MEET JESLY LOPEZ

I graduated from the University of St. Augustine's Doctor of Physical Therapy program in 2012. For the first several years of my career, I was chasing a specialty in neurologic rehabilitation, which took me to TIRR Memorial Hermann, where I built a strong foundation treating complex neurological cases.

From there, I wanted to broaden my scope. I moved into outpatient orthopedics in community clinics, and eventually spent the majority of my career in acute care, working with high-acuity, post-surgical, and medically complex patients. That's where Catapult was born.

In acute care, I saw the same pattern over and over: patients discharged weaker than they needed to be, cycling back into the hospital instead of getting stronger — especially older adults recovering from a fall or fracture. I recognized a real gap in the continuum of care: the sustained, individualized attention patients actually needed to change their trajectory wasn't something the system was built to provide. I started Catapult to close that gap directly.

Along the way, I pursued my CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) certification to better understand exercise prescription as a clinical tool — not just for recovery, but for prevention. That's what ultimately led me to focus on two populations I'm most passionate about: adolescents and older adults. Both are often underserved, and both are exactly where the right strength and conditioning approach makes the most lasting difference — whether that's a young athlete building a foundation that protects them for life, or an older adult reclaiming the power and independence a fall took away.