Occupational Therapist

Clinical Manager

Trina was born in New Zealand and graduated from Occupational Therapy school there in 1993. Trina started working full time with pediatric clients in 2000 and has found this to be her true passion. Trina is adult NDT certified and has attended training for Beckman and SOS feeding. Myofascial Release, pediatric NDT, Vision Therapy and a number of other specialized skills. She has experience in working with children with a wide variety of needs in school, home & clinic settings. Trina values spending time with her family and enjoys travel, a variety of sports & spending time in their home in the NC mountains.

Occupational Therapist

Madison graduated from Lenior-Rhyne University with a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She has worked in healthcare since 2012 as a certified nursing assistant. She lives in Lake Wylie, SC and enjoys going to the beach, the lake and spending time with family and friend. She has two dogs, Mocha and Pumbaa.

Occupational Therapist

Bailey was born and raised in Gastonia, NC. She attended NC State University for undergraduate, earning a BA in Biology in 2019. She then attended the Medical University of South Carolina where she earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2022. She has always had a passion for working with children, babysitting from an early age, and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant with children throughout college. Her OT doctoral research focused on the promotion of social emotional learning skills and emotional regulation techniques for children following the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey is excited to be back in the area and working with the PHOT team! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercising, and traveling.

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Tricia is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who graduated from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in 2017. She started working at Pediatric Hands on Therapy, PC after completing her Level II fieldwork rotation. Prior to making the decision to pursue Occupational Therapy, Tricia owned a printing business. She found her calling to Occupational Therapy through a series of events. She feels very fortunate to be a part of the PHOT team and loves the field of OT. Tricia has special interest in working with children of all ages with sensory integration, visual deficits, autism and those severely/profoundly disabled. Tricia lives in Belmont with her husband, 3 daughters and several pets. She enjoys spending time with her family and close friends, going to the beach, hiking, doing anything outdoors and gardening.

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Kara graduated with an Associates Degree in Applied Science at Central Piedmont Community College. Her combined love for children and the field of occupational therapy constitutes the perfect job working as a pediatric COTA. She lives in Mount Holly and enjoys spending free time listening to live music, traveling and spending time with her dogs, friends and family.

Occupational Therapist

Caroline attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a degree in Early Childhood Education in 2008. She received her Master’s of Occupational Therapy also from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2012. Caroline practiced inpatient spinal cord rehab in Chapel Hill and home-based pediatric therapy in Morganton before returning to the Charlotte area to work in outpatient pediatrics. Caroline has been with Pediatric Hands on Therapy since 2013 and enjoys working with a variety of patients of all different ages and abilities. She has attended training for pediatric NDT, myofascial release, vision therapy, pediatric feeding, and other skill sets. Caroline lives in Lake Wylie with her husband, two children and fur baby Tar. She enjoys running, swimming, watching college sports, interior design, and spending time with friends and family.

Occupational Therapist

Adriana graduated with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Elizabethtown College in 2017. Adriana found her passion for pediatrics early in her career, working at an outpatient clinic in New York before moving to the Carolinas in 2021. Adriana also has experience working with adults post brain injury within sub-acute and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Adriana believes a strong therapeutic relationship and trust between the child, therapist, and family are vital for optimal progress and goal attainment. Adriana focuses on a child's strengths and the importance of play when applying evidenced-based treatment approaches. Adriana has training in DIR-Floortime, pediatric feeding, oculomotor skills, reflex integration, and NDT infant handling. Adriana lives in Lake Wylie, SC with her husband and sheepadoodle puppy. She enjoys going to the beach, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Occupational Therapist

Emily graduated with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2023 from Pfeiffer University in Albemarle, North Carolina. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois but moved to North Carolina in 2020 to pursue her degree in Occupational Therapy. Emily has always had a passion for working for children. She has experience in working with children in the clinic, early intervention, and in the mental health setting. Outside of work, Emily has a passion for traveling, having visited over 20 different countries. Emily lives in the Charlotte area with her boyfriend and cat Baylee

Occupational Therapist

Wendy grew up in New York City and New Jersey. She moved to Charlotte in 2020. She graduated from Winston-Salem State with a Bachelors degree in Recreational therapy and a Masters degree in Occupational therapy in 2020. She has always had a passion for working with children and helping them reach their best potential. She has training in DIR-Floortime and SOS Feeding. Wendy is also bilingual and enjoys working with Spanish speaking families. Wendy lives in Charlotte with her husband and Australian Shepherd. She enjoys reading, going to the mountains, and spending time with family.

