Our Story & Team

Taylor is a licensed speech-language pathologist, certified lactation counselor, and the Clinical Director for the Madden Therapy Solutions team.  Before getting her Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Jacksonville University, Taylor worked for Hillsborough County Public Schools as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant. During that time, Taylor gained extensive experience working with children on the Autism Spectrum, children with Down Syndrome, as well as children with receptive and expressive language delays and/or articulation disorders. Taylor has also gained invaluable experience with pediatric and infant feeding in both outpatient and inpatient settings, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). She has also completed specialized pediatric feeding training in tethered oral tissues, behavioral and sensory approaches to feeding, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Taylor believes in providing evidence-based strategies with proven results, a family-centered approach to therapy with strong family support and training, and working as a team with parents and all providers to better assist her patients in achieving the best outcomes.

Renee brings 18 years of healthcare experience with her to Madden Therapy Solutions. Her most recent role has been working with digital start-ups as a Healthcare Consultant, setting up operations and sales enablement departments. Prior to that she was VP of Sales Operations for Teladoc Health. Renee has also maintained her Life, Health & Annuities License in the State of Florida during her healthcare career, and currently offers Individual Health, ACA Plans, Group Medical & Medicare products to Seniors in the Community. 

Renee resides in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, and enjoys boating, fitness and traveling around the world.

Cara is a licensed speech-language pathologist with 17 years of clinical experience working in pediatrics. She has worked with a variety of children of various ages ranging from preterm infants to adolescents. Cara most recently worked at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in an outpatient medical setting providing diagnostic and intervention services to children with both developmental and medical needs. Her training has involved acute care, specialty clinics, and NICU. Additionally, Cara has coordinated a multidisciplinary team helping teach children with feeding tubes how to accept new foods and learn to eat by mouth. Cara’s passion for the field began at a young age when a relative was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. Her early desire to help others resulted in a career working closely with families to provide quality individualized care and assist children on their developmental journey to grow and thrive. She loves working with caregivers and prides herself on a team approach to best meet the needs of each child. When not at work, Cara loves traveling and spending quality time with her husband and daughter.

Stephanie is a licensed speech-language pathologist and an invaluable part of the Madden Therapy Solutions team.  Stephanie earned her Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, and has over a decade of experience working alongside children and families as a social worker prior to becoming a speech-language pathologist. She found her true passion in partnering with families to achieve their communication and feeding goals, with specialized training in feeding therapy and treatment of oromyofunctional disorders, including pre and post-operative care for the release of tethered oral tissues.  As a parent of two, Stephanie knows the value of having someone you trust when it comes to your child, and she firmly believes in Madden Therapy Solutions’ philosophy of considering the big picture in order to identify the best approach for each individual child and family.

Andrea is a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience working in outpatient pediatric settings to help individuals with a variety of presentations including language delays/disorders, articulation difficulties, working with Autistic individuals/children with Autism, and use of alternative communication devices. She received her Masters degree in Communication Science from Arizona State University while enrolled in a program focused on bilingual/multicultural populations. Having grown up in Puerto Rico, she is a bilingual Spanish/English speaker and has a passion for promoting the benefits and advantages of a bilingual education.

Andrea has also received specialized training in feeding (Feed the Peds, SOS Approach) and oromyofunctional disorders (MyoMethod) ranging from toddlers to adults. She has special interest in the areas of tethered oral tissues (TOTs), temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD), and early intervention of oromyofunctional disorders (OMDs) to improve outcomes for a better life. She is a strong proponent for treating the root cause of disorders, and believes in evidence-based practice with a strong collaborative approach between families and clinicians to provide the best therapy and achieve the most successful outcomes. When not at work, Andrea enjoys spending time with her significant other and cat, making pottery, and rock climbing.

Maddie is a licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist who obtained her Masters degree from Nova Southeastern University in Tampa, FL. Maddie’s passion has always been working in the pediatric setting. Prior to obtaining her license as an SLP, Maddie worked as an Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist (ITDS), where she provided direct services using a parent coaching model to children ages 0-3, implementing intervention strategies for global developmental delays.

She has invaluable experience working with children with articulation disorders, receptive and expressive language delays, children on the Autism Spectrum, children with Down Syndrome, and children with feeding and swallowing disorders. Maddie gained clinical experience with pediatric and infant feeding while working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), pediatric acute care, as well as outpatient settings during her time as a student clinician. Maddie’s ultimate goal is to create a trusting relationship with her clients and families in order to empower new communication skills and improve feeding/swallowing skills. She also strives to impact and improve her clients’ quality of life, while also supporting families along the way. In her free time, Maddie loves spending the day at the beach, exploring St. Pete, and watching Chicago Cubs baseball with her new puppy, Ivy.

