Clinic Staff
Click Name to View Bio:
- North Office Therapists
- Darren Ferguson, MPT, ATC
- Ben DeWaard, MPT
- Brent Bednar, MPT, OCS
- Nellie Van Ranken, PTA
- Brittany Schipman, PTA
- Northeast Office Therapists
- Thomas A. Kruse, MPT, MTC
- Roger Sand, PT
- John Linn, MPT, ATC, OCS
- Irma Jacobsen, PTA
- Jasmine Hagemeier, PTA
- South Office Therapists
- Jake DeNell, PT, OCS, CWCE, CEEAA
- Stephen V. Benson, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC
- Bruce Bednar, OTR/L, CHT, CWCE
- Sherril Kilpatrick, PT
- Jennifer Lempka, PTA
- Jon Urwiler, PTA
North Office Therapists
Darren Ferguson, MPT, ATC
dferguson@ loptonline.comDarren is one of the sports specialists at LOPT. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Master's degree in Physical Therapy from the Mayo School of Health Related Sciences. Darren is a certified athletic trainer. He joined LOPT in 1992 after spending several years as a student trainer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Darren is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, sports physical therapy section and a member of the Nebraska Physical Therapy Association.
Much of Darren's free time is devoted to coaching youth softball and baseball teams for his three children. He also enjoys hunting and reading.
"A therapist who helped me when I was hurt as an eighth grader really impacted my interest in becoming a therapist. He had a desire to help people and a great sense of humor. You could tell he really enjoyed his job.
"I tell people I have the best job in the world. At the end of the day I feel like I helped people improve the quality of their life."
Ben DeWaard, MPT
bdewaard@ loptonline.comBy 2002, Ben DeWaard had received a Bachelor's degree in Human Health Science and a Master's in Physical Therapy from Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa. He has added energy and enthusiasm to the LOPT staff since joining the clinic in December, 2006.
Ben enjoys football and weight lifting. He and his wife were married in 2006.
"I spend a lot of time explaining why patients have developed their problems and how to change them. I try to help my patients gain an understanding of their problems. I feel it gives them a better chance to succeed."
Brent Bednar, MPT, OCS
brbednar@ loptonline.com
Brent Bednar received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received a Master's of Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2002. He has specialized in sports injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, and lower extremity pain since 2002. He joined the LOPT professional staff in 2008.
Brent is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, sports section and Nebraska Physical Therapy Association. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, camping, backpacking and time with his wife and daughter.
"It is gratifying to see a patient get back to their life after an injury. Through physical therapy, they now have the knowledge of how to work or play at a high level without re-injury or previous habits which led to their original injuries."
Northeast Office Therapists
Thomas A. Kruse, MPT, MTC
tkruse@ loptonline.comThomas Kruse was a Physical Therapy Aide at LOPT in 1997-1998. In 2002 he became Site Supervising Physical Therapist at LOPT Northeast, a position he maintains today. His educational background includes a Bachelor's degree from Doane College and a master's in physical therapy from the Mayo School of Health Related Sciences. Tom completed his manual therapy certification in 2005 from the University of St. Augustine.
Tom is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, orthopedic and sports therapy sections. The way he spends personal time would be exhausting to many of us. In his off hours, he goes biking, running, water-skiing, camping or hiking and plays Ultimate Frisbee. His favorite? Participating in triathlons, cheered on by his wife.
"I approach patient care by assessing the patient's needs and delivering the best possible care. We have an excellent staff and I want to ensure every patient has a positive experience.”
Roger Sand, PT
rsand@ loptonline.comRoger Sand has both a Bachelor's degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a degree in Physical Therapy from the Mayo Foundation School of Physical Therapy. He joined LOPT in 1982, after spending his first ten years as a practicing physical therapist in a hospital setting. At LOPT, Roger's specialization is shoulder rehabilitation. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, orthopedic and sports sections and the Nebraska Physical Therapy Association.
Roger actively enjoys sports, especially tennis, golf and skiing. He is married with four adult children and has two grandchildren.
"An effective physical therapist must be compassionate, with a caring spirit. It's important to have a patient relationship that creates a team."
