Meet the Team
Dealing with health issues can be a difficult situation. You shouldn’t have to go it alone. Therapeutic Associates of Maui has a team of certified, highly skilled, and experienced care providers that always has our patients’ best interests and well being at heart. Meet the faces that are running our Physical Therapy Clinic, and schedule an appointment today.
Lee Poston, PT, Diplomat MDT, CSCS
Physical Therapist and Owner
Lee graduated from Tennessee State University in 1994. As a traveling Physical Therapist he arrived in Maui on a 3 month contract in 1997 and simply never left. In 1999, he stumbled upon Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) and his practice was turned upside down. He then “unlearned” everything he had learned while pursuing and attaining his MDT certification in Tucson, Arizona in 2002. Always wanting to keep learning he went on to complete the Diploma program via the University of Otago, in New Zealand. He became a McKenzie Diplomat at the McKenzie International Spine Conference in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 2009. And is still the only McKenzie Diplomat in the State of Hawaii. He also built a successful CrossFit business from 2009 -2016 before selling to focus more on his family and his PT practice. Therapeutic Associates of Maui is now in its 20th year (as of 2023) and he trains multiple PT students each year to spread the knowledge about MDT.
In 2017-2019, Lee traveled to Peru on a Medical Mission with Jason Ward and "Mechanical Care Everywhere," where he is a board member. MDT trained clinicians treat those less fortunate, and give them tools to manage their own injuries. Robin McKenzie realized long ago, We can teach patients to heal themselves!
In 2019, he became a practicing GOATA coach. Learning from Coach Gary Scheffler and Coach Ricky Stanzi, how to eliminiate non-contact injuries in sports. ACL injuries, especially are out of control due to poor movement patterns. And they have discovered via training, how to break these high risk behaviors
Kory Takamura, PT, MPT
Physical Therapist
Kory is a native of Maui, born and raised in Kahului and a graduate of Maui High School. He attended Oregon State University where he graduated with a B.S. in Exercise and Sports Science. That led him to pursue his dream of becoming a physical therapist where he attended the University of Washington and received his Masters of Physical Therapy degree in 2003. After graduation, Kory stayed in Washington and worked in a small outpatient orthopedic clinic in Kirkland. After 3 years of work, he helped open and manage a satellite clinic in Redmond till he returned to Maui in 2009 and has been working at Therapeutic Associates of Maui in Lahaina.Throughout his years of practice, Kory has taken many courses to further his education within the field of physical therapy to better his skills and knowledge in the outpatient orthopedic setting. His recent passion has been following the McKenzie method where he completed all of the courses and is on his way to becoming MDT certified. Among his specialties are treatment of the neck, back, and extremities.Outside of the clinic, Kory has many hobbies and interests including playing baseball, golf, basketball, softball, fishing, diving, and camping. He has two beautiful children and a loving and supportive wife who has helped shape him to the person he is today. Much Mahalo!
Kate Spanos, MS, OTR/L,CLT
Occupational Therapist
Therapeutic Associates of Maui is proud to introduce a new Hand Therapist, Kate Spanos. She is originally from York, Pennsylvania. She completed her undergraduate degree in kinesiology with a minor in gerontology at the Pennsylvania State University, and went on to her receive a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at Alvernia University (FKA Alvernia College).
Kate has been practicing as an occupational therapist for seventeen years, with five years specializing in upper extremity function. She developed orthosis and hand therapy programs for in-and out-patients at Common Spirit in the Greater Phoenix East Valley, working extensively with trauma, orthopedic, plastic reconstructive, and neurological rehabilitation.
She is certified in lymphedema management, and is currently pursuing her board certification for hand therapy. She will sit for the CHT (Certified Hand Therapy) exam early 2024 once she is settled in to Maui and her new job. In her spare time, Kate enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs. She also dabbles in floral arrangement.
Ariana Buxman, PT
Physical Therapist
Ariana Buxman is originally from Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Before becoming a physical therapist, her life revolved around the sport of ice hockey. She grew up playing on a frozen rodeo arena in my small mountain town before moving to Minnesota in 2010 to play at Shattuck St. Mary’s. From there she went on to play Division 1 ice hockey for the Providence College Friars where she also received her Bachelors Degree. She majored in Pre-Medical Biology with a minor in Writing and core focus in Philosophy and Psychology. After graduation Ariana moved overseas to play professional ice hockey in Europe, suiting up for the Eisbären Berlin in Germany and EV Bomo Thun in Switzerland. In spring of 2020 she decided to give back to the athletic community by pursuing a doctoral degree in physical therapy at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to her strong education she also spent months at the world renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota working with vestibular and Neuro rehab Specialities. These skills were refined during her time working in acute care settings in Maine, where she spent most of her time treating CVA's, SCI's and a myriad of vestibulopathies and degenerative disease. You may have worked with Ariana during her time spent here in Maui working with Lee Poston at Therapeutic Associates of Maui, specializing in McKenzie rehabilitation and GOATA training. A lifetime of participating in team sports, a thorough education and a vast array of experience from across the nation has helped Ariana excel in her collaboration, flexibility, skill sets, empathy and passion. We are thrilled to have her join our team and help as many Maui residents as she can!
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Diane Omura
Front Office Coordinator, Kahului
Diane was born and raised on Maui. She has been with Therapeutic Associates of Maui since 2003 and has been a vital part of the Company's growth over the years! In her free time she is into Yoga and CrossFit!
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