Ally is a licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist; she received her Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and her Master’s degree from Indiana University. With a background spanning early intervention, outpatient clinics, and public/private schools, she has worked extensively with children facing various challenges, including articulation, fluency, language, and feeding disorders. She has also received specialized education within the area of pediatric feeding disorders through courses in both the SOS Approach to Feeding and the AEIOU Approach to Feeding. Her top priority is to build strong relationships with her families and patients in order to collectively determine the best approach to help each child grow and thrive. She strives to create a nurturing therapeutic environment where children feel confident, supported, and safe as they achieve their goals. In her spare time, she enjoys trying out new restaurants, taking walks, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Lauren is a licensed speech-language pathologist with 12 years of experience working in a variety of pediatric settings, including 5 years at John’s Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and 7 years of providing private in-home care. She is certified in both Orton-Gillingham and Lindamood-Bell reading programs and has a passion for dyslexia and reading disorders.  She has treated children from infancy through teens with extensive experience in areas of articulation disorders, language disorders, reading disorders, apraxia, hearing loss and autism.  Lauren is proficient in American Sign Language and is extremely passionate about helping children to communicate.

Nicki has been an occupational therapist since 2012 after receiving her Master of Science (MS) degree in Occupational Therapy. She completed her undergraduate degree in adapted physical education and a minor in psychology. Prior to pursuing her graduate degree, Nicki worked as an adaptive physical education teacher for 5 years where her interest in occupational therapy began. During her time as a physical education teacher, she developed a physical education curriculum geared toward children with special needs. She pursued her Masters in Occupational Therapy, as this field was all encompassing in regard to her passion, helping children in all aspects of their lives. Nicki has over 12 years’ experience working with children with Autism, developmental delays, orthopedic injuries, medical complexities and other various difficulties and disabilities. She has worked in early intervention, in the homes of children providing direct care and educating parents, as well as providing ongoing support and guidance. She has also worked in schools for children with developmental delays and a school for children with Autism.

Nicki relocated to Florida in 2021, where she provided occupational therapy services in the Martin County School system. There, she supported her students in reaching their goals and fostering educational success and individual confidence. During that time, she also worked in a pediatric outpatient clinic, where she combined her school-based knowledge, medical knowledge, and sensory integration background to help children fill in the gaps to build, gain and maintain their skills. Nicki has over 10 years’ experience with sensory integration techniques and sensory processing and modulation disorders. She has additionally obtained level 1 certification in the area of pediatric Kinesiotaping. Working with children is truly her passion and she loves seeing their growth and being a part of their journey. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, FaceTiming with her nieces and nephews, exploring the Tampa Bay area, and hanging with her pup, Ozzy.

Amanda is a licensed & registered Occupational Therapist with over 13 years experience. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in Health & Exercise Science & a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She has extensive experience in treating a variety and complexity of diagnoses, from handwriting issues to severe cognitive and physical limitations. Additionally, she has assisted with program development, mentoring, and training in smaller clinics throughout the country. Currently, Amanda’s focus is working with patients using aquatics, feeding, and postural re-education as an outpatient therapist, while volunteering with her non-profit, Experienced Autism Alliance, on the side.  She is therapeutic listening certified since 2009 as well as certified in Sensory Integration & Praxis Test (SIPT) since 2012, with a background in feeding, splinting, and adaptive equipment. 

When Amanda is not working, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Shiloh, going to the beach, hiking, camping, paddle boarding, as well as creating art, salsa dancing, and last but not least, hanging out with her dog, Lyla. 

Christy is a physician assistant, a certified lactation consultant and a pediatric sleep consultant with 10 years’ experience in Emergency Medicine. In recent years, she has developed a passion for breastfeeding and helping families solve their kids exhausting sleep habits. Christy has faced several breastfeeding challenges of her own, which has given her the unique personal experience that translates into the ability to help nursing mothers navigate their own challenges. Christy also has a 3-year-old and 7-month-old and understands just how valuable sleep is.

Kendra is a licensed dietitian with a Masters degree in human nutrition and over 10 years experience in clinical dietetics. She is a Certified Lactation Counselor and postpartum doula and enjoys the journey from a baby’s beginning at the breast through his/her continued growth making healthy food choices. While she believes that “fed” is best, if Kendra can assist a mom in reaching a breastfeeding goal, she definitely will! Having two young children of her own, Kendra has plenty of personal experience, and knows the breastfeeding struggles that many mothers often face. Kendra also understands the difficulties that may come with the 4th trimester and is able to assist moms in navigating those issues…she understands these struggles are real and how crucial support is during this time. When she is not working, Kendra enjoys hanging out with her family and trying (or at least attempting!) new recipes that are kid-friendly, delicious, and nutritious!