Meet the Team at Triumph Physio & Wellness
Our staff consists of a diverse team of wellness professionals. Each team member is fully licensed and educated on how the body works and how best to treat it.
Feel free to contact any one of our team members personally if you have questions.
Karen Bhartu, MPT
Karen is passionate about working with Artistic Athletes for injury prevention and management, maximizing their ability to excel at their craft so that they can show up with 100% of what they bring to the table. Previously a high level gymnast and competitive coach, and presently a mother of two spirited young girls, Karen can be found snapping handstand pictures wherever the wind takes her! Her superpowers include her ability to really listen to her client’s needs, identify the key factors involved in their problems, and empower them with knowledge and confidence in their ability to overcome any obstacle standing in the way of their goal.
Bringing her work ethic, drive and determination with her on every step of her journey, Karen has been successfully treating clients in the Tri-Cities since graduating from UBC with a Masters in Physical Therapy in 2009.
Karen has extensive training in Vestibular Therapy through the Canadian Physiotherapy Association as well as completing “Vestibular Rehabilitation - A Competency Based Course” at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia. Karen actively implements evidence based care plans for clients with post-concussion syndrome and has treated clients across the age spectrum, from 3 to 109, for a variety of orthopaedic and vestibular conditions.
Book your session with Karen today so she can walk in stride with you on your journey to enhance your physical wellness!
Pantea Zarrinkamar, MPT
Pantea completed her Bachelors of Human Kinetics from UBC in 2005. She then went on to receive her Masters of Physical Therapy at UBC in 2009. Pantea has completed many postgraduate courses, mostly specializing in Orthopedic Manual Therapy and the Mulligan Concept. She has completed Level 3 Manual Therapy certification and is qualified to do spinal manipulations.
She has built her practice in the areas of orthopedics, sports injury rehabilitation, preventative education, pre-habilitation, and ICBC patients. She treats athletes, weekend warriors, and everything in between. Pantea treats patients with a customized approach through personalized care, proper patient education, hands-on treatment techniques, and a joint effort with patients to recover and achieve their personal goals. She has a holistic approach to health and wellness, thanks to her past experience as a personal trainer, fitness, and spin instructor.
Her life mantra is that no matter where life takes you, look at the positive aspects and then transfer that positive energy towards your physical health and well-being. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cycling, reading, playing volleyball, and spending time with friends and family. Her passions in life include traveling, dancing, and listening to music.
Randy Persad, RMT
Randal (Randy) Persad, practitioner, educator, workshop presenter and author – a 35 year veteran in the health care profession brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and focused dedication to his massage therapy clinical practice. With a background in Pharmacy, and ongoing education in human anatomy & physiology, myofascial therapy, yoga, deep relaxation therapies and hydrotherapy he stays in the forefront of manual therapy research, development and practices. In 2015, he completed the Master in Education degree (MEd) and is currently in the doctoral program (PhD) at Simon Fraser University where his intended area of research will be focused on the Role of Self Care Practices for Health and Wellbeing.
In June 2018, he completed a Master level, one year program in Gross National Happiness (GNH). This program was a collaboration between the GNH Center Bhutan and Schumacher College, UK. Randy’s preferred areas of practice includes:
breath awareness, breathing retraining and deep relaxation therapy
myofascial therapy for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, scar tissue management, respiratory health, and sports and athletic injuries
women’s health including pregnancy care and scar tissue rehabilitation and remodeling
With his eclectic background and diverse experience his ‘outside the box’ approach to treatment will often incorporate a variety of modalities in treatment sessions including focal steam hydrotherapy, ice cube massage, visualization, breath retraining, supported position with blocks and bolsters, guided relaxation therapy etc; the main purpose been to address your immediate and long term needs in your journey towards wellbeing. Randy embraces an active, vegetarian lifestyle and the eastern Vedic practices of yoga, breath awareness and deep relaxation practices.
Azzaria Samji, MPT
Azzaria Samji was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia and completed her undergraduate degree in Health Science at Simon Fraser University. She later went on to complete her Masters in Physical Therapy at the University of Birmingham. After graduating, she had the opportunity to work in New York City for 2 years in a busy outpatient clinic where she strengthened her manual therapy skills and treated a wide range of conditions. She has experience treating orthopaedic injuries including shoulder strains, knee replacements, ankle sprains, and ICBC cases.
Azzaria’s approach uses a combination of education, exercise prescription, and hands-on therapy while working collectively with clients to help them achieve their goals. She is excited to be back in Vancouver and working towards obtaining her manual therapy certifications as well as dry needling.
In her free time she enjoys playing indoor/outdoor volleyball, spending time with her family, travelling, and exploring new cuisines.
Jing Yuan, R.Ac
Jing has practiced acupuncture for 20 years in various countries. She got her first diploma in advanced acupuncture training in China in 2001 as a Medical Doctor in China with a hospital. She noticed the effectiveness of acupuncture and developed a keen interest in it. She pursued further education and completed a MSc in Biomedical Research with King’s College, University of London, UK, and a PhD in clinical research in “Acupuncture for pain” with University of Ulster, UK in 2008. She then became a physiotherapist in Hong Kong since 2012 and worked in a hospital in Hong Kong as a physiotherapist for about 5 years, providing rehabilitation services during which she continued to provide acupuncture treatment to the patients. In 2017 she relocated to Vancouver and completed a Doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine with Tzu Chi International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2020. Currently she is a part-time instructor with the College. Jing is particularly interested in treating different types of pain, sports injury, menstrual disorders and infertility, stroke and vestibular problem. She also provides cosmetic acupuncture. With her integrated knowledge, she is keen to look after the health and wellness of the people of the Tri-Cities and enjoy seeing them return to living a balanced life.
Natalie Kirmayr, MPT
Natalie graduated in 2006 from Estácio de Sá University, Brazil with a Bachelor degree in Physiotherapy. In 2008 she got a post graduate degree in Sports Physiotherapy and a few years later decided to move to Canada.
Here in Vancouver since 2012, she obtained her full license to work as a physio and since 2016 has been working in various settings. She is an experienced therapist with a hands on approach on sports injuries, MVAs(car accident related injuries), post surgical, hand therapy, post concussions, and more.
She continues to expand her knowledge and has recently completed an extensive certification on Concussion management by CCMI that includes Vestibular and Visual rehab and other aspects of a concussion treatment.
Her passion is to help patients achieve their goals through empowering them and giving them tools to progress independently with exercise therapy and other strategies.
Outside of work Natalie can be found doing crafts, eating sushi and exploring new trails and playgrounds with her daughter, husband and dog Boulder.
What Our Clients Have to Say:
“Top notch staff and excellent facilities. Located on the second floor in Planet Ice in Coquitlam. I highly recommend Karen and the rest of the team.”