Doctor Spotlight: Dr. Edgar Ramirez

Benjamin Ragusa, DC Assistant

Ben is born and raised from the great city we live in Tampa, FL. He earned his bachelor of science in Biological Health Sciences from the University of South Florida in 2021. Awhile, he pursued his certification in personal training where he became more knowledgeable of exercise therapy and rehab.

Ben assists Dr. Randy Matulka in many things which includes neuromuscular reeducation, soft tissue therapy, diagnostic imaging and more. He is interested in how the biomechanics are interconnected throughout the body. He hopes to use this experience to become a radiology technician and continue to help more people while furthering his career.

During his free time Ben likes going to the beach, gym, watching sports, playing golf and soccer.

Randy Matulka, DC

Patients, colleagues, and friends call Dr. Randy Matulka — Dr. Randy. That’s because this community-focused physician aims to use his passion to help others through chiropractic.

Dr. Randy Matulka earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, Health, and Exercise Science from the University of Nebraska. Immediately, he wanted to expand his education and moved to the Sunshine State. He received his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic, Florida Campus in 2016.

Dr. Randy Matulka personally understands the importance, on many levels, of how chiropractic keeps avid athletes performing at an optimal level. Dr. Randy grew up in the small, tight-knit town of David City, Nebraska, where he played a multitude of sports- from football to soccer to basketball and many more. While furthering his education, Dr. Randy not only maintained his athleticism but also helped others improve their quality of health through personal training and nutritional counseling.

Since graduation, Dr. Randy Matulka has focused on helping victims of motor vehicle accidents restore their quality of life. He has witnessed countless times the importance of a complete approach to health to improve a patient’s quality of life. Dr. Randy’s mission is to improve the health of many individuals through multiple techniques and approaches, including but not limited to: laser therapies, soft tissue therapies, exercise, and nutrition.

Dr. Randy Matulka spends his free time attending or watching sporting events. If he’s not watching sports, people are most likely to find him playing golf, singing along at a concert, exploring a new hiking trail, or sitting on his couch playing video games.

Dylan Zurita, ATC

Dylan earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology at Mississippi State University and his M.S. in Health and Human Performance at the University of Texas. Pairing that knowledge with his collegiate sport experience, background in prevention and treatment of injuries provides a combination of unique skills and competencies.

Chelsa Smith, DPT

Following her undergraduate education at University of Georgia, Chelsa graduated from University of South Florida with her Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy in 2005. She has over 17 years of experience working in various settings including outpatient rehab, hospital, home health, and skilled nursing facility. Chelsa has taken multiple continuing education courses to enhance her understanding of sports related injuries, pain relief techniques, postural reeducation, mechanics of the foot and ankle in order to develop the best individualized plan of care for each patient.

When outside of the clinic Chelsa enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 boys usually on a baseball field or basketball court. She is a sports and fitness enthusiast, enjoys exercising with her family and being active outdoors.

Nils Semjonovs PT, DPT

He strives to provide outstanding individual care to his patients by displaying a wide range of physical therapy services with a focus on integrative care for sports injuries, spinal injuries, and chronic pain.

Dr. Semjonovs has experience in delivering care to professional athletes. He worked with the Latvian men’s national ice hockey team at the International Ice Hockey World Championship in 2018 and 2021, as well as at the ice hockey Winter Olympic qualification in 2021. Additionally, he implements his high quality of services to athletes at Saddlebrook Academy and Saddlebrook Sports Performance. As an extremely active individual, Nils is particularly drawn to strength training and working with athletes to reach their fullest potential to rehab, prevent injuries, and excel in their sport.

Nils continues to be involved in hockey by coaching and helping players get back on the ice after injuries. By working in a variety of settings, he believes in a biopsychosocial approach and its usefulness in accomplishing patient’s goals through therapeutic exercise and hands on techniques. Nils is motivated to enhance his understanding and knowledge of his field by constantly pursuing continuing education courses.

Through B3 Medical Dr. Semjonovs is involved in evaluating and treating veterans through Shield of Faith (SOF) missions, which is a non-profit organization that provides resources and assistance for warriors struggling with PTSD and challenges from military service.

