Our Pediatric Therapy Team

Tessa earned her Bachelor of Health Science degree and master's in occupational therapy at Alvernia University, where she also minored in psychology. Tessa has clinical experience working with individuals across the lifespan in various inpatient, outpatient, and in-home settings. She has pediatric experience in the school based and community settings, most recently K-5th and 6th-8th grade Autism Support Classrooms. Tessa is passionate about building relationships and supporting children and their families through fun and functional therapy.

When Tessa is not working, she can be found spending time with friends and family, drinking iced coffee, working out, and adventuring with her dog, Pepper Potts.

Victoria earned her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Scranton, where she also minored in psychology. Victoria’s passion for working with children with diverse developmental needs began by volunteering in an outpatient pediatric clinic, and was solidified through her clinical experiences in school-based and outpatient settings.

After graduating, Victoria spent 8 months serving in the Mercy Volunteer Corps in Savannah, GA. While volunteering, Victoria was able to advocate for the needs of her clients in a community-based setting and strives to continue to do so in early intervention and outpatient therapy by empowering her patients and their families. Victoria values creating a compassionate and welcoming environment that supports building meaningful relationships with children and their families in order to help children reach their greatest potential.

In her free time, Victoria enjoys yoga, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family, especially if it is over a cup of coffee!

Alyson graduated from Elizabethtown College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science and a minor in Psychology, and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. During graduate studies, she conducted research on the effects of mothers’ recorded voices on preterm infants in the NICU, which strengthened her passion for supporting early development and family-centered care.

Alyson’s interest in working with children began in high school through volunteering and assisting at a preschool program. Since then, she has gained clinical experience in outpatient pediatrics, working with children with a wide variety of diagnoses. She is passionate about helping children learn, grow, and reach their fullest potential through meaningful occupations.

In her free time, Alyson enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on walks, cooking, coloring, and painting.

Keelea earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development & Family Science with a minor in Children & Youth Services from Messiah University and her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Milligan University. During her graduate year, she completed research on the impact of vestibular rehabilitation on infants diagnosed with torticollis.

Keelea has experience working with individuals across the lifespan but is particularly passionate about working with children. She has previously worked in pediatrics as a daycare teacher and as a direct support professional for a respite care center. After completing her Level II fieldwork placement at Pediatric Movement Center, Keelea knew she wanted to pursue a career in pediatrics and continue to empower children and their families.

In her free time, Keelea enjoys traveling to new places, being outdoors, reading, and spending time with her friends, family, and her fox red lab, Kelce.

Megan graduated from Elizabethtown College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Occupation with a minor in Human Services and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. During her graduate year, she completed research in interoception and presented at the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association’s annual conference.

Megan has been working in pediatrics for the entirety of her career. She recently spent a year working as a travel occupational therapist and had the opportunity to work at different pediatric clinics around the country. She is excited to return home to Pennsylvania and return to the Growing in Motion team!

Megan has received training in the S.O.S. approach to feeding. She has also received training in the DIR/Floortime model which focuses on using play-based interventions to support social-emotional development. Megan values building strong relationships with the children she works with and their families. She is passionate about helping kids learn through play! In her free time, Megan enjoys traveling, hanging out with her husband and family, going on walks, and spending time with her two cats, Lucy and Lemon!   

Kaylin attended Elizabethtown College, earning a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences and a Master's in Occupational Therapy. During her graduate year, she completed a level II fieldwork placement at Growing in Motion and is excited about continuing her experience here.

Over the years, she has had various experiences working with children, including babysitting and volunteering opportunities. Kaylin is excited to invest in children and their families' lives and continue growing in her skills to best support them.

In her free time, Kaylin enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, running, and having opportunities to be creative.

Haleigh graduated from Elizabethtown College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science, minor in Psychology, and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. During her graduate year she completed research in sensory room design and young adult stress levels.

