Joe Wakshlag, DVM, DACVN, DACVSMR, PhD Professor at College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University Dr. Wakshlag is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition and is a Founding Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. He joined the faculty at Cornell in 2006. His research interests include obesity management and nutritional intervention for the canine athlete.
Caroline A. Andrew, MD Assistant Attending Physician at Hospital for Special Surgery Dr. Caroline Andrew is a physician at Hospital for Special Surgery, directing a medical weight management program. She is also an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. She is board certified in internal medicine and fellowship trained in obesity medicine.
Sherman Canapp, DVM, DACVS, DACVSMR Owner & Chief of Staff at Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Group (VOSM) Dr. Canapp completed a combined DVM and Masters of Clinical Science in Surgery at Kansas State University in 1999. Upon graduation, Dr. Canapp completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri, followed by a three-year residency in small animal surgery at the University of Florida. In 2004, Dr. Canapp became a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 2005, Dr. Canapp completed his certification in Canine Rehabilitation. Dr. Canapp has the extreme honor to be named a charter Diplomate in the newly recognized American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR) where he is Past President of the college.
Jonathan S. Kirschner, MD, RMSK Associate Attending Physiatrist at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Dr. Kirschner is a board-certified specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), Sports Medicine and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. He is also a registered musculoskeletal sonographer and uses ultrasound to both diagnose and treat neuromusculoskeletal conditions. He completed a subspecialty fellowship training in Sports Medicine and Interventional Pain Management and received the Earl C. Elkins award for achieving the highest score in the nation on the PMR board examination.
Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR Department Head & Staff Doctor at the Animal Medical Center Dr. Leilani Alvarez is the Director of the Tina Santi Flaherty Rehabilitation & Fitness Service and head of our Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department. Dr. Alvarez is one of few specialists worldwide that is board certified in canine sports medicine and rehabilitation. She has been practicing rehabilitation medicine for over a decade. Her advanced training specializes her skills in diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injuries such as joint injuries, ligament and tendon tears, and spinal injuries. Dr. Alvarez utilizes Integrative Medicine, which combines modern conventional approaches with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Integrative Medicine includes therapies such as regenerative medicine (stem cells and platelet rich plasma), physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, spinal manipulation and herbal medicine, which help to increase the overall health of a patient and can often increase the success of conventional treatments.
Jason Machowsky, MS, RD, RCEP, CSSD, CSCS Board Certified Sports Dietician, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Jason Machowsky is a board-certified sports dietitian and registered clinical exercise physiologist who specializes in working with people post-rehab to return to sports, training or daily activities. He also specializes in nutrition and exercise guidance for those looking to maintain bone health. In his 14+ year career - including 8 at Hospital for Special Surgery – he has provided nutrition and training guidance to individuals encompassing a broad range of ages, exercise experience, injury history, sport and recreation.
Kristin Kirkby Shaw, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVS, DACVSMR Medical Director of Sound Veterinary Rehabilitation Center Dr. Kristin Kirkby Shaw is a small animal surgeon and rehabilitation specialist whose career has focused on bridging the gap between these two disciplines. Kristin received her DVM from the University of Florida (UF) in 2003, followed by a rotating internship at Veterinary Specialists of Northern Colorado, and a small animal surgery residency at the University of Florida. Kristin completed both her MS and Ph.D. at UF.
Jessica Hooper, MD Orthopedic Surgeon at Kaiser San Rafael Medical Center Jessica Hooper M.D. is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement. Originally from Northern California, she earned her BS in physiology at the University of California Los Angeles and her MD at Michigan State College of Human Medicine, where she was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. She went on to complete residency in orthopedic surgery at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, followed by a one-year fellowship in joint replacement at Stanford University. Her research has focused primarily on patient outcomes after hip and knee replacement, and application of new technology, such as 3D printing and virtual reality, to arthroplasty surgery. She is currently working at Kaiser San Rafael in Northern California and her practice focuses on primary hip and knee replacement, partial knee replacement, and complex revision hip and knee replacement surgery. In her free time, Dr. Hooper enjoys traveling, yoga, cooking, reading, and outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, cross country skiing, and snowboarding. You can also find her spending time with her 10 year-old Maine Coon cat, Richard.
Chris Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DACVSMR, CCRT, CVSMT, CVA Veterinary Sports Trainer Chris Zink obtained her DVM and PhD from the Ontario Veterinary College. She is a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where she teaches pathology and conducts AIDS research. She is also on the faculty of the Canine Rehabilitation Institute and gives seminars to veterinary professionals and dog owners around the world. She has been named Woman Veterinarian of the Year and her books have received accolades from the Dog Writers Association of America. Through her efforts, the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation was recently established as the newest specialty in veterinary medicine. In addition to her veterinary expertise, Chris has put over 100 titles in Agility, Obedience, Conformation, Tracking, Hunt Tests, Barn Hunt, Nosework, Coursing, and Rally on dogs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier and Herding groups.
Kathryn McElheny, MD Assistant Attending Physician at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Dr. Kathryn McElheny is an Assistant Attending Physician at HSS. She is fellowship-trained and board certified in sports medicine and is the Non-operative Medical Director and Associate Team Physician for the New York Mets baseball team.
