OUR TEAM
Owners
Lisa Cooseman, OTR/L, MS
Lisa received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Maryville University in St. Louis. She is a guest lecturer for several local universities. Some of the coursework Lisa has previously taught includes pediatric neuro-rehabilitation, sensory processing, handwriting, and child development. Lisa enjoys doing seminars for parents, teachers and other professionals. She also is involved with the board at the Cottleville Weldon Spring Chamber of Commerce and enjoys networking in the community.
Lisa has extensive training in handwriting, as well as, CranioSacral Therapy, Therapeutic Listening®, oral motor treatment, feeding difficulties, visual processing concerns, and treating children with sensory processing concerns. Lisa has also completed training in the S.O.S. Approach to Feeding and is SIPT certified.
Carrie received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. Throughout her career, Carrie has had the opportunity to provide services to children of all ages, as well as adults who exhibit sensory processing challenges. She has provided therapy services in school, home and community settings.
Carrie has extensive training in treating children with sensory processing disorder and other challenges. She has had the fortune of completing advanced training with world-renowned therapists at both Camp Avanti in Wisconsin and the STAR center in Colorado. Carrie has additional training in handwriting, visual-vestibular treatment, and oral motor skill development. She also has advanced training in reflex integration, trauma, and holistic wellness & nutrition. She is certified in Therapeutic Listening®, The Listening Program®, Integrated Listening Systems (iLS)©, The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and Interactive Metronome®. Carrie is also certified in Sensory Integration Therapy and is SIPT certified through USC/WPS. She is a Level One Core in Training with the MNRI® Method.
Carrie Salyer, MS, OTR/L
Rob Salyer, BSBA
Rob earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Washington University in St. Louis. As Director, he oversees and manages all daily operations of the practice. Rob brings a wealth of business and practical experience to the team. He is passionate about helping children and families who are struggling with developmental concerns.
He has continued his education and training, focusing on business leadership, management, healthcare regulations, billing, coding, and multiple computer applications and systems. He also has training in conflict resolution, Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, positive behavior management, and sensory integration.
Matt Cooseman, OTR/L
Matt earned his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Maryville University in St. Louis. Matt has over 12 years of experience of being an occupational therapist in an early childhood school setting, though he enjoys working with children of all ages. He serves as the fieldwork coordinator for Leaps and Bounds, coordinating both Level 1 and Level 2 internships with colleges and universities across the country.
Matt has received training in a variety of areas including oral motor treatment, feeding difficulties, visual processing. handwriting, and sensory processing concerns. He has also completed training in the S.O.S. Approach to Feeding.
Occupational Therapists
Erin Wilhite, MOT, OTR/L
Erin received her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Maryville University in St. Louis. Erin has worked in a variety of settings, including homes, outpatient, schools, and rehabilitation. She loves working with children one-on-one, though she has exceptional skills in leading groups, as well. Erin oversees all of the occupational therapy groups and learning enrichment camps for Leaps and Bounds.
Erin also serves as a supervisor to occupational therapy interns completing their fieldwork at Leaps and Bounds. She has received continuing education training in the areas of sensory processing, handwriting, oral motor/feeding techniques, and Brain Gym®.
Julie Johnson, OTD, OTR/L
Julie received her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Saint Louis University while researching OT's role in primary care within a pediatrician office. She was first introduced to pediatric occupational therapy while working with her younger cousins who are on the autism spectrum. Julie has received continuing education in many areas including sensory processing, oral motor assessment and intervention (Talk Tools® program, Beckman Oral Motor), feeding therapy with the SOS® Approach to Feeding and the Get Permission Approach, and executive function. She enjoys working with children of all ages and all abilities!
Julie leads therapy groups as well as provides individual therapy at Leaps and Bounds. She also serves as a supervisor to occupational therapy interns completing their final fieldwork rotations at Leaps and Bounds. Our garden bed is one of Julie's favorite pieces of "equipment" at Leaps and Bounds, because there are many therapy goals and practical skills that can addressed through gardening with the children.
Erica Haarmann, MOT, OTR/L
Erica received her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Saint Louis University. Erica has always had a love for working with children in a variety of settings. She has received continuing education in sensory processing, visual perception, and Social Thinking®. Erica has also attended the Handwriting Without Tears™ course for ages Pre-K and K-5.
Erica also serves as a supervisor to occupational therapy interns completing their fieldwork at Leaps and Bounds.
Nicole Dempsey, MOT, OTR/L
Nicole earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. She has worked with children with a variety of diagnoses and of all ages. She has experience in a school setting that compliments her therapy in our clinic. Nicole has a passion for social skills and leads our ABCs to Social Skills group. Nicole also serves as a supervisor to occupational therapy interns completing their fieldwork at Leaps and Bounds. She has received continuing education in sensory processing, visual motor skills, and emotional regulation.
