Our Team
Danielle McKay, MOT OTR/L
Danielle McKay is a pediatric occupational therapist licensed in New York and Connecticut. She has worked in various settings including outpatient clinics, homes, preschools and school districts since 2009. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University.
Danielle has treated children with a variety of disabilities including Autism spectrum disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Hashimoto’s disease, Hemiplegia, Sensory Processing disorders and visual processing difficulties.
Danielle is trained in Therapeutic Listening, PuzzleArt Therapy™, and TheraSuit Method. She has extensive training in sensory integration, sensory motor, visual processing and graphomotor skills. Danielle works with families to put together a comprehensive sensory diet to help the child perform better in the home and community environment. She is also trained in Dr. Greenspan's DIR/Floor time approach, which helps a child improve their communication, curiosity, and creativity by meeting them at their developmental level.
Danielle’s mission is to provide personalized occupational therapy services to help unlock children’s hidden skills. She focuses on the child’s “occupation” of play to improve fine motor skills, sensory processing skills, motor planning, bilateral coordination difficulties, and graphomotor skills. Danielle uses Handwriting Without Tears® interventions as a multi sensory approach to improve handwriting skills for children of various ages. She also uses brain gym exercises to enhance a child's visual, auditory, and kinesthetic skills for easier and more optimal learning.
Dr. Sneha Gosalia, PT DPT CKTP CPMT
Dr. Sneha Gosalia is a pediatric physical therapist licensed in New York and Connecticut. She has worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, pediatric rehab centers, outpatient clinics, schools, daycare centers and early intervention in the homes since 2008. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Stony Brook University and Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from New York University.
Sneha has treated numerous children with gross motor delays due to congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, & skeletal conditions such as Torticollis, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Scoliosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Muscular Dystrophy, Juvenile Arthritis, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Hemiplegia, Polymicrogyria, Tuberous Sclerosis, Noonan Syndrome, and many other identified and unidentified conditions.
Sneha is certified in Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI introductory level B) and TheraSuit Method. She additionally is a certified Kinesio Tape Practitioner & Pediatric Massage Therapist. She has been using Kinesio Tape in the treatment of children with alignment issues and neurological involvement. She incorporates massage into her therapy sessions to help with high muscle tone, low muscle tone, joint mobility and to help with babies that have difficulty gaining weight or have constipation. Sneha has extensive training in neurodevelopmental techniques, sensory integration, vestibular rehabilitation, pediatric yoga/pilates, kinesio tape, massage, developmental coordination disorder, and torticollis. She is also trained in Dr. Greenspan's DIR/Floor time approach, which helps a child improve their communication, curiosity, and creativity by meeting them at their developmental level.
Sneha is dedicated to providing individualized sessions to help improve a child's overall strength, endurance, balance, coordination, motor planning, body awareness and gross motor skills.
Dr. Alyssa Ingmanson, PT DPT
Dr. Alyssa Ingmanson is a pediatric physical therapist licensed in Connecticut and New York. She graduated from Sacred Heart University with her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. She has experience in the pediatric outpatient, birth-to-three, and aquatic therapy settings. Alyssa has additionally completed a service trip to Guatemala where she helped build wheelchairs for children in need and administered gross motor assessments for primary-school students.
Alyssa is trained in Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI introductory level B), Total Motion Release (TMR tots level 2), and TheraSuit Method. She has treated children with a wide range of conditions including torticollis, plagiocephaly, low muscle tone, developmental delay, Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, genetic conditions, idiopathic toe walking, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Down Syndrome, and seizure disorders.
Alyssa is passionate about providing the best quality of care to the children she works with and is determined to help each child reach their highest potential. She works with the entire family unit to create salient goals and treatment programs for each child.
Alison Hirschbeck, MOT OTR/L
Alison Hirschbeck is a pediatric occupational therapist licensed in Connecticut. She graduated from Sacred Heart University with both her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a minor in Psychology and her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She has prior experience working with pediatrics in outpatient clinics, mental health practices, and school-based settings (K-8).
She has worked with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurological impairments, hemiplegia, congenital hand differences, brachial plexus injuries, Down Syndrome, genetic conditions, Cerebral Palsy, developmental delays, emotional dysregulation disorders, ADD/ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and learning disabilities.
Her favorite aspect of working in pediatrics is seeing their skills flourish through their main occupation of play! She takes pride in building strong rapport with her clients and developing fun activities that align with the child’s interests and goals. It is a main priority of Alison’s to always incorporate caregivers into both goal and treatment planning to give the child the most top-notch, collaborative care they deserve.
