Taylor Leiby

Clinic Director - PT, DPT, OCS, ITPT, PIPT

Taylor grew up in California and his love of tennis found him playing 4 seasons of collegiate level tennis at Fresno State.Taylor graduated from Fresno State in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and then from Long Beach State in 2015 with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy Degree.

Taylor has been practicing since 2015 and has chosen to deepen his knowledge  by pursuing advanced degrees such as an Orthopedic Certified Specialist and a Psychologically Informed Physical Therapist. This has allowed him to pursue a specialization in chronic pain.

Taylor lives a very active lifestyle, continuing to compete in USTA tennis tournaments. In 2019 he ended up ranked #1 in North Carolina for Men's Open Singles. He is happily married to his wife Chelsea and has a daughter named Zoey.

Education
California State University Long Beach
Doctor of Physical Therapy, May 2015

California State University Fresno
Bachelor of Science, Pre-Physical Therapy, December 2011

Colin Hunt

PT, DPT, CSCS

Colin was born and raised in the mountains of Western North Carolina, graduating from Asheville High School in 2008. He attended Appalachian State University, studying renewable energy technologies and green building science, graduating in 2013. In 2021, he earned his degree as a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Western Carolina University. During the interim between his studies, Colin traveled North and South America as a professional whitewater kayaker. His various injuries and rehabilitation as an athlete led to a deep appreciation for the physical therapy profession. His time as an instructor, helping people to learn new movement patterns and achieve their goals, directly led to Colin pursuing the PT profession himself. He now enjoys spending his free time mountain biking with his wife, playing disc golf with his dog, and remaining active within the local whitewater community. Colin is a Certified Strength and Condition Specialist and continues to coach kayakers, helping them to achieve their goals; whether it be learning the fundamentals, exploring a new river, or training for the famous Green River Narrows Race.

Education 

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina

Doctor of Physical Therapy, May 2021

Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina

Bachelor of Applied Science, Appropriate Technology, May 2013

Nathaniel Goodwin

PT, DPT

Nathaniel was born and raised in Huntersville, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science while competing on a nationally ranked division I soccer team. In 2019, Nathaniel graduated with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Winston-Salem State University. During his doctoral studies, he was the lead researcher exploring the neurophysiological effects of manual therapy. He has a certification in Dry Needling, Advanced Manual Therapy, Blood Flow Restriction, and a FIFA Diploma in Football Medicine.

Additionally, Nathaniel is a Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery certified therapist (PWR!Moves) and leads the Knock Out Parkinson’s Boxing Program in North Asheville. With an interest in orthopedics and sports rehabilitation, he plans on pursuing Board Certification in Orthopedic Physical Therapy.

Outside of the clinic, Nathaniel lives an active lifestyle with interests in weight training, hiking, and sports. He is a performance coach at D1 Asheville Sports Training Center and enjoys working with soccer athletes and improving their game.

Education

Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina 

Doctorate in Physical Therapy, 2019

University of North Carolina Wilmington, North Carolina

Bachelor of Science-Exercise Science, 2015

Essie Soleil

Front Office Manager

Essie Soleil grew up in Charlotte and came to settle down in Western North Carolina nearly a decade ago. Essie’s prior professional roles have focused on service to people with various needs, including cooking and providing ambulatory/access assistance for elderly and infirmed clients and working in a small chiropractic office. Before moving to the Specialized Physical Therapy front desk position, Essie supported clients to meet their goals in the back of the clinic as a physical therapy aide/tech.

During her years on the staff of a small family-owned inn tucked into the mountains north of Asheville, Essie developed a love of the winding trails, the magnificent views, and the bounty and beauty of the small and delicate flora of this region. So when she isn’t managing the front desk, enjoying local homemade cuisine, or playing a game of Scrabble, Essie invests much of her personal time in quietly exploring and studying the natural wonders of the Southern Appalachian hills.