 Haleigh values a client centered approach when working with pediatric patients. Her love for pediatrics began in high school when working as a babysitter, camp counselor, and volunteering at a local pediatric therapy clinic. Haleigh has received training in reflex integration and will be trained in D.I.R/Floortime model. Haleigh is extremely passionate about sensory integration and feeding/eating amongst the pediatric population.

 In her free time Haleigh enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog Myles, hiking, painting, and photography.

Keith Parker opened Growing in Motion as he saw a need to provide therapy services to older children (ages 3 and up) in the area. Keith also owns and operates the early intervention company, Early Bird Therapy, which provides in-home therapy to children ages 0-3.

Keith has been a pediatric occupational therapist for 15 years. He believes in a well-rounded approach to help children grow!

He has advanced training working with children who have sensory processing difficulties, is certified in Sensory Integration Praxis Testing (SIPT), and also has completed certification through the Denver STAR Institute. He has training in Masgutova Neurosensorimotor reflex integration along with other certifications in Tomatis®, Therapeutic Listening, Interactive Metronome, and Integrated Listening Systems. Keith also has training in Handwriting Without Tears which is a developmentally appropriate approach to fine motor skill development. Keith enjoys using the S.O.S. approach to feeding which helps to make meals more enjoyable for everyone!

Keith has spent years training under various mentors in the D.I.R./Floortime® model. He holds a D.I.R./Floortime® fellow cetificate with Profectum and an advanced D.I.R./Floortime certificate with ICDL. This evidence-based model focuses on engaging children to foster social-emotional development. Through play, Keith helps children connect and learn. This is the heart of his practice. Keith loves to engage children in a fun way!

Heidi Petschke earned her degree in Occupational Therapy at Utica College in 1987 and has worked in pediatrics ever since. Her career path has included working in NY, WV and TN in addition to PA. She has worked with children and families in early intervention, public and private schools, outpatient clinics and pediatric home health settings. Heidi's greatest professional joy comes from facilitating skills so that children accomplish things they (or others) didn't think they could - and watching families glow with each new milestone they help their children master.

Heidi has specialized training in sensory integration, neurodevelopmental treatment, oral motor development and feeding. She holds certifications in D.I.R./Floortime, Interactive Metronome and Assistive Technology. Heidi has training in Masgutova Neurosensorimotor reflex integration, praxis and motor planning, visual and vestibular interventions and social/pragmatic language and social skill development. Above all, Heidi's approach to practice is driven by the definition of OT - to enhance an individual's engagement in the things they want and need to do in their daily lives.

Outside of work Heidi volunteers with Andrew's Gift and serves on the faculty for their "iPad Days". She enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and dogs - especially in the snow! Heidi has three grown children, two son-in-laws and one grandson and lives for the moments when the whole family can gather in one place!

Brianna Rowe earned her Master's degree from Misericordia University and later went back to earn her Occupational Therapy Doctorate Degree there as well. She has experience working with children in a variety of settings including at a rehabilitation hospital, outpatient clinics, and the school environment. Brianna has worked with the preschool and school-aged population in various school-based settings for the last 4 years, working with children and their families, as well as other team members.

Brianna's doctoral work was focused on creating a social emotional learning curriculum for children ages 3-5 that is both neurodiversity-affirming and trauma informed. Her love for working with the neurodiverse population, only grew from this experience and she has continued to learn more about neurodiversity-affirming approaches to utilize in her practice.

In her free time, Brianna enjoys hanging out with her boyfriend and their dog, Miles. You can also find her baking, running, shopping, or watching a new show during her free time.

Carly Shaffer earned her Bachelor's degree in Health and Occupation with a minor in Psychology and completed her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at Elizabethtown College. She has worked in pediatrics for the entirety of her career. Carly specializes in feeding therapy and infant development from her time as a clinician in the NICU and early intervention. She also enjoys working with older children and families in outpatient pediatrics as well.

