KidVentures Therapy Services

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KidVentures
Therapy Services

5524 Bee Caves Road
Building L
Austin, Texas 78746
tel 512.327.4499
fax 512.327.4495

Our Staff

Angela Balmer OTR

Angie is the co-owner of KidVentures Therapy Services. She has over 30 years of experience as an occupational therapist in diverse therapeutic environments. She graduated from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania with her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Angie has worked in the following settings: an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital, a state-funded school for children with social and emotional difficulties, and several private pediatric clinics. Angie has completed the Level 1 Intensive Mentorship through the SPD Foundation, taught by Dr. Lucy Jane Miller and Dr. Sarah Schoen. She is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT), The Print Tool by Handwriting Without Tears and the S.O.S Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding taught by Dr. Kay Toomey and Dr. Erin Ross. Angie and several colleagues at KidVentures launched a Feeding Program and are providing both individual and group therapy work to children and their families. Angie’s approach to therapy is a product of her wide range of experience with children and families in both individual and group atmospheres. Her areas of expertise and special interest include helping children with sensory processing disorders, helping children with feeding disorders, improving functional skills/independence for children living with autism and working collaboratively with the various needs of children and families. Angie was one of the founders of the TOPSoccer program for children with special needs in Austin and is a former board member at the Capitol School of Austin.

Jennifer Thomas OTR

Jen is the co-owner of KidVentures Therapy Services. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jen has provided pediatric occupational therapy services for 18 years and has extensive knowledge in occupational therapy theory and intervention. Jen has completed the Level 1 Intensive Mentorship through the SPD Foundation, taught by Dr. Lucy Jane Miller and Dr. Sarah Schoen. She is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT). Jen works closely with the SPD Foundation in providing continuing education trainings to occupational therapy professionals. Her working environments include pediatric clinic-based and school-based environments. Jen specializes in providing intervention to children with sensory processing disorder, motor coordination difficulties, and functional skills difficulties such as handwriting and bike riding. Jen also enjoys presenting on various topics within the realm of occupational therapy in order to educate parent and teacher groups in the community. Jen is co-founder of the TOPSoccer program for children with special needs.

Brandi Gitcho OTR

Brandi received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Austin College in Sherman, Texas. After her undergraduate work, she volunteered for AmeriCorps for one year. She received her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in Dallas. Brandi worked in Dallas in a private practice sensory integration clinic as well as a private practice handwriting clinic. From Dallas, Brandi moved to Boston, where she worked as an occupational therapist at a school for children with behavior difficulties. Then she moved to New York, where she worked for a school for children with Autism. Brandi has over seven years experience working with pediatric patients in diverse populations across the country. She is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT).

Erin Vargo OTR

Erin graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Louisiana Tech University, and earned her Master of Occupational Therapy degree at LSU Health Sciences Center – Shreveport. She completed clinical rotations in a variety of settings across the lifespan, including the PICU/NICU, Neuro Day Program for Adults, Inpatient Rehabilitation on the Spinal Cord Injury Team, and working with children with Sensory Processing Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder here at KidVentures! Erin is excited to bring her knowledge of the most recent evidence-based practice and her passion for the field of Occupational Therapy to KidVentures. She is certified in the S.O.S. Approach to Feeding and has completed several continuing education courses for Sensory Integration, Fine Motor/Visual Motor/Graphomotor Skills, Executive Functioning, Social-Emotional Skills, Pediatric Mental Health, and a variety of Learning Disorders. Erin feels that working with children and collaborating with their support systems (family, caregivers, educators, and other health professionals) is a distinct honor, and strives to provide exceptional child-centered care with the goal of increased independence and improved quality of life.

Ashley Streif OTR

Ashley graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin. She completed her clinical rotations in pediatric and adult outpatient clinics in the DFW area, but knew she wanted to call Austin home. Ashley is from the Austin area, and even worked at KidVentures as a therapy technician for 3 years prior to attending graduate school. Ashley has experience working with pediatric clients with a variety of diagnoses including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, genetic conditions, ADHD, orthopedic injuries, feeding difficulties, sensory processing difficulties, neuromuscular disorders, and developmental delays. She is excited and eager to be back at KidVentures to provide strategies and support to each and every child and family that comes through the door!

Abby LoCascio OTR

Abby earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. She also earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She has experience with both adults and children in various settings. While in graduate school, she completed clinical rotations at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, a pediatric clinic in Killeen, Moody Preschool in Galveston, a Mental Health Center in Galveston, and KidVentures Therapy Services in Westlake. She completed her Capstone project with the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas. She has worked with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, behavioral disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, chromosomal disorders, ADHD, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Sensory Processing Disorders. She has provided developmentally appropriate sensory, social, fine motor, and gross motor occupation-based interventions for children from infancy to young adulthood. She is a native Austinite and is thrilled to be back working at KidVentures!

Erika Tatum CCC-SLP

Erika received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders at the University of Florida, Gainesville and her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Erika has several years of extensive professional experience in different settings including a school for children with speech-language and learning disabilities, clinical pediatric outpatient services, adult rehab, and private practice. She has worked with both adults and children, but the bulk of her experience and clinical expertise is with children with a variety of disorders including speech-language disorders, autism spectrum disorders, cleft lip and palate, developmental delays and genetic disorders. She is PROMPT trained in a motor based technique used for children with moderate to severe speech disorders, such as childhood apraxia of speech.

Alexa Becker CCC-SLP

Alexa graduated with her Bachelor’s in Science in Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of Georgia and her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Before moving to Austin, she worked with adults in a skilled nursing facility rehabilitation center. In Austin she started working with kids of all ages (and a few adults!) in an outpatient clinic setting. She has experience working with cognitive communication disorders, feeding and swallowing disorders, fluency disorders, receptive-expressive and pragmatic language disorders, speech sounds (phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, articulation disorders). She has extensive experience working with autism spectrum disorder, early intervention and developmental language and Augmentative and Alternative Communication. She has experience working with kids and adults with a variety of diagnoses, severities, and needs!

Jenna Greiner CCC-SLP