Ann Marie Alvarado

Denise Beckham

Becky Bell

Monica Bravo

Michele Black

Becky Bell

Erin Breechan

Barbara Collins

Suzanne Corzine

Barbara DeJesus-Rivera

Janene DiGesare

Kelley DeTuro

Ivette Fuller

Amy Gomes

D. Bryan Gonzalez

Christine Gramaglia

Cheryl Hill

Ally Jafrate

Ruthie Johns

Christina Lacek

Kat Logan

Danielle Mills

Lisa Newton

Trina Nussbaumer

Renee Phares

Beverly Puritz

Simmone Schmidt

Kacie Short

Katie Short

Liani Steenekamp

Shannon Stuckey

Rebecca Wallace

Iryna Yusupova

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Ann Marie Alvarado

Ann Marie Avarado MA, ITDS

Ann Marie has a Master’s of Arts in Counseling in Mental Health.  She has 16 years experience working with children 0-5 years old.  Ann Marie is experienced in working with Head Start and Early Head Start.  She has been employed with Central Florida Pediatric Therapy Assoc. since 2006.

 

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Denise Beckham

 

Denise graduated from Keiser University in 2011 with an Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy. She is a licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant as well as an Early Steps provider for the state of Florida. Denise has been with CFPTA since February 2012 and has a great passion for working with children.

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Becky Bell MS, CCC-SLP

 

Becky is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with the state of Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Florida in Communication Sciences and Disorders (1995) and a Master of Science from the University of South Florida in Speech-Language Pathology (2000). She has worked in a variety of settings including public schools (grades PK-12), outpatient clinics and acute hospital care before coming to CFPTA in March 2002.

 

Becky's experience includes working with patients and families dealing with: expressive and receptive language disorders, oral motor disorders, feeding and swallowing disorders, augmentative/alternative communication devices, articulation/phonological disorders, autism spectrum disorders, voice and fluency disorders.

 

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Monica Bravo B.S. Early Childhood Education, SLPA, ITDS

 

Monica earned her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education at Sacred Heart University in Lima, Peru. She also earned a Master degree in Speech Language Pathology at Pontifical Catholic University in Lima, Peru. Monica joined CFPTA in July 2012 as a ITDS.

 

Monica has worked in a variety of settings including Head Start and outpatient clinics. Since 2006, she has worked with children ages 0-7 with diagnosis of speech delay, developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, PDD, oral motor delays, articulation disorders, cognitive development, social-emotional development and pragmatic social skills.

 

Monica is fluent in Spanish.

 

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Michele Black

Michele Black MA, CCC-SLP


Michele is a State of Florida licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist.  She is also nationally credentialed with her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association./p>


She was awarded her Bachelor of Arts (2003) and Master of Arts (2005) degrees from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL. Michele began clinical work in the area of Communicative Disorders in the Spring of 2000 at the UCF Communicative Disorders Clinic.


Michele currently specializes in the areas of:

 

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders/ Pervasive Developmental Disorders (ASD/PDD)
  • Oral Motor Treatment
  • Early Intervention for speech and language delays (children 0-3)
  • Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate

 

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Erin Breechan, PTA

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Barbara Collins, OTR/L

Barbara is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (1989). She is licensed to practice in the state of Florida and is Nationally Board Certified.   She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Auburn University (1985). 

 

She has been a pediatric Occupational Therapist for 20 years with experience in a variety of settings including acute care, out patient rehab, private practice, home health and school systems.  She has worked with a wide variety of special needs children and has particular interest in children with developmental delays, learning disabilities and sensory integration dysfunction.

 

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Suzanne Corzine, PTA

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Barbara DeJesus-Rivera

Barbara De Jesus-Rivera MA, CCC-SLP 

Barbara is a Nationally and State of Florida licensed and certified Medical Speech-Language Pathologist. She was awarded Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts (2002) from the University of Florida in Psychology and Communication Sciences and Disorders respectively.  She obtained a Master's of Arts (2004) in Speech and Language Pathology from Florida State University.  Barbara is fluent in Spanish.

 

 

Barbara began her clinical work in the Fall of 2002 at the Florida State Communication Disorder Clinic. She worked as a Speech-Language intern at The Arnold Palmer Hospital (inpatient/outpatient) in 2004. Barbara joined Central Florida Pediatric Therapy Associates in 2004.  She is also a team member of the Early Steps Evaluation team in lake county.

