Kelly Reardon

Kelly holds a Master’s degree from the University of Missouri’s Occupational Therapy Program in Columbia, Missouri. She is a licensed and registered occupational therapist in both Kansas and Missouri. Kelly is board certified in pediatric occupational therapy through the national board for certification in OT. Her areas of expertise include relationship-based therapy and treatment of children with sensory processing disorders and neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Kelly has completed advanced training in specialty areas including sensory processing disorder (SPD), constraint-induced movement therapy, splinting, Interactive Metronome, DIR/floortime (play-based therapy), Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT), vision rehabilitation, and feeding difficulties. She has advanced certification in evaluating and treating children with Sensory Processing Disorders. She participated in SPD mentorship training level 1 (August 2014) and level 2 (December 2015) at the STAR center in Denver, Colorado under Dr. Lucy Jane Miller (author of Sensational Kids) and Dr. Sarah Schoen. Kelly holds certification for being trained in administering the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) through the Thompson Center for Neurological Disorders in January of 2017. She has completed the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding course. Kelly’s work experiences have been across hospitals, schools, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and most recently private practice. She is the founder and co-owner of playABILITIES for sensational kids. Her passion is to provide comprehensive, individualized, and relationship-based therapy services, education, and support to the families and children that she serves. She feels extremely lucky to be building a knowledgeable, passionate team of therapists at playABILITIES who thrive on collaboration with each other and each have their own areas of strength and expertise to contribute to playABILITIES.

Kelly has three children, Lily, Colton, and Emmy. Her daughter, Lily, was born at 32 weeks gestation in March of 2017. She has learned the value of trust that it takes parents when seeking help with their children from her own experiences of being in the NICU with her daughter. Kelly finds the most joy spending time with her kiddos and laughing at all of the funny things they say and do. She enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, and hanging out with family and friends.

Jeremiah Reardon

Jeremiah began working with Playabilities as he collaborated with his wife, Kelly, on growing the clinic and expanding services. With finance and real estate degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Jeremiah spends his time on the business aspects of Playabilities looking for ways to improve upon the client experience. Jeremiah gets the most enjoyment working with a collection of people dedicated towards improving the lives of their clients and, of course, eavesdropping on all hilarious things that the kids say during treatment sessions. If he is not seen around the clinic, he can be found working at MCR Companies where he is a co-owner.

Laura Boswell

Laura is a graduate of the University of Missouri – Kansas City’s Bloch School of Management, where she received both her Bachelor’s degree and her MBA with an emphasis in Finance. She also holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Prior to joining Playabilities, Laura was the VP and Chief Operating Officer at the largest community based brain injury rehabilitation agency in the Midwest. Here, Laura found her passion of building an efficient and positive work environment to allow therapists to provide the best services possible to patients and their families. Other experience includes business analysis at a private equity firm specializing in home health care. Laura has also been involved in business operations at a federally qualified health center.

Laura enjoys sharing her passion of the Kansas City area by engaging with community organizations such as the Zonta Club of Kansas City and a local elementary school’s Educational Enhancement Fund. Laura previously served on the Bloch School of Management Alumni Board for six years, as well as the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s genKC Steering Committee, the Starlight Young Professionals, and the Prom Planning Committee for the Down Syndrome Guild.

Laura is a certified running coach through RRCA and she completed her first marathon in October 2022. In her free time, Laura enjoys baking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two sons.

Becky Basta

Becky has an Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Truman State University. She grew up in KC and after living in Milwaukee, St. Louis and Indianapolis working for the same company, she settled back down in KC. She’s spent the last 10 years raising 3 children. She brings a unique perspective to our team – being a parent of a special needs child. She is a strong advocate of play-based therapy for all children. She has a passion for helping families on their parenting journey.

Becky plays a vital part on our administrative and billing team. She has worn many “hats” at Playabilities over the years to support various operational needs of Playabilities. Becky oversees and manages HR at Playabilities as well as managing and facilitating operations across administrative and billing teams.

She enjoys volunteering at her children’s school, cheering on her kids at soccer, baseball, softball, and girl scouts. Family nights always include pizza and a board game. 

Sani Messchi

Sani was born in Kansas but lived in Iran, where her family is from, for 7 years. She moved back to the United States at 14 years old and is fluent in Farsi(Persian) and English. She has three Associate Degrees from Johnson County Community College in Liberal Arts, General Sciences and General Studies; all heavily weighted in accounting and finance courses. She comes from years of experience in medical billing as well as most recently working as Director of Finance/Revenue Cycle Manager for five years in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital with a Traumatic Brain Injury unit as well Skilled Nursing and Long Term Care. She also has an active CNA and BLS license that she recreationally utilizes to stay in touch with the community. In her free time Sani enjoys traveling, playing volleyball, and spending time with her son. Sani’s passion is helping people by taking the financial stress out of big life changes to allow families time and focus on their loved ones.

Hannah Carney

Hannah has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Kansas. She joins Playabilities team after eight years in fundraising. Hannah supports with coordinating schedules across our clinic locations and helps ensure each family’s needs are met with high touch services! Hannah lives in Overland Park with her husband and their dog. In her free time, you can find Hannah cheering on the Jayhawks, on walks with her dog, and playing board games with her family.

Carleigh Peters Ayoade

Carleigh has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Kansas. She started working with the disability community straight out of high school, and has continued doing so over the last 16 years. Her greatest passion lies in serving individuals with disabilities and their families to ensure top quality services are always accessible. Carleigh lives in Roeland Park with her husband and two sons, Oliver and Theo. In her free time she enjoys reading and hanging out with her boys. She also loves hiking and anything else that involves being outside in the fresh air and sunshine.

Sydney Tormena

Sydney graduated from the University of Central Missouri with her Bachelor’s degree in history and international business. Sydney has a variety of work experiences including IT support analytics and retail management. In her management experiences, she completed HR tasks and supported team dynamics and communications. Sydney enjoys supporting operations. At Playabilities, Sydney supports various revenue cycle tasks at Playabilities including working with insurance companies to accurately process claims and maintain authorization, manage client accounts, and support billing related clinic needs.

In her free time, Sydney is usually playing with her two super cute dogs, at the gym, or cuddled on the couch watching scary movies.

Mallory Pirner

Mallory graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Sciences. Over the course of her studies, she learned that her passion for helping kids was nourished by being in a position where she could help their families. She worked as a registered behavior technician when she first graduated and fell in love with children with special needs. Through her time in the clinical field, she worked her way up through different clinical positions and eventually shifted into an administrative role. She worked for a clinic in Texas, and loves being on the admin side, helping kids get the best possible support by being a resource for their families.

Mallory manages our intake process at Playabilities and supports new families as they are seeking therapy support.

