Our Story
The Lymphedema Clinic was started with the mission to serve our community members affected with lymphedema to live their lives to the fullest. The Lymphedema Clinic opened in May 2020 with the vision to become a premier lymphedema treatment provider for the greater Lincoln, NE area. The Lymphedema Clinic has since grown to 3 locations with clinics in North Lincoln, South Lincoln, and Papillion, Nebraska. The teams consists of 18 health professionals: 5 occupational therapists, 7 occupational therapy assistants, 3 registered nurses, 1 billing specialist, and an administrative assistant. If you are interested in joining the team at The Lymphedema Clinic please visit our careers page here.
Papillion Office Team
The Lymphedema Clinic opened an office in Papillion, Nebraska in July 2023 to be able to serve more people in the greater Omaha area. This office is located across the street from the old Papillion High school, just south of the Applebee’s restaurant.
Adam Rawson
Occupational Therapist, LANA Board Certified Lymphedema Therapist
I graduated Creighton University with a doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy in 2016, then started working at Lancaster Rehabilitation Center. In March of 2018 I became a certified lymphedema therapist (CLT) through the Norton School of Lymphology, a 135 hour full certification course. Following certification I worked full time to develop a lymphedema treatment program. I have gained invaluable experience in that time while working with many patients with lymphedema and other health care professionals. In August of 2019 I passed the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) board exam to become CLT-LANA certified. The LANA exam is an optional board exam to demonstrate further learning and commitment to working with patients with edema.
I started with the Lymphedema Clinic in May of 2020. In the begining there was just a small office at what is now our North Lincoln location. With a lot of hard work and dedication the clinic has really grown over the years. Now there are 3 clinic locations and over 15 professionals working to serve the clinic mission and vision.
The most rewarding thing for me about being a therapist is that first moment when my patients can see the progress they have made. I also really enjoy seeing the long-term successes. I impact my patient’s lives with less hospital admissions, less wounds, and less overall health related stress.
Emily Franssen
Occupational Therapist, MOT, LSVT
I graduated from Nebraska Methodist College in 2020 with my Master’s in Occupational Therapy with a certification in Parkinson’s Disease.
Growing up I always knew I wanted to do something to make a difference. When my grandpa got sick with end-stage Parkinson’s Disease and began receiving occupational therapy, I noticed how unfamiliar I was with it. After looking into what OT was, I fell in love with it. Being a therapist is more than just helping people, it's being an advocate, a confidant, an ear to listen, a healer, a shoulder to cry on, and a specialized friend. After I lost my grandpa, I knew that OT was where I needed to be and to this day, I help hundreds of people like my grandpa and hope to make a difference.
Lymphedema is becoming such an important diagnosis to treat early and many individuals with lymphedema are being overlooked or wrongfully diagnosed. I feel strongly that watching people walk out of your care with a little more hope and some pep in their step is one of the greatest things a therapist can witness and that is what motivated me to become a lymphedema therapist. I feel very passionate about finding the things in life that seem impossible to treat or turn around and giving someone hope to live another day with less pain, less worry, and more positivity.
I enjoy making connections with different people and being able to share different experiences with each patient I interact with. I look forward to watching my patients thrive through each interaction and slowly begin to recognize their strength and ability to do the things that are most important to them. I love to see my patients smile and truly feel a part of themselves again that maybe they haven’t experienced in a long time. It will never get old to see my patients shine.
Ethan Deyhle
Occupational Therapist, OTD, OTR/L
I attend Creighton University in Omaha, where I graduated in May of 2024 with a doctorate in Occupational Therapy. I pursued OT to be in a more holistic profession after my experience with PT and a psychology class in my undergraduate studies.
Through my fieldwork experience here at The Lymphedema Clinic, I developed a passion for helping to promote independence and quality of life of those with lymphedema through CDT and the other amazing tools that I have learned throughout my fieldwork experiences and OT schooling.
