Meet the Children’s Therapy Center Staff

Christina Michel-Albers

Executive Director & Speech-Language Pathologist

Working with children keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you know what they are going to do…they do something different. Young children’s growth and development is limitless. I love to see children defy every odd place before them. The kids at CTC inspire and teach me every day about perseverance and determination. To be a part of the CTC is amazing, I have never been a part of a more dedicated & talented group of people who work tirelessly to help children achieve their goals!

Adriana Lopez

Clinical Administrative Assistant


Being at the front desk I get to greet all the kiddos and see their happy faces, which I love. I also get to see the dedication and genuine connection the team has toward each child. Most of all I love knowing that children’s lives are being changed for the best.

Adri Rivas

Occupational Therapist


Being a part of a child’s journey as he/she is discovering new ways to
adapt and use their skills is an incredibly rewarding experience. I love seeing the growth and learning process that each child grows through and being able to be there for them to celebrate all of the big and small accomplishments. Seeing the joy on the parents’ faces as they watch their child grow and accomplish new things, makes the experience even sweeter. I could not be more thankful to be a part of a more caring and knowledgeable team of therapists at CTC. The support the team brings makes it feel like you’re a part of a big, happy family.

Liz Sardinas

Deputy Director


I think being around children and their boundless energy is amazing. I love watching babies and their parents learn about each other and the world around them and if they have a team of people cheering them on – all the better. CTC is filled with enthusiastic, supportive, skilled and caring people who want to be part of that team for each child, family and
each other.

Nicole Mion

Help Me Grow Community Outreach Specialist & Infant Development Specialist


Since beginning at CTC, in 1998, as an aide for all disciplines, while completing my degree, I was able to see, first-hand, the benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach. As a Help Me Grow Yolo County team member at CTC, I have access to the knowledge of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Early Intervention Specialists, and Social Workers and I get to deliver it to families searching for answers.

Stephanie Okada

Occupational Therapist


I’m lucky to work with an amazing group of clinicians and to be a part of the CTC team. I get to play all day and spend my days with the cutest bunch of kids around!

Katie Nguyen

Speech-Language Pathologist


My favorite part about working for CTC is having a positive influence on a child’s natural development, and providing assistance to families in the form of information, guidance, and support.

Peri Walker

Speech-Language Pathologist


I feel very lucky to be part of the amazing team at CTC. There is a certain level of dedication that goes beyond most centers. We have the BEST kids and families to work with!! I feel it is an honor to be a part of our clients and their families’ success.

Darsie Fisk

Physical Therapist


I love working with the team of therapists, infant specialists, Alta Service Coordinators, and families at Children’s Therapy Center. The children are adorable, and everyone is so devoted to them. My favorite part of being a physical Therapist is helping children learn to explore their environment, and watching the delight in their eyes as they learn to move on their own.

Shannon Barton

Speech-Language Pathologist


My favorite part of working with children is getting to be a part of some of the most exciting first moments of their lives. The reward of hearing a first word, seeing bubbles blown for the first time or seeing the confidence rise as a child realizes how the sign they just used got them what they wanted is so wonderful. My favorite part of working with CTC team is being around so much energy and passion for children as well as being able to learn new ideas and different perspectives from each clinician.

Andrea Krause

Occupational Therapist, Therapist Supervisor


I enjoy witnessing the development of all children and I love helping kids with special needs to overcome challenges. Working individually with children and their families energizes me; I believe this is part of what I was made to do. CTC is an awesome environment of folks who care about little ones, who may be different from their peers. I love being a part of a great group of therapists and support staff whose primary mission is to help.

Julie DeJong

Physical Therapist


I love working with children because they are so eager to get better or overcome a disability to be able to get on with playing and are so hopeful and positive. Working with kids always keeps me on my toes making me come up with more creative treatment options and laugh! I’m excited to be part of the CTC team because I believe that therapy is best provided
in a collaborative environment where the team can assess and address all of a child’s need working together as a team!