Carly is a SOFFI (Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants) certified therapist, has completed advanced education on the S.O.S approach to feeding, and is continuing her education through advanced pediatric feeding mentorship. She is skilled in the evaluation/treatment and multidisciplinary collaboration required to support safe and successful feeding progression in infants and children. Carly believes in making meal times positive, safe, and enjoyable for families.

She is also a certified infant massage instructor (CIMI-2) and values bonding and attachment between caregivers and children. Carly has received training in the DIR/Floortime model, sensory integration, reflex integration, interoception, and TMR Tots (Total Motion Release) approach. She believes in providing therapy which supports the whole child and family system while using their individual strengths, values, and interests to guide her intervention.

In her free time Carly enjoys spending time with her husband and dog. She is often found baking sweet treats and sourdough for family and friends.

Hannah attended Elizabethtown College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with a minor in Family Business and Entrepreneurship, and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She completed research on entrepreneurship in community-based occupational therapy practice and an alternative approach to feeding therapy for children with sensory processing disorder. During her graduate year, Hannah completed a level II fieldwork rotation at Growing in Motion and was excited to return full-time to further her career in pediatric occupational therapy.

Hannah always knew her love for working with children would lead her to a career in pediatrics. She has previously worked as a preschool teacher, summer camp counselor, and children’s music coordinator.

Hannah has received training in the DIR/Floortime model and is passionate about building relationships with her clients as a foundation for growth through play-based interventions. She has also completed education on sensory integration, motor planning, reflex integration, and Therapeutic Listening®. In her free time, Hannah enjoys reading, baking, painting, and spending time with her family and friends.

Nathan attended Elizabethtown College, earning a Bachelor's in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology, and a Master's in occupational therapy. He completed graduate research on using educational technology within blended learning special education classrooms. During his graduate year, Nathan completed a level II fieldwork rotation at Growing in Motion and is excited to begin his career working in pediatrics.

Nathan has previously worked in pediatrics through adaptive swim lessons, team lead for an ASD social skills summer camp, and volunteering through different non-profit agencies. Nathan will be trained in D.I.R/Floortime model. Nathan is excited to learn and grow with each child and their families!

In his free time, Nathan enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, singing, hiking and cooking.

Amber Stika has been with Growing in Motion since 2021! Her love for working with children with developmental challenges began in high school, where she started a club to build bridges and relationships between students in both the special and regular education programs. She then attended Elizabethtown College, where she earned both her bachelor’s degree in health and occupation with a minor in interfaith leadership studies, as well as her master’s degree in occupational therapy. During her graduate year, Amber completed research on the importance of recess for the educational experience of children and presented her findings at the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association’s annual conference.

During her time with us, Amber has received advanced training in myofascial release, praxis, sensory integration, and reflex integration. She is a DIR Floortime coach, certified infant massage coach, and certified SOS feeding therapist. She is currently pursuing her post-professional OTD. Amber feels that she is a kid at heart and loves to build meaningful relationships with children through play! In her free time, Amber loves to spend time with her family, curl up with a good book, or go for a walk!

Laurie Suchy earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bloomsburg University and her master’s in occupational therapy from Chatham College.  She began her pediatric career at the Hershey Medical Center working as part of the acute and rehabilitation teams and then transitioning to pediatric outpatient and the Feeding Clinic Teams.  After 6 years at HMC, Laurie began working in the local school districts providing school-based OT for students in kindergarten through 12th grades.  While working in the school therapy environment, Laurie also worked in Early Intervention with children, their families, and their team.

Laurie has additional training in sensory processing and integration, neurodevelopmental treatment, feeding, visual motor and perceptual skills, handwriting, and behavior.  She has also completed courses in DIR/Floortime and play and truly believes in a child and family centered approach.    

In her free time, Laurie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, getting in a good daily workout, hiking, and beach time.    She also thoroughly enjoys watching her son play ice hockey, playing with her 2 Yorkie pups and good cup of cold brew coffee.