When she’s not at work, she can be found spending time with her husband, who also works with children with special needs, and her beagle, Moby! She loves to spend time with friends, hike nature trails, and watch lots and lots of movies!

Amber Englehart

Amber earned an Elementary Education degree from Kansas State University and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Rockhurst University. With a passion for pediatrics, Amber spent 13 years as a school-based occupational therapist in the metropolitan area, where she worked with students with a variety of disabilities from early childhood through high school. Amber joined playABILITIES in 2016, and currently holds a position as Lead Therapist at the Leawood clinic.Amber has a variety of continuing education experiences including Autism Specialist Training through KCART (Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training), reflex integration, behavior and trauma. She has extensive experience with children with sensory, behavioral trauma and social emotional deficits, as well as fine motor and visual perception delays. Amber has advanced mentorship in sensory processing disorder, and has completed the Level 1 mentorship throught the STAR center.

Amber is passionate about preparing children, at all ages, with the skills that they will need to be successful throughout their life. Amber and her husband have two teenage boys, Bryce and Blake, and are also foster parents. When she is not working, she enjoys watching her sons play sports and spending time with her family.

Chloe Fike

Chloe grew up in Belleville, Illinois before moving to Columbia, Missouri. While in Columbia, she attended the University of Missouri where she earned her Master’s Degree of Occupational Therapy. After receiving her degree, Chloe moved to Kansas City. Chloe joined the Playabilities team in 2019 and holds the position as Senior Therapist for the Prairie Village clinic. Chloe has experience in multiple settings including outpatient pediatric intervention, school-based intervention, acute care, and inpatient rehab. Chloe is passionate about using a holistic, child-led approach that empowers kids to reach their goals and have fun! Chloe enjoys using a transdisciplinary approach with all of her clients, encouraging communication between providers, parents, and kids to ensure success for the client in all aspects of life.

Chloe has specialized training in using a play-based, child-led approach to therapy and has completed her first ICDL-DIR Floortime Course. She also has specialized education on behavior management and therapeutic feeding approaches. Chloe is passionate about individualizing treatment for each child to make it meaningful, motivating, and fun! She believes parents are an essential member of the therapy team and loves providing strategies to empower parents in helping their kids. In her free time, Chloe enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants in KC, reading, going on walks, and creating pieces of art for her family and friends!

Taffeta Jordan

Taffeta grew up in the Springfield, Missouri area and moved to Kansas City to complete her education at the University of Kansas Medical Center, earning her Masters degree of Occupational Therapy. Taffeta joined the Playabilites team in 2016 and provides therapy at both Prairie Village and Leawood clinics.

Taffeta has experiences with local infant and toddler services, community outreach programs for children with special needs, and coaching swimming lessons to children with autism spectrum disorders. In April of 2017, Taffeta completed the Advanced Level I Mentorship training at the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder in Denver, Colorado and specializes in the evaluation and treatment of children with Sensory Processing Disorders. She also specializes in the evaluation of and treatment of infants and toddlers, teaching sensory strategies and regulation skills, advancing social and emotional development, and promoting independence through play for kids of all ages. She has a passion to provide families with education and training in ways to carry over strategies and skills learned in the clinic to the home, school and community environments. In her free time, Taffeta enjoys running and hiking with her dog, completing home renovations, and spending time with family and friends.

Brooke Buck

Brooke is a Northwest Kansas native and graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and minor in Psychology. Brooke moved to Kansas City to obtain her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Her clinical experiences consisted of multiple different pediatric settings, including Infant Toddler Services, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and rural school systems. Brooke completed the Advanced Level I Mentorship in evaluating and treating children with Sensory Processing Disorder at the STAR Institute in Denver, Colorado. She also completed the Autism Specialist Training through KCART (Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training.)

Brooke makes it her mission to meet children where they are and expand upon their strengths in fun and creative ways! She enjoys developing relationships with not only the child, but the whole family in order to maximize carryover. Brooke is also a photographer and loves being able to use her OT lens to capture kiddos and therapists in a playful and candid way.

Julie Morrow

Julie Morrow has a pre-med degree, in Human Biology with a concentration in Psychology from the University of Kansas, and a Masters in Occupational Therapy, from Rockhurst University. She is a licensed and registered occupational therapist in Kansas and Missouri. Her primary experience is in pediatrics with specialized training in Reflex Integration (MNRI), motor coordination (Bal-a-vis-x), emotional regulation (The Zones of Regulation), Social Skills (The Social Thinking Curriculum), play-based therapy (DIR Floortime model), Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding, Fine Motor Skills; including strategies for handwriting (Handwriting Without Tears, First Strokes), Self-Regulation, Emotional Regulation, Behavioral interventions (prior training in CPI, Collaborative Problem Solving, Positive Support Planning, and ABA principals), school processes for individuals with disabilities (504 plans and Individual Education Plans (IEP’s)), Sensory Processing (STAR Institute training), Vision Rehabilitation, and Executive Functioning Skills.

Julie was the founder and owner of Developmental Possibilities LLC, a private pediatric clinic, prior to merging with Playabilities for Sensational Kids. Julie is passionate about community and parent education and occasionally speaks publicly on topics of interest (i.e. Motivation, Executive Functioning, Behavior, Sensory Processing, Handwriting).

Julie has experience working in schools (6 years), outpatient pediatric clinics (7 years), homes, daycares, and hospitals; with a total of 13 year of professional experience. Building relationships is her favorite part of her job and she takes pride in treating the whole child and taking a family centered approach to therapy. Julie loves spending time with her husband and two boys! Going to the lake, family movie nights, fishing, coaching the kid’s sports teams, family bike rides, and researching are some of her favorite things to do!

Allie Mullender

Allie earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Missouri in and has specialized in pediatrics from the start of her career in 2013. Allie has previous experience working as an OT in the school system and enjoys helping families advocate for supports and services in the school. Allie has experience working with all age ranges and a variety of developmental disabilities. She specializes in working with children with visual and fine motor delays, feeding difficulties, sensory processing disorder, behavior difficulties, handwriting concerns and delay with play and social emotional skills. Allie has specialized training in feeding therapy through the SOS Approach to Feeding. She has also completing continuing education in the area of ODD, Autism, Down Syndrome and Sensory Processing Disorder. Allie emphasizes treating the ‘whole child’ during therapy sessions and building on a child’s strengths and interests to increase their independence and function within meaningful daily activities.

In her free time, Allie enjoys spending time with her family and dog, Roux. Allie and her husband welcomed a baby boy, Burt, in May of 2021. Allie also enjoys gardening, cooking and reading.