Nils likes educating patients and giving them the tools necessary to recover from their current ailments and to learn how to prevent future episodes as well. Nils truly enjoy assisting patients on ways to achieve a healthier and more active lifestyle to ensure longevity and improved quality of life.

When he’s not working, Dr. Semjonovs enjoys spending time with his wife and son, exercising, coaching hockey, and being outdoors.

Dr. Branden Race

Dr. Branden Race grew up in northeast Ohio just an hour south of Cleveland. He went to college in Columbus and chiropractic school in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Branden uses chiropractic care to improve health and wellness in all areas of patients’ lives, whether they are having problems with back pain or neck pain, or just want to start feeling better when they wake up in the morning. He is a Certified Personal Trainer with over 10 years of experience. With this experience, he has gained knowledge in treating and rehabbing those suffering and helping to return them to their daily activities at or better than before arriving at the clinic. Dr. Branden takes a ‘whole person’ approach in chiropractic care, which means looking for the underlying causes of disease, discomfort, and pain, as opposed to just treating the symptoms. Dr. Branden enjoys weight lifting and staying active, walking his dogs (Aza, Kyro, Maddox, and Jovi), visiting his family, continuing to expand his knowledge base, and enjoying a wide variety of food.

Grant Bower, PT, DPT, OCS

Born and raised in State College, Pennsylvania, Dr. Bower earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology at Penn State University and his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the University of Pittsburgh. During his undergraduate and graduate careers, Dr. Bower was a student-athlete in cross-country, track and field, and triathlon.

During Dr. Bower’s studies, he gained experience working in the UPMC medical system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, he was exposed to a variety of orthopedic injuries and worked with several professional athletes. His clinical expertise includes treating orthopedic injuries of the spine, hip, and lower extremities, as well as running injuries. Since beginning his Physical Therapy career, he has become a certified manual therapist, as well as a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist (OCS).

Since moving to Austin in 2018, Dr. Bower has engrossed himself in the running community. He is a member of the Austin marathon pacing team and paced the 3:20 group the last two years. When he isn’t working or running, Dr. Bower enjoys traveling, eating, and generally being active. Despite living a mostly healthy lifestyle, Dr. Bower does enjoy indulging in some of the local favorites such as Pinthouse Pizza, Whataburger, Taco Joint, and Lazarus Brewing. Some of his hobbies include competing in races, cycling, backpacking, watching Penn State football games (We Are!), and, of course, playing with his Alaskan Malamute, Rocky.

Maxx Ramirez

Maxx is a board certified Physician Assistant. He was born in Okinawa, Japan and grew up in St. Louis, MO. He moved to Tampa in 2010 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Biomedical Physics. After graduation from PA school, he began practicing orthopedic sports medicine in Gainesville, FL.

Maxx is passionate about continuing his education involving sports medicine and is regularly participating in advanced courses to sharpen his skills. He enjoys treating both acute injuries or ailments, as well as chronic pain. He knows that every patient is unique and therefore, treatment planning must be tailored to each individual patient.

In his spare time, he enjoys golf, pickleball, Gators football, Tampa Bay sports, working out, and spending time with his wife and children.

Michele PescasioMD, CAQSM

Dr. Michele Pescasio has been elected by her peers to Tampa Bay Metro’s Best Doctors® List for her outstanding work as a family and sports medicine physician at B3 Medical. Her passion to help athletes of all ages and her reputation as a superlative family medicine practitioner is why Dr. Pescasio was recognized as a Top Doctor by the Tampa Bay Metro Magazine in 2018.

Board-certified in family and sports medicine, Dr. Pescasio is in great demand as an educator to train the next generation of sports medicine physicians to ensure that athletes hit the field safely now and for years to come. Dr. Pescasio’s unparalleled medical experience includes an impressive variety of positions; formerly serving as the team physician for the Tampa Bay Storm, University of South Florida Athletics (including the basketball and football teams), countless area high schools, and she was a physician consultant for the NFL Europa.

Dr. Michele Pescasio earned her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in New York and completed her residency and fellowship in geriatric medicine at the University of Alabama Medical Center. She also completed a sports medicine fellowship at the world-renowned American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, AL. Dr. Pescasio is a dedicated mother to two boys and enjoys an active Tampa lifestyle with her family.