AnnaMae Walker graduated from Gwynedd Mercy University where she received both her bachelor’s degree in occupational science and a minor in psychology, as well as her master’s degree in occupational therapy. Throughout her schooling, she completed a thorough research study on the benefits of sensory breaks in school-aged children. AnnaMae has always loved kids and knew it would lead her to one day working with the pediatric population. She has experience working with a variety of different diagnoses and currently works as a school-based therapist as well as provides outpatient services at Growing in Motion.

AnnaMae has taken trainings in neurodiversity affirming practices, motor praxis, the Play Project, and has completed the initial coursework for DIR/Floortime model. She will be continuing to receive training in DIR/Floortime and hopes to one day obtain her certification. AnnaMae believes that building relationships with her clients is paramount to their success.

In her free time, AnnaMae enjoys taking her two dogs, Duke and Daisy on adventures to the creek, beach, and hikes, as well as spending quality time with friends and family. AnnaMae’s fun fact is that she has two different colored eyes!

Susan holds a bachelor's degree in Human Sports and Performance, along with master's degrees in Occupational Therapy from West Virginia University. With 17 years dedicated to the field of pediatrics and a cumulative 31 years of experience in occupational therapy, Susan's focus in pediatrics has primarily been within the school system, catering to a diverse range of diagnoses.

Specializing in working with children of all ages with Autism or an autism spectrum disorder, as well as behavioral health issues, Susan has amassed considerable expertise. Over the course of her occupational therapy career, Susan has supervised both Level I and Level II OT students, in addition to overseeing licensed and employed COTA/L's.

Certified as a facility dog handler for Susquehanna Service Dogs and Alliance Therapy Dogs, Susan incorporates animal-assisted therapy into her practice. Presently, she owns her personal therapy dog through Alliance Therapy Dogs. In the past, Susan engaged in part-time work delivering therapeutic interventions for Cyber School students.

Notably, Susan has contributed to the professional development of educators within the CAIU, Messiah College, and has spoken to students from Elizabethtown College at a POTA conference held at Penn State University on the topic of Interoceptive Awareness. Demonstrating a commitment to ongoing professional growth, Susan actively enrolls in coursework to further enhance her skills in areas such as sign language, Autism, Behavior Health, Reading Disabilities, Driver’s Rehabilitation, Program Development, and education.

Kayce graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She continued her education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Kayce has a strong background working with individuals of all ages. However, she has always known that the pediatric setting was where she was meant to be. Kayce has previous experience in a pediatric outpatient setting working with 2-21 year olds. She has treated a variety of speech and language disorders to include; articulation, phonological disorders, auditory processing, pragmatics, selective mutism, childhood apraxia of speech, dysarthria, and more. She also really enjoys working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and utilizing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

Kayce loves to develop meaningful relationships with not only her patients, but their families as well. She believes everyone communicates differently and wants her patients and their families to feel heard and accepted. She strives to make speech therapy something her patients look forward to each week!

Aside from her passion of being a speech-language pathologist, Kayce enjoys spending time with her family and friends, shopping, and going to the gym and concerts.

Megan Gehman graduated from Temple University in 2017 with a B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and the University of Maryland, College Park in 2019 with a M.A. in Speech Language Pathology. Megan holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

She is a speech and language therapist who has clinical experience in public schools, private schools, and outpatient therapy. Megan is familiar with servicing children in structured settings such as schools and clinics in addition to naturalistic settings such as in the home. She has experience with children ages 3-18. Since starting her career, she has grown passionate about Assistive Technology and giving access to communication for all. In recent years, Megan has worked in K-5th grade Autism Support Classrooms. She believes that everyone has and deserves a voice. It is her mission to help individuals find their voice and use it functionally.

Megan has participated in extensive training in American Sign Language, LAMP Words for Life, Proloquo2go, multidisciplinary collaboration, and Natural Language Acquisition and Gestalt Language Processing.