Natalie Webb

Natalie graduated from the University of Kansas with her highest degree being a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and licensed in both Kansas and Missouri. During her clinical rotations, she had the opportunity to learn in a preschool for children with autism in Australia. This was just the beginning of her passion for working with kids. She has worked full time as a school-based therapist for 15 years and enjoys working at PlayAbilities after school and during the summers. She attended an Autism Interdisciplinary Team Training through “TASN Autism Tertiary Behavior and Supports” in 2016 and has attended various pediatric conferences throughout her years as an OT. Natalie hopes to support and facilitate children’s highest level of functioning within the natural environment. She has experience working with children targeting: fine motor skills, visual perception, leisure skills, social skills, sensory processing, behavior and emotional regulation. In her spare time she enjoys yoga, cooking, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Jennafer Ort

Jennafer graduated from the University of Wisconsin with her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. She currently holds a state license to practice in both Kansas and Missouri. She also is a registered, board-certified occupational therapist with the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Jennafer’s concentration in occupational therapy has been outpatient pediatric practice, with additional experience in private elementary and high schools. She has advanced training in feeding therapy through the SOS Approach to Feeding, as well as training in the DIR/Floortime approach (play-based therapy). Jennafer has worked with children with a variety of developmental, sensory, neurological, genetic, and psychological diagnoses. These have included Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, ADHD, Anxiety, and many others. Her areas of emphasis have been feeding therapy, fine motor and gross motor development, social-emotional skills, and sensory processing.

For Jennafer, the essence of pediatric occupational therapy is “playing with a purpose.” She is passionate about helping children and their families find joy in every success – big or small – on their journey. Jennafer’s favorite therapy moments always take place when both she and her kiddos are laughing and learning all at once.

Jennafer now lives in Kansas City, MO, with her husband. In her free time, she can usually be found outside – biking, hiking, or simply blowing bubbles.

Bethany Ogle

Bethany earned her Master of Occupational Therapy at the University of Kansas Medical Center, where she gained clinical experience working with adults with developmental disabilities and birth-preschool aged children with visual impairments. There she also completed the LEND program (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities), which provides interdisciplinary leadership training in clinical practice, research, and community outreach.

Bethany has completed the STAR Institute’s Advanced Level I Mentorship for evaluating and treating children with Sensory Processing Disorder and the subsequent Level I Sensory Processing Proficiency Certification. Bethany’s other areas of expertise and interest include infant and toddler development, reflex integration, social-emotional skills, self-care, and visual and fine motor delays. She is passionate about helping children reach their full potential, partnering with families and team members, and making therapy meaningful and fun! In her spare time she enjoys cheering on the Jayhawks, playing music, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband, son, and energetic Aussie/lab pup.

Giggy Reardon

Giggy earned her Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Giggy holds her OT license in both Kansas and Missouri, and has worked across multiple settings including hospital settings (inpatient acute care and inpatient rehab), schools, and outpatient private practice. She has experience in the education system providing OT to children aged 4 – 19. Giggy has gained a variety of experiences and perspectives through volunteering at Camp Encourage, volunteering at a therapeutic horseback riding program, and by providing adaptive swim lessons in a low stimulation environment for kids with Autism.

Giggy is dedicated to understanding the whole picture for each of her clients and developing relationships with clients and their families. She strives to provide relevant and valuable interventions by participating in various continuing education courses. She has completed the level 1 mentorship program at the STAR Institute in order to gain more knowledge on Sensory Processing Disorder to share with families and to use within treatments. She is from Kansas City and loves to spend her free time with her friends and family in the area. She also enjoys running, biking, yoga, and traveling to new places!

Elease Greedy

Elease is originally from Nebraska where she graduated from University of Nebraska Lincoln then moved to Kansas City to continue her education at Rockhurst University, earning a Master of Occupational Therapy degree. Since then she has worked in the pediatric outpatient setting gaining experience working with a diverse client population in both age & ability. She has continued educational experience in handwriting through Learning Without Tears, STAR PROCESS: Regulation, Relationship, and Sensory Processing, and feeding skills through SOS training. Elease is passionate about building meaningful relationships with children and their families while assisting them to achieve their goals. In her free time she enjoys spending time in nature, trying new restaurants, and being with friends and family.

Morgan Britton

Morgan is a Kansas City native who graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Health. Morgan then moved to Omaha, Nebraska to obtain her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy degree from Creighton University. Throughout her education, Morgan gained multiple clinical experiences in pediatric settings including outpatient medical rehabilitation facilities, the school systems, hospital-based settings. She assisted in the development of the SENSE (Supporting & Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences) Program at Saint Luke’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and completed her clinical fieldwork during occupational therapy school as a student at Playabilities. Morgan has experience working with children ages 1 to 21 with a variety of different diagnoses. Some of the diagnoses include Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Muscular Dystrophy, Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, DiGeorge Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, children that are visually impaired, and with children with other fine motor and gross motor delays. Morgan’s personal interests include sewing, paddleboarding, and spending time with family, friends and pets. Morgan loves working at Playabilities and is passionate about building relationships with children and family members and assisting clients in achieving their goals.

Lauren McClung

Lauren grew up in Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas in Applied Behavioral Science. She then moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to pursue a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree at Creighton University. Lauren has experience working with the pediatric population in the areas of Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism, Picky and Problem eaters, social-emotional regulation, and executive functioning and cognition.

Lauren completed her Doctoral Capstone Experience with Playabilities specializing in advanced clinical practice and advocacy regarding Sensory Processing Disorder. Lauren continues to grow her passion for Sensory Processing Disorder and has completed the advanced level 1 mentorship program at the STAR institute. She continues to educate and work with community settings in the Kansas City community about Sensory Processing Disorder. She additionally has training in the SOS approach to feeding to address picky and problem eaters. Lauren currently serves as the national secretary for Pi Theta Epsilon, the national occupational therapy honor society which functions to promote scholarship and research in the occupational therapy field. Lauren is passionate about working with children and their families to promote success in meaningful activities and achieving their goals. In her free time, Lauren enjoys swimming, playing with her puppy, and spending time with friends and family.

Garrett Ann (G.A.) Nevins

Garrett Ann “G.A.” earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Rockhurst University. She attended the University of Kansas for her undergrad where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. Her clinical/volunteer experiences consisted of multiple pediatric settings including Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics, early childhood/school systems in the KC metro area and abroad in St. Lucia, where she served students with disabilities and Sensory Processing Disorder. To further expand on her Sensory Processing knowledge, she attended and completed the STAR Institute’s 2021 advanced Level I Mentorship Program. G.A. has additional experience working with older children and adolescents with hemiparesis through her group Capstone Project, where she researched the benefits that Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and Hand Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT) has on improving function and independence for daily activities. G.A. values the importance of communication and education through the Occupational Therapy process and is even knowledgeable in American Sign Language (ASL).