Amy Sullivan, MOT, OTR/L
Amy received her Bachelor of Psychology with a minor in Deaf Studies and Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Maryville University in St. Louis. She was first introduced to pediatric occupational therapy from her brother who is on the autism spectrum. She has always had a passion to help children grow and enjoys working with children of all ages and abilities. Amy has received continuing education in sensory processing, reflex integration, and feeding techniques.
Amy leads therapy groups as well as provides individual therapy at Leaps and Bounds.
Kali Perry, OTD, OTR/L
Kali received her Doctor of Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri-Columbia and also holds a graduate certificate as a youth development specialist. She currently works in both school-based and outpatient therapy supporting children and families across environments.
Kali values a strengths-based approach in her practice, empowering clients to build upon their unique abilities while fostering confidence and skill development along the way. Kali brings energy, flexibility, and a sense of fun into every session, believing that growth happens best when clients feel safe, supported, and engaged.
Chloe Raymond, COTA/L
Chloe graduated from Jefferson College and received her degree as an Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She has experience with all ages and diagnoses, Aquatic therapy, and a variety of settings and environments like inpatient and outpatient therapy. Chloe is currently leading a variety of group therapy sessions: executive functioning and buddy builders.
Chloe is passionate about helping and watching her clients grow and achieve their goals. She is very outgoing, creative, and passionate in everything she does!
Emily DeLassus-Opich, OTD, OTR/L
Emily received her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Rockhurst University while exploring the role of inclusive play in early childhood classrooms. She has a passion for building on children's strengths to help them achieve their goals. Emily has received continuing education in sensory processing and primitive reflexes.
Emily is currently doing a contract in a school setting, where she is helping students reach their full potential with school based occupations. Emily enjoys creating engaging content with the social media team to connect Leaps and Bounds with the community in an authentic way. During the summers, she enjoys assisting with our summer camps.
Hope received her Master of Occupational Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. She was first introduced to the profession while volunteering at a camp for children with disabilities. Hope has always been passionate about working with kids, watching them grow, and face their fears. Hope is most interested in mental health, emotional regulation, primitive reflexes, social skills, and sensory processing.
Hope has assisted in updating our website, as well as planning and running Halloween One Day Fun Day. Hope was an occupational therapy student here in the summer of 2023 and enjoyed serving as a fieldwork supervisor this past summer.
Hope Lang, MS, OTR/L
Maddy Bullington, MS, OTR/L
Maddy received her Bachelor of Health Sciences and Masters of Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri - Columbia. Maddy began her career in Columbia working with kids in a variety of settings including being a part of diagnostic evaluation team, outpatient pediatrics, school-based, and First Steps early intervention. Maddy is highly interested in and has received continuing education credits for primitive reflex integration, sensory processing, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and feeding.
Maddy is currently on the marketing committee at Leaps and Bounds to help find ways to create and spread more OT services throughout the community.
Taylor Szekacs, COTA/L
Taylor graduated from the University of Tampa with a bachelor's degree in Allied Health and received her degree as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant from Keiser University. She has experience working with adults and children of all ages, but her passion is pediatrics. She chose to focus on pediatrics because she enjoys helping kids reach their full potential in fun and meaningful ways. Taylor dedicates her time getting to know each child as an individual and catering her sessions to meet their individual needs.
Taylor has received continuing education in Therapeutic Listening and DIRfloortime with plans to complete a course for primitive reflexes in the near future.
Sophia Vandeloecht, OTD, OTR/L
Sophia (Sophie) Vandeloecht earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Concordia University Wisconsin, where she focused her research on the impact of social and leisure participation within the Veteran population. She brings this community-centered perspective to her work with children, helping them build essential skills to navigate and engage with their environments. She has experience working with a wide range of ages and diagnoses, but is especially drawn to the creativity, playfulness, and sensory-based approaches that define outpatient pediatric practice.
Sophie values the unique therapeutic relationships she forms with each client and finds joy in watching them grow in confidence, independence, and ability!
Abby Fink, MOT, OTR/L
Abby Fink earned her master's degree in occupational therapy from Saint Louis University. Her interest in OT began at a young age, inspired by her experiences growing up with a younger sister with Down Syndrome. Abby has worked with individuals across the lifespan, but feels a special connection with pediatric clients. She is particularly interested in working with clients who have developmental disabilities. She also enjoys learning about and practicing reflex integration and emotional regulation. Abby is committed to meeting each child where they are, fostering meaningful relationships, and promoting growth from a strength-based perspective at a pace that feels right for them.
Abby previously completed a 12-week internship at Leaps and Bounds and is thrilled to return as a clinician to continue serving children and their families. In addition to her work at Leaps and Bounds, she provides contract services in the school setting, where she facilitates the development of academic and functional skills.
Missy Ulrich, COTA/L
Missy earned her Associate of Applied Science degree as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and her certificate in Health Information Management from St. Charles Community College. She brings over 10 years of experience supporting children and adults with Autism and other developmental disabilities.
