Our Team

  • Tara Gallagher

    CCC-SLP/TSHH

    I have 22 years of experience working as a speech-language pathologist with children of all ages. I specialize in working with children who use hearing aids and/or cochlear implants to learn spoken language. Learning auditory verbal and listening techniques early in my career has allowed me to help children with all speech and language needs meet their goals.  I take pride in knowing I set up a fun, productive, structured, yet nurturing environment. Families are often part of my sessions, as they are the child's best teacher. I love spending time with my family traveling to other countries and tropical islands. Sitting on the beach and listening to the waves is my happy place.


    Fun Fact: I love hip-hop dancing and often 'dance like nobody is watching'


  • Amanda Villosio

    CCC-SLP/TSSLD

  • Michelle Rodriguez

    CCC-SLP/TSSLD

  • Ashley Machovec

    TOD

    I am a passionate Teacher of The Deaf and Hard of Hearing with 7 years of experience. I work with students of all ages ranging from Early Intervention up through high school. I specialize in listening and spoken language development and am an IMSE Orton Gillingham trained Reading Interventionist. I love that my job challenges me and provides endless opportunities to learn and grow professionally. I believe in a play-based approach to therapy and take pride in building close relationships with my students and their families. Having the opportunity to watch my kids learn, grow, and achieve their full potential is a true gift!

    Fun Fact: I was a competitive gymnast growing up!


  • Bridget Rice

    CCC-SLP/TSSLD

    I am a New York Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has her Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). I specialize in working with children of all ages, along with their families and caregivers, to facilitate speech, language, and listening excellence. I provide speech-language intervention services for a variety of communication disorders including articulation and phonological disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders, auditory processing, apraxia of speech, social communication disorders, fluency disorders, and cognitive communication disorders. I emphasize building confidence in communication through play-based, child-centered therapy, individualized to each client and their family’s needs. I am an enthusiastic clinician who knows how to bring out the best in her clients.

    I am a dedicated clinician, who takes pride in helping children and their families achieve their goals. 

    Fun Fact: I enjoy spending time baking, traveling, and being outdoors!


  • Gina Schmansky

    OTR/L

    I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with more than five years of dedicated experience working in the field. My passion lies within working with individuals of all ages, especially with children where I prioritize constant communication and collaboration with families and caregivers. Seeing progress and the accomplishments of my kiddos will forever fuel my commitment and passion in this field.

    Fun fact: I am graduating with my Masters in Occupational Therapy from Iona University in January 2024, I am a true dog lover and love to participate in any outdoor activity with my two pups!


  • Julia Shtipler

    CCC-SLP/TSSLD

    My name is Julia and I have been a speech-language pathologist for 5 years. I provide services for children 0-5 years of age. I specialize in offering therapy in the areas of articulation, language, pragmatic skills, hearing/listening, and stuttering. I love working with toddler and preschool-aged children to help them reach their goals and to provide a safe and fun environment for them to grow and learn. I am passionate about working closely with families to make them a valuable part of the therapy team.

    Fun fact: I love hiking and being outdoors!


  • Amber Urban

    OTR/L

  • Katie Austin

    TOD

    I am a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing working with children of all ages. I enjoy working with children by supporting them and helping them reach their goals. I am passionate about helping kids develop confidence through self-advocacy and building close relationships with my students and families. My goal is to make my sessions fun and enjoyable so kids will want to continue to make strides toward their goals.

    Fun fact: I enjoy gardening!


  • Laura Donato

    OTR/L

    I am a certified Occupational Therapist with over four years of experience dedicated to helping kids shine and reach their full potential. My work in pediatric therapy is driven by a genuine passion for supporting children as they navigate their developmental journey and tackle any challenges that come their way. With specialized training and hands-on experience across many domains in child development, sensory integration, motor skills, and adaptive techniques, I’ve learned how to make therapy both effective and fun! I love using a playful, child-centered approach that blends evidence-based methods with fun activities to create a positive and engaging experience for every child. Creating a warm, nurturing environment where kids feel safe and excited to explore is at the core of my practice. I truly believe in building strong, supportive relationships with both the children I work with and their families. By collaborating closely with parents, caregivers, and the education team, I develop personalized therapy plans that cater to each child’s unique needs and goals, all while making progress a joyful adventure.