Donna Hale-Jones

PT

Donna grew up a mover, spending childhood time in her hometown of Old Hurley, NY, Raleigh, NC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and London, England. In each of these locations, Donna found her love for sports and general outdoor activities helped her meet new friends and nurture lasting relationships. Donna graduated from Furman University with a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science and a certification through ACSM as Exercise Test Technologist. During her time at Furman, Donna worked at a hospital based wellness center and was able to observe and work with PT, OT, cardiac rehab and general wellness programs. In addition Donna taught gymnastics, swimming, water aerobics and weight training. During these experiences, Donna found herself constantly watching people’s movement patterns, deviations and compensations. This inspired Donna to pursue and attain a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy, which she completed in 1996 from the University of Connecticut. Donna’s PT career has included more than 5 years in northern Virginia, 10 years in Portland, OR, and now more than 10 years in the beautiful mountains os Asheville, NC. Over her career Donna has obtained certification in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), completed a number of movement analysis courses, manual PT and osteopathic based courses and has become a certified yoga instructor. Over time Donna has found that the more you learn, the more there is to learn. Donna still enjoys hiking, camping (occasionally still backpacking), kayaking/stand up paddle boarding with her husband Kevin, 2 teenage daughters Aidan and Poppy, and new puppy Ringo.

Education

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Bachelors in Allied Health Physical Therapy 1996

Jake Patton

PT, DPT

Jake grew up in central Pennsylvania and spent many hours in the water, swimming and playing water polo, eventually getting into long-distance running in his early twenties. It was during this time that he realized the value of pre-hab and rehab for success in sport and lifelong freedom of movement. He graduated from Gettysburg College in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and worked for a number of years in Philadelphia before going back to school to pursue an advanced degree. He graduated from South College in Knoxville, TN in June 2021 with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy Degree and has worked in Winston-Salem and Kernersville, NC before returning to Asheville in the summer of 2022.

Jake has completed continuing education in low back pain management, clinical management of the fitness athlete population, and dry needling through the Institute for Clinical Excellence and enjoys working with a diverse patient population in the outpatient setting. He is proficient in treating persistent low back pain and working with all levels of skill and activity toward achieving their movement goals.

Jake is an enthusiastic amateur at CrossFit, road cycling and long-distance back-packing. He is enjoying getting to know his new home of Western NC with his wife, Rebecca, and his dog. Ask him about his love for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Education

South College, Knoxville, Tennessee

Doctor of Physical Therapy, June 2021

Lyle Mitchell

Personal Trainer & PTA

Lyle Mitchell grew up in Winston Salem and has called Asheville home for over a decade. He first developed his love for helping people improve how they move while completing his yoga teacher training in 2013. This eventually led to Lyle becoming a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, as well as a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. Lyle is also a TRX qualified instructor, FMS Level 1, and RockTape Mobility Specialist. Lyle’s focus as a trainer is to guide you in a sustainable fitness practice that enables you to better do the things you love in life. His experience ranges from training mountain athletes to run, ride, or climb to new peaks, to helping older adults stay active and age with grace. Lyle is a firm believer that it is never too late in life to build strength. In his free time, Lyle enjoys trail running, mountain biking, rock climbing, and swinging kettlebells around. He is an avid traveler, food and coffee consumer, and devourer of audiobooks and podcasts.

Megan VerHage

PT, DPT

Megan was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan and attended Michigan State University where she graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. Following graduation she moved out to Salt Lake City to work and enjoy what the mountains had to offer, including hiking, backpacking, and snowboarding. During her time working as a physical therapy aide in Utah, she realized her passion for helping people learn more about their bodies, and the importance of movement and health education in rehabilitation. After a few years she moved to Asheville near the end of 2020 and attended South College's Doctor of Physical Therapy program and graduated in December of 2022. She took a few months to travel, seeing friends and family around the country, before officially starting work. In her free time, Megan enjoys disc golf, pottery, hiking, reading, and spending time walking along the river in the River Arts District.

Education

South College, Knoxville, Tennessee

Doctor of Physical Therapy, December 2022