Lyndy Cuevas OT
Lyndy has been working with children as an Occupational Therapist for the past 20 years. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from UCSB and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from USC. Lyndy has a passion for working with children. She has experience treating children with Autism, Learning Challenges, ADHD, and Emotional Trauma. Lyndy has extensive knowledge evaluating and treating children of all ages who have fine motor and gross motor delays, sensory processing difficulties, visual motor and perceptual difficulties, and/or developmental delays. Lyndy is knowledgeable in the areas of handwriting and sensory integration and uses various programs in her practice. Lyndy is driven by the opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives and to assist them to become more independent individuals in society.
Jennifer Love MS, OTR/L
Jenny has been a pediatric occupational therapist since 2018 and has worked at Specialized Therapy Services since 2021. Jenny has experience working with children with feeding difficulties, sensory processing challenges, fine and visual motor deficits, and self-regulation difficulties. Jenny is certified in Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and has taken additional training in dysphagia, swallowing, and oral-motor based feeding. Her goal is to help children grow to be happy, healthy, and confident in all areas of their daily life. Outside of work, Jenny enjoys traveling, running half marathons, walking her dog on the beach, and photography.
Jenny’s favorite quote is “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led the dreams in your heart”.
Leah Taylor, MOTR/L
Leah Taylor earned a Bachelor of Science in Design from UC Davis and a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Puget Sound. Her career journey began as a volunteer with the Environmental Travel Companions (ETC) Sea Kayaking Program in Sausalito, California, before accepting her first position as an Occupational Therapist at the Medical Center of Delaware in 1995.
Leah has appreciated the diverse experiences she’s had throughout her career as an OT; some of these experiences include living in Germany, Philadelphia, working with San Diego Children’s Hospital, and founding the Sensory Activities Menu (SAM) program. Leah’s additional works include the published paper, The Meaning of Sea Kayaking for Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries, (American Journal of Occupational Therapy, Jan. 1996), and co-author/presenter of A Repertoire of Activities to Support Tolerance of Headphones in Children with Sensory Defensiveness (ASHA, 2023).
Leah joined the STS/OAS Center team in 2009, and has found great fulfillment working with a team truly committed to providing their best to support clients, students, and their families. Outside of work, Leah enjoys gardening, yoga, hiking with her family, walking her dog, and collecting sea glass on the beach.
Katrina Wiles OT
Katrina knew from a young age she wanted to work with children with special needs. While working as an aide in a special education preschool, she met an amazing occupational therapist who helped Katrina find her true passion of becoming a pediatric occupational therapist.
Katrina graduated in 2008 from Dominican University of San Rafael with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She has worked with children of all ages in a variety of settings including outpatient pediatric clinics, a hand clinic, in-home for early intervention, in the community, and in the schools. Katrina has experience working with children with physical disabilities, social-emotional challenges, feeding, and sensory processing difficulties. She also really enjoys being a clinical instructor and teaching occupational therapy students the hands-on portion of their education.
Joanne Desiere, COTA
Joanne has been working as a pediatric Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant since 2019. Joanne has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Seton Hall University, a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and an Associate’s Degree in Science and certification as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. After working for years in non-profit and clinical research organizations, she discovered and developed a passion for the impact of occupational therapy when her son received occupational therapy services as an infant. Joanne has experience providing occupational therapy services to students in schools, at home, virtually and in the clinic with STS. Joanne enjoys helping children explore their unique strengths and develop into confident, independent and emotionally aware participants in their educational, home and social environments.
Ashley Giller, MOTR/L
Ashley has been a licensed Occupational Therapist since 2017. She grew up in Connecticut, went to school in Massachusetts, then moved to SD to escape the snow! Ashley spent her first five years working in skilled nursing facilities. In 2022, Ashley switched to pediatrics and has been loving the process of learning a new area of the field. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, spending time with friends/family, and volunteering at animal shelters!
Alexa, OTD, OTR/L (OT)
Alexa is passionate about trauma informed care, socio-emotional regulation, and child-lead therapeutic approach. She strongly believes that developing and mastering play skills increases performance and confidence in functional self-help skills. She has experience in DIR-floortime and sensory integration therapeutic approach. Alexa loves working with children reach their goals in a fun and exciting environment.
In her free time, Alexa enjoys Pilates, swimming in the ocean, traveling, reading a book and cuddling with her dog.
Emily C. MOTR/L
Her passions for art, play, movement, and helping others meshes well with the world of OT. In her free time you’ll find Emily outside hiking in the mountains, at the gym, practicing yoga, spending time with friends and family, or trying to catch a wave at the beach.