Meet
the
Team
"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team."
Megan Buckland
Owner- M.S., OTR/L
Megan Buckland has been a Licensed Occupational Therapy practitioner since 2014. She has extensive experience in areas from infancy to geriatric, however her true passion has always been pediatrics and adults with developmental disabilities. She has over 10 years of specialized and diverse training that has honed her skills into the therapist she is today. Megan holds a Masters of Science of Occupational Therapy from Cabarrus College of Health Science, a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Appalachian State University, and an Associates degree as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
Lively Therapy Services, LLC is a dream that was born from Megan's deep seated desire to help families and their children achieve their highest level of potential, no matter the odds. This help will take on many forms and will be customized to each child's or family's unique needs but it might include assisting families with their child's daily routine, picky or problems with feeding, or adapting to sensory stimuli.
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Megan has extensive training in pediatric treatments that include: Sensory Integration, Learning without Tears, Anxious Eaters, Beckman Oral Motor, NDT, Gross Motor, Reflex Integration, Fine Motor and Visual Motor deficits, and is currently certified in Therapeutic Listening. Combined with her time as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/L), Megan has over 10 years of experience in the industry.
Lastly, Megan is also an advisory board member of a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant board at a local community college and is an adjutant instructor, helping to shape the future of the OT field by passing on her extensive knowledge to the next generation of Therapists.
When Megan is not treating, she is spending time with her Husband, her 2 wonderful children, her dog, and her cat. She loves gardening, reading, and photography when she can find a spare minute but most of all she loves to vacation with her family. Megan is a born and bred mountain girl from Montana and the mountains will always hold a special place in her heart, but the beach is her escape and the ocean will always hold her soul!
Jessica Haddad
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Jessica Haddad has been a Licensed Occupational Therapy Practitioner since 2019. She first graduated in 2016 from Appalachian State University with a degree in Psychology. She then graduated from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in 2019 with a degree in Occupational Therapy Assistance. Her bulk of her career thus far has been at a private clinic and day facility which specialized in children with Autism paired with several other various diagnoses. She has worked closely with several different practices including: Behavior Specialists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Teachers who specialize in working with children with various abilities and therefore loves exploring treatment options from several different aspects.
Jessica is passionate about all things Occupational Therapy. She bases her practice “style” around adaptation to each individual child that she works with. She places a high value on trust in relationship between herself, the child, and the parent(s) as well as unconditional love for each child. She believes that there is always a reason for each obstacle that the child is facing, and she puts her heart and mind into exhausting any and all options to overcome each obstacle. Her approach is client-centered and flexible. She loves that Occupational therapy is not always linear, as it allows for creativity and individuality.
Jessica married her husband who she met at Appalachian State University, has a daughter who she absolutely adores, and has two puppies. Her family loves all things nature, creative, spontaneous, and fun. She loves to re-model/DIY homes, furniture, and home décor. She also loves to soak in any sunshine she can, exercise, drink coffee, and spend time with her friends and family. She, like Megan, has a deep love for the mountains, but will never turn down an opportunity to go to the beach for an escape from chaos.
Morgan Hudson
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Say hello to Morgan! She recently graduated from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences with an Occupational Therapy Assistant degree. She knew from the moment she graduated high school that she wanted a job where she could work with children and see them reach their goals. She is so excited to start her journey here at Lively Therapy Services.
A few of her favorite things include spending time with her family and friends, spoiling her nephews and niece, going to the beach and going on an occasional run. She has always had a passion for working with kids, from growing up with younger cousins, babysitting, and working in the nursery at the YMCA, but now she is looking to bring those lifelong skills to new levels and help your children achieve new heights! There is no better feeling than seeing a child reach their goals in life and in their occupations. In her own words: "Why do I want to work with kids? It’s the the look on their face and the excitement they show after learning a new skill and reaching a goal. Kids have a way of making each day special and exciting!"
Hannah Youker
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Meet Hannah! Hannah recently graduated from Rowan Cabarrus Community College with an Occupational Therapy Assistant Degree and also has an Associate in Arts Degree. She has always had a passion to work with children stemming from growing up with a large family with 4 brothers and 3 sisters. Having a large family has taught her how to appreciate different personalities and perspectives, accept responsibility, and integrate teamwork. Her passion for Occupational Therapy started first with her pawpaw, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and later with her little brother, who was born with a neurological disability. It was her passion to understand and teach others that a disability is not what defines a child and that by shaping and modifying the environment around them, caregivers will support their occupational performance for better independence in life. She is beyond excited to begin her occupational therapy journey here at Lively Therapy Services and meet incredible children and parents that will shape her into a better practitioner every day. Hannah loves spending time with family and friends, reading, adventuring out to new places, loving Jesus, and exercising. She is recently married and shares her home with two cats and a dog.
Evie Blacka
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Hi! My name is Evie! I earned my degree as a COTA from Central Piedmont Community College in 2020. I went to East Tennessee State University for my Undergrad in Exercise and Sport Science and graduated from there in 2016. I have worked as a COTA for 1 year in pediatric home health which has allowed me to become very creative, client centered and have a huge heart for working with kids! Also nothing feels better than walking in and hearing a child scream "MISS EVIE!"
