OUR TEAM- SHEBOYGAN

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Our Providers

Nichole, OTR

Occupational Therapist/Owner

I love helping others learn and grow. As a result of my efforts, I have been able to help many individuals turn the stumbling blocks of their lives into stepping stones. I started Progressive Beginnings in 1999 with my husband John. When I am not working, I enjoy traveling, shopping, yoga, and watching my 3 children participate in their various sporting events.

Sara, COTA

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

Hello! I'm Sara, a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant at Progressive Beginnings. I completed my bachelor's degree in psychology, graduated as a COTA in May 2017, and started with ProgressiveBeginnings in November 2017. I became Rehab Manager in 2020 and love the opportunity to provide additional support to our staff and management team. I have always worked with people and truly enjoy being able to help them be able to do the things they love. I thoroughly enjoy helping people and seeing their face light up when they achieve a goal makes me smile! During my free time, I enjoy traveling, camping, and learning about new cultures.

Jena PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

Hi, I’m Jena! I graduated from Carroll University in May of 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. I continued my education at Carroll University where I received my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May of 2023. I am super excited to be starting my career in my dream role helping both kids and adults reach their highest potential! One thing I enjoy most about physical therapy is being able to use exercise and play as medicine in all stages of life. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, attending concerts, crafting, and reading.

Hailey, OTD, OTR

Occupational Therapist

Hello, my name is Hailey! I graduated from Marquette University in August of

Therapy. My passion for OT started with a

2023 with a Doctorate in Occupational

personal experience that led me to shadowing others

in the profession, where I learned more about how big of an impact occupational therapists make in people's lives across the lifespan. My passion continued to grow throughout school where I discovered that working with both kids and adults was

where I knew I could make a positive impact. As an occupational therapist I strive to see the whole person, not just a diagnosis, in order to best improve quality of life. In my free time I love to spend time with my fiancé and two pets. I have a cat named Jasmine and a dog named Nala, both of which were rescued from the Dodge County Humane Society. A few of my favorite hobbies include baking, spending time with family and friends, and visiting new places.

Kelsey MS, OTR

Occupational Therapist

I graduated from Mississippi State University in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I continued my education at Mount Mary University and graduated with my Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2023. My passion is working with children and I have a large interest in primitive reflex integration, developmental delays, and neurodevelopmental disorders. My favorite thing about occupational therapy is getting to help patients achieve goals beyond what they think is possible. In my free time I enjoy golfing, crafting, spending time outside, traveling, and reading.

Jenna, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Hello, I’m Jenna! I’m a Bilingual Spanish-English Speech Therapist! I fell in love with the idea of Speech Therapy when I studied abroad in Chile after my phonetics professor worked with me to help me improve my trill /r/ (like in “arrrrrriba”). How cool is it to be able to pronounce new sounds? I initially signed up for the class because I thought I could benefit from practice in pronunciation of the Spanish language, who knew it would lead me to pursue an entirely different career path!? I graduated from the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse with a Bachelor’s in Spanish and earned my graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee! I adore working with children and there’s no better feeling than helping each individual become functional communicators. In my free time I love to travel, garden, golf, and spend time with my family. I’m so happy to be here!

Lala, PSR

Patient Services Representative

Hi! I’m Lala, the Patient Service Representative at Progressive Beginnings. I come from plenty of a healthcare background ranging from littles to adults. I’ve done work in home healthcare, clinical care, behavioral health and even some ER experience! I’m very happy to have joined the PB team and my goal is to share all the knowledge and experience I have prior and imply that into my everyday role here within the clinic. I absolutely love going above and beyond for my patients making sure all come and go with smiles. During my free time I enjoy spending time with my little one, watching sports with my fiancé and rocking the mic to some country karaoke!

John, OTR

Occupational Therapist/Owner

We started Progressive Beginnings in 1999 to provide a choice of providers in pediatric care and an opportunity for local residents to receive warm water aquatic therapy. I have spent my career as an Occupational Therapist working to understand reimbursement, legislative guidelines, and helping others grow their new careers in healthcare. I continue to grow and expand Progressive Beginnings in the areas of management services for long term care, home health, and outpatient rehabilitation services. Our newest undertaking has been growing outpatient clinics within Assisted Living Facility communities

Katie, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

Ever since my first anatomy course in high school I have had a desire to work in healthcare and after job shadowing I knew becoming a physical therapist was the right career path for me. I graduated from Viterbo University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s of Science of Biology and a minor in Psychology, and I also played on the women’s soccer team. I further pursued my education at Concordia University where I graduated in May of 2020 with my Doctorate of Physical Therapy. I initially started my career working in a hospital as an inpatient acute physical therapist, but I am excited to be making the transition to the outpatient setting. I love getting to work with patients of all ages and really enjoy the opportunity to work alongside them as they strive to reach their goals. In my free time I love spending time with family, playing sports, reading and working out.

Jenny PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

One of my passions in life is helping kiddos (and adults!) thrive and overcome obstacles, helping them understand just how amazing they are! In pursuit of this passion, I obtained my bachelors in Kinesiology - Exercise and Movement Science (2018) and then my Doctorate in Physical Therapy (2022) both from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Before coming to Progressive Beginnings, I've gained experience working as a school-based physical therapist in Madison (working alongside the special education system) as well as working in a children's hospital. My husband and I are new to the Sheboygan area, and soon to be parents to a little boy! In our free time, we love exploring the outdoors, biking, running, baking, playing board games, and spending time with our families and church community. I look forward to getting to know you better!

