Kiddos’ Clubhouse, in addition to being the name, provides an image of fun – an image that many of these children may not have considered a reality, considering their circumstances. It implies acceptance, friendship and fun without boundaries or limitations. At Kiddos’ Clubhouse, we have seen children reach levels of independence that surpasses all expectation.
Kiddos’ Clubhouse is a place where children and their parents gain the confidence and motivation to believe that they can do anything they set their mind to do. Kiddos’ Clubhouse is a friendly, happy place that changes children’s lives for the better by incorporating an atmosphere of caring, trust and fun into their therapy sessions. Kiddos’ Clubhouse is a place where children go to maximize their potential, independence and achieve their dreams.
We understand how hard it can be to find the right therapist for your child. At Kiddos’ Clubhouse, parents and therapists partner to set goals that lead to the greatest level of independence for you and for your child. We also work with parents to ensure they are comfortable supporting their child at home. Kiddos’ Clubhouse provides a safe, structured and stimulating environment for the parents and the children.
Brett has been working to better the lives of children with a wide range of disabilities as a practicing occupational therapist for over 25 years. Brett’s focus has been work with kiddos from birth to age 21 and his passion is working with patients to improve quality of life, increase physical and emotional capabilities and strive for greater independence for parents and children. Brett also sees mentoring other therapists as part of his service to the kiddos and their families.
Brett’s past experience as a practicing occupational therapist includes 2 years at Memorial University Hospital in Savannah, Georgia and 1 year at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Alpharetta, Georgia. In 2001, Brett started TOTS, Inc., a traveling occupational therapy service, where he was providing care for over 30 kiddos a week in their homes.
Frustrated by his physical limitations for additional case load and in recognition of families in need of quality care, Brett decided to bring a number of experienced therapists together to extend his services, building on the success of TOTS, Inc. Brett opened Kiddos’ Clubhouse in June 2005 to extend his bandwidth and provide exceptional care to more children and families.
Brett earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1995 and his Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia in 1998. He is a Registered Occupational Therapist with National Board Certification. He received his license to practice occupational therapy in Georgia in 1998 and is certified to administer and interpret the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT). Brett is also trained in Advanced Therapeutic Listening. He has presented his research work on movement differences in persons with autism on the state and national level. His areas of focus in treatment continue to be children with sensory integrative difficulties and children who utilize augmentative/alternative communication.
Brett has been married to his wife Nell, a fellow occupational therapist, since 2002. They have a two sons, Hayden and Parker. Brett is involved in Boy Scouting as an adult leader in Troop 1857 in Alpharetta, he is the past Northern Ridge District Chairman and is currently the Atlanta Area Council Vice President of District Operations. Brett was awarded the 2021 Shenandoah University Distinguished Alumni Award for Service to the Community.
He enjoys spending time with his family, playing soccer, photography, Star Wars, watching the Steelers, Penguins and the Red Sox, Arsenal FC and FC Bayern Munich!
Brett and Nell started Kiddos' Clubhouse Foundation in 2009, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to children and families throughout the state of Georgia. In the fall of 2017, Nell opened a second office in Dunwoody focusing on serving children birth to eight years old.
Kelly Crews, PT, DPT is a Board Certified Physical Therapist. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2016 from The University of Florida. She attended University of South Florida (USF) and received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Exercise Science in 2012. Kelly worked as a Behavioral Technician in 2012 after graduation from USF later taking the course for Registered Behavioral Technician in 2019.
Since a very young age Kelly has always had a passion for working with children, especially those with special needs. Kelly’s passion for physical therapy grew after she experienced many injuries throughout her childhood participating in multiple sports. Kelly has worked with children from 2 months to 21 years of age with a variety of diagnosis such as Autism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, developmental delay, torticollis, cerebral palsy, Pierre Robin Syndrome, metabolic conditions and more. She is excited to be a part of the Kiddos’ Clubhouse Team and to assist the children and their families in reaching their goals!
Outside of work Kelly enjoys spending time with her family and friends, Florida State sporting events (GO NOLES), cooking, the beach, the mountains and being outdoors.
