Meet Our Team!

Ms. Janis is the owner of BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and a Master’s Degree in Special Education. She is married with four children and enjoys spending time with her family, dogs, and horses. Her personal and professional experiences and education have led to her specialties in coordinating and supporting teams, advocating for children, and developing programs to better meet the needs of our Playhouse families and kids!

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Humble. Grateful. Supportive.

What is the most interesting part of your job? I love that I have the ability to try new programs that may benefit our patients or inspire our therapists without having administration above me to slow me down or limit what I can see we can achieve for our kids.

What was your first job? My parents owned a beauty shop when I was growing up. I was a shampoo girl, a tanning bed attendant, and the towel washer…which is ironic because now as an entrepreneur (following in my mother’s footsteps), I’m still wearing various hats and I’m not afraid to change that hat to help my team or our families.

​If everyone is gifted in some way, what is your gift? Hiring GREAT Therapists with an authentic love for what they do, incredible positive energy, and team spirit!

Ms. Alison is a Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Ms. Alison specializes in orofacial myofunctional disorders. Alison is married and has two young girls. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing with their yellow lab, and quilting. She is passionate about providing children with the communication and social skills that they need to form rewarding relationships with others. 

Ms. Alicia is a Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She has a bachelor’s degree in Communicative Disorders with minors in English and Linguistics, as well as a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, both from NIU. She has interests in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and all aspects of language, but she loves to explore other areas of the field!

Favorite quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Biggest mistake a therapist can make: Not collaborating with parents! They provide such great information on their children’s interests, skills, and preferences, and their input helps make goal writing easier. 

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Curious, empathetic, easygoing

Ms. Alyssa is a Physical Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Marquette University. She is passionate about building relationships with patients and their families and hopes to make therapy sessions enjoyable for everyone she serves. Alyssa loves playing outside with her daughter, running in the woods, and renovating/constructing as many things as her husband will tolerate.

What is the greatest compliment you have ever received? One day in Tennessee I was working with a kiddo that had A LOT of extra energy and her caregiver commented that I had the patience of Job. It is an HONOR to receive a biblical compliment in the bible belt!

What is your favorite quote? Most people need love and acceptance a lot more than they need advice. – Bob Goff

What would people be surprised to know about you? I’ve been lucky enough to represent the United States during international triathlon races!

Ms. Amy is a  Co-Director and Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She has Bachelor’s (2008) and Master’s Degrees (2010) in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Illinois State University. She is married to a wonderful Occupational Therapist and has 2 sweet girls at home who are growing up too fast! Amy is passionate about building speech and language skills, helping children overcome feeding difficulties, and training parents to help their children grow and thrive at home. She is trained in the SOS feeding method, PROMPT therapy, holds certification as an Early Intervention specialist, has completed advanced trainings in multiple feeding approaches, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), has completed course work in Oral Placement Therapy (OPT), and is a trained provider of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT).  She absolutely loves providing speech therapy services to the children and families at BDI and immensely enjoys collaborating with the other wonderful therapists who work here!
What is your favorite quote?
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.” – J.K. Rowling
What is the greatest compliment you have ever received?
A client’s family let me know they felt like I was the first therapist to truly listen to them and their frustrations. It humbled me and reminded me that I am here to listen as well as provide therapy. As a speech therapist I feel like I have to talk all the time, but sometimes just listening to my clients and their families can be just as therapeutic.
What is the biggest mistake a therapist can make?
The biggest mistake a therapist can make is to try to do this job alone. My fellow co-workers are invaluable to me and daily teach and push me to be a better therapist. I’ve learned from experience that it is incredibly hard to not have other therapists to see and talk to every-day who I can bounce ideas off of, get advice from, and learn from. I love the community here at BDI!

Ms. Amy is an occupational therapist at the Orland Park clinic! She has a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Health Services from Western Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Lewis University. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys teaching Irish dance, hiking, boating and spending time with her friends and family! 

