Dr. Scott Avery
PT, DPT, Level 2 CrossFit Coach
Background and Training
Scott earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont. During his time at UVM Scott served as a DPT program officer, coached athletes through Special Olympics Vermont, and became a published author based on his doctoral research project. Scott gained exposure to a wide variety of care settings including outpatient orthopedics, sports performance, inpatient, and acute care. Scott completed rotations in general orthopedics in California, within the ICU at NYU Langone in Manhattan, and at Rehab2Perform, a sports performance setting within the DMV/Virginia area.
Prior to PT School Scott attended Clarkson University, where he received his B.S in psychology with minors in biology and cognitive neuroscience. During his time at Clarkson, Scott served on the Executive Board of a variety of organizations including Doctors without Borders, Minority Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS), and Club Soccer. Scott spent his summer breaks volunteering with Doctors without borders- participating in a variety of medical volunteer trips overseas to Peru and Costa Rica.
Professional Approach
Scott wholeheartedly believes that movement is medicine. Scott is passionate about patient education and helping individuals return/maintain their healthy and active lifestyles. Scott’s individualized and active treatment approach helps create an open environment for life-long learning, encouraging his patient to take their life/health into their own hands and help them create healthy habits.
Personal Life
Scott was born and raised in West Babylon, NY. Scott is a Level 2 CrossFit coach at Babylon CrossFit. When Scott is not treating patients, coaching athletes, or working out himself, he is most likely spending time with friends, family, and his dog Chase, or he is at the beach, fishing, playing soccer, snowboarding, or just about any outdoor/active activity you can think of.
Currently working with clients in our Babylon and Northport Locations.
Dr. Emily Fenton, PT, DPT
Background and Training
Emily earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from LIU Brooklyn, where she gained extensive clinical experience across a wide range of settings. Her rotations exposed her to diverse patient populations, including those in inpatient rehabilitation, inpatient and outpatient orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, geriatrics, sports rehabilitation, pelvic floor therapy, joint replacement recovery, and various post-operative care patients.
Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Emily received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Education with a concentration in Exercise Science from The University of Texas at Austin.
Professional Approach
Emily is a firm believer in personalized, holistic care. She recognizes that no two patients are alike, even when presenting with the same diagnosis, and emphasizes the importance of individualized treatment plans that consider the whole person. Empathy, focused attention, goal setting and open communication are central to her therapeutic approach.
She is passionate about helping patients become the best versions of themselves—physically, mentally, and emotionally—through the power of movement. Emily’s ideal patient is motivated, engaged, and ready to embrace the journey toward recovery. Her treatment strategies typically include a customized combination of therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education, patient education, and manual therapy to help patients achieve their goals.
Personal Life
Before beginning her academic career, Emily was a competitive gymnast for nearly a decade. She experienced chronic back pain for six of those years and credits physical therapy with allowing her to continue competing. That personal journey sparked her passion for rehabilitation and inspired her to pursue a career in the field to give back in the same way she was helped.
During her undergraduate years, she also became a kickboxing instructor and enjoyed introducing her peers to the benefits of exercise and fitness. Outside of the clinic, you’ll likely find Emily at the gym, exploring new Pilates studios, experimenting with healthy recipes, reading outdoors, relaxing at the beach, or spending time with friends, family, and her boyfriend.
Currently working with clients in Northport Location.
Dr. John Spirito
PT, DPT
Background and Training
John earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Mercy College. John was exposed to a large variety of patient populations during his clinical affiliations including inpatient rehab, inpatient and outpatient orthopedics, inpatient and outpatient neurology, pediatrics and geriatrics, joint replacements, post-operative spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, hip, knee, ankle/foot. He previously worked at a clinic in NJ, where he saw a high volume of post-operative sports injuries including the following: ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, labrum repair, biceps tendon repair, patella tendon repair, and Achilles repair to name a few.
Prior to Physical Therapy school, John attended Farmingdale State College where he played Division-III baseball. John graduated from Farmingdale State with a B.S in Science, Technology & Society with a clustered concentration in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Psychology.
Professional Approach
John believes in taking an individualized treatment approach, using his clinical assessment skills to identify and eliminate the CAUSE of the symptoms instead of just the symptoms themselves. John believes that no two cases are the same, and will personalize patient care depending on his patients’ goals.
John’s ideal patient is one who is determined to get better and one who does not take their health for granted. John uses a combination of individualized therapeutic exercise, patient education and manual therapy techniques such as soft tissue massage, IASTM, stretching/PROM, joint mobilization and spinal mobilization/manipulation in order to improve the function and/or performance of each of his patients.
Personal Life
John enjoys spending his free time with his wife, his dog, and family and friends. John loves any and all outdoor activities and loves to travel any chance he gets. He enjoys powerlifting and bodybuilding and any other activity that involves spending time in a gym. John began working out and discovered his fascination for the human body 13 years ago and has been studying and learning about health and fitness ever since.
Currently working with clients in our Northport and East Setauket Locations.
Dr. Patrick Gathman
Founder, Movement Headquarters
PT, DPT, CSCS, TPI Certified Provider
Dr. Patrick Gathman is the founder of Movement Headquarters, a performance-based physical therapy and wellness company built on the belief that healthcare should help people move better, live stronger, and stay active for life.
Patrick started Movement Headquarters after witnessing firsthand how broken the traditional healthcare system had become. During physical therapy school and early in his career, he quickly realized that most clinics are built around insurance reimbursement and patient volume—not outcomes. Providers are forced to rush through appointments, documentation takes priority over patient care, and people become time slots on a schedule.
