Staff

Texas Woman’s University Denton, Texas

During Alyson’s senior year in high school, she was in a car accident which required her to attend Occupational Therapy to rehabilitate her arm and hand. Her therapist introduced her to the profession and said, “If you like art and science this is the way to go”. At the time, the one passion she had in her life was drawing and painting – however she knew she did not have what it took to make a living as a professional artist – so O.T. was perfect! Alyson has never looked back! Alyson is certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT).

Southwest Texas State University

Donna knew that she would enter a profession that supported the community and provided assistance in some capacity to people, families and communities in need. Very early on, she knew that she would be a physical therapist or physician. Donna was lead by the Lord to the amazing profession of physical therapy. She also knew that someday she would own a practice. Again, she waited and the Lord was very clear when it was time to begin the family of Little Tesoros Therapy Services. On a daily basis, Donna stands in awe of what He has created, provided and continues to grow for the treasures in our care at LTTS. Donna has a special interest in Neonatal Developmental Care, and created and implemented the Developmental Programs in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. David’s Medical Center fourteen years ago. She also developed and implemented the Wound Care Center at St. David’s Medical Center. She is trained in providing pediatric physical therapy under the Neurodevelopmental Treatment Approach (NDT).

University of Texas Medical

Adrienne chose the field of physical therapy because of a strong passion for pediatrics, the desire to advance the quality of life and make a difference in the outcome of children. She has a “post-professional” certificate in IMPRINTS (Improved Training of Physical Therapists in Early Intervention Settings). Her special areas of interest include: traumatic/atraumatic amputations, spinal cord injuries, wound care, neurological disorders, and adaptive sports for children with special needs.

University of Texas and University of Texas at Dallas

Alexis became a pediatric speech therapist because children offer a kind of hope that is difficult to find elsewhere. They surprise her everyday with what they are capable of and she loves watching them learn to communicate! She is interested in autism, early language acquisition, childhood apraxia of speech, and augmentative and alternative communication.

The University of Texas at Austin
Texas Woman’s University at Houston for Masters in Physical Therapy

When Amanda was in middle school, one of her cousins had triplets. One of the girls was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and Amanda had the opportunity to attend several of her physical therapy sessions. She quickly realized that this was the passion she wanted to pursue! Amanda is certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) and has a special interest in patients with neurologic diagnoses.

The University of Texas at Austin

Amanda chose speech therapy because she loves kids and loves to eat and talk!! She feels so blessed that she gets to come to work everyday doing something she loves with so many people that she loves! She is very interested in working with kids with neuromuscular disorders especially related to feeding and language skills. She is NDT certified, Vital Stim certified, and has additional training in augmentative communication.

University of Tulsa and University of Texas at Austin

Anna chose speech therapy because she always loved children and the medical profession but wanted a career that gave her more flexibility and time with her family than being a physician. She loves being a speech therapist because of the close personal relationships that can be nurtured with patients and their families. She is trained in the SOS Feeding Protocol and has a special interest in feeding and early language acquisition.

Wayland Baptist University and Texas Woman's University

Becky chose the field of OT while she was working in various psychiatric hospitals alongside OT's. She was drawn to the profession because it offered more varied options of practice than psychology. Her areas of specialty include premature infants, oral motor/feeding, splinting and adaptive equipment.

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Beverly became a PT because she got choked up watching Howard Keel sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" while he was walking through a rehab dept in a newsreel clip fundraiser for March of Dimes during the polio epidemic. This memory stayed with her when she entered college. She has a long list of continuing education courses, especially after 1974 when she went to work for the Austin State School and saw the results of not addressing children's problems early. Her practice includes four years at AISD, thirteen years at Pediatric Therapy Services, four years at HealthSouth, ten years in private practice and contract work.

University of Southern California, BS and MS

Carole chose PT because she met a 7 year old boy with cerebral palsy when she was a junior in college and headed for med school. She fell in love with this kiddo and chose physical therapy instead of any other medical field. Carole is NDT certified, NDT Baby Certified, TES certified, has advanced training in Myofascial Release in pediatrics, Cranialsacral therapy, Kinesiotaping in pediatrics and advanced training in the treatment of Torticollis.

Austin Community College

Cassie chose OT because she has always enjoyed working with children and babies. After her daughter was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, it just made sense for her to follow a career path of working with children with special needs. She loves providing home based therapy because of the bond that develops between her, the child she is treating and their family. She has specialized training in feeding therapy, sensory integration, augmentative and alternative communication, and Handwriting Without Tears.

Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin

Chelsa became a speech language pathologist because of her fascination with the field of Linguistics and how speech, language, and communication skills develop. This field allows her to combine not only her passion for the study of language but also her passion for developing and maintaining relationships with people. Chelsa is interested in early speech and language development and feeding and swallowing. She is VitalStim certified and has additional training in SOS Feeding Protocol.