Favorite Quote: “Trust is earned in the smallest of moments. It is earned not through heroic deeds, or even highly visible actions, but through paying attention, listening, and gestures of genuine care and connection.” – Brene Brown

Best Advice: The best advice I’ve ever received is to never stop being a student. There’s opportunities to learn something new in every situation! 

Ms. Andrea is a Physical Therapist at BDI Playhouse. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Human Performance from Iowa State University. Andrea received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from A.T. Still University. Her ongoing training includes orthotic management, NDT, gait, hippotherapy, and aquatic therapy. Andrea enjoys working with families to provide treatment in a way that incorporates each child’s specific needs. She believes that every session should be fun to encourage improved learning and carryover. In Andrea’s spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as being outdoors.

Ms. Ann is a Co-Director and has worked as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in pediatrics for 18 years. She graduated from South Suburban College with an Occupational Therapy Assistant degree. She is certified in the Therapressure brushing protocol and has attended numerous continuing education courses specializing in pediatrics including autism, sensory processing disorder, visual perceptual and visual motor processing, behavior challenges and functional positioning and play. She loves working with children and is always ready for a challenge. Ann’s goal is to help each child achieve his or her highest potential through fun and play. In her free time, Ann enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 children.

What is the greatest compliment you have ever been given? The greatest compliment I have ever been given is that I remind people of my mom. My mom was my idol and a true inspiration to everyone she met. To be told I’m like her is the greatest compliment to get. 🙂

What is your favorite quote? “Work hard then play twice as hard” and “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

What is the biggest mistake a therapist can make? I feel the biggest mistake a therapist can make is not collaborating with other professionals, being inflexible and not being open to learning new things. Learning and bouncing ideas off of my co-workers helps to keep therapy fun and exciting for the kids I treat. Not all therapy sessions go as planned…sometimes you just have to make what works, work! 🙂

Ms. Courtney is a Speech-language Pathologist. She received her bachelors in Communicative Disorders from Northern Illinois University and masters in Speech-Language Pathology from Central Michigan University. Her experience encompasses working in schools and in private practice. Two areas that she is passionate about within the field are literacy and feeding. During her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her family, her dog Norman, and she also loves to travel at every opportunity she gets. 

Favorite Quote? 

My favorite quote is “Don’t worry about failure, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” I always do my best to live by this quote and encourage others to do the same as I believe one will never truly know what they themselves are capable of if they let fear or unwillingness to step out of their comfort zone stop them from achieving their goals in life.  

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? 

The best advice that I have received was to listen more than you speak. Through my experience working in the healthcare industry, I have found out how crucial it is to do this. Of course, I am eager to help right away but I have learned that taking the time to listen to the needs of the clients and their families as well as building a strong relationship with them is important in being able to understand the client as a whole. Having this insight helps the therapist choose a treatment approach that makes the most sense given the needs of the client.

What is the biggest mistake a therapist can make? 

The biggest mistake a therapist can make is believing that they know everything about a given topic. There is always more one can learn and maintaining an eager attitude to learning more is crucial in ensuring a therapist stays well rounded and most importantly, helps to ensure that the patient receives the best care in therapy. 

What is your favorite quote? “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” 

What is the biggest mistake a therapist can make? Not taking the time to build strong rapport with a child and their family. Effective, meaningful therapy is relationship-based therapy. 

Describe my personality: Empathetic, honest and open-minded

Ms. Dana is a Physical Therapist Assistant at BDI Playhouse. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Illinois State University and an Associate’s degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant from College of DuPage. Dana provides outpatient, aquatic and gymnastics therapy. As a former gymnast, circus performer and coach she enjoys seeing the smiles of success in this challenging environment. She is married with two children who keep her busy with their athletic and music activities. Dana is motivated by each child achieving new skills that bring confidence which carries over into their daily world.

