Meet The Team

Dr Jaicy Harless

DPT, FCS, CMDN
Physical Therapist

Dr. Katelyn Renard

PT, DPT, OCS
Physical Therapist

Dr. Brandon Renard

PT, DPT
Physical Therapist

Lauren Knauth

Pilates Instructor

Dr. Katelyn Renard

“Dr. Katelyn lived through an EF-4 tornado her freshman year of college, and after witnessing an injured classmate make an incredible recovery with the help of his physical therapist (PT), she became intrigued by the profession. She shadowed a PT the following summer, and continued to pursue the next steps to become a PT. Seven years later, she graduated with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy at University of TN Chattanooga. She then went on to complete an orthopedic residency and became board certified in orthopedic PT.
 
 
She has been working in outpatient orthopedics for over 10 years, during which she has served as a clinical instructor to students, a mentor to new graduates and residents, and a clinic director, all while managing a full caseload of patients.
 
Eventually, Katelyn realized she needed a change of pace. She felt that the insurance model was making it difficult to enjoy her job. She was seeing 2-3 patients per hour and dealing with insurance denials, authorization limitations, and hours of documentation due to insurance rules and coding requirements. She was running headlong into burnout. At that time, she was a mom of two young boys, working full time, and was longing for more flexibility and the ability to be home with her kids more during the day.
 
Enter Elite Muscle Recovery. Dr. Katelyn started working for Dr. Jaicy, our owner, in August 2023. In November 2023, she found out she was pregnant with twins!
 
Dr. Katelyn has been able to work as the “evening and weekend PT” at Elite Muscle Recovery since 2023, and has loved every second of it! She loves that she gets to work with all of her clients one-on-one for every visit, that her patients can get whatever treatment is necessary and appropriate without having to wait for or rely on insurance approval, and that her clients know exactly what each visit costs and never receive any surprise bills months down the road. She is thankful she can offer availability for patients that need evening and weekend appointments and that she gets to be with her four amazing kids during the day!
 
While Dr. Katelyn enjoys treating all orthopedic conditions (i.e. low back, neck, hip, knee, shoulder pain, etc), she particularly loves treating more specialized areas such as TMJ and pelvic health for women.
 
A little more about Dr. Katelyn: She has been married to her husband, Robinson, since 2015. She has two boys (6 and 3 years old), and twin girls (11 months old). She has lived in Chattanooga since 2011. She loves being outside, having picnics in the yard with her kids, and hiking. She enjoys going to a local tea or coffee shop and journaling. She loves reading good books out loud to her kids (and of course doing different voices for all the characters!). Lately she has been re-reading or reading for the first time lots of literature classics. She likes to research ways to make natural household and cleaning products, and learning ways to make healthier food, as well as experimenting with recipes from different countries and cultures. She loves connecting with people and sharing life together with friends and family. Dr. Katelyn is a follower of Jesus Christ and active in her local church.
 
If you need physical therapy and especially need an evening or weekend appointment, Dr. Katelyn is here for you! She would love to meet you and help you in your journey of healing and getting back to doing the things you love without limitation!”

Dr. Brandon Renard, PT, DPT

Dr. Brandon Renna, PT, DPT Brandon was born in the Bay Area of California, and later moved with his family to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where he grew up hiking, biking, fishing, and paddling. Immediately after graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served eight years in the Navy Hospital Corps as a trained field medic and physical therapist assistant. While on active duty, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Management Studies during evening courses, all while taking prerequisites for physical therapy school both at home and abroad. Midway through his enlistment, he met and married his wife, Meghan, who was also serving on active duty.

Brandon earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Loma Linda University in Southern California, working summers as a traveling physical therapist assistant. After the birth of his first son, he returned to a small town in the Sierra foothills, where he and Meghan later welcomed their second son. During this season, Brandon provided care through small branch clinics of a major medical center and later in a private practice setting. Outside of work, family hiking, backpacking, paddleboarding, snowboarding, and playing country and bluegrass music filled his off-time.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Brandon and Meghan fulfilled a long-held dream of moving to the Southeast after completing a year-long road trip around the country. Since 2022, they have made their home along the Tennessee River and in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains.

As both an active-duty corpsman and a civilian physical therapist, Brandon has provided care in a wide range of settings— including inpatient, outpatient orthopedics, acute rehabilitation, skilled nursing, assisted living, wound care, and aquatic therapy. He has collaborated closely with physicians, nurses, orthotists, prosthetists, recreational therapists, and occupational therapists. He has treated individuals recovering from amputations, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, strokes, orthopedic surgeries, and the everyday aches and injuries that come with work, life, and recreation.

For more than twelve years, Brandon and his wife have also partnered with a national wellness program, providing private health coaching for clients seeking lifestyle-based improvements in their health. This work strongly influences Brandon’s holistic philosophy of treating the whole person and empowering people to take ownership of their well-being.

From a young age, Brandon has been fascinated by the human body—how it works, how it heals, and what it needs to thrive. That passion continues today as he studies and applies the best of physical therapy and lifestyle medicine to serve his clients. He believes the body is a remarkable creation, capable of healing and transforming when placed in the right environment. Techniques such as ASTYM, muscle energy, manual therapy, and personalized lifestyle strategies help create that environment, allowing clients to pursue what matters most without pain.

Over time, Brandon realized that the constraints of traditional insurance-based care limited his ability to provide the depth of support his clients deserved. His greatest joy in physical therapy is building long-term relationships—helping people understand their bodies, recover when they are hurting, and prevent future problems. His mission is to help clients get the most out of life and to guide them toward their goals, regardless of age, season of life, or physical limitations.

Lauren Knauth

I grew up in Chattanooga attending St. Nicholas School and Girls Preparatory School. I danced and played some soccer growing up. I attended the University of Tennessee and then Abilene Christian University for my masters. I started my Pilates journey in college and my training in 2008.

Credentials include: 600 Hour Comprehensive Pilates Certification and accredited through the National Pilates Certification Program. Certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) teacher.

I am a Pilates Instructor who teaches private sessions primarily with a specialty in helping clients find better balance and mobility. I love helping people learn to move their bodies to be able to enjoy their lives and hopefully prevent injuries.

What do you like about working at Elite Muscle Recovery?

Elite is a welcoming and wonderful place to work where everyone is striving to help patients reach their goals.

What is Lauren Watching, Reading or Listening To?

  • Friends
  • Baking Shows

I love to be with my husband, Tanner, and twin boys, Braden and Thatcher. We enjoy traveling, going to Disney, enjoying new restaurants, hanging out at home and being with family and friends. Our two labradoodles are a constant source of entertainment. I am also a Leadership and Development consultant and trainer.