She has worked across outpatient clinics, schools, homes, and community-based environments, helping children develop essential life skills. Missy approaches each session with creativity, structure, and compassion — tailoring interventions to honor each child’s strengths, challenges, and individuality. She is deeply committed to promoting dignity, independence, and confidence in every child she serves.
Missy has pursued continuing education in pediatric mental health promotion, sensory integration strategies, behavioral regulation, and trauma-informed care. She values collaboration with families and interdisciplinary teams and is a dedicated advocate for mental health awareness, bullying prevention, and empowering children to develop their own voice and self-advocacy skills.
Speech & Language Therapists
Carissa Speelman, MA, CCC-SLP
Carissa received her Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Saint Louis University. She has provided therapy in a variety of settings, including school-based, outpatient clinic, home-based, hospital, and skilled nursing facilities. Carissa has experience working with children of all ages with a variety of diagnoses including articulation and phonological disorders, language impairment and delay, apraxia of speech, autism spectrum disorders, literacy disorders, and fluency disorders. She has received specific continuing education in the areas of articulation and phonological disorders, augmentative and alternative communication (LAMP), literacy, social communication/pragmatics (Social Thinking ®, More Than Words ®), apraxia of speech (PROMPT®, TalkTools ®), and supervision. She loves helping kids communicate and find their voices!
Carissa serves as a supervisor to speech-language pathology interns and clinical fellows completing clinical rotations or fellowships at Leaps and Bounds. She also serves on the social media and activity committee to help plan events and create engaging content on our social media pages.
Sarah Metz, M.S., CCC-SLP
Sarah earned her degrees from Maryville University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a Minor in Psychology and Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology. She has enjoyed working with individuals of all ages and diagnoses in both the outpatient and school settings. She has had experience with running groups and individualized sessions in both of these settings. Sarah gained valuable experience by working as an ABA Implementer in graduate school, which furthered her knowledge of how sensory processing plays a role in language learning.
Her passions are Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), teaching about self-advocacy, and working with autistic students and young adults. She has continued to gain knowledge by learning about Gestalt Language Processing and participating in training on Neurodiversity. Sarah recently completed training and is now certified in Lively Letters, a multi-sensory reading program.
Sarah Pudiwitr, M.S. CF-SLP
Sarah earned her Master of Science degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from Saint Louis University. She has experience working with children of all ages and young adults in schools, an early childhood center, and outpatient settings. She has experience running groups and individualized sessions. Her passions are working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and language impairment and delay.
Sarah is currently doing a contract in a school setting and a Community Living Center working with adults. She is on the social media committee at Leaps and Bounds to engage with the community and spread information about our services.
Keridan Gossrau, M.S., CF-SLP
Bio coming soon!
Administration
Lori Cannon, OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Lori earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. Lori has years of experience in administration working for a tax service and in retail. She is an expert in navigating the ever-changing world of health insurance and helps families determine their benefits and how to access them effectively.
Having children of her own, one with a learning disability, has given Lori the compassion to help families with children who experience similar challenges.
Emily Galvan, BILLING SPECIALIST
Emily has been with Leaps & Bounds since 2014. She has over 18 years of experience in office administration in a wide variety of settings. She, her husband, and their two daughters moved back to Missouri in 2014 after living in Anchorage, Alaska for 10 years prior. Emily is excited to be using all of her office experience to benefit the families at Leaps and Bounds.
Alexis Mede, OFFICE STAFF
Alexis is a 4th-year undergraduate student at Maryville University, and she is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Prior to attending Maryville University, she attended St. Charles Community College, where she received her Associate of Arts. She is currently applying to occupational therapy graduate programs, and she is eager to dive deeper into the field of occupational therapy. She enjoys volunteering with the Disabled Athletes Sports Association, where she is able to learn and create connections with individuals of all abilities. She is excited to work at Leaps and Bounds and gain valuable experience working with children and families that will prepare her for her future career as an occupational therapist.
Lindsey Ruff, OFFICE STAFF
Lindsey is a second-year student in the MOT program at Maryville University. She graduated from Illinois College in 2025 with a Bachelor in Kinesiology and a minor in Psychology. Lindsey has worked with children in the past as she was a lead camp counselor for 3 years. She wants to be a pediatric occupational therapist and looks forward to learning more about the profession at Leaps & Bounds.
Sydney Booker, OFFICE STAFF
Sydney is a 2nd year student in the MOT program at Maryville University. She graduated from William Woods University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a minor in Psychology. Sydney has previous customer service and administrative experience working with the general public. She is interested in both pediatric and geriatric occupational therapy, and she is excited to continue explore different occupational therapy settings and build her clinical skills. Sydney enjoys and looks forward to the opportunities to interact and connect with the kids during therapy and to see their progress throughout their time at Leaps and Bounds.