MEET THE TEAM
Giselle
Giselle is so excited to join Theraplay LA’s team as their new Office Coordinator! Her background in customer service and Associate’s degree in Child Development and Early Childhood Education immediately drew her to this position. Her passion for working with children has blossomed in the past few years and only continues to grow! She has recently decided to pursue her interest in the pediatric sector of the medical field where she can continue to help children and their families. Growing up one of the older children in her family, Giselle has always gravitated towards helping people and assisting them in any way she can. Giselle is excited to assist Doctor Marielly and her team by providing a welcoming environment for every child and adult that walks through Theraplay’s doors. She’s always happy to answer any questions and ready to help make your experience run as smoothly as possible!
In her free time, Giselle loves to design and sew clothes, travel, and try new foods! Of all the places she’s visited, Hawaii has captivated her heart most.
Esther
As a sleep specialist, Esther impacts families in a way that has a large and positive ripple effect: SLEEP!
Esther has a passion for walking alongside parents during their journey to demystify sleep and start creating solutions so everyone gets the rest they need. Her background as an occupational therapy medical professional expands her ability to address the complex biological and behavioral process of sleep in a way that’s safe, compassionate, and full of possibilities.
Her method of addressing sleep moves beyond cookie-cutter sleep systems and superficial techniques. Instead, Esther pulls from scientifically proven techniques, neuroscience, sensory processing, and child development. The end result is her ability to provide you with a personalized plan that matches science-supported strategies to your unique parenting style.
Sleep is a gateway to optimal health and wellbeing, and Esther can’t wait to help you and your little one walk through that gateway and towards a more joyful family.
When she’s not treating, Esther loves spending time with her little one, going on long hikes, singing, cooking gourmet meals with friends, riding her bike, and paddle boarding!
Marci
Marci Silver, MS, CCC-SLP is so excited to pursue her passion for raising awareness about the connection between sleep, airway health, and behavior within pediatric institutions in her position as Community Outreach Director! She hopes her work with TheraPlay LA will help increase optimal quality of life for both the current pediatric population and generations to come.
Currently a NY, CA, and CT-certified speech-language feeding pathologist for both children and adults, Marci earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorder at Syracuse University and a graduate degree in speech-language pathology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Since becoming certified, Marci has received training in numerous different approaches, including the PROMPT technique, TalkTools, and the SOS feeding approach.
Marci provides myofunctional, oral motor, articulation, receptive,expressive, pragmatic, and feeding services. Her expertise includes accent modification, public speaking, and executive functioning training and cognitive therapy for adults who have experienced strokes, Traumatic Brain Injuries, etc.
Throughout her career, Marci has worked in a variety of pediatric settings, including as an SLP at an elementary school and as a pediatric speech language feeding pathologist at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY and The Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, where she provided outpatient pediatric evaluations. Furthermore, Marci was a supervisor and instructor for graduate students at The Teachers College Edward D. Mysak Center at Columbia University.
Marci is a strong proponent of a transdisciplinary approach, recognizing the importance of carrying therapy over in school and at home while providing communication with all professionals and family members, thereby encouraging participation from caregivers and parents involved in the client’s life and the incorporation of therapeutic activities into everyday life.
In addition to appearing as a guest on the podcasts of several dentists and pediatricians, Marci began the Silver Speech Speaking Series during COVID-19, interviewing previous clients who live with communication differences and other professionals who contribute to the field of speech language pathology. Additionally, she co-hosts “The Inside Scoop of Living with Cerebral Palsy,” during which she interviews those who live with cerebral palsy and other professionals who work with them.
When Marci is not working, she is reading, running, and roaming around the world!
Megan
Megan Hagedorn is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who has been learning from and training with Dr. Marielly since Megan was a student. Megan received a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from California State University, Northridge in 2012. Upon graduation, she struggled to find a job that fulfilled her desire to help others, especially children, until she volunteered at a therapeutic horseback riding center. Combining her love of horses and kids, Megan discovered her dream job and found it was called “Occupational Therapy.” She graduated from Stanbridge University's Occupational Therapy Assistant program, Summa Cum Laude, in 2021.
