Backs on Burnside’s team approach to treatment integrates chiropractic care, massage therapy, exercise prescription, self-care education and wellness programs. All our therapies are designed to maximize the body’s healing powers to alleviate pain, speed recovery, relieve stress and prevent future injury. Our trained clinicians work together to understand your condition and provide personalized treatment.
Managing Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Gail Karvonen has been a practicing chiropractor since 1986. She received her degree from Western States Chiropractic College and began teaching and practicing soon after graduating. Travels took her to Massachusetts and Connecticut for a short time but she returned to set up practice in Portland initially in a solo practice. Over time she combined her belief in the importance of soft tissue massage with chiropractic manipulation and built a practice that integrated the two. Today as owner of Backs on Burnside, she manages the chiropractic and massage components of the clinic. Dr Karvonen integrates her background in counseling, training in nutrition and kinesiotaping with her chiropractic skills to bring a therapeutic touch to conditions from repetitive stress injuries, auto accidents, work-related injuries, sports injuries and the “I don’t know how it happened” events.
When not at the office, Dr. Karvonen enjoys hiking and biking with her husband and twin daughters. She takes piano lessons when she can.
Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Taura Lemmon was planning on a career as a medical doctor when a car accident changed her point of view. While a pre-med student at Humboldt University in California, she suffered a five-car pile up that left her with severe whiplash, headache and back pain, leading her to chiropractic care. Since her father is a chiropractor who gave her regular adjustments as a child, back pain was a completely new experience. When managing her own pain and discovering that chiropractic care offers longer office visits and more empathy and consideration in the treatment process, she decided that that was the kind of care she was more interested in providing. She graduated from Western States Chiropractic College in 2008 and has been practicing with Backs on Burnside since April. Taura provides whole body wellness and care that focuses on nutrition, soft tissue, proper posture and exercise along with chiropractic adjustment.
A native of Yakima, Washingon, Taura has lived in Portland since 2004 and spends her spare time skiing, biking, gardening and swimming. Her husband Brook is a chiropractor as well.
Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Kirsten M. Courtney, DC started her education in holistic health care and developed her passion for chiropractic in Pine Bluff, Arkansas as the daughter of a chiropractor. She graduated from the University of Arkansas and headed off to Whittier, California earning her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree at Southern California University of Health Sciences. Her approach to care is patient centered and she believes in not just treating symptoms but diagnosing and treating the root cause of pain. While living in Los Angeles, she worked alongside an orthopedic surgeon in a multidisciplinary practice becoming proficient handling injuries from auto accidents, the work place, sports as well as post-surgery rehab work. She incorporates soft tissue work, exercises, kiniseotaping, and nutritional advice into her treatment plan to complement the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Courtney recently moved to the PNW in April 2022 along with her husband, a Portland native. She has been enjoying exploring new hiking trails and spending more time with family. She is an animal lover and has two dogs and a cat at home.
Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Sarah Uy was born and raised in the Philippines, instilling in her a deep love for family. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences from the Ateneo de Manila University. While a varsity softball athlete in her college days, exposure to sports injuries led Dr. Uy to notice the limitations in rehabilitation services in Manila, which inspired her to pursue her Chiropractic degree. In 2018, Dr. Uy graduated summa cum laude from the Chiropractic College of University of Western States and interned at Backs on Burnside from April to June of the same year. Passionate about delivering quality patient care to help patients achieve optimum functionality and awareness, she is skilled at manual therapy, several physical modalities, rehabilitation and chiropractic adjustment techniques. She looks forwards to working alongside each patient as they journey towards better health.
In her spare time, Dr. Uy enjoys kickboxing, volleyball, softball, and Pilates. Her passions include travelling to new places and savoring novel cuisines.
Massage Therapist
Chiropractic Assistant
East-West College of the Healing Arts, 2004
Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Neuromuscular Exercises, Reiki Energy, Geriatric Massage
Romy enjoyed massage for 20 years before pursing her dream of being a massage therapist. Romy’s love for travel, her former profession managing international web sites, and her time spent living abroad have enabled her to sample massage around the world. Patients have described her massage technique as very flowing almost Tai Chi like, in its fluidity of movement. She uses gentle stretching in her sessions to help ‘unwind’ tension in the body. Romy helps her clients to reach a deep state of relaxation by applying a combination of massage, stretching and holding the body in stillness.
Massage Therapist
Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Kailey Koopman is an Upstate New York native who pursued her passion for chiropractic by traveling to the PNW and receiving her Doctorate in Chiropractic from the University of Western States. This passion for the power of hands-on work was cultivated at an early age while receiving chiropractic treatments with her family for earaches. Since then her education, internship experiences and employment has broadened her knowledge and treatment skills to help patients with a variety of conditions. In addition to her excellent manipulation and soft tissue skills she is ART certified, trained in CranioSacral therapy and in Webster technique for pre and postnatal care. Dr. Kailey is excited to join a team dedicated to patient centered treatment.
She has a love for the outdoors and enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring the food scene Portland and surrounding areas have to offer on her days off.