Ms. Elizabeth is an Occupational Therapist. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Pre-Occupational Therapy at Illinois Wesleyan University and her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Midwestern University. She has experience working in the school setting and helping children successfully participate in daily school-based activities. She values communication and cooperation between child, family, school, and healthcare professionals. She believes strong collaboration among caregivers leads to better outcomes for everyone. Elizabeth loves spending time with family and friends, visiting her family’s lake house in Michigan, and traveling. 

What is the best advice you have ever been given?: Take advantage of all the opportunities available to you and say yes to new things! 

What is the biggest mistake a therapist can make?: The biggest mistake a therapist can make is not bringing each child’s interests into every session. Children are more motivated to complete therapy tasks when they are having fun and doing things they enjoy. Collaborating with family is another crucial element to success in therapy!

What are three words that best describe your personality?: Outgoing, motivated, compassionate

Ms. Emily is a Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She graduated from Elmhurst University with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is married and has one fur baby. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, reading, baking, and taking her dog on long walks. She has always loved working with children and enjoys watching them learn and grow. Emily loves being a speech pathologist because it gives her the opportunity to change the lives of others in a positive way. It also allows her to collaborate and learn alongside fellow team members. She believes everyone deserves to have a way of sharing their thoughts and feelings with the world. Her passion is making a lasting difference in the lives of others, whether it be big or small. 

Harley is a member of our office staff. She received her education at Waubonsee Community College. Harley enjoys reading, driving (especially with the music really loud), and eating her comfort foods – she lives by the phrase “full belly, happy heart”. 

What is the best advice you have ever received?

My Nana was always famous for saying “Worst thing, first thing”. This was always really important to me because it was always really hard for me to know where to start with something and it could overwhelm me easily. Remembering “worst thing, first thing” prompted me to get over the biggest hurdle first, to not only make everything else seem like a breeze, but also to remind myself that I can accomplish anything if I just hunker down. Thanks, Nana!

What is your favorite quote?

“No matter where you go, there you are” — Confucius

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality:

Empathetic, romantic, loyal

Ms. Jade is an Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy – Orland Park clinic. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University. She believes in celebrating the uniqueness of every person, with a goal of helping others believe in themselves in order to lead happy, healthy lives! In her spare time, Ms. Jade loves to cook while listening to jazz music, read mystery novels, run outside, and spend time with her friends and family. Her favorite quote to live by: “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved. Believe in the goodness in people.” – Roy T. Bennett.

Ms. Jenn is a member of our office staff at our Naperville/Aurora clinic. She has a degree in Business Administration from MacCormac College.

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Bubbly, Energetic, Benevolent

What is the best advice you have ever been given? Nap when your baby naps, because once they turn 16 you will never nap or sleep again

What is the greatest compliment you have ever received? Your son has the most giving of hearts, he must get that from you. My son has made sure that anyone he saw that needed milk at lunch, he would go and buy them milk and let them know to pay it forward some day.

Ms. Jessica received an Associate’s degree in applied science and is working as a certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She is married with two teenage boys and enjoys watching her sons compete in football, basketball and track, cooking and baking, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the outdoors. She has over 16 years experience working with children of all ages and their families. Jessica truly loves and enjoys working with children and the collaboration of all disciplines at BDI. Her passion is to help children reach their fullest potential to be successful at home, in the classroom, and in the community.

What is your favorite quote? “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.”

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Empathetic, Agreeable, Cheerful

If everyone is gifted in some way, what is your gift? I believe I can get along with anyone. I feel I can engage my kiddos and earn their trust to make the most of our time together. I can make almost anything feel fun or get my kiddos to laugh.

Ms. Kathryn has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband and 2 kids as well as their 4 fur companions (Newfoundland dog, tabby cat, 2 Holland lop rabbits). Ms. Kathryn experience includes working within the school and pediatric outpatient clinic setting.

