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Get to Know Our Staff: Ronni Rowe, Occupational Therapy

Get to Know Our Staff: Ronni Rowe, Occupational Therapy

by | Jun 11, 2025 | Spotlight, Therapy Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am an occupational therapist (OT) and assistive technology professional. I work with patients and their families to order their custom wheelchairs, cover clinics and see our Intensive Therapy patients.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I love getting to see a child and/or family reach their care goals. I really love when I get to be involved in the process of a child receiving their first wheelchair. When children finally have the ability to safely move in their own environment and with minimal help from others, their faces light up. You get to see them get so excited and start moving around everywhere.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
Scottish Rite is really like a big family, not just between co-workers but with patients and their families as well. Even on harder days, everyone is always looking to do their best for the patients and their families.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I have always wanted to do work that helps other people. When I was in high school, I met a little girl with cerebral palsy, and her mom told me all about OT. The little girl was able to be a kid and play within her environment through OT. It was a light bulb moment for me that OT was the career path for me.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I work across many settings within Scottish Rite, so I get to build relationships with many colleagues. I love getting to know our inpatient nurses and staff, clinical staff, physcians and even our outside vendors.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy playing with my dog Kodak, being outside and hanging out with my husband and my friends. We spend a lot of time at Lake Palestine in East Texas to fish, swim, kayak and paddleboard.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I grew up in Jacksonville, Texas, which is around 20 minutes south of Tyler, Texas, (also known as “The 903”). I do have a little bit of a country accent from living in East Texas, and sometimes it gets stronger when I work with families from East Texas. I moved to Denton, Texas, for college and then to the DFW area for graduate school. I was a student at Scottish Rite in 2019, and I was hired in 2020 and have stayed here since.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would go to Austraila to see all the wildlife and beaches!

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I choose burgers. I love making burgers because you can add different toppings to make it like a different meal each time.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Napoleon Dynamite”

What was the first concert you attended?
I saw Kenny Chesney.

Favorite hidden DFW gem?
Taqueria Los Angeles in Plano, Texas.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Anne Hathaway, but she has to have her crazy curls before her makeover in “The Princess Diaries.”

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
An old co-worker told me it is OK to take a minute and take a breath when things get hard. This has stuck with me as a great reminder.

One Diagnosis, Two Unique Journeys: Ellie and Josie Take On Scoliosis Together

One Diagnosis, Two Unique Journeys: Ellie and Josie Take On Scoliosis Together

by | Jun 9, 2025 | Prosthetics & Orthotics, Scoliosis & Spine

With an insatiable love for reading, 13-year-old Ellie and 10-year-old Josie, of McGregor, Texas, have always turned the page of their story together, even as they face scoliosis side by side. Their mother, Sarah, recognized the signs early as she was diagnosed with scoliosis herself as a teenager.

“I always knew it could be a possibility for my kids,” Sarah says. “I noticed that both girls began to develop curves that were apparent even to an untrained eye, so we started to look for options.”

Ellie, Josie and their family came to Scottish Rite for Children where they receive treatment from Megan E. Johnson, M.D. — medical director of Ambulatory Care, pediatric orthopedic surgeon and program director of the Dorothy & Bryant Edwards Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopedics and Scoliosis. During their first evaluation, Dr. Johnson discovered that both girls have idiopathic scoliosis, the most common type of scoliosis with no known cause.

While Ellie and Josie share a similar diagnosis, no two spine curves are the same. Ellie has adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which primarily affects children and teens between the ages of 10 to 18. In her case, she has two curves — a 30-degree thoracolumbar curve, where the upper and lower parts of the spine meet, and a 21-degree thoracic, or middle back, curve. Josie has juvenile idiopathic scoliosis, which affects children between the ages of 4 to 10. In her case, she has a 33-degree thoracic curve.

To treat both girls, Dr. Johnson recommended bracing. Bracing is typically used for curves measuring between 20 and 45 degrees. It is prescribed to prevent curves from worsening. For Ellie and Josie, Dr. Johnson instructed them to wear their scoliosis braces for 18 to 20 hours a day.

“I knew one scoliosis brace could be expensive,” Sarah says. “However, two? Could we really afford that?” To make Ellie’s and Josie’s braces more affordable, their family enrolled in Scottish Rite’s Crayon Care program. Crayon Care is a charity care program that provides financial assistance to families receiving treatment at Scottish Rite. “Scottish Rite’s Crayon Care has been such a blessing to us,” Sarah says. “We know we are getting the best care for Ellie and Josie.”