Massage Therapist
Chiropractic Assistant
East West College of the Healing Arts, 2018
Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Acupressure, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, Reiki, Myofascial Release
Hannah Ebrite has always had a keen interest in how to naturally rehabilitate and maintain health with alternative methods. Her massage approach relies on myofascial, neuromuscular, and trigger point therapies to help patients relieve tension that builds up as well as craniosacral techniques to bring on deep relaxation. When Hannah isn’t massaging you can find her hiking, biking, reading, or playing in the garden.
Massage Therapist
Originally from upstate NY, Shannon moved to Portland in 2007. After time spent in the community mental health field, she became interested in massage therapy as another approach to helping people in their healing process. Shannon is fascinated by how being present and more at ease in our bodies effects the way we move through the world. Her massage style includes; Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, Structural Integration, Tui Na, Craniosacral therapy and combines techniques from the different modalities she’s studied for therapeutic, client centered treatments.
Shannon enjoys all things creative, performing, reading, and her little dog, too.
Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Samuel Sisto-Lopez, DC is from Woodburn, OR and graduated with a BS in Biology from the University of Portland. He then earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic from the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon. Before working in Portland, Dr. Sam spent time as an associate in Boston, MA, Canby and Beaverton. One of his biggest passions is serving the next generation, which is why he spent most of his undergrad coordinating volunteers for a local after-school program and mentoring first-generation college students. Dr. Sam’s unique experiences, his calm demeanor and his ability to speak in English/Spanish enables him to serve people from various backgrounds. Along with excellent chiropractic care, Dr. Sam believes that patients should seek other disciplines and therapies such as: therapeutic exercises, massage therapy and cupping, which are offered at our clinic. He believes that it takes a team, including the patient, to improve someone’s health or recovery from injury.
Massage Therapist
Oregon School of Massage, 2016
Deep Tissue, Shiatsu, Acupressure
Jasmine moved to Portland Oregon from her native Florida and immediately fell in love with everything the PNW has to offer. She enrolled in the massage therapy program at Oregon School of Massage to compliment her undergraduate degree and pursue something more in tune with her talents and ideals. She graduated and was licensed in spring of 2016 and has been practicing since. Jasmine has cultivated and honed her technique and approach to give a well-intentioned, focused massage. She is able to customize the session to the needs and wants of the client. Jasmine draws from a deep understanding of the body and from her studies in Neuromuscular deep tissue, Trigger point therapy, Shiatsu—acupressure and stretching techniques, among others. Jasmine is driven to help her clients on their journey to a better state of health. She strives to educate and empower her clients, helping them become an active participant on their wellness journey.
Massage Therapist
East West College of the Healing Arts
Dawn is a graduate of East West College of the Healing Arts in Portland. She approaches her sessions in a curious and open way to create a unique experience for each client she massages. She enjoys getting to know her clients from a broader view through daily routines, activities, self-care, and goals so she can dive deeper into what your body is experiencing. She incorporates deep tissue, myofascial release, Swedish, Thai, and some stretches into her sessions. She hopes to help guide and support you as you find more connection to your body.
Outside of her massage career Dawn enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her Boxer Zoe. Often she is found exploring new activities, running, baking, and practicing yoga.
Beth is a graduate of East West College of the Healing Arts. With a B.S. in Kinesiology and 4 years experience working in a physical therapy clinic, she gravitates to modalities such as neuromuscular, deep tissue, and Swedish massage. She is driven by her curiosity of how the body works and inspired by human connection.
When she’s not relaxing muscles, you can find Beth playing with her cats named Turtle and Chicken or hosting a game night with her wife and friends.
Massage Therapist
East West College of the Healing Arts, LMT
Swedish, deep tissue and neuromuscular techniques including trigger point therapy, PNF stretching
Emily is a graduate from East West College of Healing Arts excelling in the program. Emily incorporates a variety of techniques to best suit her patients’ preferences and treatment goals. She always encourages open communication to foster a safe and comfortable space. She specializes in Swedish, deep tissue and neuromuscular techniques including trigger point therapy, PNF stretching as well as many others. She feels that addressing the body as a whole unit as it works together allows her clients to get the most out of their sessions and address the underlaying issues contributing to the pain. She also focuses on the area that is feeling the most discomfort to help and alleviate the built-up tensions. Outside of the treatment rooms she is a compassionate nanny, and lifelong animal lover with 2 kittens and a rescue pup that she absolutely adores!
Massage Therapist
East West College of the Healing Arts, LMT
Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, and Myofascial techniques, as well as Sports Massage
Helen is graduate of the East West College of the Healing Arts. She enjoys helping people get back to their favorite sports and other activities by reducing pain and restrictions. She specializes in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, and Myofascial techniques, as well as Sports Massage.
Outside of the clinic space, you can find her playing soccer, rock climbing, swimming, or cycling.
Massage Therapist
Chiropractic Assistant
Center for Massage and Natural Health, Asheville, North Carolina
Swedish, Neuromuscular, Craniosacral, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Reflexology, and Myofascial Release
Jane has practiced massage for twelve years and taught massage therapy at the college level for four years. She uses an integrative approach with therapeutic techniques to treat pain and dysfunction and to induce deep relaxation. Her favorite pastime is releasing psoas muscles.
With a background in dance and education, Claire is fascinated by the body’s intelligence in movement and healing. She graduated from East West College School of Healing Arts. Her approach to massage includes Swedish, myofascial, and deep tissue techniques as well as somatic awareness from years of dance and Alexander technique training.