G.A. has a passion working with children and their families and is all about putting the “fun” in functional! G.A. is a Colorado native and enjoys hiking and skiing when she is back visiting family. In her spare time, she loves being outdoors, cheering on the Jayhawks, cooking and spending time with her friends and family.

Kylie Kirshenbaum

Kylie is originally from Omaha, Nebraska and graduated with her bachelor of science degree from the University of Central Florida. She moved to Kansas City to obtain her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Kylie has a wide range of experiences in working in pediatrics in multiple school settings and in pediatric inpatient rehabilitation at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. She loves watching kids grow and develop and working alongside caregivers to help kids succeed. She has a passion for working with kids because she gets to bring out her creativity and she enjoys that every interaction brings something new.

In her free time, Kylie enjoy spending time with family and friends, exercising, reading, and doing puzzles.

Asia Garruss

Asia earned her Master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Her work experiences include serving children and families through early intervention, public school, in-home private therapy, and at an outpatient pediatric clinic. She has vast experience in delivering therapy through the telehealth model. Asia’s special interest areas include working with children with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, and ADHD. She is trained in Handwriting without Tears Instruction, focusing on improving fine and visual motor deficits through a multi-sensory approach.

Asia loves children, animals, all forms of art, and dark chocolate!

Hannah Underdown

Hannah was born and raised in the Kansas City area. She earned her Master’s of Occupational Therapy degree from Rockhurst University. Hannah previously worked for a local school district and currently works PRN in in-patient acute care at Olathe Medical Center. Her areas of expertise include fine motor skills, handwriting, visual motor skills, adaptive skills, self-regulation, 504s/IEPs, sensory processing, and executive functioning. While working as a school-based OT, Hannah supported students from Pre-K through 12th grade with a wide variety of needs. She looks forward to utilizing her school-based background to help families navigate and advocate for appropriate services and accommodations in that setting. Hannah’s favorite part of her job is building relationships with children and their families while providing the support they need to reach their goals. In her free time, Hannah enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and energetic German Shepherd!

Taylor Justmann

Taylor earned her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Taylor holds her OT license in the state of Kansas and has previously worked across multiple settings, including school-based practice (serving elementary-aged students) and inpatient rehabilitation (serving young, middle-aged, and older adults). Her areas of expertise include behavioral modification, crisis prevention and intervention, emotional and self regulation, sensory processing, and motor skill development. During her graduate studies, Taylor gained experience through implementing behavioral therapy, adapting and modifying ride-on toy cars through GoBabyGo to create an alternative form of early childhood power mobility, and teaching sensory-friendly swimming lessons to children with autism. Taylor loves working with children and families to help them reach their full potential. She comes up with unique and fun ways to help children participate in a variety of activities to build upon their skills and maximize their strengths.

Taylor is from Kansas City and outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and her dog. She also loves spending time outside, going for walks or hikes, traveling, and trying out new restaurants!

Mary Kate Renschen

Mary Kate (or you can call her “MK”!) grew up in St. Louis, MO and went to St. Louis University to complete her Master of Occupational Therapy degree. Mary Kate always knew she wanted to go into Occupational Therapy because of her strong passion for pediatrics! She comes from a large extended family where there are always children to play with. Mary Kate completed her clinical rotations at a variety of settings including a school, acute care hospital, the Veteran’s Association in St. Louis, and Washington University outpatient pediatric clinic. During her pediatric rotation, she worked with a handful of children and adolescents with Tourette’s and tic disorders using the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) treatment program. Mary Kate is excited to create personal relationships with new clients and families and use her creativity to provide functional solutions to everyday activities.

In her free time, Mary Kate enjoys hanging out with friends and family, being outdoors, crafting, watching sports games, and spending time with her goldendoodle named Stanley!

Allie Cacy

Allie first discovered the field of occupational therapy while working as a tech at Ability KC. After watching how the OT supported children to participate in activities they had never been able to before, she knew that she wanted to pursue this field as her career. Allie earned her doctorate in occupational therapy from the University of Kansas Medical center. In her educational and professional experiences, she has a passion for supporting children succeed in their activities of daily living, especially in the areas of feeding and play. Allie has had the opportunity of developing and facilitating playgroups through her doctoral capstone experience. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors, drinking coffee with friends, and caring for her plants!

Taylor Kinne

Taylor received her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2022. Taylor has experience co-developing playgroups for children with Down syndrome and Autism, as well as filling the role of being the playgroup implementer to support the development of life skills through play. Taylor has experiences across various settings including Children’s Mercy Hospital serving children ages 0-21. Her training includes general child development and reflexes, restoring function in activities of daily living, play participation, trauma-informed care, and feeding and eating therapies. Taylor completed her Doctoral Capstone experience at a local high school where she led physical activity groups and developed cooking skill groups for a SPED classroom. She is passionate in the areas of feeding/eating, self-regulation, sensory processing & integration, and supporting children as they develop skills through play.She prioritizes being client-centered, family-centered, and strengths-based when working with individuals of all abilities. In her free time, she enjoys cooking/baking, scrapbooking, and exercising. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling to new places when she can!

Steph Marquess

Steph graduated from The University of Kansas and The University of Kansas Medical Center. Her degrees include a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and a Minor in Psychology. Steph holds an OT license in Kansas and has practiced for over 7 years. She is also a certified group fitness instructor and enjoys bringing health and fitness to both adults and children since 2009. Steph specializes in working with children with Autism, Sensory and Behavioral differences, Down Syndrome, Visually Impaired, and fine and gross motor delays. She works as a full-time occupational therapist in a school district and loves working at PlayAbilities during the summer and after school hours. When she is not working, Steph enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, traveling, meal prepping, working out and volunteering.

Sarah Taha

I am from Fayetteville, Arkansas, and I attended the University of Arkansas for my undergraduate degree. I originally worked at Camp Barnabas, which is a camp for adults and children with disabilities for a few summers, and that is what made me want to become an occupational therapist. I have always had a passion for children with disabilities and to create a world of “cans” for kids who are so often told they cannot do or achieve great things. After undergrad, I moved to Kansas City and received my Master’s in Occupational Therapy in the summer of 2021 through Rockhurst University. After graduation, I have worked professionally in the school system. I am currently at Kansas City Kansas schools where I serve a variety of ages and diagnoses. A large portion of my caseload is based in life skills classrooms where I work on functional, everyday skills with children. I am currently increasing my knowledge of sensory supports, feeding, and behavioral techniques. I cannot wait to get to know your children, work alongside them to achieve more independence, and have fun with them this summer!

Stephanie Munson

Stephanie graduated from the University of Kansas Medical Center with her master’s in occupational therapy. During her clinical rotations, she had the opportunity to work with kids of all ages with a variety of abilities and spent a full 12-week rotation working with kids diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. During the school year, Stephanie works in a school district and serves students K-12 with a variety of abilities and needs. She is passionate about helping students participate fully in their time at school. For the last 4 years, she has also spent time teaching swim and water safety lessons to kids who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and tries to spend as much time at the lake as possible.

