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, 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.
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.
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.
Ilianna Ruzika, OFFICE STAFF
Ilianna is a senior and 1st year occupational therapy student at St. Louis University, studying for a Bachelors in Occupational Science and a Masters in Occupational Therapy. She is especially interested in neurology and neurological rehabilitation. Ilianna enjoys seeing a new lens of occupational therapy as well as being a part of a welcoming team!
Haley Bedwell, OFFICE STAFF
Haley is a 1st year student in the MOT program at Maryville University, and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 2023. Haley has 4 years of customer service experience in the retail space and has assisted countless customers with a variety of needs. Haley has worked in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for 2 years, where she works as a registered behavior technician, providing direct therapy to individuals with developmental disorders to assist in skill development, provide support, and implement behavior plans. The combination of these previous experiences allows Haley to assist families and clients with empathy and knowledge of services.
Elaina Montileone, OFFICE STAFF
Elaina is a 2nd-year student in the MOT program at Maryville University. She graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia in 2024 with a Bachelor of Health Science and minors in Psychology and Human Development and Family Sciences. Elaina has worked with children in several roles, including as a nanny, lead camp counselor, and Registered Behavioral Technician in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis. She is especially interested in pediatric inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy and is excited to continue building her clinical skills and gaining insights at Leaps and Bounds. Her favorite moments here have been connecting with kids during therapy sessions and celebrating their achievements.
Madison Andes, OFFICE STAFF
Madison is a 2nd year grad student in the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences program at Saint Louis University. She graduated from Belmont University in 2022 with a degree in Psychology and minor in Business Administration. Madison worked as a nanny throughout undergrad and has been a tennis coach for several years. She enjoys working with individuals across the lifespan but feels especially connected to pediatric care, where she is passionate about building confidence and ensuring every child feels their voice matters.