John Linn, MPT, ATC, OCS
jlinn@ loptonline.comJohn Linn received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, in 1997. He received a Master's of Physical Therapy from the Mayo School of Health Related Science in Rochester, Minnesota, in 2001. He has specialized in shoulder, knee, foot, ankle, and spine injuries as well as orthopedic and sports medicine since 2001. He joined the LOPT professional staff in 2008.
John is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, and National Athletic Trainers' Association. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, outdoor activities and sports as well as taking in a baseball game or cheering on the Huskers various teams.
"I chose physical therapy because I broke my leg three times in high school and worked with a physical therapist to rehabilitate from those injuries. I enjoyed my time in physical therapy and look forward to helping others get back to their normal activities."
South Office Therapists
Jake DeNell, PT, OCS, CWCE, CEEAA
jdenell@ loptonline.com
Jake DeNell, PT, OCS, CWCE, CEEAA: Jake DeNell completed his degree in physical therapy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1975. He has a number of professional certifications and credentials that include the following:
- Senior Disability Analyst by the American Board of Disability Analysts
- Certified Clinical Instructor by the American Physical Therapy Association
- Certification and Interpretation of Functional Capacity Tests by the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians
- Completion of a comprehensive training course for Medical Impairment Ratings on both the 5th and 6th Edition by the Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians
- Certification as a Work Capacity Evaluator for Functional Capacity Evaluations and Disability Evaluations
- He is certified in the ASTYM system
Jake is one of the few therapists in Nebraska to be certified by the American Physical Therapy Association as a Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA). This nationally recognized certification represents advanced training in designing effective aerobic, strength, and balance programs that apply the most current evidence-based research for the aging population. Men and women ages 50 and older have a wide range of interests, abilities, and needs when it comes to physical activity. Mr. DeNell is specialized in offering services that address the uniqueness of older active aging adults.
Mr. DeNell's memberships include the Orthopedic Sports Therapy and Geriatric Sections of the American Physical Therapy Association. He has served on numerous professional committees, notably as a member of the National American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) House of Delegates and most recently as a member of the Task Force for the State Practice Act.
Recreational activities include physical fitness, reading, and church activities. "For each patient, I try to practice the Golden Rule: Treat others as I would want to be treated by listening to them, treating them with respect, giving them my undivided attention, and stay current with the best and most effective options for their medical condition."
Stephen V. Benson, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC
sbenson@ loptonline.comStephen Benson's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree from Eastern Illinois University; completion of his Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Physical Therapy at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, and a doctorate of physical therapy from Creighton University. He is a board certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy (OCS) and is certified in manual physical therapy (MTC) from St. Augustine University. Stephen has also completed a one year preceptorship in manual therapy. He advises and assists with complex patient cases and also acts as clinical instructor for staff development in manual therapy.
Stephen has been with LOPT since 1991. He is a member of American Physical Therapy Association, Nebraska Physical Therapy Association and American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. Married with two adult children, Stephen enjoys fitness training and music.
"I love people and I love science. A career in physical therapy combines both very well. An effective physical therapist must be an intelligent critical thinker who can apply specifically directed intervention with a caring heart."
Bruce Bednar, OTR/L, CHT, CWCE
bbednar@ loptonline.comBruce Bednar received a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University in 2001. He is a Certified Functional Capacity Evaluator in the Matheson, Blankenship and PWPE systems. Bruce is also a Certified Hand Therapist. He has specialized in rehabilitation of the hand and upper extremity and splint fabrication since 2001.
Bruce is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor sports, hunting, fishing and time with his family.
"Trust, honesty, integrity and communication are important aspects of the therapist/patient relationship. I like working with people and walking along side them to help them recover from their injuries."
Sherril Kilpatrick, PT
skilpatrick@ loptonline.com
Sherril Kilpatrick graduated from Northwestern University's program of Physical Therapy and has been a part of LOPT since 1988. Sherril is the Clinical Coordinator for LOPT. Her primary area of specialty is hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. She also takes special interest in the treatment of osteoporosis and women's health issues.
Sherril is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, orthopedic and hand therapy sections. Her favorite activities include golf, working with stained glass and family time with her husband, son and the family dog, Snickers.
"Working with patients inspires me to continue to learn and improve my skills."