Through her employment and volunteer experiences, Megan has worked with children in various settings and with a variety of diagnoses. She has worked as a one on one/shadow at an elementary school, assisting both typically and atypically developing children with diagnoses including bipolar disorder, intellectual disability, developmental delay, and autism spectrum disorder. Through her volunteer experiences at sensory gyms and the therapeutic horseback riding center, Megan has also worked with children with diagnoses of cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome, sensory processing disorders, and feeding challenges. Megan's goal during every session is to emphasize play and fun while working toward therapy goals.
When not working, Megan enjoys reading while cuddled up with her 2 senior cats or being out in nature in any way possible. She loves camping, hiking, and exploring our national parks with her family and friends.
Jonathon
Jonathon Tenorio is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who has trained under and worked with Doctor Marielly at Theraplay LA since the beginning of his career. Jonathon received his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with a focus on the biomechanics of the human body from California State University, Northridge in 2018. in 2021, he graduated from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Stanbridge University.
Over the course of his professional career, he has had the chance to work with individuals with various different diagnoses, ranging in age from childhood to adulthood. These diagnoses include autism, feeding challenges, apraxia, neurological conditions, and hypotonia. Jonathon has always loved working with children, starting with his experience coaching various ages in baseball and basketball. He loves helping kids feel stronger and more confident in their bodies. He’s also had experience in the medical field, working in a sensory gym with typical and atypically developing children. His experiences have given him a unique and effective lens to help them reach their sensory-motor goals.
When he is not working in therapy, he is engaging in an active lifestyle. Fitness and health are two of the biggest passions in his life. He also strives to balance family, friends, work, and his doggies (all 4 of them!).
Natalie
Natalie Gomez had never heard of Occupational Therapy until she began her undergraduate career. When she did, she fell in love. She was instantly taken by its holistic approach towards helping others achieve their goal of engaging in the occupations most important to them. Her deep love of human anatomy and desire to learn more about how the body moves and works lead her to major in Kinesiology with an option in rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise. In 2020, she acquired her B.S and, a mere two years later, she obtained an A.S. in Occupational Therapy from Stanbridge University, graduating Cum Laude.
During her internship at TheraPlay LA, she was immediately taken by working with little ones and especially passionate about the amazing environment fostered at TheraPlay LA, particularly the focus placed on the incredibly important occupation of play.
Her history playing basketball throughout high school has allowed her to connect with and motivate the aspiring athletes who walk through TheraPlay's doors. In addition, Natalie has always enjoyed drawing and crafting, inspiring her to create an arts and crafts binder for the clinic with numerous activities for the little ones she works with to choose from. Watching them create and innovate is among the most rewarding parts of her job.
Ana
Ana Lopez is a certified Speech and Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) who graduated Cum Laude from Cal State LA with a major in Communication Disorders. She hopes to pursue her masters in Speech Pathology in the coming years. Ana recognized her passion for working with little ones when she began working at a daycare 13 years ago. Since then, she's worked as an after-school program director and a special education assistant before becoming a certified SLPA.
Throughout her years working with children, she has worked with little ones with numerous diagnoses, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and speech and language disorders. She has found her work as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant incredibly fulfilling, spending each day working towards her goal of helping children find their voice.
As an LA native, Ana has always felt it's important for her to be a resource to the families in her community, working to provide every child the tools they need to thrive in their environment. She finds it especially rewarding to inform and collaborate with families to ensure their child receives the most comprehensive care possible.
Outside of work, Ana spends her time hiking with her one year old pup and snowboarding. She has a special affinity for snowboarding as it allows her to travel to different states and countries. In fact, she hopes to travel to Japan this coming season!
Sophia
Sophia McCullough is Doctor Marielly’s administrative assistant and social media manager. While getting her BA in Neuroscience from Northwestern University, she took a class called Autism Spectrum Disorder. This class permanently changed her trajectory as she realized her true passion lay in Speech-Language Pathology. She’s currently taking classes through Northwestern’s School of Professional Studies and working towards her Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) certification.
Sophia has always naturally gravitated towards children and their carefree, fun nature and strives to bring that same energy when interacting with them. When she learned about the incredible work Doctor Marielly and other TheraPlay LA staff were doing, she was determined to join them and further their mission in any way she could! Her favorite part of working at TheraPlay LA is observing the amazing progress little ones make while working with Doctor Marielly. In fact, it has inspired her to pursue a certification in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT).
In her downtime, Sophia loves to draw, sing, and act and looks forward to integrating these talents into her work at TheraPlay.