Patrick knew that wasn’t the way healthcare was meant to work.
So he built something different.
Movement Headquarters was created to flip the traditional model on its head. Instead of insurance-driven care, the company focuses on outcomes, relationships, and long-term performance. By integrating physical therapy, strength training, and holistic health strategies, Movement Headquarters helps people get out of pain, move with confidence, and return to the activities that matter most to them.
Patrick believes the future of healthcare lies in prevention, education, and empowering people to take ownership of their bodies. His approach focuses on identifying the root cause of pain, training intelligently around limitations, and building resilient, capable humans—not just temporarily fixing injuries.
Patrick earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University and holds certifications as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Medical Level 2 Certified Provider, and multiple advanced performance and rehabilitation specializations.
Outside of the clinic, Patrick enjoys golf, exercising, volleyball, fishing, and spending time with his family and friends.
His mission is simple:
Build a better system for healthcare—one that puts people, performance, and long-term health first.
Currently working with clients in our Northport Location.
Dr. Bes Lekperaj
PT, DPT, CSCS
Background and Training
Bes earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Stony Brook University, where she had a variety of clinical experiences involving treating patients of various musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, and cardiopulmonary disorders in both outpatient and inpatient settings. She completed one of her internships at Rehab 2 Perform, a facility that focuses on treating athletes as well as other active individuals with a personalized approach. She has experience with post surgical conditions such as ACL reconstructions, meniscus repairs, total hip replacements, rotator cuff repairs, as well as more chronic conditions such as chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis, tendinopathies, and much more.
Prior to PT school, Bes also went to Stony Brook for her undergraduate education, where she double majored and received her B.S. in Biology and Technological Systems Management. She was on the E-board for the Stony Brook Strength Club her senior year.
Professional Approach
Bes is passionate about getting patients back to doing the physical activities that play a huge role in their lives, whether it is a powerlifter who wants to return to deadlifting 700 lbs or a grandmother who wants to be able to pick up her grandkids without back pain. Treatments will be individualized depending upon the goals that the patient has for themselves. Bes is also passionate about pain science education as well as helping patients address all factors that may contribute to their pain, and empower them to take their health back into their own hands.
Personal Life
Bes was born and raised in Staten Island, NY, where her passion for health and fitness began in a gym class in high school. During college, she began powerlifting and even participated in a few competitions. Bes is also a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jisut and has participated in tournaments.
If Bes isn’t at the gym, she is spending time with her family and friends, starting a book she’’ll never finish, or traveling to a new country.
Currently working with clients in our East Setauket Location.
Casey Burke
B.S. Exercise Science, CF-L1
Background and Training
Casey earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Syracuse University, where her passion for movement, health, and helping others took root. She began her coaching journey with internships in CrossFit and strength and conditioning, working with a wide range of individuals—from youth athletes and college rugby players to NFL Combine hopefuls, veterans (including amputees), and adults training for personal milestones like their first marathon.
As a former high school athlete herself, Casey understands the power of movement to build confidence, resilience, and long-term well-being. Her role as head strength coach and program coordinator at a Syracuse-based facility allowed her to design progressive, individualized programs that prioritized performance and longevity.
Professional Approach
Casey’s coaching philosophy centers around one key principle: movement for life. She believes in high-quality, intentional training that supports better health, strength, and mobility—so her clients can keep up with their grandkids, their careers, or their sport for years to come.
She approaches each client with empathy, attention to detail, and a deep commitment to individualized progress. Whether coaching a post-rehab client or a competitive athlete, her goal is to build confidence, reduce pain, and create sustainable momentum through movement.
You won’t find trends or shortcuts here—Casey carefully curates every session to meet each client where they are and guide them forward with purpose, safety, and support.
Personal Life
A Northport native, Casey enjoys CrossFit, running, reading and being out on the boat with her dog, Dakota. She brings the same passion and energy to her free time that she brings to her coaching.
Her favorite mindset: “Strive to be 1% better every single day.” She believes growth comes from showing up, staying curious, and putting in the work—even when it’s not perfect.
Casey chose to coach at Movement Headquarters because she believes in the clinic’s personalized, one-on-one approach and its deep commitment to the community. She’s proud to be part of a team that values education, connection, and helping clients achieve their individual best.
Currently working with clients in our Northport Location.
Cristina Sanchez
PTA, Client Coordinator
Background and Training
Cristina was born and raised in Southern California and relocated to Long Island in 2017. With over a decade of experience in a variety of roles and physical therapy settings, she has built a well-rounded foundation in both patient care and administrative operations. Like many pre-PT students, Cristina began her journey as a physical therapy aide in a busy outpatient clinic. She advanced to become an Assistant Office Manager at multiple locations before graduating from the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Suffolk County Community College. As a licensed PTA, she has worked in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and rehabilitation facilities — including spending two years as a travel therapist across the U.S. Now back on Long Island, Cristina draws on her diverse background in both clinical and administrative roles. At Movement Headquarters, she leverages her experience in office management to assist patients and clients with account and insurance matters. The MHQ team considers her the “glue” that keeps the office running smoothly behind the scenes. From time to time, you might also spot her at community events or lending a hand in the clinic when needed.Personal Life
As a proud Southern California native, Cristina is often asked why she traded sunshine for East Coast winters — and yes, she knows it’s a bold choice, but she’s grown to love it. While passionate about her work, she also makes the most of her downtime by traveling and spending quality time with family. Cristina enjoys staying active — she’ll hit the gym when she has to, but she prefers being on the court or field, playing tennis, pickleball, or co-ed softball.
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