Anna Miranda

Physical Therapist


It is such a joy to share in the experience when our kids gain independence in a skill, however small or large. I love the energy and dedication of the CTC team!

Trish Rayback

Infant Specialist, Certified RecreationTherapist


I’m very grateful to work with such positive & supportive team that shares my passion about supporting and helping children with special needs and their families. My favorite part of working with children is “playing” and through play watching them discover, explore and learn.

Elli Seal-Mayr

Occupational Therapist


I am passionate about supporting children and their families in reaching their greatest potential for learning, play and experiencing a high quality of life. CTC offers a great team of therapists and staff to accomplish that as well as a super fun and interactive environment to do it in.

Karen Griner

Speech-Language Pathologist


My favorite part of working with kids is discovering who they are and giving them a way to express it. Hearing a child’s first words is priceless! Words cannot describe the feeling of seeing a child finally getting his message through and seeing people understanding him for the first time.The best part about working at CTC is being a part of a professional team, who sees a child from all perspectives. I like being a part of a team that share ideas and knowledge.

Keith Haberstock

Speech-Language Pathologist


I am TRULY the luckiest guy to get to work with this amazing team of therapists. After years of searching for the perfect fit I have found my team, my kids, and my families.

Jen Travis

Help Me Grow Program Coordinator


My favorite thing about working with children is being able to co-experience the excitement and curiosity they have about the world. Being a part of the CTC team allows me to be surrounded by like minded co-experiencers who are passionate about their work.

Krista DeZerega-Thomson

Occupational Therapist & Certified ESDM Supervising Therapist


My favorite part of working with children is seeing them develop and learn so quickly before they have developed inhibitions and are open to being silly while working hard to be able to accomplish anything! I love being a part of the CTC team, this is the best group of therapist around. Everyone is highly skilled yet totally approachable regarding treatment ideas, helping and supporting each other. I have never felt so confident and able to seek support from such a group of highly skilled therapist. Everyone truly puts the kids first!

Rika Matsuda

Physical Therapist


All the kids and families I meet in the course of my daily work, always teach, amaze, and give me much reason to smile, to laugh, and to make me realize that life is good. Being part of the CTC team has been fantastic. We all enjoy the same thing: helping the kids, and collectively we do not hesitate to support each other or to share our knowledge, skills, and power that we have acquired through our individual diligence.

Noemi Castro

Client Care Coordinator


I love seeing the kids grow and the progress they make working with the therapist. Its wonderful to be a part of a team where the
therapist love what they do.

Ronit Schwarz

Occupational Therapist

The best part of my job is building a relationship with the child and their family. I love to learn about all aspects of the child, especially their strengths and personality, and then watch how those help them grow, progress, and overcome obstacles. At CTC we all love what we do, we have an incredibly professional team with an amazing positive approach, and we work together to support the families.

Malie Quick

Client Account Analyst

*picture coming*

My favorite part of working at CTC is being part of a positive team work environment!

 

Kellie Nielsen

Physical Therapist

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My favorite part about working with children is their resilience and ability to find joy in life. Children are fun-loving, honest, and hard-working. It humbles me everyday to have the opportunity to positively impact theIr lives. Not to mention, they’re pretty cute!

Mayra Gonzalez

Help Me Grow Community Support Specialist

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My favorite part about working with children is that with the knowledge I have, I’m able to help families understand what typical development looks like and when to take action. I have a particular interest in working with migrant families. My favorite part about working with children and being part of the CTC team is the playgroup. I love playgroups because I know that I’m going to be bringing an activity that will be fun and it will also help children learn new skills.

Megan Barnes

Occupational Therapist

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I enjoy getting to know each individual child and their families, and appreciate the uniqueness in everyone I meet. I love that I get to be creative in my work, and am thankful to find it fun, meaningful and rewarding. I am honored to be a part of each child’s journey to increased success and engagement in everyday skills including: learning, playing, feeding, and self-help. It is a privilege to serve our community alongside a large and diverse multi-disciplinary team. Being able to consult with the other professionals enables me to serve my clients and their families better, and provides me with many opportunities for growth!

