Donna Gregory, CTRS, MBA
Donna Gregory is the Recreation Therapy Chief at the NIH Clinical Center. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in recreation therapy from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in business administration from Penn State University. She has experience as an adjunct professor at Temple University teaching Health Care Administration. Donna has 20 years experience working in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. She has managed interdisciplinary treatment teams and has clinical experience working with adults and adolescents who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. Her interests include program development, process improvement, and providing quality RT services to a variety of patient populations.

Frances E. Byrd, BFA, BS, CTRS
Francis Byrd is responsible for the general recreation playroom for patients and hospital visitors in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She uses arts and crafts and normalized play to help the children adjust to their hospital stay. Francis has a B.F.A. and a B.S. in Recreation Therapy from Shenandoah Music & Conservatory. Francis has been a recreation therapist at the national institutes of health since 1987.

Kathryn Elokdah, CTRS, MEd, ATP
Kathryn Elokdah is a recreation therapist in the Recreation Therapy Section at the NIH Clinical Center for the National Cancer Institute; she received her bachelor of science degree in Therapeutic Recreation and her master of education degree in Recreation Administration from Temple University. She is accredited by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America as an Assistive Technology Provider. Her clinical area of expertise focuses on individuals with physical disability, with 20+ years as clinical manager for inpatient, outpatient and community physical medicine and rehabilitation programs. She has taught at Temple University, administered a camp for physically disabled adults, lead disabled sports clubs and expos (cycling, bowling, fishing, swimming, aerobic exercise), lead an Amputee Support Group, managed the Southeastern PA public transit functional testing site, edited the NJ/E PA TRA newsletter, and has presented locally and nationally on a recreation therapy topics.

Robin M. Greenfield, MA, CTRS
Robin M. Greenfield is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in recreation therapy and a Masters of Arts degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Maryland. She has 23 years of experience in the field of recreation therapy with the following diagnostic populations; mental health, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and neuralgic disorders. Robin's current responsibilities include providing clinical services to the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke inpatient unit. Her interests include adapting and utilizing Adventure Based programming in the provision of treatment interventions along with program development. Robin served as the Mental Health Network Co-Team Leader for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association September 2007-September 2009.

Julie M. Hoehl, CTRS, H/FI, BCIAC
Julie Hoehl is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. Since joining the staff in January 1997, Julie is a Lead Therapist responsible for the case load team and has the additional responsibilities for the Allergy and Infectious diseases patient care unit populations and the medical /surgical populations within the National Cancer Institute. Julie's current clinical interest includes obesity research collaboration and pain management.

Kristin Johnsen, CTRS
Kristin is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center and unit therapist for the National Cancer Institute, Pediatric Branch. She received her BS in recreation with an emphasis in therapeutic recreation from the University of Florida. Her professional interests include medical play and animal assisted therapy.

Marie Riordan Kaplan, JD, MLS
Marie Riordan Kaplan is a patient librarian in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Research Center, graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's of science degree in Foreign Service. She earned a juris doctor degree from The American University and practiced communications law prior to joining the staff of the NIH Patient Library in 1998. With a master's degree in library science from the University of Maryland, she has been head librarian at the patient library since 2003. She has earned the NIH Clinical Center Directors Award in 2006 for creativity and dedication in improving the patient library and in 2003 earned the Washington DC Archdiocesan Order of Merit Award for community service, including improvements to a parish library. Her professional interests include providing quality patient service through collection development to support recreation therapy programming and NIH patient protocols.

Emily Lawrence, MS, CTRS
Emily Lawrence is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She received her master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Recreation Administration, with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. Prior to coming to NIH, Emily worked with service members with PTSD and mental illness, provided therapy at a geriatric nursing facility, and taught adaptive skiing and cycling in Colorado for children and adults with disabilities. At the NIH, Emily is responsible for Recreation Therapy services on the General Medicine unit and the Alcohol Dependence Unit.

