Grace has a human development and family sciences degree from Kansas State University and a doctorate in occupational therapy from Rockhurst University. Throughout her education, Grace trained in pediatric settings, including outpatient neurological rehabilitation facilities, private practice, and school-based settings. She researched the benefits of intensive therapy interventions for children with Cerebral Palsy during her capstone experience. Grace believes in creating a safe and fun environment for each child and is passionate about helping families and children achieve their goals.
In her free time, Grace enjoys spending time with friends and family, exercising, reading, traveling, trying new restaurants, and photography!
Paige attended Kansas State University, earning her degree in Athletic Training with a minor in Kinesiology. After graduation, she attended the University of Kansas Medical Center to complete her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. During her fieldwork experiences, she worked with children of various ages and diagnoses, creating interventions to target emotional regulation, sensory processing, daily living skills, school participation, and employment readiness. Paige has specific experience with the Down Syndrome population, as she completed a fieldwork rotation at a local non-profit, Down Syndrome Innovations, and is actively involved with the organization when she is not at Playabilities.
Paige had a younger sibling with a disability, giving her perspectives on how this affects the entire family unit. This inspired her to create sibling support resources in collaboration with Children’s Mercy during her Capstone project. Above all, Paige values creating meaningful relationships with families to support their needs. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, friends, and family. Her favorite occupation is leisure, and she enjoys a variety of creative hobbies including knitting, sewing, and songwriting!
Sydnee graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Leadership. With a background in event planning, she brings creativity, strong organizational skills, and a passion for delivering exceptional experiences. Sydnee is dedicated to building lasting relationships and is always striving to make a positive impact in both personal and professional settings. Driven by curiosity and a commitment to personal growth, she embraces every opportunity to learn, adapt, and discover new perspectives. When she is not working, you can find her traveling, cooking, or exploring new restaurants.
Maddie attended Rockhurst University, where she received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. She has worked as a pediatric SLP for almost 4 years, with experience in the school setting and private therapy clinics. She decided to take the skills she gained working as an SLP and transition into an administrative role. She looks forward to continuing to support clients and their families in a new role and fostering positive relationships around the clinic. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks, trying new restaurants, and spending time with loved ones.
Jenna went to school at K-State University and majored in Human Resources Management. She then studied abroad for a semester in Prague and got her love for travel and new experiences that has since stuck in her in her post-college life. She enjoys connecting and meeting with others and is very passionate about working with those that bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and backgrounds to the company culture. She most prides herself on being a positive team player and doing what she can to make a difference wherever she goes is something she value and feels is a strong value.
Jenae is a highly motivated and results-oriented healthcare leader with a passion for improving the lives of children. She brings a wealth of experience to Playabilities, including expertise in process improvement, project/program management, data analytics, and EMR implementations. Jenae earned her MBA with a Healthcare Management focus from Rockhurst University and her Bachelor’s Degree in General/HR Management from Kansas State University. She’s also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Outside of work, Jenae enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children. You’ll often find them exploring the KC Zoo, enjoying Saturday donut runs, and discovering new parks around the city. She also loves trying new restaurants and coffee shops, cooking new recipes, and traveling.
Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise from the University of Central Missouri. She brings valuable experience to the Playabilities team, having worked with children both during her academic career and in her professional post-graduation roles. With a strong commitment to fostering positive relationships, Andrea is dedicated to supporting children and their families, and she works to build lasting, meaningful connections with all members of the family.
Andrea lives in Lenexa with her fiancé and her cat, Chai. When she is not working, she can be found baking and doing crafts.
Sammy has been a bilingual speech-language pathologist in medical and school settings for over 10 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Speech-Language-Hearing from the University of Kansas and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a Bilingual/Multicultural Certificate from the University of Texas at Austin. She specializes in working with English-speaking and multilingual children of all ages who have speech and language impairments and children who stutter. Sammy values collaboration between all members of a child’s treatment team across disciplines and works diligently to empower families as their child’s best advocate and teacher.
Sammy strives to use evidence-based treatment and intervention practices. She enjoys teaching and learning from others. She has presented to speech-language pathologists and other professionals. She also co-authored an article published in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.
In her free time, Sammy is always in search of new adventures. Whether her travels take her internationally or just down the street, she loves getting to know the locals. She often takes day trips with her family to explore sites in and around Kansas City.
April graduated from UMKC with a Bachelors of Arts. In school, she studied English Literature with a true passion for writing. In her personal time, there is nothing she enjoys more than taking her experiences and turning them into testimonies of herself and the lives she encounters. Her professional career has been centered around helping people—another great passion of hers. April’s most rewarding professional endeavors have been in the social work and human services fields working with minorities and at risk populations. She loves being able to be hands-on in a job that she can put her belief in, and really feel and see the positive impact her efforts have.
Whether April is writing or working, her biggest aspiration is to be a comforting face, voice, and helping hand to the people who encounter her.
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!
