About Us — Fredericksburg & North Stafford, VA
About Rappahannock Foot & Ankle Specialists
Rappahannock Foot & Ankle Specialists is an independent, physician-owned podiatry practice that has cared for feet and ankles in this part of Virginia since 1986. Six podiatric surgeons and an in-house physical therapy team see patients at two offices, one at 195 Falcon Drive in Fredericksburg and one at 450 Garrisonville Road in North Stafford.
☎ Fredericksburg: (540) 371-3338
☎ North Stafford: (540) 659-5067
Independent and physician-owned • Caring for this region since 1986 • Six podiatric surgeons • Two offices • Weekday patient hours
Who We Are
Independent and Physician-Owned
The practice is owned by the podiatrists who see patients in it. We are not a department of a hospital system, and we are not part of a private-equity group.
For a patient, that difference shows up in ordinary decisions. How long an appointment runs, whether something needs imaging today, how long to stay with conservative care before talking about surgery — those calls are made by the person in the room with you, not somewhere else. The practice has been part of this community for four decades and intends to stay.
Our History
A Practice Built Over Four Decades
Each date below is drawn from the provider’s own biography page on this site, so you can check it for yourself.
- 1986Rappahannock Foot & Ankle Specialists begins caring for patients in the Fredericksburg area.
- 1996Dr. Stephen Carley joins the practice.
- 2000Dr. Carley buys the practice.
- 2002Dr. Michael Donato joins the practice. He is a co-owner today.
- 2003Dr. Martha Hurley joins, and practices primarily from the Fredericksburg office.
- 2007Dr. Joel Zarzuela joins, and practices primarily from the North Stafford office. In April of the same year, Yoo-Jin Park, DPT begins at Paraclete Physical Therapy, the therapy team that works alongside us.
- January 2018Dr. Sunshine Brady-Thomas joins, with hospital and surgical privileges at Stafford Hospital.
- October 2023Elizabeth Rehm, PT joins Paraclete Physical Therapy.
- Summer 2025Dr. Neelum Patel, a Virginia native, joins and begins seeing patients at the Fredericksburg office.
- June 2026Dr. Jessica Somma joins, trained in forefoot and rearfoot reconstruction.
The Team
The People Who Will See You
Six podiatric surgeons see patients across the two offices. They are board-certified or board-eligible with the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, and each one’s training, credentials, and hospital privileges are listed in full on their own page. Dr. Stephen Carley is emeritus and is not seeing patients; his page is kept because long-standing patients still ask after him.
- Dr. Michael Donato, DPMCo-owner · Foot and ankle surgeon
- Dr. Sunshine Brady-Thomas, DPMFoot and ankle surgeon
- Dr. Joel Zarzuela, DPMFoot and ankle surgeon · primarily North Stafford
- Dr. Martha Hurley, DPMFoot and ankle surgeon · primarily Fredericksburg
- Dr. Neelum Patel, DPMFoot and ankle surgeon · Fredericksburg
- Dr. Jessica Somma, DPMFoot and ankle surgeon
- Dr. Stephen Carley, DPMEmeritus · not seeing patients
The Physical Therapy Team
Paraclete Physical Therapy works alongside our foot and ankle team. All three are physical therapists, not physicians.
- Yoo-Jin Park, DPTPhysical therapist · Paraclete Physical Therapy
- Mary Faber, MPT, ATCPhysical therapist and certified athletic trainer · Paraclete Physical Therapy
- Elizabeth Rehm, PTPhysical therapist · Paraclete Physical Therapy
You can also see everyone together on the Our Team page.
On Site
Much of What You Need Is in One Building
At our Fredericksburg office, at 195 Falcon Drive, diagnosis and a good deal of the treatment happen in the same visit rather than across several appointments at several addresses.
Digital X-ray
Imaging is taken here, and your podiatrist reads it with you during the same visit.
Diagnostic ultrasound
Useful for soft tissue — tendons, plantar fascia, and neuromas — where an X-ray does not show the problem.
3D orthotic scanning
Custom orthotics are scanned digitally in the office rather than cast in plaster.
Shockwave therapy
A non-surgical option for some stubborn tendon and plantar fascia problems.
Lunula laser
One of the options available for fungal toenails.
In-house physical therapy
The Paraclete Physical Therapy team works in the same building, so recovery plans get built in conversation rather than mailed between offices.
The list above describes the Fredericksburg office. If you are being seen in North Stafford and want to know what is available there for a particular visit, call (540) 659-5067 and ask.
Where We Work
Two Offices, One Practice
Fredericksburg and North Stafford run as one practice with one shared patient record, so your care follows you to whichever office is easier to reach.
Fredericksburg
195 Falcon Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Mon 8:00–5:30
Tue–Thu 8:00–5:00
Fri 8:00–2:30
Sat & Sun closed
North Stafford
450 Garrisonville Road, Suite 115
Stafford, VA 22554
Mon–Thu 8:00–5:00
Fri 8:00–2:30
Sat & Sun closed
Hospitals and Surgical Facilities
Procedures that can be done in the office, such as ingrown toenail correction, happen at the office. Surgical cases that need an operating room are performed at Stafford Hospital. Mary Washington Hospital and Surgi-Center of Central Virginia also appear among the hospital and surgical privileges listed on our surgeons’ individual pages.
Communities We Care For
Patients travel to the two offices from across the region. Each page below sets out which office is usually closer and what to expect.
How Care Works
What to Expect When You Get in Touch
Secure messaging through Klara
The practice uses Klara to communicate securely with patients by text message. Around 72 hours before an appointment you will get a link to your patient portal, where you can fill in your information from home.
Same-day urgent appointments
Same-day urgent appointments are usually available. Call the office nearest you, tell the front desk what is going on, and they will find the earliest time that fits the problem.
Weekday hours only
Both offices see patients Monday through Friday. There are no weekend clinic hours, and both locations sit minutes off I-95.
One record, either office
Book whichever location is easier to reach. Your records move with you, and you can tell the front desk if you have a preference about which podiatrist you see.
No referral needed for most plans
Most plans let you book directly with a podiatrist. Some HMO and Medicare Advantage plans do ask for a referral from your primary care doctor first — call either office and our staff will check for you.
Before your first visit
Bring your insurance card, a photo ID, and a list of your medications. Full details are on the New Patients page.
Insurance and Access
Plans We Are In Network With
Our staff will verify your exact benefits before anything is scheduled.
- Aetna
- Anthem BC/BS
- Anthem BC/BS Federal
- Anthem HealthKeepers
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- Humana
- Humana Military (TRICARE)
- MedCost
- Medicare
- MultiPlan/PHCS
- Sentara PPO (Non-Medicaid)
- UnitedHealthcare
- VA Community Care
Several of these also cover Medicare Advantage plans.
We are not currently accepting new Medicaid patients, or Medicaid patients who have not been seen within the current year.
What Our Patients Say
Ready to Be Seen?
Ready to Schedule?
Call the office that is easier for you to reach, or send a request and our staff will call you back during office hours.
Have Questions First?
Ask the front desk about coverage, referrals, or what to bring. They would rather answer before your visit than at check-in.
New to the Practice?
Read what to expect on the New Patients page, or meet the team first.
Our Locations
Fredericksburg
195 Falcon Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
☎ (540) 371-3338
North Stafford
450 Garrisonville Road, Suite 115
Stafford, VA 22554
☎ (540) 659-5067