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.
Camryn obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics with a minor in Psychology from Iowa State University in 2021. She continued her education at the University of Kansas and graduated with her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology in 2023. Throughout graduate school, Camryn served as a Project Instruct scholar during which she collaborated with special education teachers and paraprofessionals to provide inclusive education to students with complex communication needs. Additionally, she completed a year-long training through the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program. These experiences ignited Camryn’s passion for working with the Disability community rooted in presuming competence in her clients, sharing joy with them, and building relationships with them and their families/caregivers.
This passion carried Camryn to complete her clinical fellowship at the University of Wisconsin Waisman Center Communication Aids and Systems Clinic (CASC). Throughout this year, Camryn provided strengths-based AAC evaluations and therapy to both children and adults with developmental disabilities, acquired communication disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions. She was also given the honor to further develop her leadership, clinical, and research skills as a second-year LEND trainee through UW-Madison’s program. Camryn is immensely excited to return to the Kansas City community to continue learning and growing alongside children with developmental disabilities and their families/caregivers. In her free time, Camryn enjoys spending time with her family, friends, trying new restaurants around KC, and being active.
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.
Michaela earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Michaela has clinical experience working with the pediatric population during her school-based clinical rotation in the Lawrence School District, outpatient pediatric clinical rotation at Ability KC Therapeutic Learning Center, and throughout her acute rehabilitation clinical at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha. She had the opportunity to work with children aged 0-18 years old with a variety of developmental diagnoses including down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, as well as traumatic brain injuries, traumas, and orthopedic injuries.
During her time at KUMC, Michaela completed training through the LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) Program. LEND consisted of experiencing clinical treatment, research, interdisciplinary class discussions, community experiences, family immersion, and advocacy within the government and community. Michaela collaborated on advancing and advocating for ABLE Fitness which was created to promote health and improve access to adaptive sports in the greater KC area.
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!
Kaitlyn received her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Kansas, and her bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. During graduate school, she had experiences in early intervention, and providing services to individuals with hearing loss, fluency disorders, and social communication needs through various clinical opportunities.
Kaitlyn began the first two years of her career in the school setting, where she had the opportunity to work with children aged PK-5th grade, working primarily with speech sound disorders, including childhood apraxia of speech, phonological and articulation disorders, as well as receptive and expressive language development. She also served two specialized program classrooms at this job, working with children with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, and Down Syndrome. In these classrooms, she worked with various augmentative and alternative communication modalities to support the functional communication skills of these students.
Kaitlyn enjoys providing services in a child-led manner that builds on each child’s interests and strengths, and that leads to functional outcomes for children and their families.
In her free time, Kaitlyn loves spending time with friends and family, being active, visiting new places, and cheering on the K-State Wildcats!
Abby is a bilingual speech-language pathologist with more than 15 years of pediatric clinical experience. She holds an undergraduate degree in Spanish and Speech-Language and Hearing from the University of Kansas, a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Rockhurst University, and is currently completing her PhD in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Missouri.
Abby has held both clinical and academic positions. Her clinical experience includes pediatric speech and language disorders; bilingual speech and language assessment and intervention; and interprofessional team assessment supporting children with cleft palate, swallowing disorders, and childhood maltreatment.
In her role as a university faculty member, Abby has taught coursework in human communication disorders, research methods, cultural and linguistic diversity in CSD, trauma-informed care for the SLP, genetic bases of communication disorders, clinical methods in pediatrics, language development, and pediatric language assessment. Her research interests include child language development within parent-child interaction, early language intervention, and bilingualism.
Most importantly, Abby loves being a wife and a mom of three kids. She loves to spend her free time outside with family and friends. She enjoys gardening, walking, reading, and all things Kansas City.
Angela earned her Master of Physical Therapy degree from Rockhurst University in Kansas City in 2004. She also has her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Rockhurst University. Angela is a licensed therapist in both Kansas and Missouri.
Angela brings nearly 20 years of experience to the Playabilities team. Angela previously worked for a local school district and in a developmental preschool. She has experience working with a wide variety of medical conditions and levels of motor function in children from birth through 18 years of age. Angela has worked in a variety of pediatric settings and is excited to bring this experience and knowledge to Playabilities. Her pediatric experiences have included aquatic therapy, early intervention services, treadmill training, and kinesiotaping.
Angela has a passion for working with kids and helping them reach their greatest potential. She focuses on making therapy fun and strives to make functional home programs that are embedded within the child and family’s day. Angela firmly believes that parents, caregivers, and other family members are integral members of the therapy team. Her favorite part of working with kids is developing individualized treatment plans and celebrating a child’s successes – big or small along their journey.
Outside of work, Angela spends time with her husband and three boys. You will most likely find her cheering on her boys at their various sports and the hometown favorite – the KC Chiefs. In her free time, she enjoys exercising, traveling with her family, and reading.
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!