Many people may not know this about me. I’m originally from the suburbs of Chicago. Despite my suburban upbringing, I also have experience with agriculture. Prior to coming to work at The Lymphedema Clinic I helped out at a cattle ranch outside of Lincoln.
If I could go anywhere during any season, I think it would be great to visit the Alps mountain range in Europe. I have always loved winter and skiing, so I would love to go to the Alps on a ski vacation.
Throughout my various fieldwork experiences, I have seen various people with lymphedema who are unsure of where to turn regarding treatment options to help them gain back their independence. I really enjoy how fulfilling this position is. You truly are giving people their independence back and helping them return to their desired way of life through CDT and other occupation-based activities.
Lori Martello
Administrative professional
I became interested in working in health care because I have always looked at it as a chance to care and help someone. You may be the only one that does.
I have a business administration degree from Lincoln School of Commerce.
I am passionate about helping others get better, feel better so they can keep enjoying the things they love doing. Meeting the lymphedema team motivated me, it was apparent that what we do is making a difference and is meaningful.
I studied a short time abroad in London for Fashion Merchandising my dual degree. I had tea with the hat designer of Coco Chanel.
Creating an environment that is positive and patients know they are important, we not only care but we get to know them.
If I could travel anywhere in any season I would choose Florida, for all winter
In the next several years I would like to grow the Omaha Clinic. I would like to learn marketing strategies, and increase my knowledge of Lymphedema.
Kristyn Nakayama
Occupational Therapist, OTD, OTR/L
I initially was interested in healthcare due to my father being a paramedic. I wanted to make a difference in patients’ lives like he did. I started off wanting to be a dentist, and eventually began considering each health occupation until I came across OT. It was during a shadowing experience in high school that I was able to experience for myself what an occupational therapist did, and I immediately fell in love with the change they were able to bring about for each of their patients.
I went to Creighton for undergrad and graduate school, and graduated from their occupational therapy program in 2023. It was during one of my fieldwork rotations as a student at Creighton that I was placed at The Lymphedema Clinic and introduced to a whole new population. I absolutely loved working with each patient, and came to realize how big of a need there is for lymphedema treatment. The best part of the job is getting to see the patient’s progress week by week and how they were changed both physically and spiritually by their lymphedema treatment. In the future I hope to attain my certification in lymphedema therapy, as well as attain my wound certification due to the amount of wounds that we frequently see at the clinic.
Born and raised in Hawaii, I moved to Nebraska in 2018 for college and have remained here since. The weather here is much colder than Hawaii, but the people here warm my heart. In the future I hope to travel back to Japan during the spring to see the cherry blossoms and eat good food.
Jessica Wilcox
Office Manager, Registered Nurse
I attended Southeast Community College and College of Saint Mary’s and graduated in 2011. I became an RN because I am passionate about helping people get better.
I’m motivated to work with lymphedema because it’s something that is needed in the community, and I wanted to be able to help get the word out about Lymphedema. It goes undiagnosed in so many patients and is something this clinic would like to help get the word out to people!
My favorite part of this job is watching patients’ excitement about getting their swelling taken care of. It amazes me how far people come in the journey and how quickly they get better.
Kayla Cochran
Registered Nurse
I graduated from Southeast Community College with my LPN in 2011 and RN in 2014. I have wanted to work as a nurse since grade school as I enjoy helping others.
I have enjoyed watching The Lymphedema Clinic grow over the past 4+ years with the increased awareness of the need for this specialty therapy.
My favorite part about my job is the collaboration with my coworkers throughout each patient’s treatment plan and watching the improvements in the quality of life provided throughout the duration of patient care.
Lisa Gallant
Registered Nurse, Certified Wound Therapist
I graduated from Becker College in 1986 and have been an RN since. I became an RN because I enjoy helping people. I decided to work with lymphedema because I love seeing the results this therapy provides.
My favorite parts about my job are interacting with coworkers and patients and seeing the patients’ progress.