Favorite Quote: “When we accept the temporary nature of everything in our lives, we can feel gratitude for the good fortune of getting to borrow them for a time” -Jay Shetty

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: creative, patient, joyous

What is the most interesting part of your job? The most interesting part of being an occupational therapist is the creative and problem-solving aspects as each day, each session, and each child is different. I learn so much from my kids and their families. 

Ms. Kiersten is an Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Austin College and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from North Central College. In her free time, she enjoys being outside, creating ceramic sculptures, and baking. She is passionate about making therapy fun and exciting, all to help each child grow into the person they want to be!

Favorite quote?

“The brick walls are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.” –The Last Lecture, Robert Pausch

What would people be surprised to know about you?

When I was in middle school, I begged my mom for a pet shark. We compromised and instead of a shark, I walked out of the pet store with a snake! 

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of yourself?

Creative, energetic, and thoughtful

Ms. Kristen is a Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, as well as a minor in Spanish from Augustana College. She received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Northern Iowa, and has also received special training in the area of Selective Mutism. In her free time, Kristen enjoys crafting, running, planning social events with her family and friends, playing board games, spreading positivity, and making people laugh! Kristen finds joy and purpose through bettering the communicative abilities of children, and she is driven by her creative energy to develop therapy approaches that are unique to each child she works with!

What was your first job? Throughout my high school years, I was a nanny and an age group gymnastics coach. Hooray for finding a grown up career and workplace that allow me to pursue my passions for working with children and jumping on trampolines!

What is your favorite time of the day and why? The morning! I have always been a morning person. When I was young, my parents would bribe me with a half stick of gum or a tootsie roll if I could entertain myself quietly and let them sleep until 7:00 am. I am my most energetic and productive self in the morning, and I love to maximize my hours of daylight!

What is your favorite quote? “Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.”

Ms. Kourtney is a Co-Director and Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University and she received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Loma Linda University. On her days off she enjoys exploring Michigan, walking her dogs, and spending time with her family. Her special interests at work include treating vision difficulties and supporting the development of specialized programs at BDI Playhouse. She values working in a collaborative team at BDI Playhouse so that she can help the families she works with to live life without limits!

What would people be surprised to know about you? I have chickens in my backyard!

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t be afraid to do something new, just jump into it! Always be willing to try!

Favorite Quote?

“Let the children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water” – Maria Montessori

Ms. Lisa is a Physical Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She graduated with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2012 from Texas Women’s University. She enjoys the challenges of assessing and treating a variety of patient ages and diagnoses. Her specialties include treating sports and orthopedic injuries in adolescents and children, postural treatment of scoliosis, and gait analysis and training. Her interests include the use of fundamental movements to assess for dysfunction and the use of neuroactive training to facilitate desired movements.

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Creative, Persistent, and Supportive.

What is your favorite quote? “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.”  Bill Nye

“The only person you should strive to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.”  Matty Mullins

What would people be surprised to know about you? In my spare time, I love to do non-adulting behaviors which consist of playing games, watching Disney movies, and working on my corny joke stand up comedy. 

Ms. Lori is an Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Illinois Chicago and her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Rush University. She loves collaborating with team members to create fun, new, and effective methods to address deficit areas that are presented within this setting.

What was your first job? I was a Dairy Queen ice cream creationist! Who could ever turn down a job that offers ice-cream and toppings???

What is the best advice you have ever been given? Never to be too strong, stubborn, or proud to ask for help.

If you had a full day free with no commitments and nothing on your to do list, what would you do with it? I would paint (either one of the many white rooms in my house) or if I was feeling more creative to make my own masterpiece. When I needed a break… I would have a good old fashion tickle session with my kids. Nothing wraps up the day better than sweet smiles and the sounds of innocent giggles.

Ms. Maggie is an Co-Director and Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Health and a Master’s Degree from USC in Occupational Therapy. In her free time, Maggie enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and soaking in the outdoors. She practices both in the clinic and aquatic settings for children with a variety of ages and abilities. Maggie strives to make BDI a place where play and learning come together in a creative way to help kids grow and gain independence in the activities that are most important to them and their families.

