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Aaron Yang M.D. is an Associate Professor in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where his practice focuses on musculoskeletal and spine conditions. He is interested in diagnosis and treatment of these conditions using electrodiagnostic, fluoroscopic, and ultrasound guided procedures.

Dr. Yang completed his residency in PM&R at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago/Northwestern University followed by a pain medicine fellowship at the University of Colorado. Currently, his research focuses on low back pain prevention with use of wearable technology in which he is collaborating with the department of engineering at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Yang has published and presented over 50 peer reviewed publications and national lectures. He has also lectured at numerous local establishments and grand rounds.

One of Dr. Yang’s main passions is medical education as he currently serves as the Associate Program Director for the PM&R residency program and Course Director for medical student rotations. Nationally, he is currently on the Education Committee for the Spine Intervention Society (SIS), International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) is on the Program Planning Committee, Registry Steering Committee and co-director for the 2nd year resident retreat for the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R).

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Holly Kniery is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and assistant faculty member with the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. She earned both her BSN (2007) and MSN (2012) from Belmont University in Nashville.

Ms. Kniery began working at Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital (VSRH) in 2003 as a certified nursing assistant while earning her nursing degree and became a Registered Nurse at VSRH in 2008. She obtained her designation as Certified Rehab Registered Nurse (CRRN) in 2010 and was the lead RN on the spinal cord injury (SCI) task force for several years.

Ms. Kniery has a strong interest in the rehabilitation and ongoing care of patients with SCI. She joined the PM&R department in 2013 and is involved in a variety of roles including inpatient work at VSRH, PM&R consultations at Vanderbilt Medical Center, and providing care through the PM&R outpatient clinic. She is married to her high-school sweetheart and has two sons. She enjoys photography, outdoor activities and boating.

Jeff Johns, M.D. is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he also serves as Medical Director of Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital and Executive Medical Director of the Physiatry, Pain and Rehabilitation Patient Care Center.  He is Board Certified in PM&R as well as Spinal Cord Injury Medicine.  He completed his residency in PM&R at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he also served as Chief Resident. 

His clinical interests in addition to spinal cord injury medicine include the rehabilitation of individuals following brain injury, stroke, neurologic disorders, amputations, multiple traumas, and burns.  He is very involved as a national leader in PM&R and currently serves as Vice Chair the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s Board of Directors.  He also served as the President of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals from 2017-2019.

Dr. Johns is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, the Panel Chair for the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction in Adults after Spinal Cord Injury.  He was also an Associate Editor for the sixth edition of Braddom’s Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, one of the primary textbooks in PM&R.

Paula Donahue, PT, DPT, MBA, CLT-LANA is a Research Associate Professor and Physical Therapist IV in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  She engages in clinical research and provides clinical care at the Vanderbilt Dayani Center for Health and Wellness. She received her training at Duke University (BS), Northwestern University Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences (DPT), The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School (MBA), and The Academy of Lymphatic Studies (CLT).  She has additional lymphatic certification from the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA). Her primary research interests are in the areas of lymphedema, lipedema, and cancer rehabilitation.