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Owner & Director

 

Susan Stallings-Sahler, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, Director: "Dr. Susan" graduated from

the University of Florida with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy. She earned the

post-professional M.S. degree in pediatric O.T. from Boston University, where she

studied with distinguished O.T. scholars including Dr. Sharon Cermak,

Dr. David Nelson, and Dr. Anne Henderson. Her master's research was on vestibular

dysfunction and efficacy of vestibular treatment in autism. While an Assistant

Professor of OT at Rush University-Chicago, Dr. Stallings-Sahler studied with Dr.

A. Jean Ayres, the founder of the sensory integration approach, and assisted Dr.

Ayres in development of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests, and directed the

normative tester training.  In 1995, Dr. Stallings-Sahler completed her doctoral work

in Educational Psychology with a concentration in early developmental psychology

at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and published a dissertation on maternal-child

interaction and motor competency of cocaine-exposed infants. In 2002, Dr.

Stallings-Sahler became trained and certified in administration of the Sensory

Challenge Research Protocol by Dr. Lucy Miller at the STAR Center in Denver, Colorado. 

Dr. Stallings-Sahler studied and become certified in both pediatric and advanced infant

Neuro-Developmental Treatment with Dr. Sarah Capelovitch of the European Bobath

Tutors Association (EBTA). She is certified in Sensory Integration and in the Ayres

Fidelity Measure. For more information on her education and publications, click here.

 

Occupational Therapists

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Christy Clutter, OTA/L, Assistant Director of Operations: Christy is a 2014 graduate

of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Augusta Technical and Community College.  While in OT school, Christy was the recipient of several awards for her

academic and leadership achievements, and we first met her when she came to Sensational Kids for her Level I Pediatric fieldwork.  Prior to going back to school for her

OT education, Christy earned her BA in Early Childhood Education and was an Early Intervention educator and therapy services coordinator in Ohio. She is the mother of

one daughter, Kylie, and one son, Liam.  Christy’s husband, Ron, is a member of the 

military and recently returned home to Augusta after serving in Afghanistan. We are pleased and excited to have her join our Sensational Kids family!

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Meredith Anderson, OTR/L: Meredith is a native of Sandersville, Georgia and recently joined Sensational Kids in February 2018. Meredith received a B.S. in Exercise Science

from Georgia College & State University, and then attended and graduated from Brenau University where she received a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She

completed her Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences at Sensational Kids and

additional Level II fieldwork experience at Doctors Hospital – Outpatient Center.

Meredith grew up in church working with children, and it was there that she knew

she wanted to pursue a career to help others, especially pediatrics. Meredith wants

to teach children they are stronger than failure, and when trials and tribulations arrive,

they can overcome and learn to replace failure with success.

 

Kelly McCown, M.H.S, OTR/L:  Kelly is originally from Suwanee, Georgia and

attended the University of Georgia where she graduated with a B.S.Ed. in Special

Education. She then attended the Medical College of Georgia where she graduated

with her Master of Health Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Kelly completed

internships at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Atlanta Medical Center. She

previously worked at a pediatric private practice in Dacula, GA where she provided

clinical occupational therapy services as well as aquatic therapy services. Kelly is

currently certified in Interactive Metronome and has taken continuing education

courses in sensory processing.  In her spare time, Kelly enjoys playing tennis, going

to the lake, and spending time with family and friends.

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Marianne Moore, M.S, OTR/L: Marianne joined Sensational Kids in October 2016,

and is a native of Barnwell, SC.  She attended the University of South Carolina in

Columbia and graduated with a BA in Experimental Psychology.  She then attended

Lenoir-Rhyne University (NC) where she earned the M.S. in Occupational Therapy,

and was with Sensational Kids for her Level II fieldwork experiences.  Marianne is passionate about working with children and is excited about her “work home” at Sensational Kids!

 

 

Victorie Steed, M.S, OTR/L: Victorie is originally from Gadsden, AL and has lived in

Augusta, GA since August 2013. She graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in

Rehabilitation Services in 2011. She then attended The University of Alabama at 

Birmingham and received her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in

2013. Before joining the team at Sensational Kids, Victorie worked with various 

pediatric organizations, including Storybook Farm (Opelika, AL), The Red Barn 

(Leeds, AL), and the Civitan-Sparks Clinics (Birmingham, AL). Victorie attended the

Sensory Oral Sequential Approach to Feeding course in November 2016 and has

been helping children and their families approach feeding in a playful, non-stressful

way. She also serves in the special needs program at her church. In her free time,

Victorie enjoys cooking, photography, biking, and spending time with her husband

and two dogs.

