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.
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.
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.
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 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 also has specialized training in feeding therapy through the SOS Approach to Feeding.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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. Giggy has specialized training in feeding therapy through the SOS Approach to Feeding.
Giggy 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!