Outside of work, Megan enjoys cooking for friends and family, gardening, & spending time hiking.

Molly earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania.

Molly has clinical experience working with pediatric and adult clients. She has primarily worked with preschool and school-aged children, serving children with a variety of speech and language impairments. She has experience working with children with autism, expressive and receptive language difficulties, articulation and phonological disorders, augmentative communication needs, and childhood apraxia of speech. She is passionate about working with the pediatric population and loves making therapy functional and fun!

In her free time, Molly enjoys hiking, reading, playing tennis, spending time with her family and friends, and spoiling her silver lab (Mizlee).

Devon currently holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and has been a member of ASHA for over the last 4 years. Devon continues to educate herself in the most effective evidenced based treatments to provide the utmost care to all her patients. She strives to make speech therapy fun and engaging for the child, while educating parents and caregivers on strategies that can be easily implemented throughout their daily routines.

Devon received both her B.S in Communication Sciences and Disorders and her M.A. in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Florida. Throughout graduate school, Devon worked as a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant traveling to various schools providing treatment to grades K-12th. Since graduation, Devon has served both pediatric and adult populations and has greatly expanded her knowledge in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. While working at a private outpatient clinic serving children ages birth to twenty-one, Devon became certified in VitalStim, a treatment utilizing neuromuscular stimulation as an adjunct to conventional swallowing treatments. She has also been trained in the use of PROMPT method for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and other motor speech disorders, SOS Approach to Feeding and LAMP Words for Life to aid children who benefit from Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Emma earned her Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Misericordia University.

She has a wide range of clinical experience working with patients of all ages. Her pediatric experience spans school, outpatient, and private practice settings, where she has treated speech sound disorders (articulation, phonological disorders, and childhood apraxia of speech), expressive and receptive language disorders, pragmatics, stuttering, and cluttering. She is passionate about alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) and enjoys working with children with Down syndrome and autism. She is also experienced in supporting the language development of children who are gestalt language processors. 

Emma also has experience working with adults in inpatient, outpatient, and private practice settings, treating voice disorders, facial nerve palsies, hearing-related communication disorders, cognitive-communication disorders, pragmatics, and swallowing difficulties. 

She is passionate about helping children communicate and believes that all forms of communication are valuable. Emma loves building strong connections with her patients and values family involvement in the therapy process by working together as a team to support each child’s success. She strives to make speech therapy both enjoyable and functional! 

Outside of being a speech therapist, Emma enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, reading, listening to music, going to concerts, and traveling.

Holly Sottiaux earned her Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as her Master's degree in Speech Language Pathology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Holly has spent the majority of her career working with pediatrics and has experience providing itinerant and outpatient therapy.

Making therapy both fun and functional is important to Holly. Holly enjoys working with her clients and families on what is important to them - whether this involves using a strong /p/ sound when talking about Peppa Pig, learning the figurative language needed to understand their favorite Youtuber's jokes, or finding a way to communicate basic needs and wants with Augmentative/Alternative methods. As a reader herself, Holly also enjoys incorporating literature into her sessions as appropriate.

In her spare time, Holly enjoys spending time with her partner, two rabbits, and hamster.

Kelly is an alumna of Misericordia University's Speech-Language Pathology Program where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Science. She has experience across multiple settings including public schools, pediatric outpatient facilities, and private practice. While Kelly has experience working with adults, her favorite therapy sessions have always been with pediatrics, where her creativity and enthusiasm thrive.

Kelly's approach to therapy is centered around the client and their individual needs, prioritizing a positive connection and mutual trust through a strengths-based lens. She cherishes her therapeutic relationship with each and every client and family she encounters. Kelly specializes in neurodiverse affirming care, gestalt language processing, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She also has a passion for treating speech sound disorders and recognizes the importance trauma-informed care.