What is the most interesting part of your job? The most interesting part of my job is the variety that each kiddo brings into each therapeutic activity. Each day and each child is unique, and boy, do we have some fun while we learn, laugh, and explore what our bodies and minds are capable of! It never ceases to amaze me just how playfully creative each kid’s approach towards a craft, a piece of food, or their own shoes can be!

What is the biggest mistake a therapist can make? The biggest mistake a therapist can make is to stop learning and growing themselves! We encourage our kids to achieve new things each day, but that magic fades when a therapist forgets to remain client centered or gets stuck in a rut with activities. Therapists should strive to be as persistent towards learning to better their treatment and practice!

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: I am often described as enthusiastic, creative and understanding!

Ms. Margie is a Speech Language Pathologist. Margie received her Master of Science in Communicative Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-  Madison. “I am very interested in the whole child and feel that treating the whole child is imperative in successful speech and language treatment. Collaboration with the parents, other therapists, doctors, teachers, and those in the child’s daily life is paramount.” Margie is especially interested in feeding and how diet impacts overall child development and progress. She has received specialized training in a variety of areas impacting feeding; oral placement, oral motor and picky eating. Margie is also interested in the area of auditory and language processing and their effect in treating ASD and other diagnoses. Her many years of experience and interests have helped her treat a variety of diagnoses.

Favorite Quote?

I love to read so just one quote is hard to choose:  “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ~ Gandalf, “Lord of the Rings”

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? “Don’t ever start your day without saying your prayers and making your bed” ~ my Mom.

The biggest mistake a therapist can make is not asking a parent what they think and not involving the parent in a session.

What would people be surprised to know about you? I can speak Polish fluently. I’m a first generation American.

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Calm, deep thinker, positive.

Ms. ​Megan is an Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and agility training with her Australian Cattle Dog, Penny. Megan has over a decade of experience in working with children with intellectual disabilities and is excited to bring her passion to BDI Playhouse to help children reach their highest potential. ​

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Organized, thoughtful, and dedicated

What is your favorite quote? It always seems impossible until it’s done – Nelson Mandela

What would people be surprised to know about you? I used to train chickens! Yes, you can train chickens to do simple tasks and tricks. I had the opportunity to work with animals in high school and when I was presented with the opportunity, I said why not!

Ms. Meghan is a Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Southern Illinois University. She is trained in the SOS approach to feeding, PROMPT, the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading, and is also certified in Hippotherapy. She is married with three young children, and enjoys baking, reading, yoga, playing games, and spending time with her family. Meghan loves working on a multidisciplinary team, and considers herself fortunate to be able to work with such incredible kids and their families.

What is your favorite quote? Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see a shadow. ~Helen Keller

Use three words to describe the best characteristics of your personality: Thoughtful, positive, playful

What is the most interesting part of your job? I love that when you work in pediatrics, each day is different. Children have such remarkable little personalities and have the power to teach us new things every day. There is something so rewarding about learning from the kids we work with, and it’s fun to help celebrate their successes along the way. I particularly enjoy joking with others that I get to “play” everyday at my job!

Ms. Molly received her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  She received her master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Northern Illinois University.  She has worked with children between the ages of birth and 22 years.  She is early intervention certified and has worked in high school life skills and transition programs.  She believes that words are powerful and all kids deserve that ability to communicate their wants, needs, and ideas! Ms. Molly has training in Gestalt Language Processing and natural language acquisition. Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, go for long walks, go to concerts, read books, and try new restaurants.  She loves the collaborative environment at BDI Playhouse and having a specialized team to help solve any problem! She loves working with families to best support their child’s needs!

What is your favorite quote?: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

Use three words to describe yourself: kind, positive, and dedicated

Ms. Natasha is a Speech Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Saint Xavier University.