 

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Physical Therapists

 

Courtney O'Neal, D.P.T, PT: Courtney is from Atlanta, GA. She graduated from

Clemson University (Go Tigers!) with a B.S. in Health Science and a minor in French

in 2010.  She then attended MCG/Georgia Regents University and graduated with

the doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) in 2013. Courtney completed clinical

rotations at Walton Rehabilitation in Augusta, Lexington (SC) Medical Center,

Georgia Health Sciences University Sports Medicine, Children's Medical Center at

GRU and St. Mary's Hospital in Athens, GA. Courtney has volunteered for two PT

mission trips, one to Trinidad in 2012 and one to Haiti in 2011. She looks forward

to sharing her knowledge, skills and boundless enthusiasm with your child.

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Kelsey Miles, D.P.T, PT:  Kelsey comes to us from the Philadelphia, PA area.  She attended St. Joseph’s University where she majored in Interdisciplinary Health Services, and minored in Medical Bioethics.  She then attended Thomas Jefferson University where she graduated with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree.  Kelsey has worked for the past several years in diverse aspects of pediatric physical therapy, including outpatient and acute care, early intervention, and home care, with children of various diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and genetic disorders.

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Speech Therapists

 

Leah Diggs, SLP-CF/L: Leah hails from Columbia, South Carolina and graduated from

Clemson University with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Communication Studies.

She then earned the M.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology from South Carolina

State University.  Prior to joining us, Leah obtained clinical training experiences at

Orangeburg Regional Medical Center, Head Start, South Carolina Leadership Education

in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities; SC State University Speech-Language

and Hearing Clinic; and the Bethune-Bowman School system in South Carolina.  She has

a passion for working with children in the areas of feeding and oral-motor functions,

receptive and expressive language, articulation, pragmatic language, and assistive

technology.  She is skilled in many types of Speech-Language evaluation and treatment

and in helping families to stimulate and support their children’s speech and language

skills.  Leah is trained in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) for children with severe communication challenges.  In her spare time, Leah enjoys weekends spent hiking with her husband, her daughter and their two German shepherds.

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 Jill Howe, M.A, CCC-SLP: Jill is from the Augusta area and attended the University of Georgia for her B.S. Ed. In Speech-Language Pathology, as well as the M.Ed. in Speech-Language Pathology.  She has worked in the profession with various ages for 28 years

in a wide variety of facilities, including schools, children’s hospitals, and outpatient

clinics.  Jill particularly enjoys evaluating and treating children with autism and feeding challenges.  Jill currently works in the Columbia County Schools and comes to be with

us in the afternoons, but her vast knowledge and experience have come to be greatly valued by our staff!

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Carlene “Carly” Lemcke, M.A, SLP-CF: Carly hails from northern Illinois, and joined Sensational Kids after graduating with her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.  She also graduated with a

BA in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University.  In addition

to completing a clinical rotation at Select Rehabilitation Hospital in adult neurorehabilitation, she also had pediatric clinicals at Behavior Keys and the Harry Jersig Center in San Antonio, where she gained experience evaluating and treating children with Autism Spectrum disorder; language delay/disorder, articulation, apraxia, cognitive and social aspects of communication, and feeding aversions.  Carly is a energetic and enthusiastic clinician who loves working with infants and children of all ages!

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Claire Parman, M.S.P, SLP-CF: Claire is originally from Nashville, Tennessee. She

graduated from Furman University in 2015 with a B.A. in Education and Spanish. She

then went on to earn her Master of Speech Pathology from University of South Carolina. Claire's clinical experience includes practicums at an outpatient pediatric therapy center

in Greenville, SC, Palmetto Health Children's Hospital in Columbia, SC, and MUSC

Children's Hospital in Charleston, SC, where she treated infants and children with swallowing disorders, worked as a student member of an interdisciplinary

Craniofacial/Cleft Palate team, and treated patients with feeding difficulties in the G-tube weaning clinic. Claire is a bilingual SLP with proficiency in English and Spanish.

Claire's areas of interest include early language development, pediatric dysphagia,

speech and language disorders secondary to craniofacial anomalies and hearing loss,

and working with patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. In her

free time, Claire enjoys learning to cook new recipes, taking weekend trips, and spending time with her fiancée.