Kaitlyn Breashears
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, Certified Wound Therapist
I graduated in May 2021 from Union College in Lincoln, NE. The program was brand new and I was a part of the first group of 12 to go through the program and graduate!
When I graduated, I knew that I wanted to be in a specialty field, but I was unsure of what was out there. When I noticed that this was a specialty in my area, I wanted to push myself and do something challenging. When I started working with individuals who had lymphedema and swelling, I knew that this was a specialty I could really focus on helping people and making a difference.
I became interested in occupational therapy from a very early age because it’s what helped my brother. My brother was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and he’s had OT around him, helping him, even since he was little. When I began to think about what my future should look like, and what kind of career I wanted to have, I knew it had to be something in health care. The one thing that came to mind was occupational therapy. I knew that this was a fulfilling job that would give me the satisfaction of being able to help others in need.
My favorite part about my job is helping people get back to living their life to the fullest and helping them manage their lymphedema. I love being my patient's cheerleader and encouraging them! One bonus about my job is having the support I need to do my job around great co-workers.
Keila Santos
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
I attended Central Community College in Grand Island and graduated in May of 2020.
Lymphedema was very new for me. I remember having one lecture about it in school from a guest speaker, but it still didn't click for me at that time. My best friend, who is a nurse practitioner, was the one that told me about The Lymphedema Clinic and how much she thought I would love this job. She was right about that. Interacting with patients and their families is my favorite part of this job.
My story on how I got into the healthcare field… When I was 15, my uncle had a brain tumor removed and was sadly given only three years to live after surgery. While staying at my grandmother's house, I had the opportunity to witness the kind of care and the struggles he and my family encountered while taking care of him. I fell in love with the healthcare field and while there was not a rehabilitation center for my uncle, the seed for helping others was planted in me. At that time, I had never heard of a profession called occupational therapy, but fast forward a few years, and I enrolled at a physical therapy college back home in Brazil for a year before moving to the States. I have always wanted to pursue a profession in which I could help people, and I thought physical therapy would best complement my natural abilities. That was until I realized occupational therapy was my passion. And every day, I love this profession more and love how we are able to help our patients achieve their goals.
Kristal Ikpeama
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
I graduated from Union College in May 2022. I was interested in becoming a COTA because I love the creativity, flexibility, growth, and the fact that I get to help others.
I was motivated to work with lymphedema because I didn't know much about it and was excited by the opportunity to learn and grow in the field. I also saw that it was really making a difference in the lives of others, and wanted to be a part of that. My favorite part of my job is providing people with the tools to live better lives.
AJ Solis
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
I graduated from CCC in Grand Island in May of 2018.
Lymphedema is an area of practice that is still very new, therefore there is a lot of opportunity and growth. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to work with The Lymphedema Clinic to grow as a professional. Knowledge for me is king and I love to learn. Even better, it allows me to better serve patients.
I became interested in becoming an occupational therapy assistant when I first met an extremely passionate occupational therapist. It was obvious how much she cared about her career and helping her patients and it was so inspiring. Even more inspiring to see the progress that patients had made over the course of their rehab with skilled occupational therapy. After injury/illness, there are things that you realize you’ve taken for granted. This field has brought an amazing amount of joy in being able to do those things again. Occupational therapy has allowed me to be selfless and creative, therapeutically, to help people get back to what they love. Not to mention, there were so many areas of practice that I could choose from. I found my calling.
My favorite part of this job is getting to know the patients and their families, finding out their goals, and helping them reach their goals. Most often, I hear that they would have never expected such progress. It’s rewarding for both of us.
Logan Beck
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Logan Beck joined The Lymphedema Clinic is March 2023. Logan is passionate about making a difference and helping others to live to their full potential.
