Employee Spot light

Zack Currie, Guilford Physical Therapist & Assistant Director

Zack’s story began over 3,000 miles away where he grew up in Victoria, British Columbia. Growing up as a multisport athlete, Zack had several injuries. Those injuries and subsequent recoveries are what originally sparked his interest in the athletic training profession. His love and talent for ice hockey led him to the East Coast, where he was recruited to play at the Division I collegiate level. Quinnipiac University o ered successful programs in both his academic and athletic pursuits. While at QU, he credits his athletic trainer with helping to con rm his attraction to the orthopedic and healthcare realm, especially the ability to help people get back to doing what they love to do. Zack looked at opportunities within athletic training and physical therapy and ultimately saw value in where physical therapy could lead him in the future.

In 2013, a clinical rotation brought him to PTSMC Guilford where he met Partner & Director, Steve Platt. After graduating with a degree in athletic training, Zack took the opportunity to play hockey professionally at the minor league level for the South Carolina Stingrays and later for the Evansville IceMen in Indiana. When it was time to move on from professional hockey, Zack decided to return to Connecticut and entered the DPT program at QU.

Upon graduation in 2018, his relationship with Steve and desire to stay in the area brought him back to PTSMC, this time as a clinician. He loved Guilford because of its larger size and the number of other clinicians he’d be able to learn from as a new physical therapist. His desire to focus on fundamentals, growth, and continuing to educate himself made PTSMC the perfect t.

Zack was a part of the Leadership and Management Development Program (LMDP) in 2021-2022 and was able to learn more about the administrative and business side of PTSMC. The skills he learned during LMDP prepared him for the opportunity to step into the Assistant Director role at Guilford in October 2022. In his role as Assistant Director, Zack says he’s been able to put the skills he learned to real-world use and act as an extension of the director when he and his colleagues need it. He’s enjoying this opportunity and is looking forward to continuing to improve himself as a leader and a clinician. Steve commented that, “Zack is the epitome of what we want a PTSMC employee to be. His leadership, work ethic and professionalism have a positive e ect on everyone that he works with.”

Of course, we cannot put the spotlight on Zack without also talking about his alma mater’s recent NCAA Ice Hockey National Championship win! Zack was excited to watch the game on April 8th and described the experience as “surreal and nerve-wracking.” This was QU’s third National Championship appearance, and they nally clenched the title! Zack played in QU’s rst National Championship appearance in 2013 where they lost to local rival, Yale. Triple clap for Zack and his teammates for their role in the success of the QU program. The big win was a great chance for Zack to reconnect and catch up with his former teammates. He says hockey can be tough because your teammates come from all over the world, so he doesn’t get to see them a lot. When they do have the chance to get together, it’s like no time has passed.

June Birthdays

Emma Morales 1 Orange

Betsy Holt 1 Simsbury

Xantiana Sanchez 3 Southington

Josh McAdams 4 Danbury

Sarah Born 6 Putnam

Karolina Ozga 8 Fair eld

Nicholas Lopez 8 New Milford

Kelli Kaliszewski 9 Putnam

Alex Rostenberg 9 Avon

Lauralee Pelletier 9 Southbury

Julia Ricardo 10 Wallingford

Steven deCastro 11 Groton

Jacob Wall 11 West Hartford

Ben Romann 12 Plainville

Jill Cristaldi 13 Wethers eld

Nicole Carter 13 Southington

Randi Gallagher 14 Admin

Alexa Medor 14 Naugatuck

Dan Sha er 17 Avon

Rachel Slater 17 West Hartford

Daniel Blais 17 Middletown

Ethan Lachnicht 18 Wethers eld

Michael Babcock 19 Groton

Avital Liberzon 20 Guilford

Amiyah Peters 20 Southbury

Nicholas Sharp 20 Danielson

Liz Rubbo 20 Guilford

Spencer LeBel 22 West Hartford

Savannah Vartabedian 23 Windsor

Jake Minor 24 Simsbury

Carley Murphy 25 New Milford

Dan Pagliuca 25 New Milford

Nicole Stellato 26 Southbury

Harrison Picard 26 Fair eld

Sara Gareiss 26 Admin

Natalie Swanson 27 Lock Street

Kate Carlson 27 Admin

Jason Smutnick 27 Windsor

Aileen Carla Pingol 28 Orange

Emma Berger 28 Westbrook

Xavier Gibson 29 Naugatuck

Kasey Adinol 29 Wethers eld

JoJo Lusanga 29 Waterbury

Jocelyn Lucero 30 Branford

June Anniversaries

Shawn Nash Physical Therapist Avon

Anita George O ce Assistant Admin

Anna Donato Patient Care Essex Coordinator

JoAnna Moomjian Patient Services Fair eld Coordinator

Jade Flanagan PT Aide Orange

Bri Boulerice Physical Therapist Waterbury

Ashley Cato PT Aide Windsor

Joyce Mak PT Aide New London

Micaela Nowacki Physical Therapist Putnam

Elena Masiello Physical Therapist Wallingford

Emily Pelz Physical Therapist Waterbury

Gabi Wise Physical Therapist Groton

Alyssa Tracey PT Aide Middletown

Dana Colonese Physical Therapist Orange

These days, Zack has found himself busy with the home he and his wife, Kathryn, purchased in 2022. They are spending their spare time getting to know their new town, spending their time outdoors and hiking. They plan small trips throughout Connecticut, New Hampshire and Boston to visit friends, and enjoy traveling to the Cape and Mexico for warmer weather. Whenever he can, Zack makes the 3,000-mile trip back to visit with friends and family in the Paci c Northwest.

Tom Kassan Partner & Director West Hartford