Texas Woman's University

Christa chose to be an OT because she was intrigued by the idea of teaching people different ways to do things so they could be more independent. She has a background in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) and an understanding of how visual dysfunction might affect motor development and postural control.

BA from West Virginia Wesleyan College
MPT from Hahnemann University

Growing up, Darla was always encouraged by a friend who had bilateral tibial hemimelia and wore braces until middle school. Her friend then had to have amputations of both lower legs. It was empowering to see her work through so many issues and make such a success out of her life against many obstacles. That started Darla’s interest in the human body and its ability to overcome! She’s had the tremendous experience of several outstanding pediatric facilities where she’s been able to get hands on training with a wide range of diagnoses. Areas of interest include prosthetics, botox management and serial casting, MFR.

Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis.

She attended the Lutheran School of Theology for a Masters in Divinity and attended Texas State to study educational psychology. Her special certifications include Neurodevelopmental Treatment, Clinical Pastoral Education, and internships in occupational therapy, chaplaincy, pastor of a congregation, and intern counselor. She chose occupational therapy because it was wholistic and a combination of working in the educational and medical paradigm together. She chose counseling to have the opportunity to assist people in the social, emotional and psychological needs, going beyond physical and sensory and cognitive treatment.

She chose pastoral care in an attempt to understand spiritual needs and provide care on a more global basis. She loves all of her work and feels most informed in her job as mother. She is grateful to continue to be excited about her profession after working in the field for over 36 years and to see the integration of body, mind, and spirit in this era.

University of Texas at Austin

DeeDee chose speech pathology because she wanted to be a specialized teacher of some sort and also loved drama, as in the speech/drama classes taught in high school. She loves working with the younger population and has additional training in bilingual development, assessment, and treatment. She is also Hanen certified and finds it effective in the treatment of young children with all types of delays and disorders from apraxia to autism.

Texas Woman’s University

Elizabeth chose OT because a little girl that she babysit as a teenager needed to attend OT. This sparked her interest in the profession. She is SIPT certified, has additional training in kenisio-taping and the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol. Her areas of interest include feeding, sensory processing and neuromotor disorders.

Bachelor of Science in Health Care Sciences-University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Master of Occupational Therapy-UTHSCSA

Erin choose pediatric occupational therapy because it's rewarding to work alongside a child and their family to help build on the foundation of their future. She is certified in the Astronaut Training technique.

University of Texas-Pan American

Gil chose physical therapy because he wanted to work in a career that was purposeful, not just a job. He knew working as a therapist, especially in pediatrics, would be a rewarding and fulfilling career that he would be proud of. He has been able to work with NDT and SI certified therapists in both the school and clinical settings. He has experience in hippotherapy, aquatic therapy and multiple years of leading and assisting in summer camp activites for children with special needs.

Hilary graduated from Texas A&M with a BA in Anthropology and Latin American Studies. She worked in and with many different Spanish speaking countries in a variety of settings from research on the impact of petroleum companies on the indigenous populations to organizing communities to improve sanitation and hygiene. Returning to school to pursue a Masters in Physical Therapy was a long awaited goal. She received her MSPT from Texas State University and chose to pursue pediatrics because she enjoys working with honest and hard-working, positive young people. Her hope is to instill confidence and enjoyment in the lives of her patients. Hillary appreciates the trust parents have to let her work closely with their amazing children.

Austin Community College

Joann's son was born prematurely and with hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy and cortical blindness. She attended therapy with him and while in he was in early childhood intervention (ECI) Joann met some great therapists who gave her the idea to enter the field. When her son was about seven, Joann went back to school to become a COTA. She worked for ECI for 9 years before joining Little Tesoros in 2002. She enjoys helping families just like hers and wouldn't trade her job for anything!

New York University

Julie became an OT because she was always interested in working in a health care field. She discovered she loves helping people overcome obstacles and improve their lives. Julie has been an OT for over 21 years and has worked with all age groups in a variety of settings. She has extensive experience in feeding problems and also in working with very medically compromised children and adults.

Baylor University and University of Oklahoma

Julie decided to become a speech pathologist because of a desire to develop relationships with children and their families and wants encourage them to explore new opportunities in order to stimulate new learning and abilities. Her special interests include oral motor dysfunction, developmental delays, and feeding therapy. She is in the process of becoming PROMPT certified.

The University of Texas at Dallas and The University of Texas at Austin

Katherine chose to become a speech-language pathologist because it provided the perfect mix of studying and thinking about language and helping others. Her areas of interest include autism and social communication difficulties, early language acquisition, augmentative and alternative communication and oral motor dysfunction. She is Hanen certified and trained in the PROMPT technique and the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol.

University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and A.T. Still University in Arizona.

