Meet the Team
Founder, Physical Therapist Meredith Franczyk, PT, MPT
Meredith Franczyk founded Dynamic Physical Therapy Chicago River North in September 2017. Meredith earned her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Northern Illinois University in 2002. She specializes in manual therapy, neuromuscular re-education, postural dysfunction, and general orthopedics such as knee, back, and shoulder pain, sports injuries, dry needling, and overuse injuries. Meredith particularly enjoys working with endurance athletes, with an emphasis on runners. She has volunteered for various Chicago running groups, events, and blogs. Meredith is a long-distance runner and has a strong passion for the activity. Overall, she focuses on treating each individual as a whole and not just focusing on the symptoms.
Contact Meredith at [email protected]
Physical Therapist Mary Buzzard, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT/DN
Mary Buzzard earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2016 and is also a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist (OCS). Mary has been practicing at the Dynamic Physical Therapy Chicago River North team since 2019. She enjoys problem-solving with her patients and designing treatment programs specific to their unique circumstances and goals. She aims to create a holistic experience so that her patients are fully equipped with the knowledge, ability, and confidence to get back to doing what they love, stronger than before. She may use manual treatments, dry needling, therapeutic exercise, postural/behavioral/ergonomic modification, and gait analysis to help with the process. Mary has personally recovered from a hip labral repair and various running injuries in the past, which helps make her an expert at orthopedic issues such as hip, knee, and back pain. Outside of the clinic, she stays active with soccer, yoga, and running.
Contact Mary at [email protected]
Physical Therapist Kayln Hugdahl, PT, DPT
Kayln received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Iowa. Kayln joined the Dynamic Physical Therapy Chicago River North team in 2022. As a physical therapist, Kayln enjoys connecting with patients and listening to their unique concerns. She will create a customized treatment plan to help you achieve the goals that matter most to you so you can return to doing the things you love. Kayln works with all types of orthopedic cases, including shoulder, knee, hip, and ankle injuries. Kayln particularly enjoys working with neck and back pain patients. She is enthusiastic about patient education and exercise, and you will leave your sessions feeling empowered mentally and physically. Additionally, she may use dry needling, offer suggestions for activity and ergonomic modifications, or perform video gait analysis to improve running mechanics. In her free time, Kayln enjoys playing beach volleyball, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
Contact Kayln at [email protected]
Physical Therapist Bella Hoffman, PT, DPT
Bella graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Throughout her education, Bella has gained experience in outpatient orthopedic and pelvic health settings. Bella joined the Dynamic Physical Therapy Chicago River North team in 2024. Bella is trained in treating pelvic floor conditions, including chronic and acute pelvic pain, incontinence, and pre and postnatal care. She also works with all orthopedic conditions, including knee, shoulder, ankle, hip, back and neck problems. She uses her personal weightlifting knowledge with her orthopedic patients. As a physical therapist, Bella is passionate about one-on-one, individualized care. She values learning more about patients' goals and lifestyles to make their physical therapy experience unique. Outside of the clinic, Bella enjoys spending time with her two dogs, working out, and traveling.
Contact Bella at [email protected]
Physical Therapist Sarah Kemmerer, PT, DPT, OCS
Sarah Kemmerer earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Saint Louis University and completed a residency in Orthopedics at University of Illinois Chicago in August of 2024. Sarah enjoys truly connecting with patients and understanding their full stories and goals to best create the treatment program that will serve them the most as a person. She aims to have all of her patients feeling like they were truly heard and leave feeling physically better than when they walked in. Sarah uses a mixture of manual therapy techniques, therapeutic exercises, gait analysis and modifications, and education to ensure the patient is equipped to understand and help themselves in the healing process. She sees and enjoys treating all orthopedic conditions, including shoulder, knee, hip, ankle, foot, back, neck, and TMJ. Sarah has personally recovered from many injuries including a ruptured Achilles, dislocated shoulder, knee, hip, and back injuries through her years of sports and athletics which allows her to understand from the side of the patient. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, traveling, yoga, working out, and exploring the city with her friends.
Contact Sarah at [email protected]
Massage Therapist Ariana Pedroza, LMT, Licensed Massage Therapist
Ariana received her training from Zen Shiatsu Chicago. She is a licensed massage therapist, member of AOBTA, and holds her 200 yoga teacher training. She believes in a holistic approach to trauma-informed bodywork and incorporates principles of Chinese medicine, massage, acupressure, stretching, and yoga to promote overall well-being. Her specializations are in Shiatsu, Sports Massage, and Deep Tissue. She is the founder of Curandari, which was established with the aim of promoting the integration of mind, body, and spirit for everyone. During her sessions, she customizes treatments based on her clients' needs, equipping them with the necessary tools to enhance their lifestyle. In her free time, she does events centered around embodiment, enjoys long-distance running, hiking, traveling and horseback riding.
Ariana is Available: Wednesday 3-6pm and Sunday 9-2pm
Contact Ariana at [email protected]
Office Manager Joni Modaff
Joni has been with Dynamic Physical Therapy since 2019. She enjoys working alongside the therapists to facilitate patient care and improve patients' physical therapy experience. Joni excels at communicating with patients and organizing their information to ensure they can focus on their rehab journey. Joni splits her time between Chicago and Florida, and enjoys walking on the beach, traveling, playing pool, and attending concerts.
Contact Joni at [email protected]