Scottish Rite’s in-house Orthotics and Prosthetics department created custom braces for Ellie and Josie for same-day fittings at their appointments. Additionally, their care team consists of certified pediatric nurse practitioner Emily Chapman, APRN, CPNP-PC, and Director of Orthotics Don Virostek, C.P.O., L.P.O. Virostek creates and fits Ellie’s and Josie’s braces while Chapman monitors their spine curves for any growth.

While bracing started as simply a treatment plan, it kick-started a friendly competition between the sisters. All Scottish Rite for Children braces include a small temperature-sensitive device that tracks how long a child wears their brace and their progression.

“Ellie and Josie get really competitive about wearing their braces,” Sarah says. “We always look forward to seeing who wore their braces longer when we visit Scottish Rite.”  

Recently, the girls returned to Scottish Rite for a visit with their three younger sisters. During their appointment, they discovered the winner of their brace-wearing contest. By a difference of only one hour, Ellie wore her brace longer. Although their story is still being written, Ellie and Josie continue to support each other through every chapter.

“We are thankful to see the improvements in their spines,” Sarah says. “I’ve recommended Scottish Rite to other parents because of the level of care. We are so thankful that Scottish Rite is relatively close by and feel great, knowing we have this wonderful resource.”

The Pattern of Perseverance: How Scoliosis Fueled Gabbi’s Passion for Fashion

The Pattern of Perseverance: How Scoliosis Fueled Gabbi’s Passion for Fashion

by | Jun 6, 2025 | Scoliosis & Spine

Hidden in every seam of a garment is a unique story, as 21-year-old Gabbi would discover. While she has always loved fashion, Gabbi’s appreciation for design would develop in the most unexpected places — from her own scoliosis journey. “I always follow the wise words of Coco Chanel that beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself,” Gabbi says. “Fashion is where individuals can express themselves through their own ideas of creativity.”

At age 15, Gabbi and her family were referred to Scottish Rite for Children for a scoliosis evaluation. Certified physician assistant Jessica Landson, P.A.-C., diagnosed her with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) of the thoracic, or upper spine, region. AIS is the most common form of scoliosis that affects children and teens between the ages of 10 to 18 with no known cause.

In Gabbi’s case, her diagnosis affected more than just her physical well-being. While she had asymmetry in her waist and shoulders, she also developed a sense of body dysmorphia. Body dysmorphia is a mental health symptom that occurs when someone experiences negative emotions and/or hyper focuses on a real or perceived flaw in their appearance.

“Not only was I struggling on the inside, but I also struggled on the outside,” Gabbi says. “I was in constant pain because of how my scoliosis affected my ribs. I felt ‘big’ because of the way my back lumped from my curved spine.”

To correct Gabbi’s curve that had grown to 51 degrees, pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Assistant Chief of Staff Brandon A. Ramo, M.D., performed a spinal fusion. The procedure kick-started her healing journey from the inside out, helping not only her condition but also her body dysmorphia.  

“My experience at Scottish Rite was incredible,” Gabbi says. “Dr. Ramo is one of my favorite surgeons of all time. He has this calming aura around him, and he made my surgery a breeze in all aspects.”

After surgery, Gabbi explored her passion for fashion through her studies. She majored in apparel design and marketing at the University of Arkansas. For her school’s final project, Gabbi showcased her care journey with scoliosis through fashion in the form of creating a dress.

“The idea of the dress came to me because we had to create something that impacted our lives,” Gabbi says. “The significance of this garment is very important to me because I didn’t know the full extent of my body dysmorphia until after my surgery.”

Gabbi’s project consisted of a long formfitting dress to display the curve of her spine. The garment incorporated personal touches of herself, from the ruffles that represent the preoperative curve of her spine to the green accessories that represent the honorary color of Scoliosis Awareness Month. After a semester of hard work, Gabbi walked down the runway at her school’s fashion show. In that definitive moment, she describes feeling powerful.

“Designing this dress went beyond my everyday love for fashion,” Gabbi says. “I felt like I was bringing light to something that is a struggle behind closed doors. It truly was a life-changing moment because I realized that my journey was not for nothing. I knew that night that this was truly an impact — not just for myself, but others.”

Today, Gabbi is looking forward to where the fashion design industry will take her. She shares that the care she received at Scottish Rite is paramount to building her self-confidence. “Scottish Rite means the world to me,” Gabbi says. “Not only did my care change a physical issue I had, but it changed my life. Scottish Rite helped me become the best version of myself.”