Hannah Earley

Hannah earned her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Hannah’s passion and specialty area within the field of occupational therapy is supporting adolescents and young adults with various special needs. Hannah has worked with adults in a variety of settings, including home health, outpatient, skilled therapy, and within the community. Her passion is helping to guide individuals to find and maintain meaningful occupations and employment and live as independently as possible in their home and communities.

Hannah believes that all individuals are capable of achieving whatever it is that they are motivated to achieve and loves being a piece of those successes! Hannah is beyond excited to partner with Playabilities and help with the transition from play in childhood to work in adulthood! When she is not working, she enjoys cooking, traveling and being active!

Perri Tucker

Perri was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. After high school, she played college volleyball and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in psychology from Wichita State University. She moved to Kansas City, KS to pursue her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from The University of Kansas Medical Center. Perri has clinical experience in several settings, including: outpatient pediatrics, school-based intervention, acute care, and inpatient rehabilitation. She has received her certification in the SOS approach to feeding and is looking forward to obtaining many more certifications.

While Perri enjoys working with people of all ages and needs, she finds a special connection working with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum to navigate behavioral, social, and sensory challenges. Her personal approach is to work closely in collaboration with families to initiate and reinforce therapeutic strategies that can be generalized outside of the clinic and within the child’s natural context.

Perri enjoys traveling in her free time and spending time with her husband, her dog (Roxi), and her cat (Milo).

Ariel Mansholt

Ariel earned her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Baylor University in December of 2022. Ariel was introduced to occupational therapy at a young age, as her older brother received OT services for his diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Participating in her older brothers therapy journey is what inspired Ariel to pursue a career in OT. Ariel completed her clinical experiences in acute care at Memorial Medical Center and outpatient pediatrics at PlayAbilities! She completed her Doctoral Capstone experience at Landscape Structures Inc. (LSI) in Delano, MN. Her focus was on the development of educational materials regarding how various pediatric conditions impact a child’s ability to play. Ariel has continued her work with LSI upon graduation. Ariel uses her clinical experience and knowledge to help inform the inclusive design process and continue to educate designers.

While a student at PlayAbilities, Ariel received certification for implementing the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding in April, 2022. Ariel has completed the introductory ICDL-DIR Floortime Course that focuses on a child – led approach to therapy. Ariel loves the atmosphere and family first philosophy of PlayAbilities and is passionate about including all members of the family in the therapeutic process. In her free time, she loves reading, spending time outdoors, running, and visiting with friends and family.

Marie Clark

Marie earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center. She attended the University of Kansas for her undergrad where she earned a Bachelor of General Studies in Applied Behavior Science. Marie has served children and families in a variety of practice settings which include home health, public schools, and community non-profit. Additionally, she has experience designing therapeutic programs for young children, school-aged children, and young adults. During graduate school, Marie conducted a research project to evaluate caregivers’ and healthcare providers’ perceptions of the importance of play and the accessibility to play-related opportunities. Marie is passionate about supporting children and families through collaboration. She loves thinking creatively to help children increase their independence and support what is most important to the family.

In her free time, Marie enjoys traveling, spending time with her husband and two dogs, crafting, and exploring new restaurants. ×

Taylor Hornbaker

Taylor graduated from Kansas State University with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Throughout her career as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Taylor has gained experience working with a wide range of clients, ranging in ages 2 months to adult within the school, inpatient rehabilitative, and outpatient rehabilitative setting.

Once completing her degree, Taylor worked at an Early Childhood Special Education program while also providing private speech and language services to families. She has primarily worked within an outpatient pediatric rehab setting for the majority of her career. Taylor has experience diagnosing and treating speech and language disorders for typically developing children, as well as children of special populations secondary to Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, neurogenic disorders (e.g., Childhood Apraxia of Speech), and genetic disorders. She has experience with interventions targeting receptive and expressive language skills, articulation and phonological delays, early literacy skills, fluency, social-emotional skills, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication devices. She also has extensive knowledge and experience as a feeding specialist within our Playabilities setting where she provides feeding therapy to children of various ages and diagnoses. Working with children in the outpatient pediatric setting has taught her a lot about how successful therapy can be when the interventions are holistic in nature. She greatly believes in the importance of early intervention, creating a strong functional communication system, family involvement, and the power of play.

Taylor currently holds the position of Lead Therapist at Playabilities. She has advanced certification in treating children with a variety of feeding challenges and received certification for implementing the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding in August, 2016. She has completed advanced coursework in regards to feeding children on the Autism Spectrum, feeding birth to 6-month-old infant, transitioning children from purees to solids, as well as helping children to transition off supplemental tube feedings. In November 2021, Taylor received certification for implementing the Supporting Oral Feedings in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) method. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, being outdoors, practicing yoga, and spending time with her friends and family.

Courtney Faerber

Courtney holds a Master’s degree from Rockhurst University in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science Disorders from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Courtney has experience working with children ages 2-21 with a variety of speech and language disorders. Her experiences include working in elementary school, hospitals, preschools, and private clinics. She specializes in receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation, social communication delays, and a wide range of developmental disorders. Courtney has experience in continuing education with the SOS Approach to Feeding therapy, Dyslexia, and working with children on the autism spectrum as well as children with Down syndrome. Courtney strives to make each therapy session individualized, motivating, and fun for every client. Family-centered therapy is Courtney’s passion, and she feels strongly that parents are their children’s best teachers.

In her free time, Courtney enjoys exploring Kansas City with her husband, Jack. She also loves to be with friends and family, especially her nieces and nephews. She loves to be outside and enjoys traveling to the beach and mountains when she can!

Jessica Pangborn

Jessica received her undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Following that, she took a year off to gain pediatric therapy experience and served as a para-educator for a year as well as gained experience with formulating and carrying out plans to help adolescent children with ASD gain social skills in various community environments. Jessica then moved to Kansas City to obtain her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Rockhurst University. Jessica’s work experiences have expanded across multiple therapeutic environments including working with school-aged children, preschoolers, and adolescents. Jess has completed continuing education experiences related towards implementing the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and has a passion for implementing play-based therapy as well as working with kids of all different ages and developmental levels. She loves working with kids and continuing to learn new things every day at Playabilities.

Jess is a mother of three children, Mason, Brody, and Adelyn. She enjoys spending time at baseball games, football games, basketball games, and volleyball games, as well as supporting her husband in all of his sporting endeavors as a coach at a local high school. She spends most spring and summer weekends at baseball tournaments as her husband is coaching her oldest son’s baseball team.

