Cohen Health and Performance who we are

Dr. Zac began his career working in professional sports. He noticed a large discrepancy between the quality of care that elite athletes receive when compared to the normal active public. This inspired him to create Cohen Health and Performance, a place that treats everyone as if they are a professional athlete!

He graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University in 2011 with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy, and also became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). While at Northeastern he worked as a Physical Therapy Graduate Assistant for the New England Patriots, and served as a strength and conditioning coach for Northeastern University athletics.

Prior to moving to Maryland, Zac was a Performance Physical Therapist with EXOS (formerly known as Athletes’ Performance) in Dallas, TX where he treated and trained the world’s most gifted athletes from throughout the NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, and various Olympic teams.

Dr. Debra Rios is Vice President of Cohen Health and Performance. She received her Doctorate of Public Health in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from The University of Texas School of Public Health. She has also been a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) for over 13 years. Dr. Rios has worked in a variety of public health settings and focus areas including worksite wellness, teenage pregnancy prevention, tobacco research/prevention, and obesity prevention.

Dr. Sebastian was a Division 1 baseball pitcher until a shoulder injury cut his career short. This led him to discover his passion for helping others recover from injury, and perform the sports and activities they love. His journey began as a baseball coach, private instructor, and performance coach before he decided to pursue a career in physical therapy so that he can best serve athletes of all ages.

Sebastian played baseball at St. Bonaventure University, where he was a conference starter as a freshman. Following his injury and retirement from baseball, Sebastian began coaching and working as a full-time baseball instructor in Ohio. From there, Sebastian had coaching stints in Florida and New York, both as a head coach and pitching coach for middle school and high school athletes. Sebastian completed his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from SUNY Fredonia before attending the University of Rhode Island, where he graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He completed clinical affiliations at Precision Physical Therapy and Performance in Pittsburgh, PA, and at Force Physical Therapy in Miami, FL.  During this time, he focused on baseball training and rehabilitation, and worked with professional baseball and football players, and college athletes preparing for the NFL Combine.

Sebastian is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association. He uses his blend of knowledge in physical therapy, strength & conditioning, and coaching, to best serve an active population.

Dr. Ethan has always had a passion for athletics and knew he wanted to follow a career path that would allow him to help injured athletes return and stay on the field. This passion for athletics led him to receive his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Delaware where he worked exclusively with Division 1 athletes and completed two separate NFL internships.

Ethan continued his doctoral education at Florida International University in Miami. During his time at FIU, Ethan obtained his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification and completed an internship at EXOS Arizona– a top sports performance clinic in the U.S. Ethan strives to bring his expertise and diverse athletic experience to CHP to provide his clients with the individualized care that will keep them thriving on and off the playing field.

Dr. Sam grew up in Minnesota and spent his time getting involved in as many sports as possible including baseball, soccer, basketball, and football. He went on to attend Bethany Lutheran College in Minnesota, a small Division III college; this allowed Sam to participate in both soccer and track and field at a collegiate level while maintaining his focus on academics.
During his time at Bethany, he was team captain of the track and field team and president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. After he completed his Bachelor of Science in Biology, he went on to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. In addition to excelling at his coursework, Sam spent much of his time participating in journal clubs and discussion groups with physical therapists and other clinicians to enhance his knowledge within the realm of sports medicine.

Today, Sam spends his free time exploring hiking trails, playing flag football, or kicking back with a book. He is excited to serve the DMV area and help his patients get back to doing the things that they love to do.

Dr. Sneh Bhakta was born and raised in Minnesota and recently moved to the DMV area. Growing up, he enjoyed hiking outdoors, playing football, and playing cricket. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s in psychology, Dr. Bhakta worked as a personal trainer, which helped him find his passion for movement as medicine.

He honed his skills as a personal trainer, gaining invaluable insights into the intricacies of human movement, strength training, and conditioning. He continued his education at the University of Pittsburgh, graduating with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. During his clinical internships, Sneh worked with high school and college athletes and found his passion in sports medicine. Outside of the classroom, he enjoyed staying active by bouldering, weight lifting, and playing intramural sports with his friends.

Driven by a genuine desire to impact the DMV community positively, Sneh approaches each patient with empathy, compassion, and unwavering dedication. He believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health and well-being, guiding them through every step of their rehabilitation journey with personalized care and support. He is excited to serve the DMV area and help patients reach their full potential.

Dr. Catherine Biddle started gymnastics at three years old and continued on to a successful career throughout club gymnastics and as a Division 1 collegiate athlete at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Like most other gymnasts, Catherine was no stranger to injuries. When she fractured her leg in several places during her junior year of high school—an injury that could have ended her career—it was her dedicated physical therapist who worked tirelessly to help her regain the chance to continue her sport and compete at the college level.

During this experience, she came to realize that her destiny was to become a physical therapist, enabling her to help other young athletes and adults reach their goals and aspirations. Catherine continued her studies at NIU to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy while staying involved in gymnastics by coaching, even after retiring during her senior year of undergraduate studies. Catherine was an assistant coach for the NIU gymnastics team helping with skills, rehabilitation, and prehabilitation. Catherine uses her experiences as a former high-level athlete, coach, and current physical therapist to bring great perspective and guidance to helping the active population.