    Fun Fact: My journey to becoming an Occupational Therapist was deeply inspired by my amazing aunt, who had Down Syndrome.'


  • Catherine Manning

    OTR/L

    I am a dedicated occupational therapist working with children from preschool age through high school. I thrive on creating a fun and structured session where your child feels comfortable and can advance their skills through play. Watching your child grow, build confidence in their skills, and have fun is one of my favorite parts of my job. What I love about OT is that there is endless potential for creativity and novel activities. I strive to help your child become as independent as possible in their skill set and help them be as successful as possible in school! Outside of OT, you can find me playing volleyball, spending time with my family and friends, or in my favorite place, the beach.

    Fun Fact: I played NCAA Volleyball and currently coach a high school girls varsity volleyball team!


  • Maggie McKee

    OTR/L

    My name is Maggie and I am one of the Occupational Therapists at Listening Partners. I am a thoughtful and spirited clinician who aims to provide a safe and fun environment for individuals to not only gain skills but also confidence in their abilities. I enjoy working with students of all ages. Some of my favorite therapeutic activities include board games as it not only promotes fine motor and/or visual motor skills but enhances play skills, which is the child’s primary function.
    Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family, friends, and my red Labrador Retriever. I also enjoy learning new recipes and reading books.

    Fun Fact about me is that I read all of the Harry Potter books!


  • Danielle Tagliaferro

    COTA

    I have been working as a COTA since 2018, and have worked with students ranging in age from birth to 21 years old. Building a relationship with my students and their families brings me so much joy! My favorite part of the job is seeing growth in each child I work with and learning all about what excites my students. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, exploring new cities, and exercising. 

    Fun fact: I have been skydiving and had a pet hedgehog.

  • Brianna Wagner

    CCC-SLP/TSSLD

    I am a New York Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who specializes in working with children of all ages facilitating their language and communication skills. Being a Speech-Language Pathologist allows me to work with diverse individuals across different settings. I chose this profession because I wanted to help others communicate and advocate for their wants and needs. I take pride in promoting and encouraging children’s communication and language development, as it also helps build their social, emotional, and personal development. I enjoy using my creativity to tailor speech and language therapy to the individual’s interests to help motivate and foster success.
    I strive to support, advocate, and empower the individuals I work with in reaching their goals and potential.


  • Melissa Carozza

    OTR/L

    I chose occupational therapy because I love the holistic and meaningful approach to it. You look at a person as a whole and consider what's truly important to them and get to use their interests as motivation as well as the goal. I enjoy working in pediatrics because every child is so unique and each session is so individualized. I take pride in creating a safe and fun environment for them to grow, and I love to see them gain skills and build confidence in their abilities. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, baking, and reading a good book outside. 

    Fun fact: I was born on the 4th of July and I get to spend every birthday watching fireworks

  • Jessica Gallagher

    CCC-SLP/ TSSLD

    I'm a dedicated Speech Language Pathologist with a heart for helping children. Originally from New York, I spent 7 transformative years in Florida, where I completed my education and clinical fellowship. My experience includes working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those with expressive and receptive language delays. I've spent the past year at a charter school, guiding students aged 6-17. I am passionate about play-based therapy and enjoy tailoring sessions to a child's lead, ensuring they find therapy engaging and enjoyable. I firmly believe in the vital role parents play in their child's development and actively involve them in the therapy process. My goal is to make a profound impact on the lives of these little ones, helping them conquer communication challenges and unlock their full potential!   I am also PROMPT trained. When I'm not at work, you'll find me exploring new places, reading a good book, staying active, and spending time with family and friends.

     
    Fun fact: I am also a dance teacher 💃🏻


  • Lauren Barrett

    COTA

    I have been working as a COTA since 2020. I have a passion for helping people. I have experience working as an occupational therapy assistant with both children and the geriatric population. I love working with children and using my skills to make a difference. I enjoy being creative and having fun in a learning environment.
    Outside of work, I love to dance, love spending time with my family, and enjoy trying new restaurants. 

