Allison Bakke, MA, OTR/L
Allison is the Founder and President of Above & Beyond Senior Services. She is a licensed occupational therapist in the State of Minnesota. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Certificate in Gerontology, Minor in Psychology, and Master’s in Occupational Therapy from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.
Upon graduation, Allison worked for many years as an occupational therapist and rehab manager in short-term and long-term rehabilitation in many skilled nursing facilities throughout the Minneapolis metro area. Throughout the years Allison saw a strong need for therapy services outside the traditional Medicare/insurance model. This led to the creation of Above & Beyond as a new model for senior rehabilitation therapies. An approach that incorporates prevention, strengthening, wellness, and joyful engagement in life, using both physical and occupational therapy. Allison’s geriatric areas of expertise are in dementia and memory loss and helping families grow in their understanding of the various disease processes that cause dementia.
Allison was born and raised on a family farm near Moorhead, MN to a dad who was a farmer and business owner and a mom who was a baker. Throughout her childhood Allison’s parents taught her the value of hard work and respect for the wisdom of older generations. She remains a farm girl at heart and definitely gets her entrepreneurial spirit from her dad.
Allison is a proud wife and mom. Along with her husband Jason, Allison has 2 wonderful boys. She loves to spend her free time with family and volunteering. In the summer the Bakke’s can be found spending time at the cabin fishing and boating. The rest of the year is spent watching her boys play soccer and basketball and sing in the Land of Lakes Choirboys. If there is any time left after all of that Allison loves to travel with her husband or entertain friends and family at home with food ranging from home-style to gourmet.
Carolyn Blake, PT, GCS
Carolyn is a physical therapist who received her Bachelor of Science degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO in 1989. Having been involved in athletics most her young life she started her career in sports medicine and occupational health in Little Rock, Arkansas.
She returned to her home state of MN and worked in an orthopedic spine clinic, helping people avoid, or rehabilitate from spinal surgeries. It was not long after that she found her heart’s desire in the field of homecare where she has focused her education and work since 1995. She began seeing the connections from her earlier work to her practice with the elderly, who in her words “are athletes in the sport of life!” In 2006, she became board certified as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist. Her geriatric practice expertise is in balance and fall prevention as well as strengthening and general fitness. In 2013, Carolyn became a Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults.
Born and raised in small town Minnesota to a mother who was a nurse, and a father who was a family physician, Carolyn has a natural ability in helping others succeed and find fun and joy in their own physical endeavors.
Carolyn enjoys sports adventure travel, which has led her to hang gliding in New Zealand, hiking on volcanoes in Iceland, and rappelling down waterfalls in Costa Rica. She also enjoys painting, particularly animal portraits.
Janna Wold, OTR/L
Janna is an occupational therapist at Above & Beyond Senior Services. She received her Master of Occupational Therapy in 1993 from TWU in Dallas, Texas. Her career began in a hospital in-patient rehabilitation setting. She then moved on to spend approximately 20 years in long term care/short-term rehabilitation and is now enjoying home health therapy.
Home health has opened her eyes to the challenges that may persist after that first great hurdle of “getting back home” from a hospital or rehab setting is achieved. In her time working with Above and Beyond, Janna has enjoyed working with clients in their home settings, doing what matters most to them and helping them to function as independently and safely as possible.
Janna’s specialty areas include working with neurological patients, as well as those with cognitive deficits. In 1996, she had the opportunity to participate in specialized training in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. NDT is a treatment method used in stroke and head-injury rehabilitation. She has also had extensive training in cognitive assessment and treatment for people who have dementia.
Along with her career, Janna’s family is very important to her. She married her husband in 1991 after they both graduated from Bethel College in Arden Hills, MN. Janna enjoys walking the dog, traveling, boating, Twin’s games, music concerts and good food with her husband and two sons. She also enjoys reading and her book club.
Suzan Aksoy, PT
Suzan is a physical therapist at Above & Beyond Senior Services. She received her degree in Physical Therapy from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1991. Suzan has had experience in orthopedics, pediatrics, neurology, and geriatrics throughout her years as a physical therapist. She feels that she has found what she was meant to do in private, in-home therapy.
Suzan also is a certified yoga instructor and enjoys combining her knowledge of physical therapy with yoga to help her patients succeed. She feels that she is very blessed to be able to focus and help people to live active and strong lives, as long as possible. Suzan has a special affinity for working with people with dementia, perhaps due to the fact that her mother suffered from Alzheimer?s Disease for seven years.
