Pediatric and Adolescent Occupational Therapist Noella earned her Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy from Baylor University. Noella has always been passionate about restoring hope and purpose through rehabilitation after recovering from her running injuries and from her dad’s recovery from cardiac arrest. Her passion for Occupational Therapy grew deeply in the special education classroom during her time as a paraprofessional. Her students will always have a special place in her heart but one student in particular who never let her disability stop her has forever changed and inspired Noella to never give up. Now, Noella strives to help all children reach their full potential no matter what the barrier or circumstances is. She is a strong advocate for children and family, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to maximize treatment sessions and promote functional activities in everyday life.
During her fieldwork rotations, Noella gained experience in home health, the school system, outpatient, and inpatient rehabilitation with adults and pediatrics. During her capstone experience she worked with high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to help bridge the gap for transitional work and life skills after graduation.
Noella believes in advocacy, inclusion, fun and client centered care to help all individuals reach their full potential.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends/family and being involved in the community. She also enjoys exploring nature, playing board games, and trying new things!
Kayla received her Bachelor’s of Science from Kansas State University and majored in Family Studies and Human Services. She went on to receive her Master’s of Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Kayla has experience in outpatient pediatric clinics where she also provided services in the schools and through West Virginia Birth to Three. Kayla has had the opportunity to work with children of all ages and specifically enjoys the creative process of facilitating enriching sensory experiences, providing individualized treatment, and of course learning more about each child. She loves being able to share authentic moments with kids whether it be accomplishing a new skill or laughing together. Each child is unique, and important, and Kayla is appreciative to be a part of their journey.
Kayla enjoys spending time with her fiance, friends, family, and hanging out with her dog Jax. In her free time, Kayla can be found traveling and exploring Kansas City
Harper earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. In her educational and professional experiences, she has worked in pediatric mental health, sensory processing, and emotional regulation. She also has experience working in the school system with IEPs and 504s. Harper completed her doctoral capstone at KidsTLC in their residential psychiatric unit and at Marillac Campus inpatient working with staff to build sensory rooms and promote sensory processing education.
Harper is originally from Arkansas, and has now lived in Kansas City for three years. She loves to go to the movie theater, play pickleball, and have coffee dates with her husband.
Alyssa obtained her Doctorate Degree from Creighton University in Omaha, NE in May 2023. Throughout her education she had multiple clinical experiences in pediatric settings, emphasizing culturally competent and trauma informed care. She completed a doctoral capstone experience that analyzed the effectiveness of using trust-based relational interventions and sensory based approaches for children who have experienced trauma. Throughout her undergrad and graduate studies she worked with multiple clients, varying in ages with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She looks forward to empowering her clients and their families and providing them tools to help navigate this world to the best of their abilities!
In her free time Alyssa enjoys being with her family, hiking and exploring her new city. She appreciates all good restaurant recommendations!
Emily Wilson graduated from the University of Kansas with her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy! Her passion for this field stems from growing up with an older brother with autism. Watching his progress sparked her drive to ensure that all children and young adults can participate in meaningful activities in school, home, and community environments. Throughout her education, she has created group and individual programming centered around social-emotional development and leisure participation with youth in lower income communities. In addition, she has partnered with the Chiefs and Down Syndrome Innovations as a job coach to aid individuals with Down Syndrome in becoming both self-determined and independent in work-related tasks at Arrowhead Stadium. In the future, she looks forward to collaborating with families to develop goals that are client-centered and personalized to meet each child’s individual needs.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing pickle ball with friends, going on walks at Loose Park, and spending time with family.
Laura grew up in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas. She then moved to Charleston, South Carolina to attend The Medical University of South Carolina where she earned her Master’s Degree of Occupational Therapy. After receiving her degree, Laura moved home to the Northwest Arkansas area where she worked in an outpatient pediatric therapy setting, as well as in the NICU. During her time in NWA, Laura also served as a Clinic Supervisor in which she was responsible for supervising occupational, physical and speech therapy departments. Laura believes in using a child-led approach that empowers kids to reach their goals and have fun! Laura is passionate about creating individualized treatment plans for clients by building rapport with the client, and parents to learn what motivates them to reach their highest potentials. Laura welcomes an open line of communication between parents and other disciplines to collaborate for a holistic treatment approach.
Laura is new to the Kansas City area, and is excited to explore restaurants, walking trails, and the farmer’s market. During her free time she enjoys baking, making soap, and walking her dogs.
Mary earned her Doctorate of OT from Belmont University. She has experience in multiple pediatric settings including outpatient intervention, schools, early intervention, and hippotherapy. Mary is passionate about using a child-centered, play-based approach to help kids be kids and reach their goals. Mary loves including caregivers in her treatment sessions and working with families to help them feel empowered in helping their child reach their full potential. Mary has specialized in the evaluation and treatment of children with Sensory Processing Disorders with training from the STAR Institute in Denver, Colorado and in using the DIR/Floortime model in treatment. She has additional specialized training in feeding therapy using the SOS Approach to feeding. Mary believes in using a family-centered, holistic treatment approach to treat the whole child and make therapy motivating, engaging and fun! In her free time, Mary enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading a good book, and spending time with family, friends and pets.
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.
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.
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!