    Fun Fact: My favorite place is the beach.


  • Daina Dalaguerre-Guarino

    OTR/L

    I have over 10 years of experience as an occupational therapy assistant mostly with the geriatric population. I am now a registered occupational therapist journeying through the pediatric world and exploring a different facet of occupational therapy that has become very dear to my heart. I love the fact that occupational therapy is very versatile and flexible to the needs of my clients. Also, I love spending quality time with my family cruising around to different countries.

    Fun fact: I enjoy singing, dancing, and being silly with my kids.


  • Laura Tillman

    OTR/L

    I have been an Occupational Therapist for over 7 years and have loved every second of it! I've worked in a variety of settings with children 6 months through middle school age, including a special education preschool in the Bronx, home care in NYC, and most recently a private practice specializing in sensory integration here in Westchester. I take pride in developing strong relationships with each child and their family and tailoring interventions to their individual needs. I look at each child as an opportunity to learn and grow right alongside them and am excited to be part of the team here! When I'm not working you can find me drinking iced coffee and playing with my 6 year old rescue dog Baxter and my 11 month old son!

    Fun fact: I lived in Ghana and Tanzania for 7 months and volunteered at rural orphanages! It's where my love for OT began!

  • Julia Hayes

    CCC-SLP/ TSSLD

    I've been working as a pediatric speech therapist since 2021. After three wonderful years in early intervention, I've recently branched out into school-aged populations. Throughout my career so far, I've worked particularly closely with children on the Autism Spectrum from 18 months old to 11 years old. In addition to facilitating communication, I work very hard to be an advocate for my clients and their caregivers. I care deeply about parent education, child-led practices, and neurodiversity-affirming care. I believe that speech therapy can and should be fun! I recently became a first-time mom in 2023. Playing and running after my son makes me a better person and speech therapist every day!

  • Nicole Iantorno

    OTR/L

    I started as an occupational therapist in a neuro-robotic clinic and quickly realized my true passion was working in pediatrics. I transitioned to the world of peds and never looked back! I strive to provide an environment where kids can thrive, learn, and grow. Every child has potential and can strive to meet their goals with hard work. 

    My favorite thing to do in my spare time is to go on hikes, garden, and spend time with family and friends!

  • Olivia Wice
    CF-SLP/TSSLD

    I began my career as a preschool teacher, which sparked my passion for the incredible field of speech-language pathology. Working closely with young children helped me see how powerful communication is in shaping confidence, learning, and connection with others. That experience inspired me to pursue a career where I could support children in developing the skills they need to express themselves and succeed. As a speech-language pathologist, I am passionate about helping children build confidence and reach their fullest potential. I enjoy creating engaging, play-based therapy sessions that support communication, language development, and meaningful connections with others. My goal is to make therapy a positive and supportive experience for every child and family I work with. Outside of work, I love spending time at the beach, listening to music, watching sports, and being with friends and family. 

    Fun fact: I’ve made it onto the jumbotron at Madison Square Garden four times during hockey games!

  • Melody Ericsson
    TOD; TSHH

    I am a certified Teacher of the Deaf (TOD), Teacher of Speech and Hearing Handicapped (TSHH), and Special Educator with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders and an M.S.Ed. in Special Education and Deaf Education. It has been my true passion since the age of three, when I became best friends with a young boy in my preschool class who had a hearing loss. His family immersed me in their life and culture. Over the years, I continued this passion and never looked back. With over 25 years of experience as an itinerant teacher, I specialize in supporting students who are deaf or hard of hearing in developing spoken language, differentiated instruction, and literacy skills through listening. I have extensive knowledge in cochlear implants, central auditory processing, and the Auditory-Verbal Approach. I am deeply committed to maximizing students' access to sound and communication, empowering them to thrive both academically and socially. 

    Fun Fact: Outside of my professional work, I love spending time with my three children, making lasting memories through outdoor adventures, travel, helping students in need, and playing trombone!

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