Jonathan Filipe is a physical therapist, a certified orthopedic clinical specialist, and a certified sports clinical specialist with deep experience in athletic training and sports medicine. As the former Head Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist for the Brooklyn Nets and the New York York City Football Club, he has long used a preventive approach that combines technology with strength and conditioning to keep people healthy and free from injury over the long term.
Filipe grew up playing soccer, basketball, and running track and field, and his involvement in sports initially led him to study athletic training. He then expanded to physical therapy because he wanted to have an impact on both athletes and the broader population.
As a child of Portuguese immigrants, Filipe says he saw the lack of access to movement-based medicine in his parents’ generation and culture, and this motivated him to help people understand the power of exercise as preventive health care. Filipe speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from King’s College in Pennsylvania and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from New York Medical College. He then began his professional career as a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Performance Optimal Health, a private practice in Connecticut, before becoming Associate Director of Sports Medicine for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. There, Filipe managed the care of Team USA athletes training for and competing in the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics. He worked with a wide variety of teams, including bobsledders, skeleton racers, skiers, and more, serving as the East Coast point person for triage, rehabilitation, performance coaching, and urgent care planning.
After the Beijing Olympics in 2022, Filipe moved into the world of professional team sports, starting with Major League Soccer as Head Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist for the New York City Football Club, and then switching to the National Basketball Association as Head Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist for the Brooklyn Nets. For both teams, he worked with physical therapists, orthopedic specialists, and internal medicine doctors, drawing on their collective expertise to triage injuries and keep the athletes in peak condition. Collaborating with top experts to provide exceptional care is at the core of what Filipe loves to do.
“I like to listen, understand, and then give a thorough and accurate prognosis,” Filipe says. “That includes how you are going to get better, how long is it going to take you to get better, and making sure that when you come back, you’re not just feeling OK, but that I’ve motivated you to have a new appreciation for your physical health.”
Through his work with professional athletes, Filipe developed specialties in lower-body and musculoskeletal treatment, and a particular interest in helping his players avoid injuries rather than just treating them reactively after an injury.
“When you work in a sport environment, your main goal is to have a bunch of healthy athletes and try to keep them healthy,” Filipe says.
He uses that focus with Atria patients, assessing each person’s performance and movement to develop a proactive plan designed to enhance their mobility, strength, flexibility, and endurance. Filipe particularly enjoys the opportunity to educate members so they can own their physical health and well-being. When people understand why they are doing something, he says, they see the value in it and are more inclined to maintain their routines.
"At Atria, we get to know people—not just their injuries or medical diagnoses. We can understand what motivates them, and try to use those motivators to make them feel better,” Filipe says. “You get to see how they’re improving and you build a relationship with them over time.”
Filipe lives in Connecticut with his wife, their daughter, and the family’s dog. He loves to stay active outside of work, often running, playing basketball, skiing, hiking, and strength training.
Credentials
- Former Head Athletic Trainer and Physical TherapistBrooklyn Nets
- Former Head Athletic Trainer and Physical TherapistNew York City Football Club
- Former Associate Director of Sports MedicineU.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee
- Former Physical Therapist and Athletic TrainerPerformance Optimal Health
Awards
- Keynote SpeakerNew York Medical College Physical Therapy Department 2024