Meet the found and owner of APE: Ashley, MS, OTR/L

Ashley began her career in 2012, as an Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), receiving an associate degree in health sciences from New England Institute of Technology. Her passion for individualizing care with children and families, led her to become an Occupational Therapist (OT). She received her master’s in health sciences from New England Institute of Technology in 2017. Ashley has worked in a multitude of settings including school districts, pediatric psychiatric hospital, inpatient care, outpatient clinics, group homes, in-home care, and early intervention. Her experience is with children from ages birth through 21 with a variety of diagnoses and needs. 

Ashley loves working with children. She continues to seek training and certifications on the most current and effective treatment methods to better serve her clientele. Ashley is certified in the following: SOS Approach to Feeding, G-Tube Transitioning, ASD feeding, Sensory Integration Intensive Interventions, Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Disorders, ASD and ADHD, Preschool Age-Care, Oppositional Uncooperative and Aggressive Behavior Care, Pediatric Yoga, and Effective Consequences for Behavior Modifications in Adolescents.  

Outside of work, Ashley is an avid gym goer, loves to hike, paddle board, read a good book, and travel. She is also a lover of all animals, especially cats, having three of her own, Momma, Kitten, and Crumb - meow! 

Meet Marisa, COTA/L

Marisa considers her positive relationships with children to be imperative to success at home and in therapy.  Often times it is hard to parent an atypical learner, and helping parents bring out the best in their child is part of each therapy session.  Marisa believes that by shaping foundational brain networks, we can improve our social emotional well-being as well as gain skills needed for everyday life. Marisa has a strong belief that people learn best through meaningful activities that are fun and motivating. 

Marisa has 30 years of experience in a variety of settings such as group homes, outpatient clinics, and schools. Marisa has experience working with ASD, ADHD, mental health, physical dysfunction, academic and learning disabilities. Marisa has had the opportunity to teach and mentor students through clinical fieldwork. Marisa has a unique skill set and multiple certifications that she feels ensure comprehensive care and excellence in service delivery as an outpatient therapist.

Meet Lindsey, MS, OTR/L

Lindsey started her career as an Occupational Therapist in 2020 after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Health Science Studies and Master of Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. Growing up, Lindsey always knew she wanted to work with children and her career in occupational therapy has allowed her to do this in a way like no other. She utilizes a holistic, child-centered approach that encourages a focus on strengths to achieve goals and promote skill-building to assist with functional aspects of daily life. Lindsey has worked in a variety of settings including adult subacute care, young adult and adult independent living programs, outpatient pediatric clinics, and early intervention. Her experiences range across the lifespan, with a focus on birth through 21. She has worked with many children and adults with a variety of conditions, diagnoses, and needs.

Lindsey has also continued her learning to support the needs of the children she works with. She has extended training on creating and personalizing sensory diets, managing executive function disorder, the connection between sensory and sleep, and the sensory and oral-motor components of feeding. Lindsey is also particularly interested in the connection between emotional regulation, behavior, and sensory processing, and has taken opportunities to expand her learning to help all children meet their needs.

Outside of work, Lindsey enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being by the water, reading, and cooking.

Meet Amanda, MA, CCC-SLP

Amanda graduated in 2015 from the University of Connecticut with a Masters in Speech Language Pathology. She has worked with the pediatric population in Birth to Three and Outpatient settings.

Amanda has experience working with a diverse group of clients including children with: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Apraxia of speech, articulation disorders, hearing loss, dysphasia, fluency, voice and more. She has an emphasis on play based learning, and parent carryover of speech and language strategies in the home and community.



When Amanda is not seeing Speech clients, she enjoys any and every outdoor activity from skiing, to boating, to hiking, as well as working as a part time personal trainer at a local fitness studio.

Meet Briana, MA, CCC-SLP

Briana graduated with a Masters in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Rhode Island in 2021. She has worked with the pediatric population in outpatient settings as well as school-age children ages 10-16.