Suzan grew up in Edina, MN with a father from the country of Turkey that was a physician, and an American mother that was a nurse anesthetist. She has two older sisters. Suzan and her family traveled many times to Turkey while she was growing up to visit family. Her family continues to live in the area, with the exception of one sister living in Utah.
When not working, Suzan spends her time with her three children who are now teenagers. They keep her very busy. She also enjoys having pets and has two dogs, a cat, and a canary at home. Suzan and her children and their pets live in Oakdale, MN. When she and her children have time off they enjoy spending time at the family cabin in the summer, boating, swimming, and having bonfires. Suzan continues to enjoy yoga when she gets time, playing and listening to music, and traveling when possible.
Lori Wisnewski, PT
Lori is a physical therapist who earned her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 1993. Prior to her graduation, she had also worked for 3 years as a physical therapy assistant.
She initially got interested in the field of physical therapy as a child after watching and assisting her mother in rehab following a stroke at the young age of 38. Lori has worked extensively throughout her career with neurologically and orthopedically involved clients in a variety of settings, including: acute care, post-acute care, long-term care, and inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation centers in Kansas and Tennessee. Lori is trained in Neurodevelopmental Treatment Technique and while in Germantown (a suburb of Memphis) served as the Director of Rehabilitation Services encompassing the physical, occupational, speech, and recreational therapy departments as well as prosthetics/orthotics, and pastoral care areas of care at a freestanding rehab hospital.
The one constant throughout her varied career has been Lori’s passion for seniors. She strives to help them improve or maintain their mobility, function, safety, and quality of life. This means helping them be successful at the activities that are most important to them.
A Southern girl at heart, born and raised in Texarkana, Arkansas, Lori moved to Memphis, TN for her first job. There, she met and married her husband, Paul. They remained in Memphis until moving with their two children (now teenagers) to Minnesota in 2004. She loves life in the “frozen north”! In her free time, she enjoys watching her son play tennis and her daughter play hockey and lacrosse. She is an avid reader, plays tennis, and enjoys being with her family and friends.
Claudia Westholder, PT
Claudia is a licensed physical therapist at Above & Beyond Senior Services. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, and Master’s of Physical Therapy from the Mayo School of Health-Related Sciences in Rochester, MN in 1996.
Upon graduation, Claudia worked for eight years as a physical therapist at Hennepin County Medical Center where she had the opportunity to treat patients in all settings: rehabilitation, acute care, and outpatient/orthopedic. In addition, Claudia has worked for many skilled nursing facilities throughout the Minneapolis metro area providing short-term rehabilitation and long-term care. Claudia’s greatest satisfaction comes from the personal relationships that she builds with her clients and how much those connections help motivate them to regain or maximize their physical potential in order to maintain independence.
Having had an influential grandmother living with her family growing up, Claudia has a special place in her heart for seniors. She feels enriched by each senior’s “story” and words of wisdom that only comes from years of experience.
Claudia and her husband, Mark, have been married for more than fifteen years and love to travel with their three children, Caroline, Luke and Joe. In her free time Claudia enjoys being outdoors, preferably by a body of water. As a former Division I swimmer at the University of Michigan, she remains very active in other sports such as tennis, volleyball and running. Claudia is also trilingual, speaking English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Karen Johnson, MPT
Karen is a physical therapist who received both her bachelor’s degree in health sciences (1991) and her master’s degree in physical therapy from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN (1993).
Karen is from Forest Lake, MN and was always very active in competitive sports. She went on to play basketball and volleyball in college and her love of sports is what initially drew her into a career in physical therapy.
Karen’s PT career includes over 23 years of experience in outpatient orthopedics. Although she enjoyed her time in the outpatient setting, she eventually followed her heart back to working with seniors. She is committed to treating every client with kindness and respect and feels that everyone is able to improve their strength and level of fitness at any age.
Karen has 4 daughters (Olivia, Natalie, Isabelle and Violet). They enjoy summer family road trips to various National Parks, traveling to the Arizona desert in the winter, camping, hiking and dinners on their patio.
Cindy Schlafmann, PT
Cindy is a physical therapist who received her Bachelor of Science degree from Mayo School of Health-Related Sciences- Program in Physical Therapy in Rochester MN in 1990. She then received her transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Regis University in Denver, CO in 2011. She has practiced in outpatient and sports medicine settings as well as skilled nursing facilities for both short and long-term rehabilitation throughout the Twin Cities. She has been a manager in many of these settings and has developed many specialty programs over the years. “She uses her passion for sports, fitness and movement when working with all clients, no matter their age.” She uses a gentle, but challenging approach to maximize their abilities to remain safe in their living situation. In addition to being a PT, Cindy is also an athletic trainer at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis and coaches their track team.