Brenda Di Gregorio

Help Me Grow Community Outreach Specialist 

I have always had a passion for working with young children, even as a young child myself. From babysitting at a very young age, being a live in nanny through school and studying child development as an adult, every part of child development is just fascinating! I’m always intrigued at each child’s uniqueness and everything that comes with them. From their ability to adapt to just about any situation to striking up conversations about things like dinosaurs, imaginary dogs, sticky fingers… well… pretty much anything! I’m always learning something new with each child I meet. I’m also very passionate about empowering families to be their child’s advocate and helping them find the resources that they need to help them become a stronger unit. That’s what I love about CTC! I’m very excited to be a part of such an amazing group of individuals that work hard on helping children reach their full potential and helping families along the way. My favorite part of this job is being able to work together with so many skilled professionals on a common goal, helping children to be the best kid they can be!

Kira Gaby

Developmental Specialist

Children have so much joy and light in them and seeing that brings so much joy to my own life. I love CTC’s approach to working with kids, “finding the smile” and treating them with respect and kindness. There’s the same love and welcoming for the staff. I’m excited to come every day. I see so much progress in the kids, it’s wonderful to see and makes the work feel incredibly meaningful.

Breanna Flores

Developmental Specialist

My favorite part about working with children is watching them grow and getting to be apart of that journey. I feel so lucky to be a part of the CTC team. Being a part of this amazing team allows me to do what I love, which is to help children develop skills to be happy and thrive in life.

Chrissy Kelly

Program Data Analyst

Working with children and their families is the most rewarding job. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to build relationships with families and to witness growth and development every day. At CTC I am able work with a dedicated, supportive team of professionals who all share the same goal of supporting children and families to reach their full potential.

Sandra Serrano

Administrative Assistant

I am excited to be working with the CTC team after being initially introduced to the team as a parent whose child received therapy through the CTC. I was amazed at how caring and hardworking the team is. It was so joyful to see the growth not only in my child but also with the other children. It’s such a satisfying feeling to see the kiddos grow and accomplish so much

Anna Lin

Speech-Language Pathologist

I love working with children because they’re just so fun to be around! Each child is unique and sees the world differently. I like learning their different perspectives and connecting with them. I also enjoy working side-by-side with their caregivers to navigate their child’s therapy journey together, and to help create a richer language environment at home. What drew me to be a part of the CTC team is definitely the ability to work with so many other professionals who share the same vision — to help children and their families thrive with the aid of therapy and early intervention!

Brooke Simpson

Speech-Language Pathologist

I feel so lucky to be able to work with such great people, who truly care about all the kids. There is nothing more rewarding than the look on a kid’s face when they have that “ah-ha” moment. I feel so blessed to experience that with them. Everyday the kids I see remind me that life is too short not to laugh and be silly. I hit the jackpot with this job!!

Katherine Chong

Occupational Therapist

My favorite part about working with children is getting to experience their enjoyment and delight in the little in-between moments of life. I particularly love getting to know each child, understanding their unique interests and needs, and problem-solving with them and their families to provide the best support for them to thrive. As a previous fieldwork student at CTC, one thing that drew me back here after I became a therapist was witnessing this multi-disciplinary group of people share the same passion and like-minded focus to help children reach their full potential.

 

Nancy Castellanos

Speech-Language Pathologist

I have always said children are such a joy. Their smiles and responses can easily make one smile. Their view of the world is so different from ours and sometimes it’s good to look at it from their perspective, we may learn a thing or two.

 

Sydney Michel 

Infant Development Specialist 

Being able to witness a child grow and develop is truly the gift that keeps on giving, and any part that I can play in their story is an honor! Working with children keeps your mind curious and young. Because CTC is mostly play based therapy, it doesn’t feel like “work” in the traditional sense. CTC is dynamic and prioritizes the continual pursuit of knowledge and education. It creates a positive work culture where the employees feel heard and supported both as people and professionals.