Tai Chi Health Staff, Instructors, and Researchers

Rachel Sandretto
Director
Certification Reviewer, Course Instructor, &
Tai Chi Prime Master Trainer
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Rachel Sandretto is the Director of Tai Chi Health as of Tricia Yu’s retirement in 2020. She manages course development and coordinates Tai Chi Health-sponsored courses, intensives, and retreats.

She is a Course Instructor and Certification Reviewer for the Original and Adapted Tai Chi Fundamentals® Programs and is a certified ROM Dance® instructor. She was a Madison, WI instructor for the Tai Chi Prime research study and is a Tai Chi Prime Master Trainer. She has practiced traditional Yang Style tai chi since 2012.

Kelly Rehder, PT, DPT
Certification Coordinator
Course Instructor
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Kelly Rehder is focused on training, mentoring and certifying instructors in the Tai Chi Fundamentals® programs and teaching professional training courses.  She is the Certification Coordinator for Tai Chi Health. Kelly is a physical therapist at Mayo Clinic Health System working in acute and transitional care areas as well as outpatient setting.  She uses tai chi- based activities in those settings and also teaches community based classes for wellness.

Patricia Corrigan Culotti,
BSA, CTI, MTF
Course Instructor
Certification Reviewer
Tai Chi Prime Master Trainer
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Patricia Culotti is a Master Teacher, Course Instructor and Certification Reviewer for Original and Adapted Tai Chi Fundamentals® Programs and a certified ROM Dance® instructor. She was the Milwaukee WI instructor for the Tai Chi Prime research study and is a Tai Chi Prime Master Teacher.  She has practiced traditional Yang Style tai chi and qi gong since 1977 and is certified as a lineage instructor by Grand Masters Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo and William C. C. Chen. She teaches traditional Yang Style Cheng Man-Ch’ing tai chi  internationally.

Betty Chewning, PhD
Tai Chi Prime Research Primary Investigator
Home Practice Coaching
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Betty Chewning is a Pharmacy Professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison where she teaches communication and social behavioral theory. She has conducted multi-site, multi-state research studies funded by NIH and others. She and a research team conducted the three-city randomized trial of Tai Chi Prime (TCP) which documented its significant impact on older adults’ falls risk indicators including leg strength, tandem balance, mobility/gait, executive function, and confidence in balance. She developed TCP’s home practice coaching component to help people practice tai chi daily, building on her own 30 year morning practice of tai chi down the hill by Lake Monona.

Kristi Hallisy, PT, DSc
Course Instructor
Tai Chi Prime Research Co-investigator
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Kristi Hallisy is an assistant professor at the University of WI-Madison Doctor of Physical Therapy program.  Affiliated with Tai Chi Health for two decades, certified in the TCF-Original (2008) and TCF-Adapted (2018) Program, Dr. Hallisy has given dozens of international, national, and regional workshops regarding the application of tai chi to physical therapy practice. In 2015, she co-authored the book, Tai Chi Fundamentals® Adapted Program with Optional Side Support, Walker Support and Seated Versions, with Tricia Yu, laying the groundwork for her research focus in community-based tai chi for fall prevention. Publications

Diane Brose, PT
Tai Chi Prime Master Teacher
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Diane Brose is a physical therapist with a gerontology certificate from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.  Her PT career has focused on helping seniors to achieve their goals in outpatient, skilled nursing, assisted living and home care environments.  She became certified in the Tai Chi Fundamentals (TCF)—Adapted program in 2017 and was lead instructor for the La Crosse, WI arm of the Tai Chi Prime research study published inThe Gerontologist in 2019. She became certified in TCF-Original in 2018.  She has taught Tai Chi Fundamentals to University of WI-La Crosse Physical Therapy students as part of their Adult Neuro curriculum.  She is also an active member of the La Crosse County Falls Prevention Coalition, and teaches TCF classes for La Crosse County seniors at risk for falls.

Kristi Rietz, OTR
TCF Advanced Certified Course Instructor
Certification Reviewer
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Kristi Rietz, Occupational Therapist, worked for 24 years at the Madison, Wisconsin VA developing alternative medicine and wellness programs for Veterans, family members and VA staff. She has also been a contract employee for University of Wisconsin Health Mindfulness program since 2005, where she taught Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Yoga and Tai Chi Fundamentals® (TCF). She began teaching TCF in 2002, and has shared this program with community members, Veterans, family members, VA and UW staff, and at state and national conferences. She received a national VA Best Occupational Therapy Practice award in 2013 for her work in this area. Kristi would be happy to connect with people who are interested in integrating TCF into their programs.