Kennedy earned her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. She has clinical experience working with pediatric patients during her outpatient rotation at Children’s Mercy and her school-based rotation with Kansas City Public Schools. Kennedy has worked with children aged 1-18 years old, treating various diagnoses including autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, Cerebral palsy, Oppositional defiant disorder, sensory differences, and fine and gross motor delays. While at KU Medical Center, she also participated in Sensory Enhanced Aquatics, teaching swimming skills and water orientation to children with autism spectrum disorder.
In her free time, Kennedy enjoys watching KC Current and the Chiefs, coaching soccer, playing with her dog, and spending time with her friends and family.
Nicole grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and obtained her Bachelor’s in Health Sciences in 2020 from the University of Missouri. Nicole moved back to Illinois and received her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Midwestern University in 2023. While obtaining her Doctorate, Nicole continuously educated herself in the pediatric field by completing a full-time fieldwork in a pediatric outpatient clinic and her doctoral capstone focusing on improving social skills of children attending a therapeutic day school.
Nicole passed the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam in July 2023 and began working at a therapeutic day school in September 2023 with children with varying diagnoses. Nicole received formal and informal mentorship while working full-time at this clinic in order to continue to educate herself and refine her pediatric occupational therapy skills. Nicole has worked with children with various diagnoses including; sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, children who have splints, children with behavioral concerns, and many others. Nicole’s approach to pediatric therapy is to use a play-based approach when working with a child to build rapport and trust while having open conversations with families and caregivers to ensure a holistic approach with the best possible outcomes!
Nicole moved to Kansas City in June 2024 and now works for Playabilities. She continues to be passionate about the pediatric field of occupational therapy and is dedicated to helping children and families.
In her free time, Nicole enjoys walking her dog, hanging out with friends, watching movies, and enjoying the sun outdoors!
Corinne attended Kansas State University where she earned her undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Sciences. After graduation, she attended the University of Kansas Medical Center and earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. During her clinical rotations, she gained experience in the school setting working with children ages 3-10 on sensory processing, emotional regulation, fine motor, and visual perceptual skills. She also led weekly dance classes for individuals with disabilities to promote physical activity and social skills. During her Capstone, Corinne created and implemented life skills classes for adolescents and adults experiencing homelessness in the Kansas City area. Throughout her education, Corinne worked as a personal care attendant, empowering individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities to live independently. Corinne is passionate about helping children and their families gain the skills needed to participate in meaningful activities and reach their goals!
In her free time, Corinne enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and cat, Cheesecake! She loves spending time outside, traveling to new places, and trying new foods!
McKenzie earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. While completing her degree, she participated in Kansas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND), where she gained additional education and training. She has gained professional experience in both school-based practice and pediatric/adolescent medical rehabilitation. She has worked with kids of all ages and diagnoses ranging from developmental delay to rare neurological disorders. She has expertise in treating pediatric stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury, CP, and developmental disabilities. She is also passionate about supporting teens with IDD transitioning from high school, which was the focus of her doctoral capstone. Her favorite part about being an OT is using play to build a wide variety of skills and overall independence. She believes nothing beats seeing them smile when they reach their goals!
In her free time, she loves to play volleyball, visit local coffee shops, and hang out with her fiancé and two dogs!
Alyson attended Kansas State University where she dual majored in Kinesiology and Nutrition. After undergrad, she attended Rockhurst University’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program, receiving her degree in December of 2023.
During her clinical experiences, Alyson worked with young children who have experienced trauma, impacting their development and social-emotional well-being. Alyson’s capstone experience focused on promoting and improving self-advocacy and self-determination skills in young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also facilitated group social/leisure activities for high school students and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Alyson has her Mental Health First Aid Certification and is passionate about inclusion, advocacy, and helping children reach their greatest potential. She enjoys building meaningful relationships with my clients and collaborating with caregivers/family members to provide services that meet the child’s and family’s needs.
In her free time, Alyson enjoys spending time with friends and family, spoiling her two nephews, reading, being outdoors, traveling, playing pickleball, and trying new restaurants in KC!
Kirstin graduated from the University of Kansas Medical Center with her doctorate in Occupational Therapy. During her undergraduate studies, she spent time as a program director of a respite care program that served children with disabilities and volunteered in private clinics, hospitals, and adult day programs gaining experience working with a wide range of clients from different backgrounds. During her clinical rotations and since graduation, she has been working in the schools serving students Pre-K to 12th grade with various abilities. Kirstin is looking forward to working with clients and their families to provide a holistic, play-based approach to therapy.
In her free time, Kirstin enjoys spending time with her family and friends, taking her huskies for long walks, and trying new restaurants in the area.
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!
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!
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.
