James A. Porterfield
PT, MA, ATC Jim is President and Owner of the Rehabilitation and Health Center
at Park West in Akron, Ohio and CEO of Venture Practices Services, LTD.
Bachelors degree from
Ashland College in 1972. PT
degree from Mayo Foundation School of PT Rochester, MN in 1974.
Masters degree from Kent State University in Exercise
Physiology (1986). Licensed Athletic Trainer. Workshop presenter for over 300 workshops on the topic of
Lumbopelvic Function and
Dysfunction and Exercise Physiology. Published in Spine,
Journal of Occupational Medicine, Topics in GeriatricRehabilitation, and Physical Therapy. Co-authored numerous book chapters and four textbooks:
Mechanical Low Back Pain: Perspectives in
Functional Anatomy (Volume I and II).Mechanical Neck Pain: Perspectives in Functional Anatomy.
Mechanical Disorders of the Shoulder: Perspectives in
Functional Anatomy.These texts are currently being used in many
physical therapy schools Award Winner: Jim received the
Alumni of the Year award from the Mayo Foundation School of Physical Therapy in
1993 " Award Winner: "Physical Therapist of the Year" award from the Ohio
Chapter American Physical Therapy Association in 1993 " The
Private Practice Section of the APTA awarded Jim the "2000 Practice Award." "
Member of Practice Section of the APTA, Akron and Fairlawn Chambers of
Commerce, and is active in community health education and community service.
Jim is also project coordinator for Northeast Ohio Health
care Summit (NOHCS 
more...
Beth is an avid exercise enthusiast having qualified and competed in the World Triathlon Championship and Boston Marathon
She had earned both a B.S. in Physical Therapy from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and a M.S. in exercise science from Kent State University (KSU) ·
Beth has more than 25 years of experience in adult and pediatric physical therapy.
She has taught undergraduate courses including: Lifetime Fitness and Senior Exercise at Kent State University Presenter as well as continuing education courses at the local
and national level
Joni Rapp has a
doctorate in physical therapy. She is an energetic and knowledgeable therapist
who enjoys working with orthopedic conditions in patients of all ages.
She has won local awards for her clinical research and is
an avid skier and a Level I certified PSIA ski instructor. Joni and her husband
also enjoy cross country skiing, biking, water skiing, and hiking near their
home in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Mary Jo McGuire is an Occupational Therapist with 30 years of
experience. She has
served as a Clinical Supervisor at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and
was on the faculty of the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has provided home and community-based occupational therapy
services since 1990. She is a strong advocate for "client-centered, occupation-based,
goal-oriented" therapy. In other words, she is committed to helping people
identify meaningful functional goals, and uses real activities in the home and community to help them develop the skills to maximize safety and independence.
She
has specialized in the treatment of the clients with cognitive-perceptual impairments, and with the elderly. Mary Jo serves as Director
of the Home and Community Based Therapy services offered through the
Rehabilitation and Health Center at Park West. Her e-mail is: rehabed@integrity.com
Linda has 30 years of experience as a licensed
physical therapist assistant. Currently her focus is working with our bone health program. Her
experience includes acute care, outpatient orthopedics, manual therapy
techniques, chronic pain and home health patient care. Her professional interests
include treatment of the elderly and the total joint patient.
Linda lives in
Randolph with husband Floyd and their 3 children. She enjoys volunteering at
her church and gardening. 
Ginny has worked at RHC for seventeen years.
You will be greeted with her smile and friendly disposition as you enter our
front desk area. Setting up appointments, scheduling and answering phones make up the greater part of her work day.
"It's a pleasure to work in
such beautiful surroundings and have the opportunity to work with such a great
team in caring for our patients." Ginny resides in the Akron area and enjoys spending time
with family and friends. 
Ruth has been with RHC since January 1999. Her expertise lies in
insurance coding and billing. She will help you take best
advantage of your insurance benefits and acts as a liason between the insurance
company and the needs of the patient. "I love working with the patients at RHC.
Our new suite is beautiful and I have the best spot in the building."
Ruth and her husband William live in Wadsworth. They have two
married daughters and one granddaughter. 
Nancie Arsham has over 30 years of experience, has published and
lectured and has a reputation in the area as the expert in upper extremity
rehabilitation. In 1987 Nancie established Therapy Specialists in
Beachwood where it has remained for 20 years. Due to her
avid participation in tennis competition in Northeast Ohio, many teaching pros
and high school coaches refer players to Nancie.She also enjoys biking
and hiking and caring for her two cats.
Carolyn is a native of the Akron area. She graduated with
her bachelor’s in Psychology from Hiram College in 1990 with her
master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill in 1993. Since then Carolyn
has worked in a variety of medical settings including acute care, inpatient and
outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing and home health. Carolyn joined the Home and Community Based Occupational Therapy
Division at RHC in 2006, and came on full time in August of 2008.
Carolyn’s’ specialty lies with treating the
medically complex geriatric clients, and she has a strong interest in working
with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) clients. She lives in Fairlawn with her husband and son. In her spare time she enjoys classical music and doing things with her family.
Cheryl is a registered occupational therapist and registered yoga
teacher. She graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1982,
and has been providing home-based therapy in Northeast Ohio since 2007.
Cheryl completed her yoga teacher training at the Amrit
Yoga Institute, and has been teaching yoga at the Oak Clinic for Multiple
Sclerosis since January 2006. She completed Reiki I and II, and plans on
completing Reiki Master training in November of 2010. Cheryl serves on the Clinical Advisory Committee for the Ohio
Buckeye Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Since being
diagnosed with MS in 2003, her mission has been to bring hope and healing to
others living with this unpredictable disease.
LD, RD
Marianne believes passionately in the role of nutrition
in helping to cure or manage medical conditions, as well as to contribute to a
better life through enhancing healthy lifestyles Fisher received her degree from Miami University and served a
dietetic internship at Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University. She
is a nutrition counselor with Summa Health System and has been a nutrition and
weight maintenance consultant as well as clinical supervisor, outpatient and
community dietician for Akron City Hospital
OT
Susan earned her certificate in Occupational Therapy from
Cleveland State University in 2000. She has worked in various long-term care
settings in the Northeast Ohio region and is a member of OOTA and AOTA.
She is pleased to be part of the home-based therapy team.
She lives in Wadsworth.