Our Team
Physical Therapy Staff
Travis Manners, PT, SCS, CSCS - President and Founder
While growing up in Omaha, sports were a major part of Travis' youth. A two sport athlete in high school with football and hockey, he elected to play football in college. After injuries forced him to stop playing, he developed a passion toward helping other injured athletes return to the sport they love.
Travis started his career at Creighton University Medical Center where he served as the physical therapist for Creighton University’s Athletic Training Department providing care to their student-athletes. This experience provided him the opportunity to rehabilitate numerous high level Division I athletes across all sports while helping some further their careers professionally. Following his time at Creighton, Travis practiced at a sports clinic in Scottsdale, AZ where he treated numerous professional and elite-level athletes. While in Arizona, he also served as a sports performance coach for one of the top 5 soccer clubs in the country. After moving back to Omaha, Travis started his own sports performance company contracting with a local soccer club. Currently, he continues to focus his physical therapy practice on the care of athletic injuries especially those of the elbow, shoulder, and knee. His advanced knowledge in these areas has given him the opportunity to serve as a consultant to numerous local and regional colleges and universities as well as to the Milwaukee Brewers professional baseball organization.
After graduating from Burke High School, Travis attended Northwest Missouri State University graduating with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology/Psychology. He then received a Masters of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Travis is currently one of only a handful of physical therapists in the state to be a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy (SCS). He is also the first member from Nebraska to be accepted into the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists, a prestigious group with less than 80 members in the United States. Travis also is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). A member of several professional organizations, he frequently lectures on sports related injuries and rehabilitation for shoulder, elbow, and knee disorders, and is a published author.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his two children. Travis also stays active by playing hockey, golf, and weight training.
Nick Wegener, PT, ATC, OCS, CSCS - Director of Physical Therapy
An avid athlete in high school, Nick has carried his love for sports, fitness and enhancing every individual’s ability to perform physical activity into the realm of rehabilitation and performance training.
While working in Arizona at a private practice orthopedic clinic the past four years, he has dedicated himself to understanding what it takes for athletes of all levels to get back to their peak performance levels. Having worked with professional, collegiate, and high school athletes in multiple disciplines including football, baseball, track and field, and Ironman tri-athletes, he has developed a commitment to understanding the human body in relationship to sport. As an orthopedic physical therapist, he has also developed an appreciation for what it takes for the everyday individual to return to pain free function at work and at home and helps all his patients strive to reach their potential.
Nick’s areas of interest include understanding the neuromuscular and postural habits that lead to breakdowns in body function specific to injuries of the shoulders, knees, hips, and spine. His thirst for knowledge has continued to lead him into continuing education courses focusing on these postural restoration based concepts in hopes of understanding not only how to rehabilitate injuries more efficiently and effectively but to promote performance enhancement.
A Nebraska native, Nick received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in Exercise Science from Creighton University where he also studied with an emphasis in Athletic Training working as an understudy with many of the programs athletes. He has dual licenses as a physical therapist and athletic trainer. He has also earned the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Nick is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
In his free time, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife and son, family and friends, cheering on the Jays and Huskers, and doing anything outdoors.
Marisa Gulizia, PT, CSCS - Staff Physical Therapist
Born and raised in Norfolk, NE, Marisa played softball, basketball, and participated in track while in high school. During her summers, she competed in select softball. Her passion for sports continued as she had the privilege of playing colligate softball for 4 years at Dana College. Despite needing shoulder surgery during college, Marisa was able to return and play at a high level the rest of her career earning All-Conference recognition. While at Dana, she learned about athletic medicine by volunteering in the athletic training room which eventually led her to pursue physical therapy.
Marisa completed her Bachelors degree in Biology from Dana College and then went on to receive her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She is currently a member of the National Physical Therapy Association as well as the Nebraska Physical Therapy Association. She is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
In her free time, Marisa continues to play softball with every chance she gets. She has also dabbled in other sports like running a half-marathon, running adventure races, indoor soccer league, sand volleyball league, biking, and hiking. She enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends, and being outdoors.
Wendi Sanny, PT, ATC - Staff Physical Therapist
Originally from Cairo, NE, Wendi played volleyball, basketball, and softball throughout high school. During her athletic career, a knee injury ultimately led her into the fields of athletic training and physical therapy. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Wayne State College and a Master of Physical Therapy from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Wendi’s first job experience was at The Ballpark, a physical therapy clinic located in the stadium in Arlington, TX. She then worked as a senior physical therapist at the Ben Hogan Sports Therapy Institute in Fort Worth, TX. There she worked with athletes of all levels including high school, collegiate, Olympic and professional athletes and helped to develop protocols, a clinical education manual, and the Clinician Development Program to advance the knowledge of staff physical therapists.