Cindy was born and raised in Canby, MN to a dad who is a farmer and a mom who stayed at home, taking care of the family. She developed a strong work ethic through her years helping her parents with the fieldwork.
Outside of work, Cindy enjoys spending time with her husband and son. They enjoy traveling as well as being out on the pontoon entertaining friends. She also enjoys gardening, running, biking, cross country skiing and competing in triathlons.
Sue Groen, PT
Sue was born and raised in Bloomington, MN. She received her Physical Therapy degree at Northwestern University in Chicago. After graduating, she worked in Los Angeles and Detroit before returning to the Twin Cities. After returning to Minnesota, Sue worked in acute care hospital settings for a number of years. Most recently, she worked at Presbyterian Homes TCU and Home Care before coming to Above & Beyond Senior Services. Sue received her NDT certification (Neurodevelopmental Technique) at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Golden Valley.
Sue has a passion for neurological rehab and helping seniors live to their fullest potential! She enjoys collaborating with her clients and their families, empowering them live out their lives with grace and dignity.
Sue has been married for 27 years to her lifelong love and best friend, Jeff. Together they have 3 grown daughters; two are married, and they have 2 grandkids. She loves her sweet Irish-doodle, Rosey! Sue enjoys any and all family time: games, hiking, boating, camping throughout the US, and adventures beyond! Sue is very involved in her church, especially mentoring young moms. She also treasures quality time with her dear friends and you might just run into Sue at a local coffee shop.
Allison Mann, OTR/L
Allison is an occupational therapist who completed her graduate degree at the University of Minnesota in 2012. She played Division III soccer at UW-Eau Claire, where she earned her BS in Kinesiology and found her passion for working with older adults through a community fitness program. She was responsible for the design, implementation, and assessment of exercise plans for adults 65 and older.
Allison has worked in hospital, skilled nursing, cooperative assisted living, and home care environments. Working in home care is where Allison thrives, creatively helping older adults live as safely and independently in their home environment. Having two sets of supportive grandparents who lived in their homes well into their 80’s is an important reason Allison wants to help older adults age in place.
Allison took a year off from direct patient care and used her clinical knowledge to assist with post-acute hospital placement. This challenged the self-described introvert and provided the opportunity to broaden her professional scope in the areas of marketing, sales, and business development.
Ashley Cornelius, OTR/L
Ashley is an occupational therapist who earned her degree from the University of Minnesota in 2016. She has worked in the TCU setting and at Courage Kenney Rehab Institute where she worked with individuals with neurological diagnoses. Ashley completed a research study titled Effects of One-on-One Fatigue Management Course for Persons with Chronic Conditions, which was later published. Ashley is excited when able to apply her knowledge and conclusions from this research to make a positive impact on the lives of her clients.
Ashley was born and raised in a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She is an only child and grew up close to her family. Her grandparents always played a big part in her life, which has given her a passion for working with seniors. She relocated to Minnesota to pursue her degree in Occupational Therapy. She met her husband while volunteering at People Serving People in Minneapolis. Ashley and her husband live in Forest Lake with their son and daughter. Diesel, their golden retriever adds another dimension to the busy household!
Ashley loves spending time with her kids and watching them grow and transition through each new phase of life. She enjoys staying active, sharing monthly date nights with her husband, spending time with family and friends, and exploring around the Twin Cities to take advantage of all the great activities the city has to offer!
Jennifer Affeldt, PT
Jennifer graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse with a BS in Physical Therapy. Soon after graduation, Jen moved to Chicago to work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic while her new husband completed his degree.
They returned to the Twin Cities, where Jen was part of a team that developed a Nautilus strengthening program for long-term care residents. It was at that time that she realized the true capabilities of an aging adult. Jen’s affinity toward older adults began in high school. Even at that age, she enjoyed interaction with older adults and was intrigued with their stories and wisdom.Jen worked a short time at an interdisciplinary wellness clinic before transitioning to homecare. She has specialized in caring for people in their homes, helping each client reach their full potential. Jen has advanced skills in fall prevention, balance retraining, geriatric strengthening, manual therapy, and has training in treatment of benign positional vertigo. Jen strongly believes care within the home fosters an environment of improved client success and allows for development of a strong therapist/client relationship.
