Garden State leaders in business, culture, and the arts share their favorite healthy habits, must-have home wellness amenities, and how they stay energized in their career.

BY ZACHARY WEG AND DANIELLE KIRIAKOS • PHOTOS BY ANDREI JACKAMETS PHOTOGRAPHY

Marissa Bingler, PT, DPT
Vice President of Clinical Services, JAG Physical Therapy • jagpt.com

For Marissa Bingler, her journey has come full circle. Now serving as vice president of Clinical Services at JAG Physical Therapy, Bingler got her start with the practice as a physical therapy student in 2010. At the time, JAG had just three offices. Today, the company has grown into a powerhouse with more than 175 locations across the tri-state area. As VP, Bingler oversees clinical operations for offices throughout New Jersey, supporting professional development and elevating the patient experience across the network.

A mother of two raising her children in the same Pompton Plains community where she grew up, Bingler recalled, “When you’re in physical therapy school, you have to do your affiliations. It’s similar to a residency for MDs, and when you do your affiliations, you’re placed in different physical therapy companies. One of my clinical affiliations was with JAG.”

At the time, Bingler was working in JAG’s Hackensack office when she met CEO John A. Gallucci Jr. Impressed by her empathy as much as her clinical aptitude and natural leadership skills, Gallucci offered Bingler a position before she had even graduated.

As Bingler explained, “I joined the team as a student and, on the spot, John said, ‘You’re hired! I want you to join JAG. You’re going to be a lifer.’ He knew it right away.”

HOW DO YOU STAY ENERGIZED IN YOUR CAREER?
By helping the community and making sure that people know they have a physical therapy resource to help them feel great and be able to do whatever it is that they want to do. If I were to sum it up: patient outcomes and patient experience are what motivates us as leaders of the company.

WHAT’S ONE HEALTHY HABIT YOU GENUINELY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY OR WEEK?
I’ve always been a big runner. As I’ve gotten a little bit older, I’ve chosen to pull back on the running a bit and as of recently, I’ve gotten into heated Pilates. It’s a great little detox sweat, a strength training and endurance type of workout.

IF YOU COULD ADD ANY LUXURY WELLNESS/FITNESS AMENITY TO YOUR HOME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I have a treadmill in my house and it’s a great exercise tool because you can walk on an incline, you can walk flat, you can jog, you can sprint. You can spend an hour or 15 minutes on it, changing your intensity. You have so many options with one piece of equipment.

Pavlos Dimitroulakos
SVP of Operations, Priority Payments Local • pplocal.com

Every career has a first act. At 19, while living in Athens, Greece, Pavlos Dimitroulakos launched an entertainment company that grew into a 45-person live-events operation, producing major concerts and performances for thousands – long before social media or digital advertising could fill the seats. “Success depended on relationships, creativity, execution, and word-of-mouth marketing,” he said. It was an early education in scaling a business, creating memorable customer experiences, and solving problems in real time.

That foundation continues to shape the way he leads today. Influenced by his father’s work ethic and later guided by mentors throughout the payments and fintech industries, Dimitroulakos built his career on helping organizations navigate growth, change, and increasingly complex technology. Today, as SVP of Operations at Priority Payments, he works alongside executives, investors, and industry leaders on growth strategy, digital transformation, payments innovation, and emerging technology opportunities. “No two days are exactly the same,” he added. In an industry defined by constant change, Dimitroulakos has built his reputation on turning strategy into action. As payments, data, and AI continue to reshape commerce, his focus is on helping organizations adapt without losing sight of the fundamentals. For Dimitroulakos, the work has always been about helping clients solve complex problems, embrace change with confidence, and prepare for what comes next.

HOW DO YOU STAY ENERGIZED IN YOUR CAREER?
I stay energized by learning, whether that means researching new trends, speaking with industry leaders, or helping clients solve complex challenges in an industry that is constantly evolving.

WHAT’S ONE HEALTHY HABIT YOU GENUINELY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY OR WEEK?
Regular exercise and long walks are a reset for me because they clear my mind, create space to think strategically, and often lead to some of my best ideas.

IF YOU COULD ADD ANY LUXURY WELLNESS/FITNESS AMENITY TO YOUR HOME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I would add a full wellness recovery suite with a sauna, cold plunge, and dedicated recovery space because in a fast-paced world, recovery is just as important as performance.

Dorothy Lee, DMD
Owner and Lead Dentist, Inspo Dental • inspodental.com

Walking into a dental office isn’t something most people look forward to, so Dr. Dorothy Lee set out to create an environment that changes their minds. When she founded Inspo Dental, her goal wasn’t only to provide exceptional dentistry, but to build a practice where patients feel comfortable, understood, and genuinely excited about their care. “I love that every day I get to help patients improve not only their oral health, but also their confidence and overall well-being,” she said.

Today, as owner and lead dentist, Dr. Lee divides her time between caring for patients, mentoring her team, and continually finding new ways to elevate the patient experience. One moment she might be designing a smile makeover or helping a nervous patient feel at ease; the next, she’s collaborating with her team to deliver the kind of personalized care patients remember. Growing Inspo Dental remains her proudest accomplishment, not simply because the practice has expanded, but because it has become the welcoming environment she envisioned from the very beginning.

Behind the scenes, balancing a growing business while raising four children has required thoughtful leadership and a willingness to surround herself with exceptional people. Bringing on two associate dentists who share her commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care has allowed the practice to grow without compromising its standards.

“I wanted to build a practice where patients genuinely feel cared for, heard, and inspired,” she said. Today, that vision has become reality: a practice where exceptional care and genuine human connection go hand in hand.

HOW DO YOU STAY ENERGIZED IN YOUR CAREER?
I stay energized by the people, whether it’s helping someone smile with confidence, easing a patient’s anxiety, or working alongside an incredible team that makes every day rewarding.