Ms. Rebecca is an Occupational Therapist at BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy. She received her Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy from Mount Mary University. She spent a few years working with children with Autism in the school setting focusing on community living and self-help skills with part time work performing in-home ABA Therapy. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, crafting new projects, cleaning and organizing, traveling, and enjoying the great outdoors hiking and running. Rebecca loves the sense of teamwork and positivity that BDI has to offer, along with creating enjoyable interventions to make learning fun.

What was your first job? Besides the occasional babysitting job, my first sense of a real job started in 7th grade when I began assisting my neighbors run a toddlers gymnastics and calisthenics class for an organization we were a part of. Guess you can say I have always worked with kids!

What is the best advice you have ever been given? I spent some time in a nursing home during graduate school where a woman told me “Never leave the house or go to bed angry”. You never know what road lies ahead, so cherish every moment you have with the ones you love!

Ms. Rebecca is a Speech-Language Pathologist at BDI Playhouse. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She enjoys cooking new recipes, going for long walks, and playing board games. My special interests for therapy are motor speech disorders and the underlying auditory, phonological, and language processing disorders that impact language and reading comprehension. I value working one on one during sessions and using the knowledge of how language and cognition work together to make progress.

Ms. ​Robin is a Physical Therapist at BDI Playhouse. She received her Physical Therapy Degree from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Robin is married with three children and very much enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys exercising and doing yoga, participating in activities at the church she attends, and she has done volunteer work in many places including Chicago, South Dakota, and Haiti. Robin is grateful for the opportunity to work, play, and spend time with the children at BDI Playhouse. Robin appreciates each child’s unique gifts and struggles. It is her joy to assist the children and their families in celebrating these gifts and working through their struggles so they can leave feeling confident in themselves.

​What is your favorite quote? “If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together.” African Proverb.

What was your first job? Besides many babysitting jobs, I also was a Lifeguard at a neighborhood pool and worked on an Assembly Line at Crest Photo Lab. This was in the dark ages when you still took your film to the store to get it developed.

What is the most interesting part of your job? Each child that comes to the clinic is unique with their own physical and emotional needs. It is up to me to put the pieces of their uniqueness together so that we can form a relationship based on trust and compassion. which will equip the child to reach their own full potential.

Ms. Sherry is an office administrator.

What would people be surprised to know about you? I have a Black Belt in Tai Kwon Do and a number of Fitness Certifications which will soon include 200 hr Yoga.

If everyone is gifted in some way, what is your gift? My sense of humor and being the calm in the storm.

What is the greatest compliment you have ever received? A friend told me that if they were in their final days, they would want me at their bedside to make them laugh and feel joy. I promised I would come if I could have their jell-o.

What is your favorite quote? “People make plans, God laughs.”

Ms. Sue is our office manager who coordinates our office procedures for both our Orland Park and Naperville locations. She is the first voice and first face many families see at BDI. Sue has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and is married with two adult daughters. Sue loves biking with her husband, the Chicago Blackhawks, and eating out in new restaurants! Sue’s gift is communication and people skills. She loves interacting with the families who come to BDI and enjoys making them feel welcome and sure that they have the right appointment time!

What is your favorite quote? “To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.” Reba McEntire

What is the greatest compliment you have ever received? “Thank you for listening and caring” . I never take for granted that someone is brave enough to share their heart with me. That they can do that with me is a compliment to my character.

What would people be surprised to know about you? NOTHING! I’m an open book, often sharing my life story with whoever gets in line behind me at the Jewel! Oversharer? Probably.

Ms. Zoe is an Occupational Therapist at the Aurora/Naperville clinic. She received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Illinois State University and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Lewis University. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, going to sporting events and concerts, and binge watching tv shows. She loves working at BDI Playhouse because of the constant collaboration and support amongst her colleagues.

Favorite Quote: “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

Use three words to describe yourself: Dependable, resilient, and empathetic