Our Therapists
Miranda Materi
OTD, OT/L ,CHT
Miranda received her professional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Creighton University in 2006. After practicing in hand therapy for 5 years I received my certification in hand therapy. Miranda has served as Adjunct Faculty at the Mayo Clinic in hand therapy and currently works for Northern Arizona University as adjunct faculty. Miranda has a strong interest in research development specifically in clinical settings along with treating complex patients with traumatic hand and upper extremity injuries. Miranda's other interests include musculoskeletal ultrasound and treating patients with hypermobility disorders. Miranda is also certified in class IV laser operations.
Josh MacDonald
MS, OTR/L, CHT
Josh is a certified hand therapist (CHT) with extensive experience working directly with hand surgeons to help rehabilitate hand trauma surgery patients. Josh has been an OT since 2001 and began his career specializing in pediatrics focusing on outpatient therapy, neurorehabilitation and pediatric hand therapy. After getting tons of practice with trauma patients and orthosis fabrication he went on to pursue, and pass, the CHT exam. In addition to caring for patients, Josh has started and managed therapy clinics and developed pediatric therapy programs for handwriting training, aquatic therapy, inpatient neurorehabilitation evaluation and inpatient therapeutic outings. Josh is certified in class IV laser and completed the basics laser science and hands on practical setting.
Garret Candelaria
OTD, OTR/L, CHT
Garret received his professional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Northern Arizona University in 2019. He first completed his undergraduate degree at Boise State University where he majored in Health Science Studies with a minor in Psychology. Garret chose to spend his 4-month Doctoral Experiential Component/Residency studies working with Josh MacDonald, building experience in hand therapy and treating many upper extremity conditions. Garret is constantly continuing his learning through pursuing professional educational opportunities. His professional memberships include the American Occupational Therapy Association and American Society of Hand Therapists. Garret is also certified in Class IV laser operations.
Megan Prather
OTD, OTR/L
Megan is an occupational therapist. Megan graduated with her clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Northern Arizona University in 2021. She completed rotations in both hand therapy and pediatric therapy and has extensive experience working with fine motor skills and pediatric handwriting. Megan is passionate about learning and treating in clinical settings and has a heart for hand injuries and the pediatric population. She is also interested in self-regulation and sensory integration as well as vision deficits. Megan looks forward to working with patients with a variety of diagnoses and needs. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and taking care of her plants.
Allison Johnson
OTD, OTR/L, CHT
Allison is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at Hand Therapy Partners East Valley. She graduated with her clinical doctorate in occupational therapy in 2019 from Northern Arizona University and has been working in outpatient hand therapy ever since. In addition to hand therapy, she completed one of her clinical rotations in acute care at Honor Health Osborne. Allison joined the HTP team in June of 2022 and she earned her certification in hand therapy in November of 2022. Allison enjoys working with patients of all ages and enjoys helping them to regain the use of their hands and upper extremities for a full return to meaningful activities. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two golden retrievers hiking, and camping.
Emily Kerr
OTD, OTR/L
Emily received her professional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Northern Arizona University in 2022. She completed her undergraduate degree also at Northern Arizona University where she majored in Exercise Science. Emily completed her 14-week Capstone Experience at Mayo Clinic in their outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department where she developed an enterprise-wide Evidence Informed Pathway Document for the treatment and management of patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Emily also completed a 3-month clinical rotation working with Jason Jackson, a CHT in Sedona, building experience in hand therapy and treating patients with various upper extremity diagnoses.
Delaney Wright
OTD, OTR/L
Delaney graduated with her clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Northern Arizona University in 2023. She completed her rotations in hand therapy with Hand Therapy Partners and inpatient rehabilitation with Encompass Health East Valley. Delaney also completed a 9-month clinical experience with Barrow Neurological Inpatient Rehabilitation where she helped pilot a weekend therapy program targeting the use of robotics devices. Delaney enjoys working with a variety of patients and diagnoses with her primary interests in upper extremity rehabilitation and neurological disorders. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and dogs, going camping, and playing sports.
Tristany Hightower
OTD, OTR/L
Tristany received her professional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Northern Arizona University in 2023. She completed her undergraduate degree at Arizona State University where she majored in Psychology. Tristany completed her 3-month clinical rotation and 14-week Capstone Experience at Hand Therapy Partners West where she developed treatment guidelines for about 20 tendon transfers and gained clinical experience and skills in a hand therapy setting.
Tristany is eager to expand her knowledge of upper extremity rehabilitation through clinical experience and evidenced-based research. One of her goals is to become fluent in Spanish to provide holistic care to all patients.
Abbi Popelier
Bachelors of Science
Abbi is a highly qualified professional with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a Minor in Nutrition, making her a true expert in human movement and dietary health. With a solid academic foundation, Abbi brings knowledge and expertise to her practice.
Her passion for optimizing physical well-being doesn't stop at her educational background; Abbi is also certified in Class IV lasers, a cutting-edge technology that plays a pivotal role in enhancing the lives of her clients. This certification demonstrates her commitment to staying at the forefront of the latest advancements in health and wellness. With Abbi's unique combination of education and specialized training, you can trust that you're in expert hands. She is passionate about empowering her clients to live healthier, happier lives, and her commitment to excellence shines through in every aspect of her practice.