Wesley Smith, PA-C

Wesley grew up in Sacramento, CA, where she often volunteered to help children with special needs. With a passion for helping others, she then moved to North Carolina, where she graduated from East Carolina University with a bachelor’s in Public Health.

Wesley then relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she graduated from Keiser University with a Masters of Physician Assistant.

When Wesley isn’t serving others, she enjoys snowboarding, hiking, swimming, and exercising.

Robert Calhoun III, DC

Doctor Calhoun is a Florida native of the east coast where he grew up in the Jupiter area. He was a multi-sport athlete that had the privilege to win a State Championship in the sport of Lacrosse in 2009 and was named an All-American in the sport the following year. He went on to attend New York Institute of Technology on a lacrosse scholarship for two years before returning to the state of Florida where he attended The University of Tampa. Along with earning his degree in Allied Health with a Concentration in Physical therapy studies he was a Captain of the Men’s Lacrosse team. In his two year stint with the Men’s Lacrosse Team they were undefeated in conference play with two conference championships, followed by two NCAA tournament appearances.

After Graduating with his Bachelors, Dr. Calhoun attended Keiser University’s College of Chiropractic Medicine (KUCCM) in their inaugural class. He was awarded the Clinical Excellence award and the Sports Performance & Physical Rehabilitation award in his graduating class. While attending the doctoral program he was the offensive coordinator for the Men’s Lacrosse team at Keiser University and aided in a National championship appearance in the school’s first year of the program. Along with coaching collegiate lacrosse, Dr. Calhoun coached multiple youth lacrosse teams in the area and played professionally for the Florida Launch (MLL) in the summer of 2018.

Throughout his time in graduate school Dr. Calhoun was able to work with athletes of all ages and experience levels. In his time as an intern and fitness coach at Cressey Sports Performance (Jupiter, FL) he had the opportunity to work with MLB, NFL, and collegiate athletes. In the 2019-2020 NFL Dr. Calhoun was able to work with the Miami Dolphins as an assistant manual tissue therapist.

James Riordan, PA-A

James E Riordan is a Board Certified Physician Assistant Specialist in Tampa, Florida. James was raised in Fort Walton Beach Florida. He is a third generation Air Force Veteran.M

He obtained an Associate degree in 1996 in Associate in Management Information Systems from the Community College of the Air Force. He graduated with honors in 2001 from the Interservice Physician Assistant Program bachelors program then pursued and completed his Master’s degree in 2003 from the University of Nebraska, while he was an active duty Air Force service member. He has more than 19 years of diverse experiences as a Physician Assistant. Specialties include Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Occupation Medicine, Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery, as well as Interventional Pain Management.

Licensure and certifications include, board certified Physician Assistant, Florida Physician Assistant license, Florida prescribers license, and basic life support license.

Jeremy Palubin, DPT

Dr. Jeremy Palubin works as a staff Physical Therapist. Jeremy Graduated from the University of Florida in 2007 with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy. He has worked with B3 Medical for the last 3 years, but has been a Physical Therapist for the last 13 years. Jeremy has worked in outpatient Physical Therapy clinics the entire time and has specialized in Manual therapy attaining a certification of CMPT. Jeremy is Graston Technique trained, vestibular certified and working towards a running certification. Jeremy believes that physical therapy should be fun and not just pain and torture, but does understand that sometimes pain in required to get some people better. A strong, compassionate person, Jeremy is a person who will get the job done, but not at the expense of the person or the trust that is built. Jeremy wants everyone to live the best life they can, and he uses exercises and hands on techniques to accomplish this. “Transforming your life to be the best it can be is the aim.” When he is not working with patients, Jeremy enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 kids, hanging out with friends, running, biking and Kayaking.

