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, Travis enjoys spending time with his wife and their two children. He stays active by playing hockey, golf, and weight training.
Nick Wegener, PT, ATC, 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 low back. 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, 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.
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 family and friends, being outdoors, and being a sports’ fan.
Athletic Development Staff
David Fiech, MS, CSCS - Head Performance Coach
David has considerable experience in helping athletes improve their athleticism while reducing the chance of injury. As an athlete and a coach, David has learned that the determining factors of athletic ability such as speed, power, and agility can be taught and developed regardless of current ability. The idea that you are born with a predetermined level of athletic ability is simply not true because any athlete can make significant changes and improvements through properly planned training.
David has recently served as both a Director and Performance Coach at Velocity Sports Performance in Cedar Rapids, IA. At Velocity, David oversaw the sports performance training protocols, adult fitness program, team training, and elite level training programs. Other responsibilities included training former collegiate athletes for their pro testing and combine day, serving as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL, providing off-season training for several professional athletes, and developing and implementing a comprehensive ACL reconditioning program to assist athletes with a successful and quick return to their sport. David has also worked in a similar capacity as the Head Performance Coach at Sioux Empire Fitness in Sioux Falls, SD.
Additional experience includes working as an Assistance Performance Specialist at the International Performance Institute in Bradenton, FL. While in Florida, he was involved in the performance training of tennis players in the Bollettieri Tennis Academy, assisted with the NFL combine prep program and the MLB off-season program, and was involved in the development of many other elite level athletes from around the world . David also has experience as a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Akron in Ohio. While at Akron he was responsible for the performance enhancement of several varsity teams. Other experience includes conducting summer sports performance camps in Northwest Iowa.
David has a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from the University of Sioux Falls and Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Akron. David is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a SPARQ certified trainer. While attending USF, David participated in Football and Track. David continues to train and compete in Master’s Track and Field Events as a sprinter and has successfully coached and trained numerous high school sprinters.
Adam Stephenson, MS, CSCS - Assistant 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 high level 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).
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 and hunting. He and his wife Rachael also enjoy spending time with friends.
Marketing Staff
Danielle Kleber, ATC
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 includes working as a classified advertising account executive at the Omaha World-Herald and as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. While at UNO, she worked with many different sports, including the 2001 national championship softball team.
Danielle has spent the last eight years as the head athletic trainer at Lincoln Northeast High School. She managed the coverage and care for 16 sports and all student-athletes, supervised an assistant athletic trainer and student athletic trainers, and served as a clinical instructor for Nebraska Wesleyan University’s athletic training program. She also serves as the Director of N-Lighten Nebraska, a state-wide wellness program conducted by the Nebraska Sports Council. Danielle believes in being an active member of the athletic training profession and holds many positions, including the Public Relations Chair for the Nebraska State Athletic Trainer’s Association, Board of Director and Committee Member for the Omaha Sports Medicine Alliance, and is the Medical Committee Chair for the Cornhusker State Games. She was recently awarded the NSATA 2007-2008 George F. Sullivan Athletic Trainer of the Year award.
In her free time, Danielle enjoys biking, sand volleyball, website design, and spending time with her two Boxers. She and her husband, Bill, reside in Louisville, NE.