Kelly has attended countless continuing education courses to better serve her clients and is a Natural Language Acquisition trained clinician. She has successfully completed courses including but not limited to: DIR 101, Authentic AAC: Implementing Communication Systems for Autonomy and Connection, and Goal Writing for Autistic Students through Learn, Play, Thrive.

In her free time, Kelly enjoys spending time with the people she loves, reading, and trying out new coffee shops.

Kelly is so excited to be joining the Growing In Motion team and is looking forward to growing alongside her clients!

Alida Roman earned both her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree at Lebanon Valley College.

She has experience working with children in kindergarten through 12th grades in the school setting. She also has experience working with kids in the acute care setting. Alida has worked in the PICU seeing kids with ventilators and chest tubes. She also has worked with kids after orthopedic surgeries. Her favorite thing about being a pediatric physical therapist is forming bonds with the kids and their families.

In her free time, Alida enjoys hiking, running, spending time with her family, and checking out local coffee shops.

Alana received her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University and her doctorate degree of Physical Therapy from Drexel University. During her graduate studies, she helped launch an integrative yoga program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder within the Bucks County Intermediate Unit. She has clinical experience in orthopedics, inpatient neurological rehabilitation, and pediatrics across multiple different settings. However, she now focuses on pediatrics in the early intervention and outpatient settings.

Alana has been working in pediatrics since graduation. She has experience working with children with developmental delays, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Autism Spectrum Disorder, among other pediatric diagnoses. Alana is a firm believer in making therapy fun through purposeful play and creative interventions!

In her free time, Alana enjoys spending time with friends and family, especially living up to the “fun aunt” title she holds with her nephew. She loves spending time outdoors and exploring areas around her new home in the greater Harrisburg area.

Mary Beth Brown earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Management Studies at the University of Maryland, with a concentration in Healthcare Administration.  Hailing from Annapolis, MD, she is the mother of two awesome “big kids”, ages 15 and 11. They keep her, and her husband Jeff, busy with sports and activities.

Mary Beth has extensive experience in medical administration. Having managed two medical practices in Annapolis: a large primary care pediatric practice and, later, a physical medicine and rehabilitation practice. She also has additional experience in orthopedics, mental health and is a certified pharmacy technician.

On the personal/parenthood side, both Mary Beth’s kids have received important therapies which lend her specific experiences that are useful at Growing In Motion.  They have both “graduated” from therapy and are doing great!  She understands the needs of the families our practice servess and knows how truly important and life-changing therapy services are!

Lauren Campbell earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Millersville University. She has taught in a variety of school settings across a variety of ages and abilities. One of her favorite parts of teaching (outside of being in the classroom with the kids) was building relationships with the parents.  She understands the stresses and struggles parents face, and celebrates with them when a new skill is attained!

Throughout her teaching career, she worked at a private school for children with Autism, and collaborated with speech, occupational, and physical therapists regularly to deliver the best behavioral and academic programming to her students.  After having children, she ventured into the preschool world and partnered with CAIU staff to create an inclusive and engaging preschool program.

She has always been interested in meeting the needs of others and can’t wait to help match your child with our wonderful therapists!

She has two girls and a dog that keep her busy in her spare time: doing crafts (not with the dog!), hiking, swimming, board games, movie nights, dancing around, and chauffeuring the kids to their activities.

There are no small questions.  Please feel free to reach out and ask Lauren about anything that may come up!

Stephanie attended Shippensburg University, completing her undergraduate degree in Human Environmental Geography. She has worked in the office administration and customer service field in some capacity for most of her post college years and is currently undertaking a very different role as a first time mom!

As a very passionate "people person", Stephanie enjoys her role as New Client Coordinator and hopes to make the scheduling process as seamless as possible for our new clients and their families.

Outside of work Stephanie spends the majority of her time with her very active 7 month old, and with any leftover time she loves to thrift, adventure with her husband and will never say no to a good cup of coffee.