Shalinn Silkwood

Shalinn discovered Speech-Language Pathology as an undergraduate student at Kansas State University and pursued it after realizing that it combined her love of English and science. She has worked with infants through adults in schools in both Kansas and Missouri, overseas, in homes, and in private clinics. She received certification for implementing the Sequential Oral Sensory feeding therapy approach in April, 2017, and has evaluated and secured funding for Alternative and Augmentative Communication Devices. She received her first Award for Continuing Education from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association in September of 2017. In the last few years, she has sought to learn directly from Autistic adults and those with disabilities, and is working to dismantle ableist practices and become neurodiversity affirming in her therapy style. She frequently works with Autistic individuals, those with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, articulation and language delays, apraxia of speech, reading/writing challenges, feeding disorders, and those who stutter. Shalinn loves to collaborate with her clients to create goals, help others to learn how to self-advocate for their needs, and communicate effectively across environments. She enjoys mentoring graduate students, and having conversations that challenge the status quo.

Shalinn enjoys playing piano, singing, and writing music in her spare time. She volunteers with her local church congregation, is a devoted St. Louis Cardinals and K-State Wildcat fan, and enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, learning, and hanging out with her husband, friends, and cat.

Emily Kerr

Emily is a Kansas state and American Speech-Language and Hearing Association licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. She received her undergraduate degree in Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders at the University of Kansas. Her graduate degree in Communication Disorders was received from the University of Texas at Dallas. Emily spent six years working as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the public school system. She began working at Playabilities in 2016 as a full time speech-language pathologist. She has experience working with children of all ages with a variety of needs: articulation, expressive and receptive language, social communication, feeding, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Because of her passion for helping families and therapists meet their goals, Emily served as the clinic manager role for Playabilities from April 2020 through December 2022. Beginning in January 2023, Emily transitioned back to providing speech therapy to the children at Playabilities. She loves helping our clients receive high-touch services with our wonderful therapists!

Nicholle Ryan

Nicholle received her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Washington University and completed her graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology through the University of Utah. She has experience diagnosing and treating a variety of communication disorders including articulation, speech fluency, receptive and expressive language, and social communication difficulties in school-age children both in the school and outpatient clinic settings. Nicholle moved to the Kansas City area from Portland, Oregon in June 2018. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, reading, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Danielle Cupryk-Novascone

Danielle has been practicing in the speech pathology field for over 15 years. Danielle attended Kansas State University where she graduated with honors with her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders. She then earned her master’s degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Kansas. Danielle has working with Playabilties families since 2017. Prior to that, Danielle spent ten years working for Blue Valley School district where she provided speech-language services to children ranging in age from pre-K through 12th grade. In 2011, she was awarded “Master Teacher of the Year” from her school building for her work in special education. Danielle is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience providing therapy to children with speech-language delays, learning disabilities, Autism, social skills deficits, cognitive impairments, developmental disabilities and ADHD. In her free time, Danielle enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her two children, William and Ada.

Mary Waldenmeyer

Mary received her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Kansas, where she also earned her bachelors in Speech-Language-Hearing and Spanish education. She has experience working in a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, hospitals, elementary schools, and early childhood settings. During those experiences, Mary has been able to work with a variety of individuals including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Fluency Disorders, speech and language delays, cleft lip and palate, voice disorders, and those who use augmentative alternative communication. She also has experience working with children with feeding and swallowing difficulties and received specialized training in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding in the summer of 2019. She has a passion for affirming and expanding upon every individual’s abilities, and helping others succeed. Outside of the clinic, Mary enjoys competitive waterskiing, snowboarding, yoga, and spending time with family!

Sarah Custer

Sarah holds a Master’s degree from Rockhust University in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science Disorders from Missouri State University. Sarah is currently in her tenth year working for a local school district where she provided speech-language services to children ranging in age from Kindergarten through 12th grade. She is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience providing therapy to children with speech-language delays, social communication, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication. In her free time, Sarah enjoys trips to Disney world, the happiest place on earth, with her family and spending quality time with her cats, Steve and Evie.

Delaney Owen

Delaney is a Wichita native who received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Language and Hearing with a minor in Applied Behavioral Sciences from the University of Kansas. During her education, Delaney completed the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program which is a year-long traineeship at the University of Kansas Medical Center focusing on interdisciplinary, family-centered care. She has experience in a variety of settings including elementary schools, hospitals, and outpatient clinics. During those experiences, Delaney has been able to work with a variety of individuals including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, speech and language delays, cleft lip and palate, neurodegenerative diseases and those who use augmentative alternative communication. She has completed additional continuing education in the areas of Childhood Apraxia of Speech and phonological/articulation disorders. Delaney is passionate about play-based, engaging therapy sessions that target relevant and meaningful goals for the whole family.

Brynn Schiele

Brynn completed her B.A. in speech and hearing Sciences at the University of Iowa in 2016 and her M.S. in communication disorders at Arizona State University in 2018. She has experience working with diverse populations in elementary and middle schools, pediatric therapy clinics, ABA clinics, and in-home care. She has extensive experience working with individuals with autism and is always excited to learn new things in the field of speech pathology. She has advanced training in feeding and has completed the S.O.S approach to feeding course. In her spare time, Brynn loves to travel, read, crochet, and spend time with her dogs Finn and Albert.

Lexi Oatman

Lexi received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, both from the University of Kansas. During graduate school, Lexi worked as a Graduate Research Assistant under a grant where she researched effective methods of vocabulary learning through story book reading for Kindergarten-aged children with Developmental Language Disorders. She also completed a Master’s thesis which developed a short-term intensive summer program that provided treatment to preschool-aged children who had articulation delays. In 2020, Lexi was awarded the University of Kansas Outstanding Speech-Language-Hearing Student Clinician award and the Jacob Rockwell Osman Award which was awarded to the graduate student who demonstrated outstanding work with pediatric speech and language clients.

Lexi has experience evaluating and providing treatment for receptive and expressive language skills, articulation and phonological delays, fluency, vocal loudness, augmentative and alternative communication devices use, and social-emotional skills for typically developing children; as well as for children of special populations including cleft lip and palate, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and genetic disorders. Lexi has a special interest in evaluating and treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and oral motor deficits. She has completed training in Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) for treatment of apraxia. In January 2022, she received certification in the Beckman Oral Motor Program to assess and treat oral motor dysfunctions such as; drooling, tonic bite, tongue thrust, feeding difficulties, and other oral motor functions. Additionally, Lexi has been Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) certified since March 2020. Lexi is a strong believer in early intervention, family-centered therapy, and advocating for the needs of the client. In her free time, Lexi loves to cook new recipes, read, travel, and watch KU basketball!