Carla grew up just down the road in Woodstock, Georgia. From an early age she knew she wanted to work in a pediatric setting after growing up watching her sister participate in Occupational Therapy. She attended Berry College in Rome, Georgia majoring in biology and then graduated from Medical College of Georgia in Augusta in 2001 with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She has always worked in pediatrics beginning at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for 7 years. She then became a medical missionary using her Occupational Therapy skills to support orphanages in Kingston, Jamaica that take in abandoned children with disabilities with hands on caregiver training, gathering of wheelchairs and supplies, and treatment plan development. She pursued her graduate degree in theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. She joined the Kiddos Clubhouse team in October 2014.
She has had further continuing education training in Beckman Oral Motor strategies, sensory integration techniques, Alert Program for Self-Regulation, Therapeutic Listening, NDT handling strategies, Handwriting Without Tears, Keyboarding Without Tears, fine motor strengthening techniques, Understanding and Managing Visual Deficits, among others. She believes in utilizing an individualized treatment plan that best fits the needs of each child in order for them to meet their maximum potential. She loves being a part of the Kiddos Clubhouse team!
Sarah joined Kiddos' Clubhouse in April of 2021, and is so happy to be a part of the team! She attended Ithaca College, where she received her Bachelor's degrees in both Aging Studies and Occupational Science, as well as her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy. Sarah started college with a plan of working with the older adult population, but after various classes and fieldwork placements, she realized that pediatrics is what she is most passionate about. Sarah loves helping children live their lives to the fullest by reaching their potentials. She loves the holistic approach outpatient allows you to take; involving the whole family in treatment planning
Sarah moved to Atlanta in February 2018 from upstate NY. She has spent her career working in the pediatric outpatient setting with a variety of children from ages 7 months-21 years. She has experience working with Autism, Down syndrome, Developmental Delay, Cerebral Palsy, and Sensory Processing Disorder. Some particular areas of interest to Sarah are working on fine motor skills and sensory processing.
When she is not at the Clubhouse, Sarah loves being active and working out, spending time with her friends, and exploring new parts of Atlanta.
Jenny Lazansky graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with her Master of Physical Therapy in 1999. She began her career in San Antonio working for the school system then transitioned to a hospital setting working with both children and adults. In 2002, she began working as a travel physical therapist working short term assignments in hospitals and clinics in Virginia, Connecticut and North Carolina. Jenny decided to settle in Atlanta in 2003 and began working in an outpatient clinic at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In June of 2013, she joined the Kiddo’s Clubhouse team. She has a wide experience of evaluating and treating children with developmental delay, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, torticollis, muscular dystrophy, mitochondrial disease and other genetic and congenital diagnoses.
Jenny loves to learn and implement new techniques during physical therapy treatment. She implements Kinesio taping and neuro-developmental techniques as indicated with children. She also has experience with aquatic therapy. She enjoys working with children as well as implementing individualized treatments that are play-oriented while targeting strengthening, flexibility and development of new gross motor skills.
Jenny spent most of her childhood in Angleton, Texas and moved to San Antonio to attend college. She married her husband, Brett, in March 2004 and moved to the Alpharetta/Johns Creek in April of 2004. She has a son, Seth, and daughter, Riley. She enjoys running, hiking, going to church and spending time with her family and their dog, Sawyer.
Val graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Georgia in 2021. Currently, she is in a master’s program for special education with an ABA emphasis and will be graduating in 2024.Val has been a registered behavior technician for two years and has worked in a variety of settings with kids ages 2-13 with autism spectrum disorder. While working in the field of ABA, Val discovered she has a passion for learning about behavior as well as helping individuals with developmental disabilities. She hopes to be a BCBA in the future so she can continue making a positive impact on others’ lives.
More information on Maleehah coming soon!
Crysta joined the Kiddos' Clubhouse team in February, 2014. She has been working with children with special needs for over 17 years as Teacher’s Assistant, Teacher, Teacher Specialist, Home Therapist, and Behavior Analyst. Crysta first became involved in serving kids with special needs while working on her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Oglethorpe University. In 2001, she began providing ABA home therapy under the consultation of BCBA’s in the Atlanta area. Her love for this work inspired Crysta to pursue a Master’s in Special Education from Georgia State University and complete her coursework for the BCBA from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Crysta taught in Atlanta while working on her BCBA in a classroom of students with autism. She moved to Virginia in 2009 and taught for another 2 years. Upon receiving her BCBA in 2011, Crysta moved into a Behavior Analyst position with the Virginia Beach School System. Crysta moved back to the Atlanta area in 2013 and returned to doing direct therapy for kids with autism and other special needs.
