Mindy Garvey
PT, MPT
Mindy Garvey graduated from the University of Arizona and then earned her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University in 1991. She began her professional career at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic where she rehabilitated professional, collegiate, and amateur athletes for full return to sport. As a former competitive softball player, Mindy specializes in throwing athletes and rehabilitation strategies following rotator cuff, shoulder labrum, and elbow injuries. In addition to working with athletes and adolescent sports medicine patients, she treats a diverse patient population including geriatric, total joint replacement, spine and weekend warriors. Mindy treated orthopedic clients in the South Bay for over ten years before opening TAG Physical Therapy in El Segundo with co-owner Cathy Tarte.
Cathy Tarte
PT, CLT
Cathy Tarte graduated from Mount St. Mary’s College with a degree in physical therapy in 1989 and later obtained her Orthopedic Clinical Specialty certification in 1999, recertifying in 2009. She worked at UCLA for ten years in various rehabilitation settings, including general orthopedics, sports medicine, and in the UCLA athletic training room. Cathy also has a special expertise in physical therapy for breast cancer patients and worked for many years as the PT on the breast cancer team at the Revlon UCLA Breast Center. She is a certified lymphedema therapist and oversees the lymphedema program at TAG PT. Cathy opened TAG Physical Therapy in 2006 with co-owner Mindy Garvey.
Liz Glozman
PT, MSPT
Liz Glozman received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Boston University in 1989 and started her career at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. As her career evolved, she focused her interest in pelvic health physical therapy. She specializes in prenatal and postpartum conditions, incontinence, and pelvic floor dysfunction, but also enjoys working with orthopedic patients. Currently, Liz works as a fill-in therapist at TAG and provides mentorship to younger therapists.
Andrew Meyer
PT, DPT
Andrew Meyer received his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University. He developed a passion for movement science and physical therapy while working towards his Bachelors in Sport Medicine at the University of the Pacific. At Pacific, Andrew played four years of soccer and had the opportunity to coach at the high school and youth levels. These experiences expanded his exercise and rehabilitation knowledge and provided a foundation for his higher education. At Mount Saint Mary’s, Andrew further developed his passion for orthopedics and sport medicine. As a teacher’s assistant in the DPT program, he served as a mentor and helped students develop foundational skills. He uses both his clinical and life experiences to provide patient centered care that focuses on allowing individuals to return to a pain free lifestyle. Outside the office, Andrew enjoys playing beach volleyball, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Alison Ramos
PT, DPT, OCS
Alison Ramos received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from California State University, Long Beach, where she developed a passion for orthopedics and sports performance. During her time there, she completed clinical work in sports and orthopedics settings, volunteered at the Special Olympics Summer Games, participated in orthopedic spine labs, and took sports rehabilitation elective courses. Alison completed an orthopedic residency at Kaiser Permanente and obtained her Orthopedic Specialist Certification. Alison received a full-athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California for her undergraduate studies, where she was captain of the top-ranked USC women’s tennis team. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Performance with a minor in Health Communications. Alison enjoys working with active individuals, athletes of all ages, and individuals who are motivated to improve their health and achieve a more active lifestyle. Outside of the clinic, Alison enjoys going to the beach, hiking, camping, and eating good food!
Nicole Bartels
PT, DPT, OCS
Nicole received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from USC. She completed a residency program in orthopedics and is a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. Nicole grew up playing competitive sports and first learned about physical therapy through her own sports injuries. Nicole has experience treating a wide variety of orthopedic conditions and working with competitive and recreational athletes of all ages. She loves collaborating with patients to help them meet their goals through optimizing their movement. She is also passionate about improving access to PT services in underserved areas. She has helped with projects collaborating with local community members to establish a PT clinic and equipment drives in underserved areas of Guatemala. Outside of the clinic, Nicole enjoys going to the beach, hiking, and camping.
Ava P.
CPC, Operations Manager/Medical Billing Specialist
Ava P. graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA and has worked at TAG Physical Therapy since 2007. Ava specializes in medical billing and office management. She earned a certificate of completion in medical billing and has her credential as a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). During her free time, Ava enjoys Zumba fitness, cooking, and cheering on her Bruins.
Lexie Landero
BS, Operations Manager
Lexie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from University of California Santa Cruz and has been a valued member of the TAG team since 2021. She began her employment as a physical therapy aide and has additionally taken on the role of office manager revealing her high drive and professionalism. This diverse experience has fueled her passion for ensuring every patient has an exceptional experience at TAG. Outside of work, she loves participating in bowling leagues with her family and hitting the slopes for snowboarding in the winter.
Diana Mendez
PT, DPT
Diana Mendez received her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree at the University of Utah. During her time there, she volunteered in the pro-bono clinic as a student physical therapist and Spanish interpreter to underserved communities. Additionally, she completed clinical rotations in acute care, neurological rehabilitation, and various outpatient orthopedic settings. These experiences served as a strong foundation to treat a wide variety of diagnoses with a holistic approach to improve her patient’s pain, function, and quality of life. She believes in creating a patient-driven treatment plan to help her patient’s reach their personal goals. Outside of the office, Diana enjoys traveling with her partner, reading, exercising, and finding good places to eat on Yelp!
Andrea Gorelick
PT, DPT, OCS
Andrea Gorelick graduated from UC Santa Barbara and received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from California State University Long Beach. Andrea grew up as a competitive tennis player, which began her interest in orthopedics and sports medicine. She is a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. She has extensive experience working with high school, recreational, and professional athletes. Andrea is also certified in BFR (Blood Flow Restriction).