Occupational Therapist

Jessica earned her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC and stayed there to earn her Masters of Science in Occupational therapy. She developed a passion for pediatric occupational therapy because she loves empowering her clients and adapting activities to help reach their goals and to function at their highest level. Her favorite treatment activity is building obstacle course to work on executive functioning skills. In her free time, Jessica is an avid swimmer and loves spending time at the lake or beach, watching movies, and snuggling with her pup Arlo.

Occupational Therapist

Bailey graduated from North Greenville University in 2018 with a degree in clinical biology. She worked in the home health setting for 3 years with kids and young adults who had developmental or intellectual disabilities before pursuing a degree in occupational therapy. She graduated from Lenoir Rhyne University with Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2023. Her passion is helping kids reach their full potential and have fun while doing it. Currently, her special interests are in reflex integration and fine motor skills development. She enjoys spending her free time hanging out in local coffee shops, serving at her church, or playing competitive board games with her friends and family. She currently resides in Belmont with her husband Christopher.

Occupational Therapist

Claire was born and raised in Huntersville, NC. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies at UNC Chapel Hill and her Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy at East Carolina University. Her and her husband just moved to Belmont, NC in 2023. She is  passionate about child development and empowering others to engage in what is meaningful to them. She enjoys working with a variety of ages and partnering with families to support their child's growth and overall quality of life. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling and exercising

Occupational Therapist

I am originally from Mount Holly, NC. I earned my Bachelor's degree at Appalachian State University in Nutrition and Master's Degree at Milligan University in Occupational Therapy. I've grown up in the Gaston County area since I was a kid and enjoy giving back to the community I've grown up around. I enjoy working with a variety of ages and creating a relationship with families centered around their child's needs. In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends, love spending time at the beach, and with family.

Description gClaire was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. She graduated from The University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) in 2019 where she obtained a bachelors degree in Kinesiology. She then went on to receive a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at Alabama State University where she graduated in December 2021. Claire moved from Montgomery, AL to Charlotte, NC in February 2022 to start her career in OT working in pediatrics. Claire enjoys cooking, surrounding herself with family and friends, reading, the outdoors, and Alabama football!oes here

Occupational Therapist

Before starting graduate school, I worked in ABA therapy for a year and my passion was working in pediatrics; then transitioned to working as an in-home caregiver for children with special needs throughout my time in graduate school. I graduated from Presbyterian College with a Doctorate degree in occupational therapy. I completed my OT Doctoral Capstone research at PHOT for 14-weeks where I created and implemented a treatment approach for children with upper extremity hemiparesis using a proximal to distal approach and realized how much I love the PHOT environment and people, and kids, so I decided to stay! Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my fiance, family, and German Shepard puppy, traveling, and going on hikes!

Speech Language Pathologist

Laura grew up in Greensboro, NC and attended Appalachian State University for both undergraduate and graduate school, graduating in 2009 with her Masters in Speech Language Pathology. She has worked for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, but has mostly spent her career thus far practicing speech therapy in the home health/early intervention setting. She joined the team at Pediatric Hands on Therapy in 2020 and is excited to work with a diverse range of patients. Interests in the field include: Articulation/Phonology, Early Intervention, the use of Parent Coaching to help empower parents to help their children, Diverse Language differences/Bilingualism, early language development in toddlers and preschoolers. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, anything active outdoors, spending time with family and friends, live music, movies, cooking, photography, and animals. Laura has been married since 2018, and lives in Lowell with her husband and son, Adam.

Speech Language Pathologist

Lisa received her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University in VA. She has been working with children with speech and language disorders in home, clinic, and school settings for almost 20 years. She joined our team in 2015 and enjoys working with toddlers and preschoolers on early language skills. Lisa also has extensive experience working with patients on fluency. She lives in Belmont with her husband and two sons. She enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and traveling.

Speech Language Pathologist

Allison grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2014. She then attended West Virginia University, graduating from there with her master’s degree in 2016. Allison developed a passion for working with young children in Washington, D.C., where she worked for three years in their Early Intervention Program. Allison joined her husband by moving to North Carolina in 2019, where they live in Belmont with their three cats. Allison loves being a “cowboy cookie” of a therapist and is always learning something new. She has attended the following trainings: PROMPT Level One, the Brain-Mouth-Gut Connection, teletherapy, fluency disorders, and among others. Allison has a passion for articulation disorders, fluency disorders, pragmatic language, emerging language users, and AAC devices. In her free time, Allison likes to spend time with her family, read, and work on decorating her house.