Jen is married to Eric and they have two wonderful children, Zach and Grace. Her primary love is spending time with her family. She enjoys anything from family movie night, golfing, Frisbee golfing, exploring new places, sharing a meal or just hanging on the deck by the fire. Jennifer was born out east and spent her early years vacationing on the Delaware shore which fostered a lifelong obsession with the ocean and the beach. You will often find them volunteering or spectating at one of the kids’ favorite activities: competitive swimming and diving.
Jessica Berg, PT
Jessica is a physical therapist who earned a BA in Biology from Concordia College in Moorhead and a MS in Physical Therapy from the University of Minnesota in 2001. Jessica’s career has been dedicated to working with seniors in the areas of home health care, transitional care, long-term care, and outpatient. She has experience with a wide variety of diagnoses including medically complex, cardiac, pulmonary, orthopedic, neurological, cognitive disorders, psychological, and cancer. Jessica is a certified dementia practitioner and especially enjoys helping clients prevent falls through improving their balance, strength, and walking ability. Jessica is dedicated to supporting and challenging clients so that they can achieve their personal goals.
Jessica grew up southwest of the Twin Cities on a farm where her parents taught her the value of hard work. She and her husband met while working on the go-kart track at Valleyfair Amusement Park. They have a son and daughter. As a family, they enjoy exploring parks, playing games/cards, attending youth sporting events, and watching movies. The favorite member of the household is their calico cat, who is a senior herself. Jessica stays active through rollerblading, biking, hiking, cardio/resistance workouts, and yoga.
Megan Grunerud, OTR/L
Megan graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in 2011 with a Masters of Occupational Therapy. Following clinicals out of state, she found her way to the Twin Cities to work with medically complex individuals in an academic teaching hospital. Megan enjoyed the challenge of this environment and learned much in the way of cutting-edge medicine, but she knew a setting that allowed for a more personalized approach to rehab was her calling. Since then, Megan has worked in skilled home care in the general community as well as senior living. She has also served as a manager and dementia educator in a memory care community. In 2017, Megan earned a Certificate in Dementia Related Education and Coaching through Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care. While dementia has always been a special interest, this new understanding of brain change transformed the way Megan approaches rehab for those living with dementia and their care partners.
A native of Pine City MN, Megan and her husband now live in Loretto. Together they enjoy local parks and trails, the sound of a needle drop on a vinyl record, and year-round getaways to their cabin in Spooner WI. Megan has been a finisher at both Twin Cities and Grandma’s marathons, and now spends most of her spare time chasing around her two young children.
Sharon Duncan, PT
Sharon is a licensed physical therapist who received her Bachelor of Science in Business in 1990, and Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy in 1996, both, from the University of Minnesota. She has practiced mostly in outpatient orthopedic settings as well as in transitional care and acute care settings. She recently completed her Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults certification (CEEAA).
Sharon grew up in Minneapolis. She has been involved in athletics since she was a young age and has always been interested in physical fitness. She enjoys working with seniors and is passionate about helping them stay active and strong to continue to do the activities they love.
Sharon has been married to her husband for more than 20 years, who is also a physical therapist. They met in college and have three very active boys and a dog, Buttons. She loves spending time with her family and friends, traveling, being outdoors including walking around the lakes, paddle-boarding, biking, running, gardening, concerts, and watching her boys participate in their sports and activities. You will often find her at a hockey rink or on a field watching her boys.
Kris Bonesho, PT
I initially became interested in becoming a physical therapist after sustaining multiple injuries from a car accident while walking to school on my first day of high school. I underwent extensive physical therapy and established a personal connection with my PT. This motivated me to be able to provide the type of care that had been given to me.
I began my career working in acute rehab and with hospital inpatients, specializing in care of patients with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and amputation. I became interested in being able to have extended time to work with individuals and chose to work in the transitional care/long term care setting. For many years, I have working in homecare. I enjoy providing comprehensive care in a variety of home settings including private homes, apartments and senior living communities.
I am blessed to have a wonderful family including my husband and two grown daughters. Our oldest daughter was just married last summer so now we have a new son-in-law!
Besides spending time with my family, I enjoy cooking, baking, gardening, hiking, yoga, walking and exploring restaurants and coffee shops near the lakes!
Tory Kennefick, PT
Tory grew up in Shoreview, Minnesota. As an only child, she is very close to her family. Her grandmother moved in with their family when Tory was 8 years old. Her grandmother, who struggled with mobility issues, always used to say “movement is joy”. This statement stuck with Tory throughout her entire life, influenced her career, and is something she applies to her work with clients each and every day.
