Carol graduated summa cum laude from the University at Buffalo in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. Following graduation, she was employed at St. Peter’s Hospital Rehabilitation, where she advanced to Manager of the Occupational Therapy Department, a role she held until 2000. During her tenure, Carol developed extensive expertise in treating orthopedic and neurological disorders and served as a member of the ALS team, providing occupational therapy services to patients with ALS.

While at St. Peter’s, she developed an occupational therapy program for the NICU that included pediatric orthotic fabrication, collaborated with anesthesiologists in the treatment of patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and expanded the outpatient program to include hand therapy services.

Carol was actively involved with the New York State Occupational Therapy Association (NYSOTA), serving in multiple leadership roles including Newsletter Editor and Vice Chairperson. She has also been deeply involved in global outreach and medical mission work, providing occupational therapy services in Guatemala and Jamaica.

In 2000, Carol joined Thomas Nicolla Consulting Services, where she became the Director of the Hand and Upper Extremity Clinic. She is a Certified Hand Therapist and has over 38 years of experience in hand therapy, orthopedics, and rehabilitation. Carol is passionate about helping patients recover from complex hand-related injuries and is regarded as a specialist in orthotic fabrication and pain-related syndromes. She feels extremely fortunate to have built—and to be part of—such an exceptional team of hand therapy specialists

Dana graduated with her BS and MS in Occupational Therapy from Russell Sage Colleges in 1999. In addition, Dana graduated with a BA in marketing from Texas Christian Univeristy prior to attending Sage Colleges. She began working for Thomas Nicolla PT associates in 2000 at the Hand and Upper Extremitiy Clinic of Norhteast and became a Certified Hand Therapist in 2006. She enjoys working with orthopaedic and neurological conditions, fabricating static and dynamic orthosis, attending conferences for ongoing education, and observing surgical procedures. Dana believes close communication with patient's physicians is important and is beneficial in the patient's recovery process.

Julia graduated from Bay Path University with a MS in occupational therapy in spring 2022 and joined the Hand and Upper Extremity Clinic in the fall of 2022. Julia is a licensed massage therapist and a certified yoga teacher who worked at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health for 18 years prior to becoming an OT. Using a multi-dimensional approach to treatment, she helps patients recover from injury and build strength and body awareness, utilizing ergonomics to prevent future injury. Julia has a unique role as part of the OT team, specializing in manual soft tissue mobilization, integrating orthopedic clinical skills with her background as a massage therapist. Julia is passionate about wellness and strives to help her clients improve their overall health and vitality. Julia is also working towards becoming a certified hand therapist in the coming year.

Kara graduated with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2022. As part of the program requirements, she completed a doctoral capstone project entitled "A retrospective study comparing the effects of Dynamic Tape in addition to treatment on adults with upper extremity tendinopathy versus treatment alone: A focus on wrist and hand tendinopathies". Kara’s passion for hand therapy and her goal to become a certified hand therapist was cemented after participating and creating new avenues for this project. Kara is excited to use her creative abilities to develop new opportunities and potential solutions for patients with various upper extremity conditions and injuries. In her leisure time, Kara enjoys kayaking local lakes, hiking in the Adirondacks, as well as completing DIY projects such as flipping furniture and making home décor.

Chris joined the Hand and Upper Extremity Clinic in August 2009. She earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Russell Sage College in 2003 and achieved Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) status in 2013. In 2021, she earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Since 2019, Chris has served as an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York, where she teaches Functional Anatomy and Kinesiology lectures and labs, as well as Evaluation and Intervention of the Hand and Upper Extremity lectures and labs. She is a member of the American Society of Hand Therapists, the New York State Occupational Therapy Association, and the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Taylor attended the Occupational Therapy program at Touro College Health and sciences. An exemplary leader, Taylor acted as the president of her schools Student OT Association and received numerous leadership awards. After specializing in hand therapy and adult rehabilitation, she graduated with an MS in Occupational Therapy in 2021. Taylor is passionate about hand therapy and became a Certified Hand Therapist in 2024. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures

Kara graduated with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2022. As part of the program requirements, she completed a doctoral capstone project entitled "A retrospective study comparing the effects of Dynamic Tape in addition to treatment on adults with upper extremity tendinopathy versus treatment alone: A focus on wrist and hand tendinopathies". Kara’s passion for hand therapy and her goal to become a certified hand therapist was cemented after participating and creating new avenues for this project. Kara is excited to use her creative abilities to develop new opportunities and potential solutions for patients with various upper extremity conditions and injuries. In her leisure time, Kara enjoys kayaking local lakes, hiking in the Adirondacks, as well as completing DIY projects such as flipping furniture and making home décor.