Crysta is experienced in developing and implementing behavioral programming for clients with challenging behaviors at home, in school, and in the community. She has worked with kids and adolescents from ages 2-22. Crysta has extensive experience with the IEP process and school consultations.
Crysta is from Knoxville, Tennessee and moved to Atlanta for school. She, her husband Craig, their two kids, and their dog Haskell enjoy spending time together, finding new outdoor adventures, and exploring fandoms. The family is eagerly anticipating their acceptance letters from Hogwarts and are awaiting their chance to be sorted. They are playing it safe and also applying to Starfleet Academy, as a back up in case Hogwarts doesn’t pan out. Live long and prosper. This is the way.
Tali joined the Kiddos’ Clubhouse team in January of 2021, after relocating to Atlanta from her hometown of Nashville, TN. Tali attended Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!), where she received her Bachelor’s degree in History and Criminal Justice. She received her Masters of Science in Speech and Hearing Science, at Tennessee State University in 2014. Tali has spent her career working in the pediatric outpatient setting, in addition to the daycare setting, and a residential treatment center for children and adolescents. She has worked with a variety of clients ages 6 months-20 years, with varying treatment needs, including; articulation and phonological disorders, language disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, fluency disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, Cerebral palsy, hearing loss, Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC), and feeding delays and disorders. Tali truly enjoys helping children of all ages gain independence and confidence through improved language and communication.
Tali has received trainings from Vanderbilt University on treating children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech, feeding delays and disorders, as well as improving communication and play skills in children with ASD. She has also received training in the SOS approach to feeding, as well as Food Chaining.
Tali lives in Atlanta with her boyfriend, Andrew, and their golden doodle, Willie. Tali enjoys being outdoors, going for hikes, and traveling.
Dorothy Smith received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University in 2017. During her graduate clinical rotations she worked in a pediatric long-term skilled nursing facility catering to medically fragile children with skilled nursing needs. Following that she began her career in Missouri working simultaneously in the school setting as well as outpatient pediatrics. In 2020 Dorothy returned to her hometown, Atlanta, to begin pediatric home health, and the year following she transitioned to the Marietta City School system for in-school therapy. Missing the outpatient pediatric setting, Dorothy joined the team at Kiddos’ Clubhouse in June 2022!
Dorothy enjoys pursuing additional continuing education and trainings. She has completed the USC Sensory Integration Certificate program to further her knowledge on the assessment and interventions required for children with sensory integration issues. In order to further her knowledge with selective/picky eaters and children with feeding disorders, Dorothy has completed the Beckman Oral Motor training, in addition to other training involved with pediatric feeding concerns such as the CAN EAT Approach, Table Food School, and Mealtime works. Additionally she has completed her training in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting without Tears, From Eyesight to Insight, and many other courses in the areas of sensory integration and fine motor strengthening.
Dorothy was born and raised here in Atlanta, GA as the youngest of five children. When not at Kiddos' Dorothy enjoys spending time with her friends and family, reading, traveling, watching the great British Baking Show, and being an aunt to her 8 nieces and nephews!
Sarah received her bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation sciences from Armstrong State University (now Georgia Southern University-Armstrong) in 2016 and subsequently went on to receive her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Mercer University in 2019. She has been working in pediatrics since graduation in a variety of settings and enjoys them all.
Sarah has known she wanted to work with children since high school and has enjoyed working as a camp counselor for children with special needs, as well as a nanny, throughout college and graduate school to gain more experience. She enjoys working with children of all ages and abilities, having taken courses in management of infants with torticollis, children with Cerebral Palsy, and implementing strategies for children with CVI. She is excited to have returned to the Atlanta area and have the opportunity to work with a wonderful interdisciplinary team at Kiddos'!
When she is not in the clinic, you can find Sarah enjoying time with her husband exploring all that Atlanta has to offer, volunteering at her church, or cuddling with her lab mix, Georgia!