Briana brings a wealth of experience collaborating with a wide range of clients, spanning from children with ASD, Apraxia of Speech, articulation disorders, language disorders, fluency disorders, and beyond. Additionally, she holds certification in PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets), a distinctive method for addressing speech delays or disorders. Briana is committed to promoting a supportive environment for the holistic development of the child by prioritizing effective communication and collaboration with parents. She firmly believes that this collaborative approach not only improves therapy outcomes, but also reinforces the bond among therapist, child, and family.

When Briana is not seeing clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband, family, friends, or her cat Mochi.

Meet Lindsey, COTA/L

Lindsey graduated from CCRI in 2023 with an associate's degree in applied science. Here, Lindsey earned her occupational therapy assistant degree with institutional high honors. A fun fact about her is that she changed my major 2 times before falling in love with OT. 

Lindsey has worked with the pediatric population in various settings over the past 5 years including daycares, before and after school programs, summer camps, and she observed OT services in school-based settings. Through these experiences she has been committed to providing a safe, supportive and exciting environment for children to learn and grow as individuals. Lindsey is also passionate about family involvement and facilitating communication between everyone in the child's support system. She plans to continue her education at NEIT to earn my masters in occupational therapy beginning this fall. 

In her free time Lindsey enjoys going to the gym, spending time with friends, family, and with her two cats Franklin and Henry. 

Meet Lea, M.S. CCC-SLP, ATP

Lea graduated with a Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University in 2010. She has worked in specialized day school programs, an inpatient program for patients with developmental disabilities, early intervention and public school settings. 

Lea is dedicated to working with clients and families with diverse needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder, articulation disorders, phonological disorders, expressive and receptive language disorders and more. In addition to being a Speech-Language Pathologist, Lea is an Assistive Technology Professional specializing in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). She believes that a strong client/therapist relationship and parent training and collaboration is essential to each client's success.

During her free time, Lea spends time with her two children and dog, Luna. She enjoys nature, autumn and reading.

Meet Vanessa, M.S. CCC-SLP

Vanessa earned her Master's degree in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Rhode Island in 2014. A native Spanish speaker, she specializes in providing bilingual therapy across diverse settings, including Early Intervention, Preschool, home-based therapy, and outpatient therapy. Currently, she works with students in grades K-4.

Vanessa's passion lies in supporting her clients' communication development and fostering their confidence through tailored, empathetic care. Her dedication to bilingual therapy not only bridges language gaps but also enriches the therapeutic experience for the families she serves.

When she is not helping clients, Vanessa enjoys building intricate puzzles and finds relaxation in the process, often spending hours piecing together beautiful images.

Meet Elaine, COTA/L

Elaine grew up in Rehoboth, Massachusetts and also raised two children, Chelsea and Mik in the same town. They both graduated from college and are successful in their careers. They mean the world to her. Elaine is very proud to be their mom. She graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Bristol Community College in Fall, River, Massachusetts in 1999. Elaine graduated with honors which was a personal goal of hers. Elaine has been a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for 25 years. When pursuing a professional career in the medical field she realized that occupational therapy was the field for her.

Elaine's diverse background in the Occupational Therapy field include working in Early Intervention, school systems, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient and home care. Her passion has always been helping people, especially children and she feels blessed to have made a difference in their lives. She believes that assisting people of all ages to regain their independence is the most rewarding aspect of occupational therapy.

In September of 2021, Elaine gained a son-in-law, Marc. He is currently working as a Corporate Communications Division Officer. Marc comes from such an amazing family. In August, she became a grandmother to her adorable granddaughter. Eleanor and Elaine spend as much time as possible together. She is known to light up Elaine's life.

In her spare time, Elaine loves going to the beach, gardening, cooking, baking, reading, going to thrift shops, hosting game night with friends and spending time with family. Her dog Snoopy and her cat Mocha have brought her joy for the last 12 years.