Raymond Mullen
PT, DPT, OCS
Raymond Mullen earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2016. He obtained an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist Certification in 2021. As a former Taekwondo athlete, Ray developed a keen interest in exercise and movement during his college years, which ultimately inspired him to pursue a career in physical therapy. With a diverse range of experience, Ray successfully treats patients with various conditions, including lumbar and cervical spine injuries, shoulder disorders, joint replacements, balance impairments, vestibular issues, and athletes of all ages. Outside of the clinic, Ray enjoys spending time with his family, playing basketball, and working on his car.
Monica Merkovsky
PT, DPT
Monica Merkovsky received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Southern California. As a high school basketball and track and field athlete she developed a passion for sports medicine and physical therapy while attending physical therapy for her injuries. Monica went on to earn her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology at San Diego State University, while also serving as student team manager and eventually walking-on to the women’s basketball team her senior year. Her time with the team helped give her insight into the high performance side of athletics and a better understanding of the physical demands an athlete needs to obtain in order to compete at their best. During her time at USC, Monica also gained interest in women’s health, including pelvic floor dysfunction, and prenatal and postpartum recovery. Monica strives to help her patients decrease their pain, improve their function or return to sport, through patient-centered care utilizing manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and patient education to ultimately improve quality of life. Outside of the clinic, Monica enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to the beach, and recently began participating in local sprint triathlons.
Lauren Kai
PT, DPT
Lauren earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from the University of St. Augustine, where she developed a passion for manual therapy to maximize patient recovery. Lauren was able to play collegiate soccer at Whittier College after undergoing intensive rehabilitation following two ACL surgeries. Her own experience with physical therapy helped her to see the significance of injury prevention across all demographic populations. She wants to provide patients with the tools they need to care for their bodies so they can engage in all the things they enjoy with minimal restrictions. Lauren employs a patient-centered approach that is intended to meet the patient’s social, mental, and physical needs. In her spare time, she enjoys playing golf with friends and participating in Pilates for exercise.
Laura Frantz
PT, DPT
Laura took a circuitous route to her profession as a physical therapist.. Her first two degrees from California State University Long Beach were in art and business. Laura had plans to go to medical school when a car accident landed her in physical therapy. Soon after her first bout of therapy, she found herself once again requiring physical therapy to rehab her knees from a skiing accident. It was then she turned her focus from medical school to physical therapy school. She received her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Mount Saint Mary’s College. Ten years later, while working as a full-time physical therapist, she completed her transitional Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Boston University. Laura knows first-hand what it is like to be a patient and the importance of excellent rehabilitation. She has been working in out-patient orthopedics in the south bay for 25 years and has taught senior level Kinesiology courses at California State University Dominguez Hills. Outside of work Laura enjoys traveling.
Ariel Codilla
PT, DPT
Ariel went to the University of California, San Diego for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Biology and received her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from USC. She grew up with a family of nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapy assistants which ultimately led to her passion for wanting to help others through patient care. She enjoys working with patients of all ages to help achieve their goals to improve their movement and function. She also has an interest in vestibular physical therapy, which includes treating patients for different types of dizziness and vertigo. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys traveling, trying new food and coffee places, reading, and going to Disneyland.
Ellen Knott
PT, DPT
Ellen Knott earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from California State University Northridge in 2015 and worked as a physical therapist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles from 2016-2021. She received her registered yoga teacher certification in 2018. She has extensive experience working with infants, school aged children, and adolescents. She has served these populations in the outpatient, inpatient rehab, acute, and home-health settings. She fosters learning in her community as a part-time faculty member for the physical therapy department at California State University Northridge. She utilizes a patient centered, holistic, and evidence-based treatment approach to promote healing and achieve the best possible outcome for her patients. Ellen values the importance of patient and parent education and acknowledges the importance of assisting in integrating therapy into the daily lives of her patients. Outside of the clinic, you will find her hiking, camping, practicing yoga, cooking for friends and family, and hanging out with her husband and her pup, Teddy.
Rick Lopez
PT, MPT
Rick Lopez graduated with a business degree from Long Beach State. After working in the business world for a few years and experiencing physical therapy firsthand following a knee injury, he decided to return to school earning a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from New York Medical College. Rick has a wide range of experience in adolescent sports-related injuries, senior conditions, acute care, home health and outpatient settings. He has completed multiple continuing education courses focusing on manual therapy and exercise techniques for the spine and extremities. Rick’s most recent focus is on myofascial release which is beneficial in treating people with chronic pain. He is also a certified personal trainer. In his free time, Rick enjoys going to the gym, snowboarding, surfing, and hiking.
Lisa Alletto
PT, DPT
Lisa earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University. As an outdoor enthusiast, Lisa found her way to physical therapy after rehabbing from several injuries herself. She treats all varieties of orthopedic injuries and specializes in pelvic health. She developed her interest in pelvic health at MSMU and has pursued further training through Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. As a pelvic health specialist, she has experience treating pre/post-natal, incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain, and post-prostatectomy. She utilizes a holistic approach in her treatment style, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and movement re-education. In her free time, Lisa enjoys spending time in the outdoors hiking and camping with her husband and dog, Sequoia.
El Segundo Team
Rolling Hills Team