Speech Language Pathologist

Emily graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University in 2017 and received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from UNCG in 2019. She has completed fieldwork In various settings including public schools, acute care hospital and inpatient rehabilitation. Her speech therapy interest areas including pediatric feeding and swallowing difficulties, expressive and receptive language delays, articulation concerns, and phonological disorders. In her free time, Emily enjoys hiking, playing the piano, and spending time with family and friends.

Speech Language Pathologist

Britt attended Appalachian State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2007. She received a Master of Speech Pathology degree from the University of South Carolina in 2009. Britt began her career in the public schools in South Carolina. She worked in North and South Carolina schools for 7 years before deciding to pursue her interest in private practice. She started working at Pediatric Hands On Therapy in 2017 and enjoys working with a variety of patients. She has attended training for Beckman Oral Motor protocol, pediatric feeding, teletherapy, and other skill areas. Britt lives in Lincolnton with her husband, two daughters, and dog MacGyver. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and being at the beach.

Speech Language Pathologist

Becca attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earning a degree in Communications in 1995. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 1998 with an MEd. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Becca has over 22 years of pediatric experience in school, clinic, and private settings and has been with PHOT Since 2012. Becca enjoys working with kids from preschool to high school on all language needs. She has special interest in working with patients across the autism spectrum. Outside of work, Becca enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 kids traveling, hiking, and hanging out with friends.

Speech Language Pathologist

Crystal graduated in 2001 with her Bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and in 2003 with her Master's degree in Communication Disorders from Valdosta State University. She has worked primarily with pediatrics over the past 20 years in hospitals, schools, and private practice. Crystal lives in Clover with her 12-year old twins and two cats. She enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Andrea graduated from Western Carolina University in 2014 with her Masters in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  She worked in the schools for 9 years before coming to PHOT in 2023.  Andrea loves ​seeing her patients grow in their communication skills.  She enjoys music, cooking, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog. 

Mollie is a licensed speech-language pathologist, certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. She graduated from Fort Hays State University (Kansas) with a Bachelors (B.S.) in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Masters (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology. She has worked with children and adults and their families for 10 years within various settings including the school system, outpatient clinics, and assisted living facilities. With her years of expertise, she has received extensive training with apraxia, fluency, cleft palate speech, and language disorders. She delivers evidence-based therapeutic interventions to her patients through the application of PROMPT, child-centered approach, and more. She has provided support to children with multiple diagnosis including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down Syndrome, Apraxia, Dysarthria, Developmental Delay, Cleft Lip and Palate, Learning Disabilities, and other conditions. She loves spending time with family and friends, baking, and traveling.

Alyssa graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University in 2022 and is currently studying for her Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology at UNC Greensboro. Alyssa loves the relationships she gets to build with clients and families as an SLPA. Her speech therapy interest areas include expressive and receptive language delays, pediatric feeding, articulation concerns, and a special love for kids on the autism spectrum. She lives in Kings Mountain with her husband and their two dogs, Belle and Storm. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys anything with music, shopping, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Speech Language Pathologist

Cole graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019 with her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Cole has worked in various outpatient pediatric clinics from North Carolina to Texas. She has worked with children of all ages and with a variety of medical diagnoses. Cole's favorite part of being an SLP is helping a child learn how to communicate using all modalities. Her speech therapy interests are early intervention, AAC, childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), and receptive/expressive language delays. Cole lives in Gastonia with her husband and their dog, Loretta Lynn, and cat, Hank Williams Jr. In her spare time, she loves to travel, read, exercise, and spend time with her family/friends.

Speech Language Pathologist

Laurel graduated with her Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Louisiana State University in 2018 and received her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Carolina in 2024. She has completed fieldwork in the school, early intervention, private practice, and pediatric hospital settings. Her speech therapy interest areas including pediatric feeding and swallowing difficulties, expressive and receptive language delays, and articulation disorders. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends, and animals.

Speech Language Pathologist

Alexis was born and raised in Gaston County. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Carolina University in 2021, followed by a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Carolina in 2023. Currently, Alexis works full-time within the school system and provides therapy to children at PHOT during after-school hours. Her professional interests in speech therapy include, but are not limited to, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), expressive and receptive language delays, and early intervention. Outside of work, Alexis enjoys traveling, spending quality time with close friends and family, and exercising.