Meet Your Health and Wellness Team

Dr. Charles M. Palminteri, B.S., D.C.

CHIROPRACTIc PHYSICIAN

Dr. Charles Palminteri is originally from Garden City New York until his family moved to Port Charlotte Florida when he was 4. A second-generation physician he was taught by his Father to always give 100% to his patients and the rest will fall into place.

Dr. Palminteri received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida and his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Overland Park, Kansas.

Dr. Charles is certified in Spinal Decompression using the Kennedy Decompression Technique (KDT). In addition I am an avid weightlifter and former golden gloves boxer so I truly understand the needs of athletes.

My decision to become a Chiropractor came out of a severe injury I suffered as a teenager and I immediately knew it was my calling. As a second generation doctor, I was taught from my Father at an early age to always give 100% to my patients and the rest will fall into place. I truly feel blessed to be helping people with this gift that God has bestowed upon me. I pride myself on giving personal, non-rushed attention to all my patients and look forward to helping you reach your goals.

Erika Guevara

Office Manager

As Office Manager at North Ridge Integrative Health, Erika ensures the office runs smoothly while creating a welcoming environment for every client. With over nine years of customer service experience and a background as a flight attendant, she has a natural talent for making people feel valued and cared for. When she’s not keeping the office organized, you’ll often find Erika behind a camera, with a good book in hand, or exploring new ways to grow through personal development.

Elke Kappner

Clinical Hypnotherapist

Certified Creative Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

Elke Kappner was born and raised in Germany, where she became a licensed Physical Therapist before beginning a global journey that took her through New Zealand and eventually to the United States. An international speaker, teacher, and healer, Elke is a graduate of the Hypnotherapy Academy of America—renowned as one of the most in-depth and comprehensive schools for hypnotherapy worldwide.

She holds certification in Clinical Hypnotherapy from the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners (A.C.H.E. #107-016) and is also certified in Creative Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) by Master Practitioner Patrick Singleton.

Elke had the privilege of training under Dr. Jon Connelly, Ph.D., LCSW, the founder of Rapid Resolution Therapy. She brings significant experience working with individuals facing challenges such as substance abuse, addictive behaviors, and related emotional issues including anxiety, stress, trauma, low self-esteem, anger, regret, and grief.

Additionally, Elke is a certified Transformational Breath® Facilitator, trained under the guidance of world-renowned breathwork pioneer Dr. Judith Kravitz.

Passionate about holistic well-being, Elke leads an active lifestyle, enjoys practicing yoga, exploring new places, and is an avid reader of literature on personal development and spirituality. She is bilingual—fluent in both her native German and English.

Ricardo Chaves, LMT

MASSAGE THERAPIST

Ricardo is from São Paulo, Brazil but came to the U.S in 1993. He is a graduate from the Florida College of Natural Health. He began working as a licensed massage therapist at North Ridge shortly after he received his degree. His specializations include Deep Tissue, Swedish, Sports Massage, Neuro-Muscular, Prenatal, lymphatic, and Trigger Point Therapy. He truly enjoys facilitating his patients towards their personal goals.

Ricardo is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu' Jitsu and in his free time he continues to practice martial arts. He is a proud father of a beautiful daughter Sophia and son Noah.

Brett Meyer, LMT, NMT, CA, CHC, NC

MASSAGE THERAPIST

Brett attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, majoring in Pre-med and Psychology. He graduated from the Florida Institute of Massage Therapy & Esthetics in Lauderhill with a degree in Medical Massage (LMT). Brett continued on to receive his certification in Neuro-Muscular Therapy and Advanced Deep Tissue Massage and became a Certified Health Coach (CHC). In addition to these certifications, he has also trained and certified in Sports Massage (Pre, Post, Recovery, and Injury Prevention/Rehab), Heene approach to Soft tissue Therapy, Myofascial Release, and Trigger Point Therapy. In his spare time Brett enjoys reading, cooking, and health & fitness.

Brenda Kerr

Licensed Massage Therapist

Brenda is a licensed Massage Therapist motivated and passionate about helping patients attain relief and comfort through massage therapy. She is committed to providing patients personalized massage services that cater to their individual needs .She specializes in Swedish, deep tissue, sports massage, therapeutic massage, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, pre and post surgery massages. She is also proficient in pre and post natal massage techniques. 

She been practicing massage therapy for 17+ years and also has a Bachelors degree in Holistic Health Sciences and a Masters in Natural Medicine.