Lindsay Taylor, DC

Dr. Lindsay Taylor is originally from Ludlow, Massachusetts. She attended Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT for her undergraduate studies. She graduated a full year early, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Cum Laude, while also completing all pre-med requirements. She went on to National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, IL for her Chiropractic education. Dr. Taylor completed all graduation requirements a full trimester early, giving her the opportunity to participate in multiple externships across the country. In 2006, Dr. Taylor received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Dr. Taylor‘s clinical experience began days after she graduated, when she was practicing in an MD/DC/PT clinic in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. A year later she moved to Florida where she worked with the official Chiropractic Physician of the USA Triathlon team. Dr. Taylor then moved to the Fort Lauderdale area where she went into private practice for the next 5+ years. An opportunity to move to the Tampa area came about, so she and her family moved to the Tampa Bay area. Dr. Taylor has taken numerous hours of post-doctoral education above and beyond her Doctor of Chiropractic degree. She was trained in the fields of women’s health/chiropractic management of pregnancy (Webster Technique), pediatric adjusting, nutrition and functional soft tissue and rehabilitation. Dr. Taylor holds certificates in Graston Technique, Kinesiotaping, Sole Supports foot orthotics and Webster Technique. She utilizes a functional approach to evaluating musculoskeletal conditions, and she makes individualized treatment plans for each patient using the techniques best-suited for that patient.

Dr. Taylor is an avid sports fan, especially football and baseball. She completed her quest of visiting every baseball ballpark in the MLB, and she is a stock-holder of the Green Bay Packers. She also loves to hike, snowshoe (when up North!) and travel the world with her husband and their three young children, Wesley, Clayton and Josie. Dr. Taylor practices at our Carrollwood location.

Heather Allred, MSPT

Heather is a licensed Physical Therapist that develops and implements functional therapy programs looking at the whole person for the patients at B3 Medical. She has over 25 years of experience and received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physical Therapy from Boston University graduating Cum Laude undergrad and with Honors for her Master’s.

She has specialized in outpatient orthopedics throughout her career working with a patient population from children to seniors including pro athletes in Philadelphia, Chicago and now Tampa. Her functional emphasis in rehab helped her develop various protocols for different orthopedic diagnoses including a successful new post-op ACL protocol that was used throughout the large hospital system she worked for in Chicago. She frequently taught in-services to PT students and other therapists on how to implement the most functional rehab programs. Some of her specialized treatments include kinesio taping, instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, cupping and custom orthotics evaluation and fitting.

Karen Derr, DC

Karen A. Derr, D.C. is a 1996 graduate of the prestigious New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, New York. She has been serving patients in the Tampa Bay area for the last 16 years and prior to that she was treating patients in New Jersey for 8 years, spanning over her 24-year career in the profession.

Diagnosed with scoliosis, an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, as an athletic teenager, young Dr. Derr began her search for alternative treatment methods besides a back brace and/or possible surgery. Her parents brought her to a Chiropractor, she saw the spinal deformity on x-ray and treatments did NOT consist of medicine or a back brace. She remembers always “feeling good” after receiving adjustments from the Chiropractic and actually looked forward to her treatments.

My favorite part of practicing Chiropractic is offering my patients a safe and effective alternative to meet their needs. There’s so many ways I can deliver treatment that I take pride in my vast knowledge of techniques that allow me to search for the specific difference for what each patient needs to achieve optimal health expression.

My passion for delivering quality Chiropractic care is equally matched with my love for educating EVERY patient about how their bodies work and what they can do to keep their bodies functioning optimally. This patient education is vital for thorough understanding and active participation during all phases of treatment. I believe that EVERY person should have the chance to feel good.

Paul Bacon, DC

Dr. Paul Bacon has worked with B3 Medical for 4 years and has been a chiropractor for 6 years. Dr. Bacon graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2014 and from Florida State University in 2011 with a B.S. in Exercise Science.

Dr. Bacon believes strongly that true health isn’t just having an absence of pain or symptoms, but functioning and living at every individual’s optimal level. His goal is to give every patient a thorough exam and develop a care plan tailored to treating the whole patient, restoring the natural internal healing ability.

He is an advocate of a wellness based lifestyle, and has spent his free time working with other medical professionals caring for the people of Honduras, and performing humanitarian work. He has an appreciation for different cultures, as he was raised in a military family and lived in locations around the globe. He is now looking forward to treating the communities of the Riverview, Brandon and Tampa Bay area, accepting all patients ranging from family/wellness care, sports injuries, auto accidents, and anyone seeking to improve their quality of life.

Dr. Bacon has lived in the Riverview area for 3 years now and enjoys playing guitar, kayaking and going to Lightning games in his free time.

Tiffani Wiggins, DPT

Dr. Tiffani Wiggins formerly known as Dr. Tiffani Smith has worked here at B3 Medical since 2017. She received her B.S degree in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology with a specialization in Fitness/Wellness from the University of Florida located in Gainesville, FL. She then went on to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Florida A&M University located in her home town of Tallahassee, FL.