 

Barbara specializes in the areas of:

 

  • Early Intervention for speech and language delays (children 0-3)
  • Child Speech (Articulation) and Language Disorders
  • Developmental Delays (ie: Down Syndrome)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders/ Pervasive Developmental Disorders (ASD/PDD)
  • Dysphagia (swallowing disorders)
  • Feeding Difficulty (oral aversion)
  • Oral Motor Treatment
  • Fluency Disorders (stuttering)
  • Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate
  • Auditory/Verbal teaching techniques

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Kelley DeTuro

Janene DiGesare, M.A. CCC-SLP

Janene is a licensed Speech and Language Pathologist by the State of Florida.  She also is American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) certified in Speech-Language Pathology.  Janene received her Bachelors of Arts in Communication Disorders (2000) from the University of Central Florida.  She obtained a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology (2003) from the University of Central Florida.


Janene began her clinical work in the Spring of 2001 at the University of Central Florida's Communication Disorders Clinic.  She also worked part-time as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant in Orange County Public Schools from 2000-2003.  Janene joined Central Florida Pediatric Therapy Associates in 2003.


Janene specializes in:


Early Intervention for speech/language delay (0-3 years)
Childhood Articulation and Language Disorders
Feeding Difficulties (dysphasia and oral aversion)
Oral Motor Treatment
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Motor Speech Disorders (Childhood Apraxia of Speech)

 

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Kelley DeTuro

Kelley DeTuro, ITDS

Kelley received a BA degree in Communicative Disorders from California State University—Fresno before getting her Master’s of Education degree in Early Childhood, Special Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

She worked as a Speech Therapist for the Las Vegas Hearing Impaired school district program, serving children pre-K through middle school, where the focus was total communication (speech and sign language).  Kelley also worked with preschoolers with varying hearing impairments in the oral/aural program.

 

Kelley then transitioned to the classroom, teaching preschool and Kindergarten for children with developmental delays and speech concerns.

She spent some time focusing on her family (husband and 2 daughters) before returning to work (with CFPTA) serving families with special needs. 

Kelley currently works as an Infant/Toddler Developmental Specialist (ITDS) focusing on parent/family training and developing individualized goals and strategies for infants and toddlers.  She works closely with parents and teachers to incorporate goals, including sign language when appropriate, into the child’s daily routines.

 

Ms. DeTuro is co-coordinating a Sibshop Workshop Program for school-aged siblings of children with special needs.  She has also authored a book, Mysterious Journey:  Hot Air Ballooning for the same population.

 

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Ivette Fuller

Ivette Fuller, ITDS

Ivette Fuller earned a Bachelor degree in Psychology and Spanish from Suny Brockport in New York in 2001 and certified as an Infant Toddler Development Specialist/ITDS by the state of Florida in 2007. Works with children and their families that have developmental delays and diagnosis conditions for nearly twenty –five years in both home and school setting.


Experiences:

  • Working as part of a team that consist of professionals and medical personal to help children delayed and diagnosis in the following areas: Autism, Down Syndrome, Hearing impairments, Communication, Emotional and Behavioral disorders,  Sensory Integration disorders, ADHD, and prematurity, etc.
  • Assist and implement special education/developmental program for each child on one basis in area of cognition, gross motor, and fine motor, and self-help, social/emotional and behavioral management.
  • Obtain information about child’s concerns and assess needs of the child
  • The basic use of sign Language
  • Able to provide interpretation and translation to Spanish speaking families
  • Work with family in natural environment
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Amy Gomes

Amy Gomes, PT

Amy Gomes, Physical Therapist, graduated in 1980 from Florida International University in Miami.  She began her career at Jackson Memorial Hospital, rotating through various departments and then decided that pediatrics was her love and relocated to Miami Children's Hosptial.  She has worked in various pediatric settings, including school system, private clinics, pre-school and for the past 19 years in the homes with Central Florida Pediatric Therapy. 

 

Amy was the fortunate Physical Therapist to work with the first child in Central Florida to undergo the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy.  She has since worked with more than 25 children who have had sucess with this surgical procedure. 

 

Amy has been trained in casting for AFOs and has been working with Cascade DAFOs since 1988.  Amy has the unique perspective of being a parent of a special needs child.  Amy is currently working on opening a school for special needs children in Ukraine.  You can become a "friend" of Hope Haven Ukraine by visiting www.hopehavenschool.com.

 

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D. Bryan Gonzalez, CFY-SLP

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Christine Gramaglia

Christine Gramaglia OTR/L

Christine is a State of Florida licensed and board certified Occupational Therapist.  She was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree (1992) in Occupational Therapy from Chicago State University.  In 2000 she was awarded an MA in Health Systems Management from Webster University.

 

Christine’s professional experience began in 1992 at a level 1 trauma center in Illinois where she had the opportunity to work with both children and adults.  Later experience included working in the school system, an outpatient clinic for both children and adults and in the home with children.