Jillian has worked with individuals with developmental disabilities since 2000, receiving her initial experience in treating children with autism at the Faison Center in Richmond, Virginia. Seeing the life-changing impact that early behavioral intervention can have on children and their families led Jillian to pursue a career as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Jillian obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (Applied Behavior Analysis specialization) at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2009, and she stayed in the Chicago area for the following seven years to serve as the Lead Behavior Therapist at a private day school for K-12 students with autism and related disorders. Seeking to expand her experience across disabilities and the lifespan, in 2017, Jillian accepted the position of behavior analyst at the Ann Storck Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, working with adults with developmental and physical disabilities in Intermediate Care Facilities and group homes. It is with passion and joy that Jillian returned to her roots in pediatric treatment by joining Kiddos’ Clubhouse in March 2022.
Nell received her BA in psychology from Davidson College in 1992 and Masters of Health Sciences in Occupational Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1997. She has had the opportunity to work at several children’s hospital systems in her 25- year career, including Backus Children’s Hospital at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, CHOA at Scottish Rite, and Northside Hospital’s Level III NICU. During her tenure at these hospitals, Nell served on Neonatal Developmental Teams, providing assessment and treatment and infant massage to patients in the NICU setting, as well as being a part of the NICU Follow-Up Clinic team.
Nell has also been a team member on Therapeutic Feeding teams, providing clinical assessment and treatment for feeding and swallowing disorders. Nell & her husband, Brett, have owned and operated Kiddos’ Clubhouse since 2005.
Nell lives in Alpharetta with Brett, her two great boys, Hayden and Parker, and their adorable dogs, Snaps, Tucker and Obi. She loves playing tennis, being a mom, traveling, and spending time with her family & friends.
Tiana earned her Masters in Speech Pathology and Audiology from South Carolina State University and has worked with children with disabilities for a decade. Tiana has always known she wanted to advocate for and provide services to those who could not advocate for themselves. She has experience working with children and adults with a variety of disabilities, across multiple settings. She believes everyone should have access to communicate and use their ’voice’! Speech language pathology is my passion, but I also enjoy hiking, running, reading a variety of genres, playing with my dog Louie and cooking.
Emily graduated from the University of Georgia (go dawgs!) before receiving her Masters in Occupational Therapy from Augusta University. As a student, she gained experience in outpatient pediatrics, a boxing gym for patients with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s Disease, and acute care. She solidified her passion for pediatrics while working at a camp helping to develop motor skills, sensory processing skills, and self-regulation through hiking, biking, swimming, and climbing. She has experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing dysfunction, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, ADHD, infantile spasms, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. Emily loves working with children and their families to help them achieve their goals!
Megan earned her Bachelor of Education degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Georgia and her Master of Education in Communication Disorders at Valdosta State University. She is a qualified Speech and Language Pathologist holding a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Association (ASHA), and a License in Speech Language Pathology in the State of Georgia.
In graduate school, Megan gained experience with pediatric populations while working at a children’s hospital and public school. Following graduate school, she continued to work with pediatrics in a private practice setting. Megan has worked with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, articulation/phonological disorders, language disorders, fluency disorders and feeding disorders.
In her free time, Megan enjoys playing tennis, reading, spending time with friends and family and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs!
Alicia graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Masters of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. She has experience working in outpatient/inpatient rehab, private practice and has a love for pediatrics! She has experience working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Dysfunction, Down syndrome, ADHD, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, and developmental delay. She is a Therapeutic Listening provider, and has specialized training in the assessment and treatment of vestibular processing related to primary movement patterns, oculomotor function, visual efficiency and visual information processing impacting daily function. Alicia is a self-proclaimed foodie, an avid coffee drinker, and loves to travel!
Chai graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology before obtaining her Occupational Therapy Doctorate from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has experience in acute care settings working with adults with neurological, cardiovascular, and orthopedic conditions, along with outpatient pediatric settings working with children with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, global developmental delays, among many other diagnoses. She has a heart for foster care youth and believes that all behaviors are a form of communication, which lead her to complete her doctoral capstone internship with a foster care agency in Chattanooga. This experience provided her opportunities to research the relationship between childhood trauma and sensory processing dysfunction, educate foster families on sensory processing challenges, and advocate for sensory screenings and sensory-based activities to be a routine part of a foster child’s care.
Chai is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and she enjoys hanging out with her friends & family, being active, and spending time outside!
We know this may all be new to you. That’s why we are here!
Reach out to us today.
Our Team is Ready to Answer Your Questions:
678-527-3224 or via the web
Contact Kiddos’ Clubhouse:
Directions to Alpharetta Office
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