Meet The Team

Lauren completed her BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of South Florida in 2014 and graduated from the University of Central Florida with her MA in Speech Pathology in 2016., She has gained clinical experience in the school setting as well in the clinical setting. Lauren enjoys treating pediatric clients with various diagnoses from diverse cultural backgrounds. Lauren strives to collaborate with OT and PT to create a comprehensive approach when treating clients. Lauren is a native Floridian who enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to concerts, the beach, and the movies. She also enjoys sports (football and baseball), cooking, and doing outdoor activities such as fishing and boating.

Vickie received her Associate of Science in Physical Therapy Assisting from Keiser University. Vickie additionally holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Religion and a Master’s in Business Administration from The University of Tampa. She began working with children at a day care while in college then, became a Respite Care Worker, and coached girls’ competitive soccer for 10+ years. Vickie was first introduced to PTS as a Student PTA Intern and quickly fell in love with the patients, their families and the staff. She enjoys reading, watching movies, kayaking, attending various sporting events and spending time with her family.

Tierra received her Master of Science in Occupational therapy from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. Tierra discovered her passion to work with children while volunteering at Pediatric Therapy Services in Lakeland, FL while attending Florida Southern. Tierra was born and raised in Tampa, FL.

Nikki graduated from Florida State University with a Master of Science Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Nikki has worked in a variety of pediatric settings and has been with PTS since 2002. Nikki specializes in treating all different types of children with language/feeding disorders. She enjoys helping families become successful through her guidance with bottle and breast feeding. Nikki believes that by working together the family, child and therapy team will be successful. Nikki shares her knowledge and experiences through mentoring as a clinical supervisor for SLP’s during their clinical fellowship year. Nikki enjoys reading, movies and all dogs.

Denise attended Grove City College in Pennsylvania and hails from Pittsburgh PA. Denise joined the PTS team in 2006. Denise manages the demands of the ever revolving therapist schedule while welcoming families and handling paperwork with efficiency. Denise enjoys working with her fellow PTS team and chatting with parents and families. When not at work Denise enjoys reading and traveling to meet with family and friends.

Graham has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration/ Financial Management from Florida Southern College. He has worked with PTS since 2005. Graham enjoys cooking, reading, outdoor activities, spending time with family and friends, watching sports, and playing with his children!

Carrie received her Masters of Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of South Florida. Carrie has worked for PTS since 2010. Carrie’s approach to therapy differs with every child she sees. She works to use the interest of each child to make therapy an experience which the child will enjoy and want to engage in. She finds that the more excited and engaged a child is in a topic or activity the better they respond to new opportunities/challenges. Carrie enjoys spending her free time with her son, Clayton, and also with family and friends!

Colleen completed her Masters in Occupational Therapy at the University of Florida. Go Gators! Colleen has experience working in a variety of settings including a skilled nursing facility, rehabilitation hospital and pediatrics. She has been a treating therapist since 2011 and has found her home in pediatrics. She uses a holistic approach in treatment and embraces techniques from other disciplines. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, exercising, watching football and cooking.

Erica graduated from the University of South Florida with a Master of Science Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Erica has been working as a Speech Language Pathologist since 2012 and has experienced in the charter school setting, nursing home setting and the private practice setting. Erica is currently certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Erica enjoys treating a variety of children with various diagnoses. Erica utilizes a holistic approach when treating her patients and incorporates techniques from other disciplines whenever possible. Erica has a passion for helping others and truly enjoys working with the pediatric population. As a native Floridian, she enjoys activities such as boating, exercising, photography, spending time with family and attending sporting events.

Diana received her Bachelor’s of Health Science in 2004 and Master’s of Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida in 2005. She has been a part of the PTS team since 2006. Diana is certified in Sensory Integration techniques and in the administration of the SIPT. She shares her pediatric knowledge by mentoring future Occupational Therapists. Diana enjoys cheering on Gator athletics and playing outside with her children on sunny Florida weekends.

Kathy attended Ball State University in Indiana moving to Lakeland in 1978. Kathy has made her professional home with PTS for over 20 years. Kathy is certified in Medisoft and continues her education in trainings for management, billing, and coding. Kathy works tirelessly to insure that PTS is aware of any changes in requirements that affect the overall ability of PTS to help children and families. Kathy enjoys seeing the PTS therapists guiding the children as they work to meet their goals and enjoys being able to help others succeed in their lives. Kathy’s special interests include running, gardening, art, her church and missions.

Trista graduated from Misericordia University in Dallas, PA where she received her Masters of Science of Physical Therapy. Trista has 14 years of varied experience with 11 years of it in pediatrics. Additional setting included: spinal cord, inpatient hospital, outpatient orthopedics, and aquatics. Trista loves working with children helping them learn new movement and abilities through play. Trista strives to make treatments fun and functional so that they will carry into the child’s life. She enjoys working with the child’s entire family teaching them ways to incorporate activities into their daily routine. The best reward for Trista is when a child learns independence and shows pride in their achievements. Trista enjoys spending time with her two sons as they learn and grow. Trista enjoys the outdoors and takes advantage of the Florida weather as a runner. Trista has lived in 6 states and has made Florida her permanent home with her family.

