Pediatric occupational therapy addresses fine motor skills, visual perception, and cognition through purposeful everyday activities. The areas addressed include hand skills, sensory processing, self-feeding, self-care, social skills, and play/leisure skills.
Meet our awesome Occupational therapists who keep Early Bird Thriving!
Alexa Brooks
Alexa grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee and has been enjoying Charlotte since moving here the summer of 2021 after she completed OT school. Alexa completed her Bachelor’s at Tennessee State University and recieved her Master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. She enjoys all ages but loves working on executive functioning skills, sensory motor skills, and emotional regulation. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, gardening, trying new restaurants, hiking, and spending time with my husband and daughter.
CaMERON TAKES
Cameron is a full-time occupational therapist with Early Bird. She was raised in Mooresville, North Carolina. She received her BA in Psychology from North Carolina State University in 2021 and her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2023. Cameron’s special interests include feeding therapy, sensory integration, fine and visual motor difficulties, primitive reflex integration, and executive functioning. She is passionate about working collaboratively with children and families to reach their goals and meet their full potential. Cameron enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her poodle, Tina.
CHARLOTTE YOST
Charlotte’s areas of expertise include sensory processing, emotional regulation, executive functioning, fine motor development, visual motor skills, self-care skills, attention and regulation, and overall childhood development. She enjoys empowering children and their families by helping them build the skills and confidence needed to participate more fully in their everyday lives. She is also certified in equine-assisted therapy and enjoy incorporating movement and connection into therapy whenever possible.
Outside of work, Charlotte enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, traveling, being outdoors, home projects, and reading whenever she has spare time!
CHRISTINE MAGEE
COURTNEY STANLEY
Courtney received a BA in Psychology (2006) and Master’s in Occupational Therapy (2008) from East Carolina University. She’s one of rare locals, and is from Matthews. She has 9 years of experience as a pediatric Occupational therapist, and 8 years in clinic based practice. She has certifications in Early Intervention, Handwriting Without Tears®, Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding™ (SOS). She has experience treating and especially enjoys working with children with Autism and other developmental delays, Down Syndrome, sensory processing disorders, feeding difficulties, motor planning difficulties, handwriting difficulties, fine motor and visual perceptual delays or difficulties. She has 2 young girls, and enjoys empowering parents and families to help their children thrive. She also enjoys music, and incorporates it into her sessions as often as she can.
DANA SHEriffe
Dana is from Buffalo, NY and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science from Stony Brook University in Long Island, NY in 2003. After volunteering with the Stony Brook University Medical Center Occupational Therapy Department and UCP Children’s Learning Center of Cheektowaga, NY, Dana fell in love with the field of occupational therapy. She graduated from the New York Institute of Technology in Long Island, NY with her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in 2006. Following graduation, she worked as a school-based therapist with the New York City Department of Education until October 2012. Additionally, Dana has worked in sensory based clinics and performed home care visits for the New York City Early Intervention program. Dana has experience and training in Handwriting Without Tears, Therapeutic Listening, Astronaut Training, Interactive Metronome, the SOS Approach to Feeding, and is working towards completing her certification in the administration of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests. Dana’s outlook on home-based therapy has changed since recently becoming a mother of two. She strives to fully understand the challenges her families face and collaboratively works to develop effective, sensible and fun ways to support her clients’ participation in their daily activities. Dana enjoys spending time with her husband, son and daughter, and relaxes with arts and crafts in her spare time.
DEVIN HARRISON
JESSICA JENNINGS
Jessica Jennings is a full time Occupational Therapist with Early Bird who covers the Steele Creek and surrounding South Charlotte areas. She is a born and raised Florida girl who has lived in the Charlotte area since 2014. She graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Florida Gulf Coast University and in 2010 with a Master’s of Occupational Therapy degree from University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Jessica has a passion for pediatrics with experience in hospital based, outpatient based, NICU and home health settings. Her certifications and areas of interest include Interactive Metronome, Astronaut Training, Therasuit Method, behavior and self-regulation strategies, sensory-behavioral feeding, sensory integration, visual and fine motor difficulties, handwriting, self-care and most of all improving play skills with children who have a wide range of developmental delays. Jessica also treats children ages birth to three through the Early Intervention program with the Children’s Developmental Services Agency of Mecklenburg County as well as working on her Master Coach training in coaching interaction styles and natural learning environment practices through The Family, Infant and Preschool Program. The most enjoyable part of her job is getting the opportunity to work within her community and not being bound to the four walls of a clinic. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys travelling with her family and friends, spending time outdoors with her 2 dogs and practicing yoga.
KAITLYN (GREENBERG) CARDONA
Kaitlyn received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology with a minor in Child & Family Development from UNC Charlotte and her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from Emory & Henry School of Health Sciences. She has years of experience working with children from birth to three in a wide variety of roles prior to becoming an Occupational Therapist. Kaitlyn specializes in working with infants with feeding difficulties with training in tethered oral tissues (TOTs) as well as helping them meet developmental milestones. In addition she loves working with children with other feeding difficulties such as picky eating. She also enjoys treating children who have neurological and genetic diagnoses such as Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and Rett Syndrome. Kaitlyn lives in the Lake Norman area with her husband and their sweet Golden Doodle, Theo. They enjoy spending time on the lake as well as traveling to the mountains for skiing in the winter.
Kaylin Mckinney
Kaylin is a full-time occupational therapist with Early Bird. She has spent most of her life in the Charlotte area after moving to Waxhaw, North Carolina in 2010, and also spent part of her childhood in West Virginia. She earned her undergraduate degree from Queens University of Charlotte, where she competed as a student-athlete, and later received her M.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2025.
Kaylin’s clinical experience includes pediatric acute care, NICU/NPCN care, adult neurorehabilitation, and experience abroad working within a public hospital system in Ecuador. Her special interests include child-led play, relationship-based care, sensory and developmental support, and helping children build autonomy, confidence, and meaningful participation within their daily routines and environments. She is passionate about supporting children and families in ways that honor each child’s individual strengths, interests, and unique ways of engaging with the world. Kaylin values collaboration, curiosity, and supported problem-solving to help children and families navigate challenges in ways that feel empowering and authentic to them. Outside of work, Kaylin enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new coffee shops, playing pickleball, experiencing new places, and attending local sporting events.”
kAYLA BOGDAN
Kayla Bogdan
keiRA GATHERS
Keira Gathers has over 20 years experience as a pediatric occupational therapist. She is originally from Idaho and graduated with her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington in 2005. Her specialty areas of practice and certifications include early intervention, the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding, Therapeutic Listening, and certification to administer and interpret the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT). She has experience treating children with developmental delays, executive dysfunction, feeding issues, sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, learning disorders and fine motor delays. Keira’s passion is living life to the fullest and working with clients to do the same. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters while traveling, going to church, going for walks, playing tennis, playing games and spending time in the sun.
Kendall seymour
mICHELLE TAYLOR