About Us

A graduate of Auburn University and the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Caitlin is passionate about helping others. Throughout her career, pediatrics has been her focus. She has experience in outpatient, community, and home health pediatric settings. Caitlin has been trained in the SOS Approach to feeding (an intensive feeding course centered around sensory-based feeding experiences), The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism (a neurodiversity affirming approach), Beckman Oral Motor, DIRFloortime, Learning Without Tears (formerly known as Handwriting Without Tears), Sensory Integration, and more. She is a proud member of the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective and strives to make every client, no matter their neurotype or age, feel included, safe, and valued. Her passions are neurodiversity-affirming practices, executive functioning, and using feeding therapy to create fun and positive experiences around eating for children.

In her spare time, Caitlin enjoys spending time with her husband, children (Nora and Teddy), family and friends, and the family dog. You can find her goofing off with her kids - and if they're napping... obsessing over DIY projects, learning woodworking, practicing on her scroll saw, listening to audiobooks, and searching for the best iced latte in town.

Emily graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with her degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has over ten years of experience and has worked in an elementary school, clinic setting, and home health. She has a passion for children of all ages, and is especially focused on building relationships with families, and making sure that each child’s functional needs are being addressed. Emily has worked with clients with a variety of diagnoses and needs, targeting oral motor skills, articulation and phonology, phonological awareness and literacy, receptive and expressive language, pragmatic/social language, fluency, and executive functioning.

Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and her dog Florence. You can find her outside on a hike, watching her favorite sports (basketball and football), or listening to live music.

Shawna received her certification in medical assisting in 2005 and spent 15 years working in healthcare. Eight of those years were in administration before leaving healthcare in 2018 when her daughter was born. Since then, she spent a little over a year working as a preschool teacher in a mother's day out program before returning home to be with her two children. Shawna has a passion for children and helping them discover and navigate the world around them.

Shawna lives in Leander with her husband, two children, two dogs, one cat, and plenty ‘o fish! She enjoys spending time listening to audiobooks and homeschooling her children.

Claudia graduated from San Jose State University with a Masters in Occupational Therapy and a minor in Atypical Child Development. She holds over 15 years of child development experience and is passionate about working with children of all ages. Claudia is certified in Handwriting Without Tears, Therapeutic Listening Program, and Astronaut Training, She has received additional training in Sensory Integration, DIR Floortime, and Bal-a-vis-x. She is currently in the process of training in Feeding Therapy: A Sensory- Motor Approach, Mastering Mastication, and Oral Placement Therapy.

Claudia recently moved to Leander from Portland, Oregon with her husband, two sons and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring all that Austin has to offer, baking, cooking, going on walks with the family, and watching movies.

Kennedy graduated from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences with her Masters in Occupational Therapy. She has experience in outpatient settings with both children and adults and has training in DIRFlooritme. Kennedy is passionate about pediatrics and genuinely loves to build relationships with children and their families.  Kennedy has experience with Autism, ADHD, emotional regulation, sensory processing difficulties, interoception, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, handwriting, dysgraphia, daily living skills, executive functioning, visual motor integration, and more.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and two dogs. 

Kaiti holds an undergraduate degree from UT Austin and a graduate degree from Northwestern University. She has over 11 years of experience in the Speech Language Pathology field as a SLP-Assistant and SLP working in a variety of settings that include home health, private clinic, and schools. Kaiti has a passion for working with the pediatric population and has treated children in the areas of expressive and receptive language, fluency, articulation/phonology, pragmatic language, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and feeding. Kaiti values building relationships with the children she works with and their families through providing individualized, child-centered, neurodiversity-affirming interventions. Kaiti is PROMPT trained and is currently working toward becoming a registered Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) trained clinician soon.

Kaiti enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter Nadiya, family, friends, and two dogs. You can typically find her laughing with her daughter, watching shows/movies with her husband, trying new restaurants, or reading/watching/listening to anything true or fiction crime related.

Megan received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri. She has experience working with kids in schools, clinics, and within the home. She is passionate about integrating disability advocacy and health care. Megan aims to support families in their daily activities while empowering children to explore their neurodivergent identity and strengths. Megan values each family’s individual differences and priorities. She has experience with trauma-informed care, daily living skills, hand writing, PDA, sensory processing, executive functioning, transitioning, fine motor, visual motor integration, and more.

In her free time, Megan enjoys exploring nature, reading, running, going to escape rooms, and spending time with her husband and two pets.

