Staff

Mr. Spallone is the founder and owner of Function First Physical Therapy, P.C., since June of 2001. He graduated from The University of Connecticut in 1987, with a B.A. in Athletic Training. Upon returning for his Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, received in 1990, he was the Athletic Trainer for the Women’s Basketball team at University of Connecticut. He relocated to New York City, and worked for three years at New York Hospital, and rotated to various services. He then left to focus on out-patient orthopedics, where he worked for seven years in a physical therapy owned private practice in NYC. During this time he was committed to enhancing his expertise in orthopedic dysfunction and rehabilitation by taking numerous continuing education courses. He received his Board Certification in Orthopedics in 1998, from the American Physical Therapy Association’s Board of PT Specialties. That same year he was certified as a Functional Manual Therapist, from The Institute of Physical Art, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He and Function First Physical Therapy, P.C., are members of the Hospital for Special Surgeries’ Rehabilitation Network, and attends the weekly sports medicine grand rounds to stay abreast of current orthopedic research, both operative and conservative management procedures. He has recently completed a Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program (DPT) offered by Evidence in Motion, which was established in 2004 and has grown to become the largest provider of post-professional educational programs in the PT industry. He can be reached at joe@ functionfirstpt.com. Joe is married to Melina Mackall and they reside in Brooklyn, NY with their two young sons, Jackson and Spencer.

Kerry Ojeda received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Sacred Heart University, as well as her Bachelors in Exercise Science. Kerry’s passion for Physical Therapy began through her own sports injuries and rehabilitation processes. Kerry was a competitive Division 1 Track and Field athlete, competing in the pole vault as her main event. Through her own physical experiences, Kerry has been able to relate to the injured patients she treats, approaching each case uniquely in order to allow her patients to return to their prior level of function or to enhance their sports performance.

Kerry is a well rounded physical therapist who enjoys treating a wide variety of diagnoses. She has obtained clinical experience in acute care, vestibular therapy, neurological therapy, orthopedics, musculoskeletal rehabilitation and the treatment of sports injuries. Kerry now maintains her clinical focus on orthopedic, sports and neuromuscular physical therapy.

The hallmark of Kerry’s practice is merging her vast orthopedic knowledge with her manual techniques, exercise prescription, clear patient education and supervised one-on-one care.

Enthusiastic and personable, Kerry enjoys meaningful working relationships with her patients where she can provide them with the customized of quality care they need. Kerry believes in treating patients as a whole person and not just limiting treatment to the diagnosis for which they were referred.

Kerry’s knowledge in movement science and her experience in manual therapy allows her to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Some manual techniques include joint mobilizations, trigger point release, myofascial therapy, proprioceptive and neuromuscular facilitation.

As a member of the APTA, Kerry maintains professional accreditation and educational enrichment by following the latest research literature and attending weekend courses. Kerry continues to be physically active as she is an avid weightlifter, sprinter and recreational volleyball player. Kerry also enjoys snowboarding and going to the beach.

Diane is the newest member of Function First Physical Therapy. Diane gained her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from UC Davis before finding her way into Physical Therapy, drawn by her diverse training in skiing, dance, gymnastics, and aerial circus arts. She recently graduated from NYU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in 2016 and has committed to gaining further education in Functional Manual Therapy through the Institute of Physical Art. During her time at NYU, Diane was a part of a team researching yoga pose performance and was able to present her findings at the Combined Sections Meeting, the annual national conference for the APTA (American Physical Therapy Association). She continues to be an active member of the APTA.

Diane also continues to take classes in dance, gymnastics, silks, and trapeze, all while finding performances to see. During her free time, she enjoys filming short videos, exploring the city, and trying new foods.

Diane believes in one-on-one, hands-on, and patient-centered physical therapy. She focuses on treating the whole person including an emphasis in patient education and seeking out the root cause, not solely treating the symptoms. Diane can be reached at diane@functionfirstpt.com.

Ms. Mackall received a BA in dance from Bard College in 1994. Upon graduation, she received a Don Parker scholarship for developing most as a performer and went on to pursue a professional career as a dancer and choreographer. Ms. Mackall has taught ballet and in 1997 received a certification to teach Pilates. In 2002 she received her Gyrotonic certification, her New York State license to practice Massage Therapy and her National Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. She has been on staff at the Swedish Institute. Ms. Mackall has taken numerous continuing education classes in order to expand her knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology. Most recently she has taken courses in Gait Training, Osteoporosis, Mysofascial Release, CranioSacral Therapy, Trigger Point Therapy, Manual Lymph Drainage and Sport and Spine Rehabilitation of the Lower Extremity. She also holds a certificate in Prenatal Massage and works closely with women during and after pregnancy. Ms. Mackall will proved the highest quality of individualized care in order to help you achieve optimal fitness and health. She can be reached at melinamackall@ mac.com.

Miss Shariff is a graduate of TCI College in Business Administration and Accounting. Sandy is the intake coordinator and administrator for Function First Physical Therapy since the summer of 2006. She’s worked as a Customer Service Rep for seven years, providing quality service to customers and demonstrating a talent for communicating and listening attentively to customer’s needs. Sandy has been working in the medical field for over thirteen years; she’s worked with patients from a diverse background, ensuring they are satisfied with every part of their therapy experience from the initial greeting through their discharge date. She can be reached administration@ functionfirstpt.com.

Miss Gonzalez is a graduate of Morris High School in the Bronx. She has been working in the physical therapy field for 10 years. The first 3 years she worked as a PT technician and has worked at FFPT the past 7 years as an administrator. She is bilingual and speaks Spanish. She can be reached at administration@functionfirstpt.com.