Sean graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2000. He has practiced in a wide range of settings in Ohio and Florida before coming to PTS, including hospitals, rehab facilities, home health, and schools. He has experience working with adults following brain and spinal cord injuries, strokes, and miscellaneous trauma; acute and chronic psychiatric conditions; chronic and post-operative orthopedic conditions; and cardiac conditions. He also received training in the area of driver rehabilitation and established a CARD-approved (autism-friendly) private practice providing evaluation and training for teens and young adults with barriers to learning how to drive in traditional driver education environments. Sean has always enjoyed interacting with children and has been working directly with the pediatric population full-time since 2017. He is excited to be developing feeding interventions at PTS for children and their families who struggle with picky eating and related disorders. In his spare time, Sean enjoys kayaking with his family and playing guitar.

Stacie received her Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Florida in May 2007 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of North Florida in April 2010. Stacie has experience in various settings including the Hillsborough County School System and her favorite setting, outpatient pediatrics. She found her way to Pediatric Therapy Services, Inc in June 2013 and truly enjoys working as a part of the PTS team. Stacie enjoys treating children of all ages and all diagnosed with compassion, a positive attitude, and a well-known “cheer” for therapy accomplishments, big and small. Outside of the clinic, Stacie enjoys sporting events with her husband (Go Gators), spoiling her dog, Percy, baking treats, taking pictures, party planning, and crafts inspired by Pinterest.

Nadia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology from Florida State University and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in May 2017. Nadia spent her second clinical rotation as a student at Pediatric Therapy Services, Brandon where she confirmed that she wanted to pursue a career in pediatrics. She loves the team approach to treatment at PTS and values the mentorship that more seasoned therapists provide her as she grows as a professional. Outside of the clinic, Nadia enjoys spending time outside with her husband and boys and working on projects around the house.

Marlee earned her Bachelors of Science in Communications Science and Disorders from the Florida State University and Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of South Florida. Marlee loves being part of the team at PTS as it gives her the ability to collaborate with all the disciplines to ensure her kiddos get the best possible care! She enjoys treating the children individually as it allows her to get to know each one on their own and learn what works for them personally. In her free time, Marlee loves to spend time with her family (she is 1 of 7 kids), exploring parks and farmer’s markets outside in the Florida sunshine and cheering on her Seminoles!

Lee received her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the University of South Florida in 2013 and completed her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 2016. She joined the PTS team shortly thereafter. Her graduate clinical experiences include adult and pediatric neurorehabilitation as well as hand therapy. As part of her doctoral degree, Lee completed specialized coursework in sensory integration and a 6-month doctoral residency in neuroscience education and research. Outside of her position at PTS, Lee teaches cadaver dissection lab for a graduate level anatomy course at Nova Southeastern University. Lee is a self-professed “science geek” who’s previous work experience also includes teaching kids’ science labs at MOSI. Lee’s interventions as a therapist remain strongly influenced by the “creative hands on” approach to learning she employed in her science labs. Lee’s other interests include gardening (everything from succulents and houseplants, to urban farming), and involvement with community improvement projects for the historical urban neighborhoods in Tampa.

Olivia is originally from Huntsville, AL. She did her undergraduate work at Oakwood University, majoring in Music Performance, Piano, and then switched gears to receive her Master’s Degree from The Ohio State University in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She has been a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist since 1991. Her experience spans a variety of age groups with various needs. She is married to a wonderful husband, Bruce, and has two beautiful children, Erika, age 14, and Elijah, age 11. She enjoys playing the piano, singing, listening to music, bowling, swimming, traveling and spending time with family.

Becca earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with an emphasis in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Michigan State University and then pursued her Master’s of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Florida State University. Becca is certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. She has experience working with pediatrics in the school system and private practice setting. Becca’s goal in speech and language therapy is to make therapy engaging and to involve the family to promote carryover of skills across multiple settings. When not at PTS, Becca enjoys playing volleyball, reading, cooking new recipes, and spending time with her family.

Dionne graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2005 and her master’s degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Akron in 2007. Dionne has been working as a Speech Language Pathologist since 2007 and has experience in the academic, long term care, and private practice settings. Dionne is passionate about the overall welfare of the family and the children she treats. Dionne employs a holistic approach to treatment by implementing strategies she has learned throughout the years. Dionne enjoys baking, cooking, shopping, and traveling to her home country of Guyana, South America with her husband Andre and their daughters Alexandria and Ava.

Claire is originally from Chesapeake, Virginia. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology at Virginia Tech in 2014. During her summer breaks, Claire worked at a summer camp for children with Autism in Virginia Beach, where she realized her passion for working with children with special needs. Claire then received her Master’s of Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in 2018. Her graduate fieldwork experiences were in outpatient pediatric therapy in Austin, TX, and in outpatient hand therapy in Brooklyn, NY. Claire loves working for PTS because of the opportunity to see the children succeed in all three disciplines of therapy! In her free time, she enjoys cooking, going to the beach, attending concerts, and crafting projects.

Stephanie attended the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2013 and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2015. Go Bulls! She completed her student externship at Pediatric Therapy Services and couldn’t be more excited to call PTS home. Stephanie is PROMPT trained, allowing for specific tactile-kinesthetic input during treatment. Originally from Michigan, Stephanie moved to Florida in 2011 to be close to her family. She is the youngest of 5 children, and family is the centerpiece of her life. Stephanie enjoys spending quality time playing cards, bowling, and soaking up the beautiful Florida sunshine.

Melanie is pursuing a career in the pediatric therapy field. She found interest in this field after watching the therapists at PTS help her brother grow and succeed in areas that he struggled. Years later she was given the opportunity to join the PTS staff. She enjoys being able to watch the therapists help many of the patients overcome the obstacles they face.