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Get to Know Our Staff: Julia Kinard, Property Management

Get to Know Our Staff: Julia Kinard, Property Management

by | Jun 5, 2025 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am the property management assistant, and I facilitate and support the activities of our Property Management department. Our team manages the real estate and mineral assets that have been generously donated to Scottish Rite.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The most fulfilling part of my job is being able to support my team by providing excellent assistance in whatever capacity needed.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
I believe what makes Scottish Rite so special to me are the people who work here. They are the best folks ever!

What made you choose a career in health care?
In my position, I do not have direct patient contact. However, I take pride in knowing the work that we do contributes to the overall mission of the organization.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I assist the process and completion of various contracts and leases with gas and oil operators.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my grandsons who are ages 2 and 4. They are such a blessing, and I am so thankful for them.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I was born and raised in Dallas. I am a true Texan.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I have no desire to travel because as Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz” said, “There is no place like home.”

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If I could only pick one cuisine, it would have to be Mexican food. I don’t ever seem to get tired of it.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
I enjoy love stories and happy endings in movies. I would pick “The Notebook” because it is one of my favorites. Be sure to have a box of tissues nearby.

What was the first concert you attended?
My first concert was with my brother, and we saw Hall & Oates.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
I would choose Meg Ryan to play me.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best advice I would give my younger self is to enjoy your youth while it’s still around.

Get to Know Our Staff: Grace Evasco, Occupational Therapy

Get to Know Our Staff: Grace Evasco, Occupational Therapy

by | Jun 4, 2025 | Spotlight, Therapy Services

What is your job title at Scottish Rite?
I am primarily an outpatient occupational therapist (OT). I meet with patients weekly to work on specific goals related to upper extremity function. I also guide them through activities that support their ability to do the things they need and want to do each day. I primarily work with patients who have arthrogryposis, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and various upper extremity differences.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I love building relationships with families and their children to help them achieve their goals. I have worked at Scottish Rite long enough that now I get to see patients through the different stages of their lives. It’s so fun being able to see these kids grow and succeed.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
It’s truly the people. Everyone that works here embodies the mission and vision of Scottish Rite, and it’s evident in the care we provide to children.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I started out as an accounting major, but I quickly found out I don’t fit in very well with the business world. The majority of my family works in health care, so I saw firsthand how they impact their patients and wanted to do the same.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
What I am most proud of is creating custom, adaptive devices and equipment for children with unique anatomy. Many of the options on the market for this are great, but they don’t always work for patients who have muscle, joint or limb differences. To bridge this gap, I collaborate with Eddie in the Orthotics and Prosthetics department and Brad in the Bioengineering department to create innovative devices to help children become as independent as possible.

With help from my collague Amy Sitabkhan, I started a program where we see our children who have arthrogryposis for weeklong bouts of care to work on specific activities of daily living. This also includes creating and testing different adaptive devices and techniques for independence. This type of treatment plan is very specialized and not always plausible outside of Scottish Rite, so I’m lucky to be in an institution that allows me to do this for our patients.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy playing music. I have been a classically-trained pianist since I was 4 years old, and I can play the guitar, ukulele and cello. Recently, I have also been into Formula 1.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I can fall asleep anywhere, including in front of the Eiffel Tower. My co-workers would also say I’m pretty good at Photoshop.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I was born and raised here in DFW. I moved away for school, but Dallas will always be my home!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would go to Ecuador. I was supposed to teach therapists there, but the trip got canceled during the pandemic. I would love to explore the Amazon Rainforest and Galápagos Islands as well!

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would eat a spicy Chick-fil-A sandwich and waffle fries. I would pair it with the Chick-fil-A sauce and Texas Pete hot sauce. I can’t tell you why other than it is good, but I like it.

What was the first concert you attended?
I don’t remember my first concert, but the best concert I have ever attended was the Backstreet Boys reunion concert. I lost my voice for days!

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
It’s not really a hidden gem anymore, but the Potpourri Boulangerie in Bishop Arts District has the best high tea in Dallas. I also really love JingHe Japanese Restaurant on Mockingbird for all you can eat sushi.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
They look nothing like me, but I think Kristen Bell or Keke Palmer would probably play me pretty accurately. They are both funny and snarky, and I think they would break into song at random times of the day like me.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Always do everything you’re afraid of.