In 1993 Steve received additional training in Manual Lymph Drainage and Complete Decongestive Therapy at Lerner Lymphedema Services, the first fully specialized lymphedema treatment facility in the United States. He advanced to Chief Therapist of the Lerner Lymphedema Services clinics located in Princeton, NJ, Manhattan, NYC, and New Brunswick, NJ, 1994-1999. In 1995 and 1999 Steve completed further educational programs in lymphedema management at the Foeldi College in Hinterzarten, Germany. In addition to his clinical duties, he was asked to provide instructional services in MLD/CDT at the Lerner Lymphedema Services Academy of Lymphatic Studies, a premier educational program for lymphedema specialists. In 1998 Steve co-founded an independent training and consulting company, the Klose Norton School of Lymphedema Therapy, offering MLD/CDT certification programs for medical professionals in various hospitals and clinical settings nationwide.

Currently, as a consultant and MLD/CDT Instructor, Steve continues to provide instructional and consultation services to private clinics, hospitals, independent physician's offices, and firms within the lymphedema and related compression therapy industries. He has authored articles on lymphedema management in professional publications and regularly reviews lymphedema-related manuscripts. He has contributed to chapters and editorial revisions of the internationally-renowned "Textbook of Lymphology" by Professor M. Foeldi & S. Kubik, and has been the host, presenter, and producer of internationally distributed educational treatment videos. Additionally, he is a regular presenter and organizer of various lymphedema related conferences including the National Lymphedema Network Conferences (1994-2002), the International Society of Lymphology Conferences, the Guthrie/Klose Norton Lymphedema Conference (Denver 1999 and Toronto, Canada 2002), the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center/Klose Norton Lymphedema Conference (Philadelphia 2003), and the International Union of Phlebologists (San Diego, CA 2003). In 2003 he was appointed to the National Lymphedema Network (NLN) Medical Advisory Committee based in San Francisco, California. In October 2004 Steve was interviewed at length for the Discovery Health Channel's television series "Medical Incredible" highlighting the degree to which lymphedema is often misunderstood and ultimately misdiagnosed.

Tracey Towlen, MPT, CLT-LANA, CLM
Executive Director

Tracey graduated from Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT. She received her Masters in Physical Therapy in January 2001. Tracey entered the field of Physical Therapy immediately following gradation in 2001 at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ where she was involved in acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and lymphedema settings for over 4 years. Tracey received additional training in Manual Lymph Drainage and Complete Decongestive Therapy at Klose Norton Training and Consulting in 2001 where she also received her training as a Certified Elvarex® fitter. She has since participated in numerous advanced training programs for lymphedema management including the Lymphedema Management Conference for Certified Lymphedema Therapists, the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center/Klose Norton Lymphedema Conference (Philadelphia 2003), Staging and Management of Patients with Breast Cancer (2004), and MLD/CDT Theoretical Review Course (2004). Tracey became nationally certified in lymphedema therapy by the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) in 2004.

Tracey received training as a Certified Lebed Method (CLM) Instructor in Long Island, NY in 2002. The Lebed Method is a medically directed dance and movement program for breast cancer survivors founded by Sherry Lebed Davis. The Lebed Method helps regain range of motion, increases flexibility, improves balance both physically and emotionally, helps reduce lymphedema, and improves quality of life.

Christy Kim, MSPT, CLT-LANA
Physical Therapist

Christy graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts with a Bachelor’s Degree in Rehabilitation Science and Master’s Degree of Science in Physical Therapy in 2003. She is a licensed physical therapist in New Jersey and New York and began her physical therapy career at Masefield Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, New York. While at Masefield she provided physical therapy services in an outpatient setting for patients with orthopedic, sports, and work related injuries for over two years.

She completed Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Complete Decongestive Therapy Certification and received Elvarex Fitter Certification with the Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy in March 2005. She began treating patients with lymphedema in a private in-home setting in April 2005. In order to pursue her interest in treating patients with lymphedema, she joined the rehabilitation team at Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Medical Center in New York City. She provided lymphedema treatment and physical therapy to patients in an outpatient setting and physical therapy inpatient services to individuals with orthopedic, post-operative, and neurological diagnoses. She also provided breast cancer rehabilitation to patients following related surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment. Christy became nationally certified in lymphedema therapy by the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) in 2006.[[]]