Her area of expertise includes working with baseball related injuries as well as football, soccer, basketball, and volleyball athletes. While in Texas, she worked closely with a well respected orthopedic surgeon and gained considerable experience in these areas. After moving back to Nebraska in 2009, she spear headed the implementation of a pre-season program screening for upper extremity injuries for the baseball program at Midland Lutheran College.
Wendi is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the Nebraska Physical Therapy Association (NPTA). She was a speaker at the 2010 Dallas/Ft. Worth Sports Medicine Symposium. In addition to her professional memberships, Wendi also shares her time in many community activities including providing lower extremity functional exams for a local select volleyball club and participating in the Relay for Life event. In her free time, Wendi enjoys spending time with her family including husband Justin, son Austin, and daughter Jada, running, reading, and traveling.
Athletic Development Staff
Adam Stephenson, MS, CSCS - Head Performance Coach
Originally from Gypsum, Kansas, Adam received a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology from Kansas State University. During his time at KSU, Adam developed his passion for developing athletes while working as a Strength and Conditioning student intern. As an intern, Adam worked with several sports including Football, Men’s Basketball, Track and Field and the Equestrian team.
Adam then served as a Strength and Conditioning Graduate Assistant at Northwest Missouri State University (NWMSU) while at the same time attaining a Masters of Science degree in Health and Physical Education. While at NWMSU, Adam directly supervised or assisted with each of the University’s 12 athletic teams. Adam has completed his certification as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is the first in Nebraska to earn the Youth Fitness Specialist - Level 1 (YFS-1) from the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA).
In high school Adam was a stand-out in football, track and field, and powerlifting. His accomplishments include earning an individual and team championship in powerlifting during high school and being part of the 2003 Big XII Championship football team at KSU. In his free time he enjoys reading books, exercising and bow hunting. He and his wife Rachael also enjoy spending time with their son Aiden.
Kiedran Smith, MS, CSCS, USAW - Assistant Performance Coach
Originally from Lanett, Alabama, Kiedran played football, basketball, and participated in track while in high school. His passion for sports led him to Troy University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Sport and Fitness Management. While attending Troy, Kiedran was given the opportunity to be an athletic intern with the strength and conditioning department where he worked with several sports including Football, Soccer, Softball, and Women’s Basketball.
Kiedran served as a Strength and Conditioning Graduate Assistant at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), where he received his Masters of Science in Sport and Fitness Management. While at USM, Kiedran directly supervised or assisted with several of the University’s athletic teams and assisted with the high school recruiting of potential student athletes. Kiedran is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a Certified Sports Performance Coach through the United States of America Weightlifting (USAW).
In his free time, Kiedran enjoys running, weightlifting, traveling and playing flag football. He and his wife, Tonya, live in Omaha, NE, and enjoy being outdoors playing with their two dogs, Lizzie and Lolo.
Marketing & Operations Staff
Suzanne Stalcup - Office Manager
Originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Suzanne spent the first eight years after graduating high school working for the Athletic Complex at Yokota Air Force Base in Japan before joining the United States Air Force. After five years of active duty as a dental technician she then pursued a fourteen year long career in Dental Assisting and Management. She has five years experience in Office Management and two and a half in Project Management as a Project Coordinator.
In her free time she plays, along with her husband, on a local Inline Hockey team and is an avid outdoors woman. She enjoys spending time with her two boys camping, fishing and kayaking. Other favorite pass times are spent with friends trap shooting and riding her horse.
Danielle Kleber, ATC - Director of Marketing & Operations
Originally from Grand Island, Danielle attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Fitness and Leisure Management with emphasis in Athletic Training. She went on to complete her master’s coursework at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in Fitness and Wellness Promotion. Her professional experience started by working as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she worked with many sports, including the 2001 national championship softball team.
Danielle worked for eight years as the head athletic trainer at Lincoln Northeast High School. During that time, she also served as the Director of N-Lighten Nebraska, a state-wide wellness program conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council for two years. As an active member of the athletic training profession she holds many positions, including Treasurer of the Nebraska State Athletic Trainer’s Association, Board of Director and President of the Omaha Sports Medicine Alliance, and is the Medical Committee Chair for the Cornhusker State Games. She was also awarded the NSATA 2007-2008 George F. Sullivan Athletic Trainer of the Year award.
In her free time, Danielle enjoys kayaking, biking, sand volleyball, and spending time with her two Boxers. She and her husband, Bill, reside in Louisville, NE.
Krista Luther - Marketing & Business Development
While growing up by a lake near Omaha, Krista was involved in waters sports like swimming and waterskiing. She also played volleyball, participated in track and select softball. Krista studied English Literature while she attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Omaha. Krista’s professional experience includes working as senior account executive for a local radio group and licensed insurance sales. In her free time Krista enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, exercising, reading and attending live music and sporting events.
