Sergio Espanto, OTR/L, CHT has completed his Occupational Therapy degree at the University of the Philippines in Manila in 1989 and has since been working in the field of upper extremity rehabilitation.  He emigrated to the United States in 1995 when he was offered a hand therapist position at the White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles.  He completed his advanced certification in hand therapy from the Hand Therapy Certification Commission in 1999.  For 2 years, he was a lecturer on upper extremity rehabilitation at the California State University in Dominquez Hills.  Presently he runs his independent contracting practice, Hand Therapeutics, Inc. and continues to be an ergonomic consultant for White Memorial Medical Center, developing and implementing a repetitive strain injury prevention program for the hospital.  He also manages the Hand Arthritis Info Center, a website that provides self-help management information for arthritis patients and a store that carries a comprehensive line of arthritis friendly products.