Continuous learning is very important to her, and she is always looking for ways to enhance her knowledge and implement new, evidence-based practice into treatment! Alison is currently certified in Astronaut Training: A Sound Activated Vestibular Visual Protocol and has her basic training certification in TheraSuit Method. Alison is also a trained therapist in the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, a trans-disciplinary program for assessing and treating children with feeding difficulties.
Victoria Medvedev, MOT OTR/L
Victoria Medvedev is a pediatric occupational therapist licensed in Connecticut and New York. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire with her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Occupational Therapy. She has experience screening, evaluating, and treating children in the pediatric clinic and school-based settings with populations ranging in age from early intervention (birth-3 years old) up to 8th grade.
She has worked with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, Jacobs Syndrome, and other neurological and developmental impairments.
Victoria is passionate about empowering children and their families through a collaborative treatment process. She strives to include all team members in treatment and goal planning, including other therapists, in order to ensure each child receives the support they need to reach their highest potential. Victoria is dedicated to creating a supportive, compassionate, and fun environment in which children can engage in their main occupation of play while developing the skills they need to reach their goals.
Heather Knell, M.A. CCC-SLP
Heather Knell M.Cl.-Sc., CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist practicing in Connecticut. She earned her master's degree in Communication Sciences - Speech and Language Pathology from The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. With a background in both pediatric and geriatric care, Heather has acquired extensive experience in addressing communication and swallowing disorders within diverse healthcare settings.
In her professional journey, Heather has demonstrated proficiency in working with a spectrum of conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurological impairments, Down Syndrome, developmental delays, emotional dysregulation disorders, ADD/ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and learning disabilities among children. Her passion lies in fostering the development and independence of her young clients through play, a cornerstone of childhood engagement.
Heather prioritizes building strong partnerships with caregivers, valuing their input in goal setting and treatment planning to ensure comprehensive and collaborative care. Committed to ongoing professional growth, she actively seeks out opportunities to integrate cutting-edge, evidence-based practices into her therapeutic approach, thereby ensuring the highest standards of care for her clients.
Dr. Micayla Flynn, PT DPT
Dr. Micayla Flynn is a pediatric physical therapist licensed in Connecticut. She graduated from Western Connecticut State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Marist University. As a doctoral student, she gained clinical experience working with patients in outpatient orthopedics, inpatient rehabilitation, and pediatric settings.
Micayla is committed to providing individualized, family-centered care, that creates an environment where each child can thrive and work towards their goals through play.
Amanda Wiener, CCC-SLP
Amanda Wiener is a pediatric speech-language pathologist licensed in Connecticut. She has worked for Stamford Public Schools for 15 years, primarily in the APPLES preschool program. She received her Bachelors Degree at Muhlenberg College and her Masters at New York University (NYU). In addition, she received a certification in Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) from California State University Dominguez Hills.
Due to working in the preschool program, Amanda has experience with a broad range of communication disorders and has worked with children with a variety of medical conditions. She is PROMPT trained and has significant training and knowledge in the areas of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and AAC. Amanda is committed to making therapy fun and creating strong connections with children to best promote speech development.
Julie Ekiyor, MOT OTR/L
Julie Ekiyor, MS, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist licensed in Connecticut. She graduated from Ithaca College with both her Bachelor's degree in Occupational Science and Master's degree in Occupational Therapy. She has prior experience working with pediatrics in the clinic, home setting and school-based setting.
She has worked with children with a variety of conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Angelman's Syndrome, neurological disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delay, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, and sensory processing disorder.
Julie is passionate about helping children to develop their skills through the occupation of play. She is dedicated to collaborating with the whole team and family in order to help children reach their full potential.
Meredith Caruso, Medical Biller
Meredith is a healthcare financial professional with nearly two decades of experience in revenue cycle management, specializing in outpatient rehabilitation. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University.
Throughout her career, Meredith has managed billing and office operations for high-volume practices, overseeing insurance verification, medical coding, accounts receivable, reimbursement, and denial management. She has extensive experience working with major insurance carriers and third-party payers, as well as maintaining accurate patient financial records and resolving complex insurance issues.
Meredith is passionate about building practical systems and streamlined workflows that create cleaner billing processes and more predictable outcomes for families and providers alike. As a parent herself, she is familiar with how overwhelming it can feel when a child begins therapy while simultaneously navigating the world of insurance. This understanding contributes towards her passion to helping Big Leaps families experience a smooth, supportive, and transparent financial process from start to finish.