Melissa Bianchini is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Children & Families Specialty. She received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University and has done post graduate work at Arizona State University in neuroscience, anatomy and physiology. As a social worker, Melissa has extensive experience in the fields of neurological processing, sensory integration, children and families, mental health, and addiction therapies. She also has worked with those that have experienced trauma and utilizes both animal intervention therapy and art therapy as she holds specialized certifications in both.
Melissa has specialized in Sensory Integration as the Educational Director of a Sensory Integration clinic in Arizona and now as the Executive Director here at Sensory Stepping Stones, LLC in NY. She is dedicated to helping children, teens and adults with executive functioning issues, Autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injuries, sensory processing disorders, developmental disorders, attention deficit disorder, developmental delays and physical disabilities. She is certified as a provider for the Sensory Learning SM Program, a Master Level Clinician in Interactive Metronome with several specialties, a certified PlayAttention provider, a neurofeedback provider and an auditory and visual processing specialist.
Melissa works closely with individuals, parents and other providers in the area to help those be successful in school, home, and work and in everyday activities through the holistic and alternative therapies she offers at the clinic. She tries to emphasize the focus on what the person CAN do and not what they can’t do. Melissa is a strong proponent of early intervention for all ages and disorders and the necessity of looking at and addressing how a person is processing their environment and responding to it in a more functional way.
Ashley Barton was born and raised here in Wappinger Falls, NY. After graduating from RCK, she moved to Rochester to attend Nazareth College and received her Bachelor of Music Therapy degree in 2005. She then completed her internship at Finger Lakes DDSO, working with young adults and adults with Developmental Disabilities. She received her credentials soon after and became a board certified- music therapist. She began working at Integrated Therapy Services in 2006 seeing children with special needs in local school districts. The music therapy department became its own entity, Music Therapy Pathways and she spent the last 16 years working there. She recently returned back to the Hudson Valley this past August to help with the care of her developmentally disabled sister. Ashley Barton is married with two children and created Duet Music Therapy Services. She created this unique company to be able to increase access to music therapy services for all abilities and ages within the Hudson Valley.
Lacey Straub is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist with a Master's Degree from Mercy College. Before moving to New York to complete her Masters, she lived in Louisiana where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Child Development. She has worked with a wide range of clients including infants, toddlers, school age and teenagers, while also collaborating and performing training with the families and caregivers. Lacey has received extensive training and certification in a variety of treatment approaches including Therapeutic Listening, Sensory Integration and Handwriting Without Tears. Her provision of services spans sensory clinics, schools and treatment in the home, allowing her to provide a well-rounded therapeutic approach to each child.
Lacey is a working mom who has three young children of her own. Wyatt - 8 years old, Charlotte - 6 years old, and Oliver - 2 years old.
Sophie Kinnarney is a registered and licensed occupational therapist in the world of pediatrics. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development at Virginia Tech with a minor in Medicine and Society. After graduation, she jumped right into graduate school at Iona University where she completed her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. As an OT, she provides individualized care that will help her clients acquire the skills needed for proper development and growth. Her positive energy and optimistic attitude are simply infectious, and she spreads that same mindset onward with every client she sees.
Kristen Cox is a highly trained special education teacher with over 20 years of experience teaching multisensory reading. She received her Master’s Degree in Literacy from Mount Saint Mary College, and a Bachelor of Arts from Marist College in Psychology and Special Education. As a full-time special education teacher, Kristen has extensive experience working with children with language-based reading disabilities such as dyslexia. She has been an elementary special education teacher for the Wappingers Central School District for the past 20 years.
Kristen is currently an Associate practitioner of the Orton Gillingham Academy. She also was certified at Level 1 and Group Instruction from the Wilson Academy. Kristen has created and implemented multisensory reading lessons in both a school setting and through private tutoring since 2002. She is currently working with a Fellow of the Academy of Orton Gillingham and has participated in over 160 hours of both professional development and practicum hours as she pursues the goal of becoming a Fellow.
Kristen has been tutoring students privately for many years and is excited to join the staff at Sensory Stepping Stones and work with families in this community!
Laura is an experienced mental health counselor who has worked with children and adults of all ages. She is passionate about helping individuals reach their full potential. She has Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology and Health and Human Services from the University of Buffalo and Master’s Degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling from the University of South Florida. She also holds Advanced Degrees in School Building and District Leadership. She is a New York State certified school counselor with 24 years experience in education. She has worked in elementary, middle and high school settings providing individual counseling, group counseling, social/emotional class lessons, academic advising, and college admissions/advising, She is joining our team, as a Mental Health Counselor, using her expertise to help children and families with their social/emotional needs and academic/college planning needs.
Katrina is currently finishing her Masters of Social Work Program at University of Massachusetts Global. She received her Bachelors in Journalism at SUNY Oneonta and her Associates in Human Services at Dutchess Community College. Katrina has certifications for Dementia and Trauma Informed Art Therapy. Her professional background includes Child Care, Assisted Home Care for the Elderly, and experience as a Program Assistant for Substance Abuse. She is passionate in Holistic and Art Based Interventions and strives to incorporate these areas into future practice.
Katrina is thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of Sensory Stepping Stones and looks forward to expansion and growth at the facility.
Zannelle Taveras has been a Bilingual School Psychologist for over 15 years. She is certified by both the State of New York and the State of Connecticut as a Bilingual School Psychologist. She is an advocate for children and families experiencing struggles with both educational and mental health concerns. Zannelle has previously worked in both educational and clinical settings that have focused on the individual’s personal mental health, behavior and learning to improve upon their overall holistic wellbeing. She applies all of her training and experiences to help each child succeed academically, socially, behaviorally and emotionally. She will collaborate with both school staff (if available) as well as any other additional families/community providers in developing plans that offer the support and/or services necessary for students to be successful. She is able to conduct psychological assessments, promote positive behavior and well-being, support diverse learners, provide crisis prevention and intervention and connect families to community service providers when necessary.
Zannelle will now be accepting new clients here at the clinic for those children 5 and older. Please contact us for an appointment today!
Alicia Martin is a dedicated middle school educator with 24 years of experience in the classroom. Her superpower is building connections and finding out exactly what lights up her students so they can stay present and engaged in school and in life!
After spending two decades teaching thousands of students, Alicia realized that the executive functioning tools she was sharing with her classes everyday were even more important than her content and curriculum. Setting goals, staying organized, focusing on a task and following multi-step directions are all skills that students need in order to be successful throughout their entire academic careers. She has taught countless teenagers the strategies that are imperative for them to stay on track within a classroom setting and at home. She loves to work one on one or with a small group of students and share the steps in the process to finishing assignments on time without the pressure or chaos it can cause in the home.
Take the pressure off of yourself, put a stop to the arguing about homework around the kitchen table and start the school year off right by signing up for an Executive Functioning class or individual sessions with Alicia today!
Gale Zadoff is a New York State Licensed School Counselor with 30 years of experience working with children in middle and high school. She has provided academic and social/emotional counseling to students and parents to concentrate on organizational skills and time management. She has designed and implemented many programs in peer leadership, mindfulness, career exploration, Warrior club for mental health, to name a few. One of her strong philosophies for success is the need for a team approach, connecting school personnel, home, and any outside supports, which is an integral part of her programs.
Gale joins Sensory Stepping Stones as the P.O.S.T (Productivity, Organization, Scheduling & Time Management) Coach along with a liaison in our Academic Pod programs.
