geriatric rehabilitation and balance disorders.
Jennifer Pentrack
Jennifer Pentrack grew up in Redding, CA. She attended Enterprise High School and Shasta College before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Oregon in Eugene in 1979. She was awarded a Master of Science degree in physical therapy in 1983 from Boston University in Massachusetts.
Upon completing her education, she returned to California, working in the Chico and Davis areas as a physical therapist before settling in Mt. Shasta in 1989. Southern Siskiyou County provides a rich environment for Jennifer to continue her career while also enjoying other favorite pursuits including running, skiing, hiking and gardening.
Jennifer has been with Mt. Shasta Physical Therapy since 1990 and has extensive experience in outpatient physical therapy care. Her areas of special interest include hand therapy, aquatic physical therapy, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis treatment, foot and ankle rehabilitation, and custom shoe orthotic fabrication.
Sandra Jones Skiff
Sandra Jones Skiff was raised in Upstate New York on her family’s apple farm. After high school she moved to Salt Lake City to pursue an education in athletic training at the University of Utah. From there she transferred to the University of Puget Sound where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy in 1989. After graduation, she moved to Mt. Shasta where she went to work for Mercy Medical Center. In 1994 she left the hospital and was deeply honored to come to work at Mt. Shasta Physical Therapy.
Sandy’s career path has allowed her to combine her love of recreation and competitive sports with her desire to help others maximize their potential. She is a certified National Alpine Ski Coach, has coached at a private ski academy and been head coach/program director for the Mt. Shasta Ski team. She has worked as an assistant instructor for courses taught to Physical Therapists: “Current Concepts in Knee Rehabilitation” and “Advanced Concepts in Knee Rehabilitation, Treating the Complex Knee”. In addition to the treatment of problem knees her area of expertise include spines, shoulders, ergonomics and manual therapy.
Jason Koster
Jason Koster is originally from Hopewell Junction, New York. Jason obtained his Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Quinnipiac College in Hamden, Connecticut where he graduated Cum Laude in January of 2002. While completing his degree he completed research on the effects of Myofascial release and Yoga on carpal tunnel syndrome.
Before arriving in Mt. Shasta, Jason worked in a variety of settings including; rehab centers, an Indian health service hospital, and outpatient orthopedic clinics. Jason has rehabilitated patients with traumatic brain injuries, strokes, diabetes, cardiopulmonary diseases, and multiple orthopedic diagnoses/injuries, with special interest and education in knee and shoulder rehabilitation.
Jason’s involvement in outdoor recreation includes backcountry skiing, backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, etc. has given him insight in preventing, treating, and conditioning for such activities.
Susan Spence
Susan graduated from Stanford University with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1983. She came to The Wellness Center from a position as director of rehabilitation at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. Susan moved to the Mt. Shasta area to enjoy being in the country to hike, camp, and play with her son, horses, and dogs.
In addition to general orthopedics and pediatric physical therapy, Susan specializes in using biofeedback to teach relaxation and decrease chronic muscle tension and pain. She has estensive experience successfully combining biofeedback with physical therapy in treating patients with chronic pain such as headaches, abdominal and musculoskeletal pain, as well as urinary and bowel incontinence. She also uses biofeedback in treating breathing disorders such as chronic asthma and chronic and nervous cough.
Karee Barham
Karee was born and raised in Mount Shasta, Ca. She graduated from Mt. Shasta High School in 1989. She attended College of the Siskiyous and received an associate of arts degree in 1992.
After a minor knee injury, she became a patient of MSPT and gained an immediate interest in the physical therapy profession. This inspired her to continue to pursue a career as a physical therapist assistant. She attended Sacramento City College and graduated from their physical therapist assistant school in 2001.
Although most of Karee’s experience has been in out-patient orthopedic rehabilitation she has experience in wound care, and had the pleasure of completing an internship at the pediatric burn unit at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Sacramento. She has a special interest in Pilates and lumbar stabilization training for people with low back pain.
Karee enjoys spending time outdoors with her family whether it be gardening, river rafting, hiking, biking, or swimming.
Carol Winston
Carol Winston grew up in Burbank, CA. She graduated from California State University at Long Beach with a B.S. in Physical Therapy in 1971.
She worked for a company in southern CA, which contracted with hospitals to provide physical therapy services treating a variety of diagnoses in both inpatients and outpatients.
In 1979, she moved to Mount Shasta and worked at the then Eskaton Hospital. At this time she was the only physical therapist in south Siskiyou County. In 1981 she contracted with Mercy Hospital to provide Physical Therapy there. This was the beginning of Mount Shasta Physical Therapy. As MSPT grew, Linda Stremel was hired and subsequently became a partner. In 1997 she sold the remainder of MSPT to Linda and went to work doing home health therapy for 8 years. Concurrently, between 1979 and 1998, Carol also contracted to provide physical therapy at the nursing home in Weed. In 2008, after a few years of retirement, she returned to MSPT and is working part time.
Her areas of special interest include neck and back pain, hand, ankle and foot rehabilitation.
Her hobbies include skiing (alpine, Nordic, telemark, and skate), hiking, bicycling, rafting, kayaking, photography and gardening.