Christina DeGraffenreid

Christina completed her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Kansas State University and received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Kansas School of Health Professions. While in graduate school, she completed 2 years of research focused on early language development and early literacy programs with The Baby Lab at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Christina is passionate about early literacy, play-based therapy, collaborating with families to meet their individual needs, and working with other disciplines to provide a holistic therapy experience. She has experience working in elementary schools, hospitals, and in early intervention models. Christina enjoys working with a wide variety of clientele, including children with developmental delays, children with language delays and disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD/ADHD, articulation and phonological disorders, social communication deficits, cleft lip and palate, and augmentative and alternative communication devices.

In her free time, Christina enjoys quality time with family, including her new baby girl, hiking, playing volleyball, and losing to her husband in tennis :).

Karina Parrish

Karina has a Health Science Degree from University of Missouri and a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Rockhurst University. She has had the opportunity to work with clients of all ages in schools, summer programs, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, and private practice. Karina loves working with families to ensure goals will empower both her clients and their families. She has serviced a variety of individuals including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome, hearing loss, ADHD, speech and language delays, fluency disorders, social emotional disorders, and those who use alternative augmentative communication devices. Karina is originally from Chicago but now calls Kansas City her home. Outside of therapy she enjoys yoga, gardening, and taking her pup to the dog park!

Ashlyn Dunham

Ashlyn received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Kansas Medical Center and her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Child Development from the University of Arkansas. Ashlyn has experience working in a variety of settings including autism diagnostic clinics, hospitals, and pediatric rehabilitation centers. She has had the opportunity to work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, developmental delays, traumatic brain injury, motor speech disorders, and those who use augmentative and alternative communication devices. During her education, Ashlyn conducted research looking at language development in infants and toddlers and received training in Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Ashlyn is passionate about providing engaging, individualized therapy that builds on the child’s strengths and leads to outcomes that are functional and meaningful for the family. A few of Ashlyn’s favorite things are baking cakes, traveling with friends, and finding new restaurants in Kansas City!

Erin Minoski

Erin received her undergraduate degree in Communication Science and Disorders from Kansas State University, and received her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. After obtaining her Master’s degree, Erin worked in an early childhood center within the public school system for 3 years before transitioning to the private practice outpatient setting.

Erin has experience working with a variety of clients and age groups, including individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, phonological speech disorders, Cerebral Palsy, fluency disorders, speech and language delays, oral motor and/or orthodontic difficulties, communication difficulties secondary to ADHD, social pragmatic impairments, and those using Alternative and Augmentative Communication methods. She has specialized training in PROMPT (Prompts for Reconstructing Oral Muscular-Phonetic Targets), Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis treatment strategies. Erin also has extensive education in intervention topics and strategies for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and is a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist.

While working with children, Erin enjoys making therapy sessions fun and engaging, and believes in the importance of family involvement, functional skills that can be used across settings, and child engagement and rapport. Outside of her time at the clinic, Erin enjoys traveling, outside activities, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends and family.

Sharon Hyatt

Sharon holds a Master’s degree from the University of Central of Missouri in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the Rockhurst University. Sharon has enjoyed working with children from early intervention – adolescence in both clinical settings and metropolitan area schools. Her specialties include receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation, social/pragmatic communication delays, and fluency/stuttering. Additionally, Sharon is passionate about trauma-informed care and Trust-Based Relationship Intervention (TBRI).

Sharon has completed additional training in several areas including Level I Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), and DIR Floortime. Sharon is committed to creating a therapy experience that is engaging, fun, and motivating for each of her clients. She loves to partner with her clients and their families as they gain confidence and reach their goals.

Alyssa Loper

Alyssa holds a master’s degree from Wichita State University in Speech Language Pathology, and a bachelor’s degree in Family Studies and Human Services from Kansas State University. Alyssa has enjoyed working with children from early intervention – adolescence in both clinical settings and pediatric home health settings. Her specialties include receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation, and social/pragmatic communication delays. Additionally, Alyssa is passionate about Feeding/Swallowing and Voice disorders in early intervention and adolescence.

Alyssa has completed additional training in several areas including a certification in MBSImP as well as completed continuing education courses in: Pediatric voice disorders, Autism spectrum disorder, and childhood Apraxia of speech. Alyssa is committed to creating a therapy experience that is fun and engaging, as well as motivating for each of her clients. She loves to partner with her clients and their families as they gain confidence and reach their goals.

Lexi McQuinn

Lexi received her undergraduate degree from The University of Missouri- Columbia. Following that, she attended Rockhurst University to receive her Master’s Degree in Speech- Language Pathology. Lexi has experience working in a school setting with a wide range of speech and language disorders. Her experiences include receptive and expressive language delays, speech sound disorders, social communication delays, fluency, functional communication, and early literacy skills with typically developing children as well as children with Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other health impairments. She has a passion working with students who communicate using Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices and educating families along the way.

In her free time, Lexi enjoys spending time with her baby, Cash, husband, Troy, and their two miniature-goldendoodles, Cooper and Tucker. Their hobbies include exploring Kansas City, finding nature trails, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Taylor Bock

Taylor received both her Bachelor’s in communication science and Master’s degree in speech language pathology from the University of Central Missouri. She previously worked in the school setting and currently PRN in acute-care at a local hospital. During her time in the school setting, Taylor worked in a center-based program primarily for students with autism spectrum disorders and high-support needs. Many of her students were non-speaking, which layed a foundation for Taylor’s passion and experience with augmentative and alternative communication device use. Taylor has received continuing education in the natural language acquisition approach for children who exhibit echolalia (known as scripting). Additionally, she has experience evaluating and treating students with articulation/phonology delays, language disorders, fluency, motor speech disorders as well as special populations such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Traumatic Brain Injury, and genetic disorders.

Taylor loves play-based therapy because it allows her to follow the child’s lead and incorporate their interests to make therapy fun, while also helping them reach their goals. Creating relationships through a family and team-centered approach is something she values. Outside of work, Taylor enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, outdoor activities, reading, and being a dog mom to her cavapoo, Nash.

Luke Giefer

Luke holds his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, KS. He is a licensed physical therapist in both Kansas and Missouri. His areas of expertise include pediatric rehabilitation including NDT facilitation, manual therapy techniques, primitive reflexes, balance rehabilitation, and young athlete rehabilitation. Luke also works at Infant Toddler Services of Johnson Co., specializing in infants to 3-year olds. He has served an autism diagnostic team administering ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) and CARS (Child Autism Rating Scale) testing, while also providing therapies to children with autism. Luke has received training in family centered care, vision rehabilitation, torticollis therapy, NDT muscle facilitation, orthopedic rehab, feeding techniques, and orthotic implementation. He knows the importance of providing parents with knowledge and home treatment strategies for best success. Luke has always enjoyed the enthusiasm of children and feels lucky to help all kids achieve their best ability in order to play and interact with their peers. He is a husband and father of 2 young children. He enjoys taking trips to the mountains or lake with his family, exploring Kansas City, and going to sporting events. He keeps active by biking, golfing, visiting friends, and going to parks with the family.