Heidea, OTD, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Hello, I'm Heidea! I graduated with my bachelors of Rehab Science in 2022 and my Doctorate of Occupational Therapy in May of 2024 from Concordia University Wisconsin. This is my first job out of college and I am loving it so far as I always have had a passion for working with kids. I love being an occupational therapist and helping others live their best lives. Some other things that I love is spending time with my friends and family, playing with my pup, and doing anything outdoors.

Sydney, OTD, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Hello, I am Sydney! I graduated in 2022 from Concordia University Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences while also playing on the softball team. I then continued my education at Concordia to graduate in 2024 with my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. I chose occupational therapy because I am extremely passionate about helping different individuals reach their fullest potential. I love being able to blend creativity into everyday tasks and activities. In my free time, I enjoy running, being outside, spending time with family, baking, and a good book!

Sierra, MS, SLP-CF

Speech Language Pathologist Clinical Fellow

Hi, I’m Sierra! I am originally from central Illinois but attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Health Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I continued my education at James Madison University in Virginia graduating in May of 2024 with my Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology! I have always enjoyed working with kids and found a big interest in working with adults with aphasia during my clinical rotation in grad school. I am looking forward to building relationships and collaborating with families on this journey to improving communication. In my free time, I enjoy baking, reading, hiking, watching football with my fiance, and hanging out with friends and family.

Michelle

Patient Services Representative

Hi, I'm Michelle and I'm the Patient Services Representative here at Progressive Beginnings. My passion has always been working with children and helping them reach their goals. My last job I had was a paraprofessional at a school so I am very familiar with working children. I love to see their smiling faces and listen to their stories. I live with my husband in the Howards Grove area and I have four grown children. I have one grandchild that is 9 years old and one on the way. So we are very excited to meet him/her in March of 2025. We also have a German Shepard dog that is so spoiled. My hobbies are spending time with my family, going up to Hayward, four-wheeling, and relaxing. I am excited to be part of this talented team and look forward to meeting you.

Jessica PT, DPT

Physical Therapist/Operational Partner

I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2010 and then my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May 2014 both from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. I started with Progressive Beginnings in June 2014 and became an Operational Partner in November 2014. I have a passion to work with pediatric patients and a large interest in the neuroscience of pain to educate and engage my patients. I create our newsletters, social media posts, and community outreach as the Director of Marketing. My husband and I live in Manitowoc with our daughter, son, and dog. We love to travel, hike, camp, and spend time with our family and friends.

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Matt, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Hello, I'm Matt! I attended Concordia University Wisconsin where I played on the men's baseball team and graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences. I continued with further education at Concordia University Wisconsin and graduated with my Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2020. I began my career working as a mental health occupational therapist. I love helping individuals achieve their goals and having fun in the process, which is why Progressive Beginnings was such a perfect fit. I cherish being an occupational therapist and bringing creativity to functional task performance! In my spare time I enjoy playing with my dog, playing sports, hiking, and traveling with my wife!

Brianna, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Hi, I’m Brianna! I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2021. I continued my education at Concordia University Wisconsin and graduated in 2023 with a masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology. I am currently working to complete my Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) here at Progressive Beginnings. I have experience working across the age span and in a variety of different environments including schools, clinics, and hospitals. I have found a love for evaluating and treating clients with a variety of communication and feeding and swallowing needs. I am looking forward to collaborating with other therapists and families to improve the communication and feeding and swallowing of the clients we treat. In my free time I enjoy reading, cooking and baking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Rachel, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

The field of speech language pathology constantly intersected my life. I grew up with a grandfather with polio-related swallowing difficulties, friends with hearing loss, relatives with speech disfluencies, and grandparents with dementia. Over the course of my 20+ years as a teacher, I worked with students on the autism spectrum, learned from skilled educational assistants and therapists, and started my exploration of AAC devices. I returned to school to change careers. Since earning my masters degree, I have worked with students in several Milwaukee area school districts and worked in the medical setting with adults. I currently work in the Whitefish Bay School District full time. I am thrilled to join the team at Progressive Beginnings where I can collaborate with others and work directly with families. I love staying current on research in my field and assisting families on their communication journeys. When I am not working, I am looking for ways to get outdoors, explore, and spend time with my college-aged daughters and bonus family here in Sheboygan.

Jenna, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Hi, I'm Jenna! I attended Bradley University where I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Health Science and Psychology. I continued on to obtain my Master of Occupational Therapy at Concordia University Wisconsin in 2024. I have had a passion for working for as long as I can remember. I love helping others to be as independent as possible and develop creative ways for them to achieve their goals. In my free time I enjoy cooking, baking, being outside, and crafting.

Arika, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Hello, I’m Arika! I graduated from UW La Crosse in 2017 with my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I then attended Concordia University Wisconsin and graduated in 2024 with my Master’s in Occupational Therapy. I have always had a passion for helping children reach their fullest potential. I love being an occupational therapist at Progressive Beginnings as I use play-based therapy with each unique child to help them achieve their goals for a meaningful life! When I am not working, I enjoy baking, crafting, and spending time with all my friends and family.

Sosita

Healthcare Virtual Assistant

I'm a Certified Healthcare Virtual Assistant and a Registered Physical Therapist in the Philippines. I started with Progressive Beginnings in March 2022 and I'm happy to be part of this company because I not only have work but I gained a family and most especially more knowledge about my profession.

Renee

Healthcare Virtual Assistant

Hello, I’m Renee! I’m a Certified Healthcare Virtual Assistant and a Registered Pharmacist in the Philippines. I absolutely love helping to enhance patient experiences and making backend operations run smoothly so that therapists can focus on what they do best—providing great care! I am excited to join the team at Progressive Beginnings and be able to share my skills and experiences. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, trying out new recipes, exploring new cuisine, playing Nintendo, and engaging in outdoor activities.

(p) (920) 803-1617

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