Christine currently works with children 0-16.  She specializes in sensory processing disorders, feeding difficulty, handwriting and visual perceptual skills.

 

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Cheryl Hill

Cheryl Hill PTA

Cheryl graduated in 1983 with an AS from the Physical Therapy Assistant program.  She is experienced in casting for Cascade Orthotic Equipment.

 

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Ally Jafrate, PTA

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Ruthie Johns

Ruthie Johns MS, CCC-SLP

Ruthie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication of Sciences and Disorders from the University of South Florida in May of 1994, and later received her Master of Science Degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of South Florida in May, 1997.  Ruthie completed her CFY at Hardee Rehabilitive Services, Inc. in Wauchula, Florida where she was trained under speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapist in hospitals, nursing homes and pediatric settings.  After Hardee Rehabilitive Services, she took a pediatric position with Speech Pathology Services, Inc., (SPS) in Atlanta, Georgia.  She was trained in the Beckman Oral Motor Intervention Program, Bonnie Hanschu’s Developmental Concepts of Sensory Processing Disorders, and Brain Gym-Edu-Kinesthetics.   After (SPS), she took a home based early intervention position with Central Florida Pediatric Therapy Associates, Inc. 

 

While working for CFTA, she has attended trainings for Therapeutic Listening, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and Pediatric Swallowing/Feeding Disorders.  She believes in a multidisciplinary approach to her treatments.  She is currently working in home health, day care, and private school settings in Orange and Seminole Counties.

 

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Christina Lacek, PT, DPT

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Kat Logan, CCC-SLP

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Danielle Mills

Danielle Mills, ,M.A. CCC-SLP


Graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors Degree in Communication Disorders and a Master's from University of Central Florida in Communicative Disorders. Danielle is nationally certified speech-language pathologist with American Speech-Language & Hearing Association (ASHA).

Danielle has experience with school-age students targeting language, articulation and stuttering disorder; medically fragile children increasing oral motor skills, food aversion, expressive and receptive language.

 

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Lisa Newton

Lisa Newton OTR/L

Lisa is a nationally registered and Florida state-licensed occupational therapist. She graduated in 2003 with a bachelors degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida. She continued on for a masters degree in health science at The University of Florida, graduating in 2004. During her graduate year, she specialized in student teaching to occupational therapy students and conducted research that specialized in how neurological stroke affects motor planning.


Her personal experience with children with special needs began in 1990 when her nephew was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Her interest in becoming a therapist as well as an advocate for the special needs population has continued to grow throughout her career and in her area of practice (home health) her close contact with family members allows her to help encourage and enroll parents in advocacy.


She has been working with Central Florida Pediatric Therapy since 2004 and works with the state-funded Early Steps Program in Lake and Orange Counties to identify children with developmental delays who may qualify for therapy services.

 

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Trina Nussbaumer

Trina Giddens Nussbaumer,  M.S., CCC-SLP

Trina is a Florida state-licensed and national board-certified Speech-Language Pathologist.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts (1992) and Master of Science (1994) degrees from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL.  She began her speech career as a speech-language pathology assistant in 1990. Initially working in the acute and geriatric settings, she gravitated towards pediatrics in 1999.  She currently performs evaluations for the Lake County Early Steps Program and provides the following speech and language services:

  • Early Intervention (0-3) for speech and language delays 
  • Child Speech and Language Disorders
  • Developmental Delays
  • Fluency Disorders (Stuttering)
  • Phonological Disorder Treatment
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders/ Pervasive Developmental Disorders (ASD/PDD)
  • Oral motor treatment (musculature strengthening/motor planning)
  • Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
  • Emergent Literacy (preschool age) and Reading Fluency and Comprehension (school age) 
  • Parent Education: Teaching practical ways to help children learn language during everyday routines
  • Dysphagia (Swallowing Disorders)
  • Feeding difficulties/ Oral aversion

 

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Renee Phares

Renee Phares OTR/L

Renee Phares graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1984. She has practiced exclusively in pediatrics. She worked for Orange County Public Schools for 4 years, at an out patient pediatric clinic for 3 years and at CFPTA since 1991. She enjoys working with children and their families in their home. She has extensive training in sensory processing disorder and neurodevelopmental treatment.

 

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Beverly Puritz

Beverly Puritz MS, OTR/L

Bev is a Nationally and State of Florida licensed and certified Occupational Therapist. She was awarded her Master of Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 2001, Davie, Fl.