WHAT’S ONE HEALTHY HABIT YOU GENUINELY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY OR WEEK?
Maintaining a consistent Pilates routine and spending quality time with my family helps me stay strong, reset from a busy schedule, and feel balanced both professionally and personally.

IF YOU COULD ADD ANY LUXURY WELLNESS/FITNESS AMENITY TO YOUR HOME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I would love a spa-inspired wellness space with a sauna and cold plunge, where I could recover, relax, and recharge after a busy day while making overall health and well-being a priority.

Paul K. Ratzker, MD, FACS
Neurosurgeon, NJ Institute for Pain Relief • njifpr.com

Few medical specialties carry higher stakes than neurosurgery. Every decision can affect a patient’s mobility, independence, or even survival, demanding equal measures of technical precision, sound judgment, and compassion. It’s exactly the kind of challenge that has motivated Dr. Paul Ratzker throughout his entire career.

A board-certified neurosurgeon at NJ Institute for Pain Relief, Dr. Ratzker earned his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he received a Special Distinction for Research in Neuro-Oncology. For more than two decades, he has treated a wide range of disorders affecting the brain and nervous system, including hemorrhages, tumors, and head and spinal cord injuries.

“I had a scientific inclination,” said Dr. Ratzker of his entry into the field. “Number one, I was pulled to the ability to help people. In medicine, every aspect of your work is dedicated to helping people, sometimes even saving their lives or the use of a limb. Secondly, it’s the challenge. Every patient I see is different, every MRI that I review is different, and every surgery has nuances. That’s what I love about practicing medicine.”

HOW DO YOU STAY ENERGIZED IN YOUR CAREER?
What keeps me going is my patients. For me, every patient I see is different and every situation is different. Even if two people receive the same diagnosis, it’s going to affect each individual differently. That’s always a unique challenge.

WHAT’S ONE HEALTHY HABIT YOU GENUINELY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY OR WEEK?
Staying active and working out.

IF YOU COULD ADD ANY LUXURY WELLNESS/FITNESS AMENITY TO YOUR HOME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A hydrotherapy spa. In the operating room, I’m on my feet and hunched over all day. It’s almost ironic – I treat patients with back and neck pain, and then I come home with back and neck pain! So a hydrotherapy spa would be a great, revitalizing year-round amenity.

Robert Pasquale
Co-Owner, Pool Doctor • pooldoctorsi.com

Robert Pasquale embodies that quintessential, no-nonsense New York work ethic. The Staten Island native and co-owner of Pool Doctor oversees the installation of custom swimming pools throughout New York and New Jersey, and he’s rarely found without his measuring tools close at hand.

Pasquale runs the family business alongside his brother, Rich, and brother-in-law, Michael Matarazzo. After more than two decades, he still enjoys both the hands-on challenge of building pools – from customizable gunite pools to therapeutic swim spas – and the satisfaction of seeing families enjoy the finished product.

“The biggest success is seeing a happy customer at the end,” he said. “People will even send us pictures of the family in the pool enjoying it.”

For Pasquale, every completed pool marks the beginning of a long-term relationship. Pool Doctor also provides seasonal opening and closing services, weekly maintenance, repairs, and ongoing care, allowing the company to serve customers long after construction is complete.

HOW DO YOU STAY ENERGIZED IN YOUR CAREER?
Failure is not an option. What energizes me is the joy of seeing photos of finished projects, with family and friends enjoying their backyard and pool, and the continued relationship with our customers for all of their pool needs after the project is completed, their online reviews, and their referrals to friends and family.

WHAT’S ONE HEALTHY HABIT YOU GENUINELY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY OR WEEK?
Exercise.

IF YOU COULD ADD ANY LUXURY WELLNESS/FITNESS AMENITY TO YOUR HOME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A sauna.

Lisa Roettger
Chief Human Resources Officer, Manasquan Bank • manasquan.bank

People have always been at the center of Lisa Roettger’s career. Armed with a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, she began her career in human resources more than three decades ago, building experience across industries ranging from clinical research and flavor and fragrance to gaming before finding her home at Manasquan Bank ten years ago.

Along the way, she discovered that successful organizations are built in the same way as a successful team: by investing in the people behind them.

Today, as chief human resources officer, Roettger helps shape the bank’s long-term strategy by aligning talent, culture, and leadership with its broader business goals. No two days look the same, and that’s exactly how she likes it. “There really isn’t a typical day,” she said, whether she’s partnering with leaders on organizational decisions, helping employees develop their careers, or strengthening the culture that supports both clients and colleagues. Over the past decade, she has played a key role in the bank’s continued growth while helping cultivate a workplace defined by engagement, development, and trust.

For Roettger, chief human resources officer is far more than a title. Balancing the demands of leadership while raising a family taught her resilience, adaptability, and perseverance – lessons that continue to shape her approach today. “The greatest accomplishment isn’t just the title. It’s knowing that I’ve played a meaningful role in helping our people and our organization grow together.” In a profession centered on people, that’s the achievement that matters most.

HOW DO YOU STAY ENERGIZED IN YOUR CAREER?
I stay energized by continually learning, getting involved in new projects and community initiatives, and embracing every opportunity to grow while making a positive impact.

WHAT’S ONE HEALTHY HABIT YOU GENUINELY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY OR WEEK?
Taking a nightly walk with my son is a habit I genuinely look forward to because it gives us time to unwind, get some exercise, and enjoy quality time together at the end of each day.

IF YOU COULD ADD ANY LUXURY WELLNESS/FITNESS AMENITY TO YOUR HOME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I would add a steam shower with aromatherapy because it would be the perfect place to relax, recharge, and reset after a busy day.