Shannon received her bachelors degree from The University of Texas at Austin and masters degree from Texas Woman’s University in Dallas. She grew up in Frisco, TX and recognized her love for the pediatric population early on. She has experience as a preschool teacher as well as working in outpatient, inpatient, and community settings. Currently, she is completing training for the Certificate in Ayres Sensory Integration.

In her spare time, Shannon enjoys having quality time with her family and friends, spending time outside with her dog, eating good food, working out, and reading her kindle.

Rebecca received her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Texas. She graduated in 2019 from the University of St. Augustine in Austin with her doctorate in occupational therapy. The focus of her doctoral project was the development of an outdoor/nature-based occupational therapy intervention for children, during which she helped develop the outdoor space at a pediatric clinic and design new outdoor activities. She has taken courses in telehealth, Size Matters handwriting, the Alert Program, the Interoception Curriculum, and feeding, including the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach. Becca has over four years of experience working in a pediatric outpatient clinic and is excited to bring her skills to the new Bright SpOT clinic. Prior to being an OT, Becca worked as a paraeducator in a preschool setting with children with language and learning disorders. 

In her free time, Becca enjoys cooking, arts and crafts, and reading.

Yessica is a dedicated Occupational Therapist with an educational background, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Rehabilitation Services from the University of Texas-Pan American (currently UTRGV) and a Master's in Occupational Therapy from Texas Tech University Health Science Center. With 13 years of experience, she has navigated diverse settings, from outpatient pediatrics/Home Health to Inpatient Rehab Hospitals, specializing in neurological disorders and community care. Her journey intensified over the past 12 years, spurred by her son's ADHD/Autism diagnoses, propelling her to deepen her expertise in neurodevelopmental disorders, sleep disorders, and classroom modifications. As a recently diagnosed ADHDer herself, she is passionate about enhancing executive functioning across all stages of life, fostering the belief that neurodivergent individuals can thrive in personal relationships, careers, and family life. Currently, she is enhancing her education towards innovative interventions like a metronome to bolster executive functioning and the connection between sleep disorders and nutrition on emotional dysregulation.

Married for 15 years to another ADHDer with a family history of Autism Spectrum, Yessica cherishes her role as a mother to three spirited and brilliant boys, aged 12 to 2. With a bustling schedule of soccer practices, swim lessons, and playdates, she finds joy in hiking, swimming, mastering the art of bachata/salsa dancing, and indulging in coffee and taco socials with her Mom Friends.

Meira earned her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology from Texas State University and went on to complete her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Throughout her academic journey, Meira discovered a deep passion for working with children of all ages and supporting individuals navigating mental health challenges. For her doctoral capstone, she completed a project at a domestic violence shelter, where she developed a guidebook for occupational therapy practitioners working with women and children who have experienced domestic violence—highlighting her dedication to trauma-informed care and advocacy. Meira is committed to lifelong learning and strives to make a meaningful impact through continued education, research, and advocacy. She is thrilled to support children and families as part of the Bright SpOT team.

Outside of work, you can find Meira soaking up the sun in nature—whether it’s hiking, relaxing by the water, or exploring local parks. She also enjoys crafting, reading, attending concerts, and spending quality time with her friends and family.

Kadie graduated from the University of North Texas with a Masters in Speech Language Pathology. She has been practicing speech therapy since 2023. She has experience working with toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adolescents in the areas of expressive language, receptive language, pragmatic language, fluency, articulation/phonology, and
augmentative and alternative communication. She has received additional training in Natural Language Acquisition and The Learn Play Thrive Approach to Autism. Kadie is motivated by seeing clients develop confidence and new communication skills that enrich their lives.

Kadie enjoys taking her dog, Birdie, on adventures and watching her experience new things. You can find her outdoors and/or reading a good book, with a cup of coffee or sweet treat in hand.

Taylor received her bachelor's degree from the California State University, Fullerton, and her Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Tennessee State University. She has been practicing speech therapy since 2021 and has gained experience in the private clinic and school setting. Taylor is passionate about building relationships and trust with children and their families. She values helping individuals find their voice and educating parents on how to best support speech and language development. Taylor has received training in PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) and LAMP Words for Life. 

In her free time, Taylor enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking with her dog, and exploring new foods and places.

Mary graduated from Texas State University with a Master of Science in Communication Disorders. She has experience working with children in the school and clinic setting with a variety of communication disorders and has an interest in fluency disorders. She is passionate about helping children reach their fullest communication potential while having fun and helping them grow into their unique personalities.

In her free time, Mary enjoys catching up with friends and playing with her cat, Athena. She loves to bake and decorate various pastries, read fantasy novels, hike, and check out new spots in the area.