Bev has worked full time for the school system for approximately 9 years (for both Polk and Orange county public schools). She also continues to work part time as a pediatric occupational therapist for in home patient therapy for the Orlando and Clermont areas. In addition, Bev has worked for ORMC (Orlando Regional Medical Center and Healthsouth Rehabilitation) in adult rehabilitation (acute and long term). 


Bev also has an additional degree in Bachelor of Communication in Advertising, and a cognate minor in marketing and psychology from Florida State University (1988). She decided to change careers after a knee injury 10 years ago, in which she had an opportunity to observe and participate in both occupational and physical therapy, Bev finds occupational therapy to be a very rewarding career, and really enjoys working with children, as well as adults.

 

Bev specializes in the areas of:

  • Pediatric Occupational Therapy(in-home and school therapy) with specialities in developmental delay, fine motor, eye hand coordination/visual motor skills, cerebral palsy, orthopedic, sensory/autism related disorders, emotional, learning disabilities, brain injury.
  • Adult rehabilitation ( i.e. stroke, brain injury, orthopedic, functional and mental decline, cognitive retraining, vocational skills, hand therapy, ADLS). 

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Simmone Schmidt, ITDS

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Kacie Short, OTA

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Katie Short

Katie Short MA, CCC-SLP

Katie is a Nationally and State of Florida licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist.


She was awarded her Bachelor of Science (2005) and Master's of Arts (2007) from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fl. Katie began her clinical work in the Spring of 2006 at the University of Central Florida Communication Disorder Clinic. She worked as a Speech-Language intern at Avante of Orlando and at Bright Start Pediatrics with medically fragile infants and toddlers (2007). She worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist with the Orange County Public School system at a center school for children with autism from 2006-2007. Katie joined Central Florida Pediatric in December of 2007.

 

Katie specializes in the areas of:

  • Child Speech (Articulation) and Language Disorders
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
  • Oral Motor Treatment
  • Cleft Palate
  • Phonological Disorder Treatment
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders/ Pervasive Developmental Disorders (ASD/PDD)
  • Early Intervention for Speech and Language Delays (children 0-3)
  • Developmental Disorders (i.e.: Down Syndrome)
  • Children who are Medically Fragile

 

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Liani Steenekamp, OTR/L

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Shannon Stuckey

Shannon Stuckey, M.A. CCC-SLP

Shannon is a graduate of the Speech and Language Pathology Master's Degree Program at the University of Central Florida.  She also received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Central Florida where she majored in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  Shannon has been a Speech and Language Pathologist for 11 years and her professional experience has been achieved in a variety of settings; including: private practice, educational setting and medical setting.  She has worked as both an itinerant Speech-Language Pathologist and Self-Contained Speech-Language Pathologist in the school system. 

 

She has a wide range of experience with articulation, receptive/expressive language, phonology, fluency and developmental disabilities.  Shannon is trained in the Debra Beckman Oral Motor Intervention Program and in the Story Grammar Marker Program.  Shannon mainly works in the Ocoee area during after school hours.

 

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Iryana Yusupova

Rebecca Wallace, PT

Rebecca is licensed Physical Therapist in the state of Florida. Rebecca was awarded here Bachelors of Science in Health Service Administration (2005) and a Master of Science in Physical Therapy (2007) from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.  Throughout college Rebecca also worked in an outpatient sports medicine and physical therapy clinic as an office manager.  Rebecca completed one of her clinical internships at Florida Hospital in their outpatient pediatric rehabilitation department.  Rebecca began her clinical work when she joined Central Florida Pediatric Therapy Associates in 2008. 

 

Rebecca loves to work with children and their families in early intervention.  She treats a wide variety of children with conditions such as down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, arthrogryposis, prematurity, gross motor delay, etc.  She also is experienced in pediatric casting using Cascade DAFO fabricators.

 

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Iryana Yusupova

Iryna Yusupova-Lopez (Ira) MA,ITDS

Iryna Yusupova-Lopez is a state of Florida certified Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist. She was awarded her Bachelor of Arts from Crimean American College (2002) in Crimea, Ukraine and her Masters of Arts in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Florida (2006) in Orlando, FL.

 

Iryna (Ira) began working as an Early Intervention Specialist since September of 2006 while pursing her certificate of Behavior Analysis through Florida Institue of Techonology. She joined Central Florida Pediatric Therapy in September of 2006.

 

Iryna specializes in:

 

-Early Intervention (birth to 3 yrs of age)

-Cognitive Development

-Social-Emotional Development (behavioral concerns)

-Pragmatics/Social Skills

-Autistic Spectrum Disorders

-Early Steps Clinic Evaluations

-Interdisciplinary team approach

 

Iryna is fluent in Russian.

 

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