I was interested in becoming an OTA because I saw what a difference OT made in my own family members. I wanted to give back and make an impact on other peoples’ lives in the same sort of way. I graduated from Union college in 2022. I was motivated to work with lymphedema because my classmates told me about the difference they were making while working at The Lymphedema Clinic and I wanted to be a part of that. My favorite part of working as a lymphedema therapist is seeing the results people have after treatment and seeing their spirits lifted.
If I could visit anywhere in the world, I would travel to Japan in the spring to see the cherry blossom season.
Something interesting about me is that I won the calf roping contest in the South Dakota rodeo.
I am interested in learning more about Parkinson’s Disease, hand and upper extremity deficits, and school based OT interventions.
Bailey Sieh
Occupational Therapist, MOT, OTR/L
I attended College of Saint Mary and graduated with my Master’s in 2021.
I became interested in OT when I shadowed a pediatric OT at Children’s Hospital here in Omaha. I saw how creativity and science were both used during sessions and fell in love with it!
I experienced working with lymphedema during one of my fieldwork rotations for school. It was intriguing to me how there is so much to learn regarding lymphedema, wounds, and adapting the compression bandaging when necessary.
Something you may find interesting about me, is that I danced on pointe shoes for three years.
My favorite part about my job is seeing how much progress can be seen even just after one session and sharing that excitement and empowerment with my patients.
If I could go anywhere in any season: I enjoy anywhere with a beach. My favorite vacation spot so far is Anna Maria Island. I hope to get to Jamaica for a delayed honeymoon in the winter.
I hope to get certified in lymphedema and wounds in the next five years!
Alison Tobar
Occupational Therapist, OTD, OTR/L
Alison was a level 2 student at The Lymphedema Clinic where she initially learned how to evaluate and treat lymphedema. Alison completed her doctorate degree at Creighton University in May 2024. Alison developed a passion for serving in the lymphedema community and returned to The Lymphedema Clinic to further work with this population. Alison is also fluent in Spanish, and hopes to reach even more people through elimination of that language barrier.
Audrey Beardsley
Occupational Therapy Assistant, COTA
I attended Union College (now Union Adventist University) in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program and graduated in May 2024.
I first learned about lymphedema a few years ago. My mom was a caregiver for a family friend who had cancer. She developed lymphedema, and my mom took her to her lymphedema treatment sessions. Later, I was randomly placed at the Lymphedema clinic for one of my rotations. I learned how to help people manage this condition and became more and more interested in it. I love seeing the progress from beginning to end and the happy smiles of the patients when they graduate. Lymphedema is tough, so I strive to be a bright spot in their day!
I love hearing the client’s stories and getting to know them over the course of their treatment. I also enjoy the team at the Lymphedema Clinic. Everyone is so friendly and has welcomed me with open arms from the first day I came into the clinic.
If I could visit anywhere in the world in any season, I would visit Switzerland in the winter. My sister and I have always wanted to ride the Chocolate Train as it winds through the mountains. I love snowboarding (and snow in general), so what better place to do it than in Switzlerland!
Kelli Waage
Billing Specialist
Kelli is a graduate of Metropolitan Community College where she studied information technology, medical billing and coding. Kelli works to provide billing support to our team. Kelli is knowledgeable to billing codes as well insurance companies that operate in the Nebraska area.
Cheryl Wagner
Client Services Coordinator
Cheryl Wagner is a dedicated Client Services Coordinator based in Lincoln, Nebraska. With a strong commitment to customer service, Cheryl plays a pivotal role in managing appointments, ensuring that clients' scheduling needs are met efficiently and seamlessly. Her attention to detail and organizational skills allow her to provide top-notch support to both clients and the team.
Whether it's scheduling new appointments or making changes to existing ones, Cheryl's goal is to ensure a smooth and pleasant experience for everyone she works with. Her approachable nature and dedication to her work make her an invaluable asset to the office.
When not coordinating schedules, Cheryl enjoys contributing to the community and connecting with people around her. Something many people may not know about Cheryl is that she attended her inaugural trunk or treat event in 2024.