Tory is a physical therapist who earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy (2018) at Concordia University in St. Paul. Prior to joining Above & Beyond, she worked in multiple transitional care settings that allowed her to expand her expertise and adaptability to different work environments and patient care techniques. She has added interest in working with people living with neurologic diagnoses as well as combining adaptive yoga principles into her clinical practice.
Tory likes to stay active through yoga, running, and biking. She loves puzzles, problem solving, and anything that forces her to think outside of the box. Tory and her husband enjoy cooking together and have finally mastered making pasta! They also enjoy exploring new restaurants and breweries around the Twin Cities.
Caitlin Rackliffe, PT, DPT, GCS
Caitlin is a physical therapist who received her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) in 2014 and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from the University of MN in 2017. Caitlin grew up in Hutchinson, MN and now resides in Eden Prairie, MN with her husband, son, and Goldendoodle.
Caitlin loves working in geriatrics because she gets to help people at critical points in their lives and can serve as a beacon of hope for them. She makes it her goal to provide empathy and find common ground with each person she works with. Caitlin became a board certified “Geriatric Clinical Specialist” in 2021. Her PT experience includes: transitional care, long term care, and home care. She serves as an associated faculty member at the of U of M DPT program.
In her free time, you might find Caitlin curled up with a blanket and a good book. She enjoys being active via daily walks, bike rides, and yoga/barre classes. She has an eye for interior design; Caitlin and her husband spent the better part of 2 years working on a “fixer upper” that has since turned into their forever home.
Ann Marie Klavins, OT
Ann Marie is a licensed occupational therapist who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Occupational Therapy from St. Catherine’s University in 1984. Her initial work was in pediatrics; however, she later found her passion within the field of senior services. Her work experience is mostly in TCU and home care settings, as Director of Occupational Therapy with Volunteers of America and Presbyterian Homes and Services. She received her certification in neurodevelopmental technique, a treatment method used for neurological rehabilitation, at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Golden Valley.
Her desire to work with the senior population began when her grandmother, who lived to be 101, resided with her family. She enjoyed listening to life stories of the past, and experiences regarding her family and ancestors. Ann Marie especially enjoys providing therapy to the senior population and marvels at their remarkably strong work ethic and determination to reach their goals. She is honored to guide seniors safely through their life journey and provide education about aging and how to positively enable them to live their very best life.
Ann Marie was born and raised in Golden Valley and now lives in Burnsville with her husband of many years. Two of her children are currently in college; including a civil engineering major at the U of M, and an environmental science major at Montana State University. Her youngest child is in high school and wants to become a pilot. She has two rescue dogs, an energetic Australian Shepard named Daisy, and a senior Siberian Husky named Jasper that loves her daily three-mile walks!
Ann Marie loves spending time in the outdoors while camping, hiking, skiing, and traveling. She has traveled to all 50 states, many Canadian Provinces and several other countries. She has also visited over 25 National Parks and Monuments with her family and friends.
Sonja Day, PT
Sonja is a physical therapist at Above & Beyond Senior Services. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management in 2002 before earning her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Minnesota in 2005. She has experience in many different settings including outpatient, long-term care, transitional care, aquatics, and homecare. She has found her passion helping seniors in their homes with private in-home therapy.
Sonja gained interest in the field of therapy at a young age after watching and assisting her father as he battled a progressive neurological disease. She experienced first-hand the struggles a family goes through supporting a loved one at all abilities. She now loves the opportunity to help seniors achieve a higher quality of life and support families as they navigate each and every year caring for their loved ones.
Sonja lives in Minneapolis with her husband and three children. Her family loves to travel, especially exploring the National Parks. In her free time, Sonja loves to cross-country ski in the winter, trail run in the summer, watch basketball games year-round, and cook new and fun meals for her family.
Sarah Ivey, PTA
I started my career in 2004 in a transitional and long-term care setting. For the next nineteen years, I worked with seniors facing a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges. This experience deepened my love for helping seniors achieve their recovery goals.
In 2024, I made the exciting switch to home care and am thrilled to start this new chapter. I’m passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of my future clients.
Outside of work, I love being outdoors, reading a good book, and challenging my husband to card games at local breweries. Staying active is important to me, so I enjoy hiking, yoga, strength training, and anything that gets me moving.
I grew up in Shoreview and now live with my husband and our mini dachshund, Porter, in a charming old brownstone apartment in St. Paul. We enjoy walking around the neighborhood, admiring the beautiful architecture, and imagining the stories behind the houses. We’re always planning our next travel adventure and finding new ways to stay active and engaged.