Jenny Chrisco

Jenny earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Rockhurst University in Kansas City in 2013. After she received her degree, she moved to St. Louis, where she worked as a pediatric physical therapist in early intervention and in a pediatric outpatient clinic. Jenny and her husband moved to Kansas City in April 2017 and she has been with the Playabilities team since summer 2017.

Jenny has experience with a wide variety of diagnoses including Autism, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, hemiplegia, hypotonia, torticollis, genetic duplications/deletions, and global developmental delay. She specializes in infant and toddler development, but works with kids through18 years. She enjoys working with children and helping them feel stronger and more confident in their bodies as they make progress with their gross motor skills. She focuses on integrating play into therapy. She believes that therapy continues beyond the clinic and works hard to involve the whole family, making it as functional and achievable as possible.

Outside of work, Jenny spends time with her husband, daughter and golden retriever. They enjoy traveling, taking walks, visiting family and playing outside.

Vanessa Shaw

Vanessa earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis in 2017. She is a licensed physical therapist in both Kansas and Missouri. After receiving her degree, she worked as a pediatric physical therapist in an outpatient clinic in St. Louis, working with children ages 0-18. In 2019, she moved to Kansas City and worked in an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic prior to accepting her current position with us. She is certified in vestibular and concussion therapy.

Vanessa has experience working with children ages birth to 18. She has worked with children with torticollis, developmental delays, autism, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, orthopedic injuries/chronic pain, and many other diagnoses. She also has experience with aquatic therapy for children.

Vanessa enjoys working with children and families and believes a family-centered, team approach is essential for success. She believes that incorporating play into therapy promotes confidence in each child to reach their full potential. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys exercising and playing slow-pitch softball. She likes spending time with friends, family and her cat, Sampson.

Kate Kennison

Kate is a Kansas City native who earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during her few years spent living on the east coast. Her clinical experiences at Carolina included UNC Children’s Hospital, Duke University’s outpatient pediatric clinics, and therapeutic day camps for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Kate’s capstone project explored the contribution of early mobility to infant cognitive development as well as language and social skills. Kate and her husband moved back to Kansas City to be closer to family, where she worked in an outpatient orthopedic setting prior to joining the Playabilities team. She has experience working with pediatric neurologic, orthopedic, and developmental diagnoses as well as pediatric equipment evaluation.

Kate has over 10 years of experience working with children in various capacities, and she is passionate about helping them explore and find value within their own abilities. She enjoys getting to know each child individually and partnering with families in order to tailor therapy to their unique needs and goals. Outside of the clinic, Kate enjoys spending time with her family and yellow lab, traveling, and being outdoors.

Stacey Spataro

Stacey earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in 2014. She is licensed in Kansas and Missouri. After graduation, she began working for Early Childhood Intervention of North Central Texas with children from birth to 3 years of age in their homes. Stacey then worked for an out-patient orthopedic clinic where she specialized and became a Certified Lymphedema Therapist working with pediatric and adult patients. Most recently she was a School Physical Therapist for 4 years in a school district located in Fort Worth, Texas working with children from kindergarten through graduation and the transition program (5-21 years of age). She also has pediatric home health and out-patient experience. She moved to the Kansas City area in June 2021 to be closer to family.

Stacey has experience working with children with various orthopedic, developmental, and neurological conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Torticollis, Mitochondrial conditions, Autism, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, and several other diagnoses. She also has experience with pediatric equipment evaluations including manual and power wheelchairs.

She is very excited to join the Playabilities team and continue her journey with pediatric therapy in the Kansas City area. Stacey is passionate about working with children and their families to help children reach their full potential. She believes that functional independence is unique to each child and finds joy in helping children. Outside of the clinic, Stacey enjoys spending time with her family, two dogs, friends and traveling.

Adam Schnacker

Adam earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. He has clinical experience working with pediatric patients aged 0-21 with a wide variety of both developmental diagnoses and orthopedic conditions. He has experience with play-based therapy, aquatic therapy, and telehealth. He also has more than 10 years of experience working with children in an adaptive sports setting. Nothing makes him happier than helping children to recognize and reach their full potential and make progress towards their goals!

During his graduate education, Adam completed a fellowship with Kansas LEND, developing expertise in neurodevelopmental disabilities. This included clinical treatment, research, and advocacy in the government and community. With his classmate Mackenzie Moore, he developed a website to improve access to adaptive sports in the greater KC area: ablefitness.org.

Adam employs a functional, play-based therapy approach and values his relationship with the patient and their family as central to the patient’s success. Physical therapy is a team sport, and is most effective when all of the members of the team are communicating well and working together to help the patient reach their goals!

In his free time, Adam enjoys playing games with his family, exploring KC with his girlfriend, and playing chase with his cat, Zahra. He also loves playing guitar, being creative, and cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers through thick and thin!

Roxie Bodine

Roxie eared her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Maryville University in St. Louis in 2017. Her clinical experiences included Early Intervention and Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation at Ranken Jordan Hospital. After graduating, Roxie took her first job at Texas Children’s Hospital in The Woodlands, Texas. She treated children with a wide variety of diagnoses and ages in an outpatient setting. She was able to hone in on her manual handling skills, specifically with patients with neurological diagnoses. She became certified in Kinesiotaping as well as treating children with torticollis and cerebral palsy. She was also involved in a NICU discharge clinic, helping premature infants meet their gross motor milestones. After leaving Texas Children’s Hospital, Roxie provided in home pediatric services, primarily to infants with torticollis and tongue tie.

Roxie has over 4 years of Pediatric experience. She has provided care to children of all ages and a wide variety of diagnoses including torticollis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, down syndrome, rare genetic diagnoses, toe walking, and developmental delay. She has a passion for teaching children how to walk and the many challenges and rewards it presents. Over the years, Roxie has found that parents are one of a child’s greatest motivators. She believes that empowering every parent to know they are a big part in their child’s progress is crucial! Above all, Roxie wants every child to reach their greatest potential. In her free time, Roxie enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 year old son, and puppy.

Jennifer Ersing

Jennifer earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Columbia University in NYC in 2015. After graduating, she was a school physical therapist in NYC for 3 years. In 2018 she moved to Providence, Rhode Island where she worked as a staff physical therapist at an outpatient clinic associated with Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She has experience working with children from birth-21 years of age with a variety of neurologic, orthopedic and developmental diagnoses. Jennifer recently moved to the Kansas City area in September 2022 with her husband and 2 year old son and is excited to explore the area. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors with her family and her dog.