Kathy had several significant knee surgeries as a child and received a lot of physical therapy. She admired the therapist that worked with her, and knew from an early age that she wanted to be a therapist herself one day and work with children so that she could pass on the blessing that was given to her in helping her to recover.

Kathy has received training in NDT techniques, has had multiple courses on torticollis, and orthopedic disorders of childhood. She has also done significant research and her dissertation on JRA.

Southwest Texas State University

Katie became a physical therapist because she really does love working with children and more importantly emowering and teaching parents so that they themselves can help their children overcome any obstacle.Katie has additional training in working with children with reflexive sympathetic dystrophy, torticollis, spina bifida, developmental delay. She is also trained in kinesiotex taping and care of the premature infant.

University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University in San Marcos

Physical therapy allows Kelli to help people get back to what they love to do without pain or restriction. Pediatrics is especially fulfilling because it allows her help teach new skills in a fun environment with an exciting population. Kelli is interested in serial casting; pediatric gait analysis & training with body-weight support systems. She also has an interest in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) and has pursued continuing education in courses relating to infant handling, myofascial release, and core strengthening with the pediatric neurological population.

Texas A&M University
Texas Woman’s University, Dallas  Masters in Physical Therapy

Keri became interested in physical therapy in high school as part of a Health Science class. She volunteered during her undergraduate studies at an adult and pediatric physical therapy clinic where she came to love pediatric therapy. She is trained in the TheraSuit Method Intensive Program and this is one of her passions as well as aquatic therapy, equipment assessments, and orthotics. She also has a special interest in patients with neurologic disorders.

Southwest Texas State University

Kim always enjoyed working with children and pediatric home-based physical therapy gives her the opportunity to work closely with kids and their families. She can work together with the family to help the child become as independent as possible in the areas that are most important to the child and the family. Kim is certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT).

Texas A&M University-Kingsville

She chose speech pathology to provide hope and possiblities to persons with disabilities and their families. Lesli has extensive training in feeding, autism, and augmentative & alternative communication.

Duke University- BA is physical anthropology and biological psychology
Medical College of Virginia- MS in PT
Texas Woman's University- PhD ABD in PT, dissertation on Differential Diagnosis in Pediatrics

Mary Elizabeth chose PT because she wanted to be in healthcare and just feels like it was God’s will for her life. Her areas of specialties are rare and undiagnosed conditions including mitochondrial disorders.

University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston

She chose to be an O.T. because she always wanted to work with children and loved the medical field. Mary Kay is certified in Sensory Integration. She is certified to administor the Brazelton Neonate Assessment and has training in Handwriting Without Tears. She loves to work with children with feeding issues.

Stephen F. Austin State University

Meagan chose speech therapy because she wanted to make a career out of helping others and making an impact in the lives of patients and their families. She chose pediatrics because she truly enjoys working with children and watching them grow. Her interests and training include behavior modification, children with PDD/autism, early language acquisition, and language processing

Texas Woman's University and Texas A&M University

Rachel chose to be an OT because she loves playing and enjoys the smiles she is blessed to see each day. Every child has such a unique personality and Rachel loves exploring that and helping them to grow towards more independence. She enjoys working with both neuromotor and sensory populations and is NDT certified.

UTMB

Ryan enjoys working with children and families. He chose PT because he feels like he is making lasting connections and relationships and making a difference in people's lives.

University of Houston and Austin Community College

Sarah chose Occupational Therapy after experiencing it through a family member. She wanted a profession where she could make an impact in children's lives and work one on one with them and their families. Sarah practiced as an Optometric Vision Therapist for 6 years working with children of all ages and abilities before returning to the field of OT.

Washington State University

Stephanie chose to become a speech language pathologist because she believes that every child should have the opportunity to communicate to their fullest potential. She loves the collaborative relationships that she has with parents and other therapists as they celebrate a child's accomplishments. Stephanie is interested in early language acquistion, feeding therapy, and working with children with trachs. She is Hanen certified and has additional feeding, augmentative communication, and language training.

BS in Occupational Therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston
MA in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin

Susan chose to be an OT to have the opportunity to work with children and make a difference in their lives. Susan is currently working on learning to speak Spanish. After retirement, she would like to do volunteer work in Austin supporting parents with special needs children by translating medical and therapy information for them when they go to appointments. She is involved in mission work at an orphanage in Peru and will accompany her husband on future medical missions to Africa and South America. Her favorite things about being a pediatric OT are the smiles on the children's faces, their laughter, training parents, and learning from, as well as problem solving with, co-workers. She has additional trainings in the areas of: Neurodevelopmental Treatment Certification-Pediatrics; Neurodevelopmental Treatment Certification-Babies; Sensory Integration and Praxis Test-Certification; Astronaut Training Certification; and American Occupational Therapy Board Certification in Pediatrics.