Dr. Wiggins provides physical therapy services to a diverse patient population that include pediatrics, adults, and geriatrics who have orthopedic and/or neurological injuries in the outpatient setting. Dr. Wiggins is married with two beautiful daughters. She values her faith, family, and community. When she is not practicing in the clinic Dr. Wiggins is enjoying time with her family, tackling DIY home projects, exercising, and enjoying the nice weather here in Tampa, FL.

Tim Bain, DC, FAAIM, CCSP, EMHL

When the Tampa Bay Lightning players need a doctor they can trust, they turn to Dr. Tim Bain. He is the doctor in the Lightning locker room, keeping players healthy on and off the ice.

But caring for the Lightning and other top professional and elite athletes is just one of Dr. Bain’s passions.

A leading innovator in healthcare, Dr. Bain is passionate about reforming healthcare to be less focused on medication and surgeries when people are sick and more focused on optimizing health and keeping people well. That’s why he brought together a team of innovative specialists and formed B3 Medical.

A former research scientist at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Bain is a graduate of the Executive Master of Healthcare Leadership Program at Brown University, where he won the Inaugural Healthcare Leadership Award for Innovation in Healthcare. He also holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Life University and a B.S. in biology, focusing on Psychology from Manhattan College.

Dr. Bain’s greatest passion is family, his wife, and two children, and somehow he also finds time to coach dozens of children, including his son, in Minor Hockey.

Edgar Ramirez MD, DABAPM

Dr. Ramirez co-founded B3 Medical with a specific agenda to create a new and innovative approach to treating patients who suffer from intense and chronic pain.

Recognized as a leader in the practice of Interventional Pain Management and frustrated by the current system that relies on opioids and prescription medications to mask a patient’s pain, Dr. Ramirez decided to create a new regimen of safe and effective minimally invasive, non-surgical procedures that get to the source of the pain.

Dr. Ramirez is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, with a Pain Medicine sub-certification (Anesthesiology) from the University of Florida. As the Medical Director at B3 Medical, Dr. Ramirez is a leader in all aspects of Interventional Pain Management, including Nerve Blocks, Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), Percutaneous Decompression, and Spinal Cord Stimulation.

A family man, Dr. Ramirez is a Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Gator fan and an avid boater. He was born and raised in Ft. Bragg, NC, and loves living and practicing medicine in Florida.

Kevin Roopnarine, DC, APRN

Dr. Roopnarine values education and strives to utilize all that he has learned to help provide the best possible care to all of his patients. Throughout his career, Dr. Roopnarine’s utmost concern was maintaining the highest standard of care and he takes pride in providing excellent treatment to support patients throughout their journey to optimum health.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science in biology from the prestigious Stony Brook University in New York. After completion of his undergraduate studies, he attended Palmer College of Chiropractic, Florida campus where he attained his Doctor of Chiropractic degree. He then decided to further his education and obtained board certification in neurology and his fellowship in neuromuscular and electrodiagnostic medicine. Following this, Dr. Roopnarine continued to pursue additional training as an advanced practice registered nurse in order to further expand his skill set and proficiency as a well-rounded healthcare provider. In addition to being a dual board-certified family nurse practitioner, Dr. Roopnarine also maintains his certification in emergency medical services with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians and hopes to, one day, again volunteer his time to serve the community.

Dr. Roopnarine always aspires to be the best at what he does and at B3 Medical he hopes to utilize all that he has accomplished to bring high-quality healthcare to all of our patients.

Meghan Gregoire, DPT

Following her undergraduate education, Meghan attended the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of South Florida; graduating in 2014. Meghan completed various clinical rotations while completing her graduate education in neurological, outpatient, in-patient, and trauma settings. During her last clinical rotation, Meghan became interested in pursuing further education in the outpatient orthopedic setting; which encouraged her to take various manual therapy based continuing education courses to expand her clinical knowledge and skill level. Most recent clinical experience has been focused on sport injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, and spinal impairments.
Outside of the clinic, Meghan enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and their dog. She stays busy working on projects around her home, frequently visiting the zoo and Disney with her daughter and riding her bike.