Deborah C. Marcus, CTRS
Deborah Marcus is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. With 28 years of experience in the field, Deborah is the lead recreation therapist for the milieu team. Deborah has worked with pediatric patients with ADHD and is currently involved with the Childhood Onset of Schizophrenia and Mood Dysregulation protocols. Deborah Graduated Suma Cum Laude from the University of Maryland in 1981 with a B.S. in "Recreation with an emphasis in Therapeutics." She has presented on local and national levels. Deborah's interests are behavioral and social development.

Laura Maring Herbert, CTRS
Laura is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She is a graduate of Ithaca College in upstate New York where she received her B.S. in recreation therapy and competed in NCAA swimming. Laura continues to be involved in leisure activities and currently is the captain/coach of three soccer teams. At the NIH Laura is responsible for services in the NCI day hospital and the pediatric clinic.

Holly C. Parker, CTRS
Holly Cobb Parker is as recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center, graduated with a degree in recreation therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has spent the last 20 years working with pediatric patients in the inpatient setting. She also coordinates the animal-assisted therapy program for the Clinical Center and has a special interest in using animals to work with patients of many different diagnoses.

Karen Perkins, MEd, CTRS
Karen Perkins is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. She received her Master of Education degree in recreation and leisure studies from the University of Georgia with an option in Therapeutic Recreation and a minor concentration in environmental education. Among her interests are biofeedback, complementary and alternative medicine, patient assessment, and the marketing of recreation therapy as a profession to secondary-school students.

Linda Scimeca, MA, CTRS
Linda Scimeca is a recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She has been a recreation therapist at NIH since 1982. Linda graduated from Virginia Tech and University of Maryland with undergraduate and graduate degrees. Linda has had the opportunity to gain 22 years of experience in adult oncology, years of service pediatrics and allergy and infectious disease. She is also involved with relaxation, AIDS & TR and adventure challenge and camping for children with cancer. Linda has been a regular speaker at over 25 State, regional and national conferences on topics involving TR & oncology, humor therapy, death & dying, and coping. Linda is co-author of a NIH publication "Creative Approaches to Waiting."

Marcia Smith, MA, CTRS, HFI
Marcia Smith is a recreation therapist and the clinical coordinator and student internship coordinator in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center, received her bachelor of science degrees in physical education and psychology from Towson State University and her master's degree in recreation therapy from the University of Maryland. She is accredited by the American College of Sports Medicine as a health fitness instructor. Her clinical area of expertise focuses on individuals with mental illness. Her interests also include the utilization of physical activity to improve overall functional abilities in patients. She has served on several professional boards and has presented locally and nationally on a recreation therapy interventions topics. Marcia served as the President of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association September 2007-September 2008.

Renee Stubbs, PhD, CTRS
Renee is a recreation therapist recreation therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center. She is a lead Therapist responsible the general recreation program, staff in-service training and special programs. Currently she serves as the acting research and outcome project coordinator for the Recreation Therapy Section. Renee is the unit therapist for the Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation units as well as the National Cancer Institutes transplant unit. She has presented locally, nationally and internationally on various topics related to therapeutic recreation. As an active member of several TR associations, Renee has served on committees and held board positions in various therapeutic recreation organizations. Renee earned her bachelor of fine arts degree from Tyler School of Art, her masters of education degree from Temple University and her PhD from University of Maryland. Her current interest involves practice standards in pain management and complimentary therapies.

Lydia Weber, LMT
Lydia Weber is a Licensed Massage Therapist in Recreation Therapy at the NIH Clinical Center who graduated from The Potomac Massage Institute in Washington, DC in 2006. In addition to practicing in the school's massage clinic and maintaining a private practice, she served as an instructor of PMTI's Heart of Touch workshop for several years teaching basic massage theory and technique, and the Touch of Massage workshop at Suburban Hospital for introductory couple's massage. Lydia was also an instructor in PMTI's student clinic, where she observed and supervised student therapists in real practice with a diverse population. Since February, 2008, she has been the massage therapist at Rifkin Chiropractic in Rockville, Maryland. Lydia has been a massage therapist at the National Institutes of Health since October, 2011. Prior to practicing massage therapy, Lydia was a graphic designer for 25 years, working at various art studios, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and finally at home as a freelance designer while raising a family.