Annette Berka, OTR/L, CHT

Annette received her B.S. Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida in 1985. She spent the next two years working in general rehabilitation and hand therapy in South Florida before moving to Arizona in 1988. She joined Desert Hand Therapy six months after its inception and worked as the clinical director for one of their busiest offices in the Valley. Annette ventured into independent practice for five years before returning to Desert Hand Therapy in 2014. She is passionate about patient care and building relationships with her patients and their medical team for the best outcomes. In addition to her clinical work with Desert Hand, she is an active member of ASHT.

Peoria Location

Grace Croswell, OTD, OTR/L

Grace joined DHPT in 2023 after graduating from the University of Florida.

As part of her OTD Capstone project, she designed a hand and upper extremity rehabilitation elective course for the University of Florida’s OTD program, showcasing her commitment to advancing the field.

Grace loves being an occupational therapist because the profession values compassion, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning, all of which help her support individuals through their recovery.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, hiking, and traveling.

Tom Conklin COTA/L

Tom Conklin is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. Tom received an Associate’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 1994. Prior to this, he worked as a therapy tech. This is where he developed an interest in helping people regain their physical health. Following graduation, Tom worked 13 years for an outpatient orthopedic clinic, where he specialized in upper extremity rehabilitation, with the last 5 years as a clinic manager. Tom then spent 4 years working in a rehab hospital, helping patients improve life skills, strength, and overall function. Tom joined Desert Hand Therapy in 2011, where he has been at the Surprise office. In his leisure time, Tom enjoys woodworking, working out, and spending time with family.

Surprise Location