Chelsey Harmon received her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Services with a minor in Holistic Health from Western Michigan University, and a Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University.
As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Center Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Chelsey oversees the clinical and operational practices at the Naperville, IL location, and provides supervision to Registered Behavior Technicans and field work students.
For Chelsey, hearing about the successes and wins of clients from her team members is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves being able to help her team grow and achieve their goals.
Chelsey's passion for working with the pediatric/autistic community, can be traced back to her childhood years where she became very close with a family friend through church who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Throughout Chelsey’s undergraduate years, she worked with children in daycare centers and before and after school programs. After her undergrad, Chelsey worked as a Behavior Therapist working with adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. After a year there, she knew she wanted to become a BCBA!
When Chelsey is not keeping busy with her work at NSPT, you can find her binging the newest Netflix shows, hopping on her Peloton, and spending time with her fiance and family.
Alyssa Koci received her bachelor of arts degree in Communicative Sciences & Disorders and Spanish, and a masters of science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Midwestern University. As the speech-language pathology (SLP) team lead at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Alyssa provides clinical care to children birth to 16 years old, as well as provides professional development and clinical support to the team of speech-language pathologists company-wide.
For Alyssa, mentoring SLPs to provide the best clinical care for their clients is the most rewarding part of the job, and she enjoys creating opportunities for clinicians to to grow at any level of their career.
Alyssa's passion for speech-language pathology can be traced back to her uncle, when he was diagnosed with ALS. Her uncle’s SLP fully supported his communication throughout his life and assisted in his changing feeding and swallowing needs. Alyssa strives to provide this for her clients across the lifespan.
When Alyssa is not keeping busy with play-based therapy, sitting on the ground with Mr. Potato Head, you can find her cross-stitching on the couch with her dog. Ask her about the game show The Price Is Right... she may have had a special appearance!
Cara Newman is an occupational therapist certified through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. She earned her Master's in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2013 and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
As OT and PT Clinical Director at NSPT, Cara provides services to clients as well as clinical mentorship and support to the OT and PT team scompany wide. Cara’s interest in using her movement knowledge in a therapeutic setting started while supporting a therapeutic dance program based out of the Krannert Center for Performing Arts in Urbana, Illinois. Cara has worked with pediatric populations for her entire career, starting in Early Intervention (0-3) and transitioning to working both in outpatient pediatrics as well as an intensive therapeutic PreK & Kindergarten program prior to starting at NSPT.
Cara has experience working with clients with a variety of diagnoses including Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, CHARGE Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Dyspraxia, Global Developmental Delay, PURA Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and Sensory Processing Differences among others. Cara enjoys using developmental movement concepts to help her clients accomplish their goals. When not working, Cara is likely reading or running.
Lainie Cohen received her Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University and her Master’s in Behavior Analysis from Simmons University in Boston. As a Center Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Lainie provides supervision and mentorship to a team of great therapists including BCBAs, OTs, Mental Health, and Speech Therapists. She also provides supervision to field work students as they study to become a BCBA and oversees the day to day operations at the Des Plaines center.
For Lainie, increasing clients' functional communication is the most rewarding part of the job, as well as watching therapists grow in the field. Lainie is passionate about supervising and teaching individuals who have an interest in the ABA field, as well as parents, to gain more knowledge regarding implementing skill acquisition goals and behavior intervention plans.
When Lainie is not busy at the center, you can find her trying new restaurants with her husband!
Ryan Emry received his Bachelor of Science from The Illinois Institute of Technology, and his Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
As an Area Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Ryan works as a clinician while also supporting a great team of Behavior Therapists, Behavior Analysts, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists, across multiple centers.
For Ryan, watching our children learn and grow is the most rewarding part of the job.
When Ryan is not keeping busy at the clinic, you can find him spending time with his wife and two amazing daughters.
Liza received her Bachelors of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences with Minor in Psychology from Indiana University, and a Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
As a Regional Director and BCBA at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Liza oversees the clinical operations of the Chicagoland locations, as well as provides internal clinical support to our BCBAs, leads the internal ABA apprenticeship fieldwork study program preparing students pursing their master’s in ABA to become BCBAs, and also serves as our internal ACE coordinator providing internal continuing education events to our team of BCBAs.
In addition to her role at NSPT, Liza also has served as an adjunct professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology teaching master’s courses to future BCBAs. For Liza, expanding the reach of our services to new communities and areas where there are limited options on comprehensive pediatric therapy providers is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves growing the field through her work with student mentorship.
Liza's passion for pediatrics can be traced back to her 1birthday, when she started her own business teaching water safety skills and stroke lessons to children in her community.
Michaela is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist licensed in the state of Illinois. She attended the University of Rochester for her undergraduate degrees and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Sign Language (ASL) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Brain & Cognitive Sciences with a focus in language development. Michaela then attended Northwestern University where she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Speech, Language, & Learning. There she did internships in both an elementary school with students of varying needs, and in an audiology clinic where she worked with both children and adults with various degrees of hearing loss, including doing some teleheath sessions.
Upon graduating, she began working in the Chicago Public School system where she has been for the past five years. There she worked at an elementary school where she serviced children from preK to fifth grade in collaboration with other clinicians including occupational therapists, social workers, and psychologists. Michaela has experience working with various speech-language needs including speech sound disorders, receptive/expressive language disorders, fluency, and implementation of high- and low-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.
Her primary areas of interest include evaluating and treating speech sound disorders and receptive/expressive language disorders. Her goal is to support a child’s communication growth in any way she can while using evidence-based practices.
Caitlyn received her Associates in Arts at Joliet Junior College, and Bachelor’s of Science in Speech and Hearing from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
As a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Caitlyn provides Speech Therapy services and assists her clinical director and SLP with their caseloads and current Speech clients. For Caitlyn, seeing her clients grow and achieve their goals is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves creating an exciting environment for her clients. Caitlyn’s passion for speech can be traced back to her little sister with autism, and she has always wanted to help people the way other therapists have helped her sister!
When Caitlyn is not keeping busy with clients in the center, you can find her working out or walking her dog!
Justine Kelley is a licensed social worker (LSW) with a passion for working with young children and adolescents. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from DePaul University in 2019 and her Master of Social Work degree from Loyola University Chicago in 2021 with a specialization in Children and Families.
Justine has experience working with children and adolescents in the school system both in private and public schools on an individual and community level. She has been able to work with children who presented with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, learning disabilities, and many other areas of mental health. She is working towards her LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) certification. Justine is especially interested in how play and family dynamics impact and enhance pediatric mental health. She integrates play, art, and holistic approaches as evidence-based practices to provide a well-rounded and effective treatment approach.
When Justine isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, trying new restaurants, or practicing her photography skills.
As a Family Child Advocate at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Nidya provides compassionate and detailed end-to-end client experiences to the families we serve as well as the clinical team. She tackles her work duties with care, attentiveness, determination, and with a smile on her face. She is proud working under a supportive and collaborative team that makes her days fun and easy.
Explore all of our therapy locations! We are dedicated to making high-quality pediatric care accessible to families across various regions. Below, you'll find a complete list of our centers, each offering a range of services, including speech and language services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, mental health services, autism testing, and diagnostic testing. Click on any location to learn more about how our services can support your child’s growth and development!
It’s important that your child feels respected, safe, and understood during therapy. At North Shore Pediatric Therapy, we believe in providing care that’s not only effective but also neuroaffirming, respectful, and focused on what each child and family needs to lead independent and happy lives. Our approach values each child’s unique way of participating and empowers parents as essential partners in their child’s journey.