I got into the field of Occupational Therapy because I have an older brother with high functioning Autism and I had a close peer tell me "you should look into OT, you are so patient with your brother!" and so began my journey to become an Occupational therapy practitioner. I have worked very closely with Autism ever since and I have also expanded my knowledge to many different diagnoses while working in the field!
When I'm not working, you can find me either hiking, kayaking, roller skating, skiing, at the gym and running 5Ks! I also love visiting my hometown in the mountains to see my family whenever I can and I am always down for a trip to the beach.
Katie Clemmer
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
I graduated in 2012 from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences. I have been working as a therapist with children and adults ever since. I love pediatric OT! I am a creative therapist who loves making slime and doing arts and crafts. I have specialized training in Handwriting Without Tears, Sensory feeding, Autism, oral motor training and sensory integration therapy.
I love doing fun activities with my son Liam who is 6 years old. Liam, my husband Joe and I love playing disc golf in our spare time. I also enjoy photography and design and going on fun adventures with my son. Recently I became an adjunct instructor at a local community college in an OTA program working with future OT professionals. I love making therapy fun while focusing on the interests of each child.
Olivia Willis
Occupational Therapist
Meet Olivia! She graduated with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Wingate University in May 2022 and earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Minor in Child Development at Appalachian State University May 2019. Olivia is recently certified in Beckman Oral protocols and enjoys putting her learnings with feeding to the test. She has always had a love for children and a strong desire to work in healthcare, so when she learned the role she could have in a child and their family’s lives as an occupational therapist, she was sold! Olivia values individuality and building genuine relationships with patients and their families. Her goal is for your child to feel seen, understood, and proud of themselves!
While pursuing her doctorate, she was able to gain experience working with kids and teenagers of all ages with varying diagnoses through her clinical rotations. Though she loves working with all ages, she has a special interest and love for the infant population.
She recently married her highschool sweetheart, Ryan, and together they have two cats, Tucker and Gus! In her free time, Olivia loves to read, cook, have girls nights, and spend time with her family. She is thrilled to have joined the Lively Therapy team and can’t wait to meet you and your family!
Kendal Ritchie
Speech Therapist
Kendal is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist and a Concord native. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Communication Studies from UNC Charlotte in 2014. After working in the healthcare industry for a couple of years, she decided to further her education to pursue her passion for working with children. She then went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Appalachian State University in 2018 and her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from UNC Greensboro in 2020.
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Kendal has a passion for working with young children and has particular interest in apraxia as well as early intervention for treatment of language delays and articulation/phonology disorders. She believes that caregivers are a vital part of our team and provides strategies and activities to facilitate speech and language development at home.
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In her free time, Kendal enjoys travelling with her boyfriend Taylor and their dog Dixie, baking, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Logan Durant
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Logan Durant obtained a degree to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in 2019. Before her journey to becoming a COTA, Logan graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Nutrition Science. Most of her clinical experience has been spent in the school system where she worked with various diagnoses including but not limited to Autism, ADHD, Developmental Delay, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Sensory Processing Disorder. Logan loves to collaborate and work closely with teachers, parents, and other service providers to ensure her children are receiving the most efficient and client centered care.
Logan has fallen in love with the career of Occupational Therapy and everything it has to offer. She loves nothing more than watching children meet their individualized goals and gain a new level of independence. Logan strives to create a safe haven for her children and caregivers. She believes when a child is able to build a trusting relationship with their therapist, they are more likely to succeed. At the end of the day, we are all a team and we all want what is best for the child to succeed in every aspect of their life.
Logan is married to her wonderful husband of two years. They have a dog, Jace, who is their entire world and goes almost everywhere with them. When Logan is not treating, she is creating graphic shirts for her part time business or teaching at a local dance studio. Dance has always been a huge part of Logan’s life. You will most likely see Mrs. Logan with an iced coffee in hand or a Large Diet Coke. She is eager to begin working with such an amazing team at Lively!
Victoria Szelwach
Occupational Therapist
Victoria L. Szelwach has been a Licensed Occupational Therapy practitioner since 2010. She attended Binghamton University where she obtained her B.A. in Psychology before attending SUNY Downstate to receive a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She has over 13 years of experience in a variety of settings (from pediatrics to geriatrics) that allowed her to develop both her clinical skills and leadership skills. She was the Lead Occupational Therapist in a subacute rehabilitation facility in NY before moving to a school-based system and ultimately residing in our clinic.
While Victoria has enjoyed every Occupational Therapy setting she has worked in, she loves helping children to achieve their milestones and reach their full potential. Victoria has received additional training in pediatric treatments that include Sensory Integration, Developing Effective Sensory Diets, Handwriting without Tears, Improving Visual and Fine Motor Skills using Neuroplasticity, Effective Sensory and Motor Learning strategies, as well as courses to address Behavioral/Social Emotional skills.
When Victoria is not working, she spends time with her husband, 3-year-old son, and little dog Winnie. Victoria loves the beach, lake, traveling, shopping, reading, and spending time with friends/family. Victoria moved here in October 2022 from Long Island, NY but feels like North Carolina has always been her home.
Ally Baumgart
Physical Therapy Assistant
Meet Ally! Ally received her license as a Physical Therapist Assistant in June of 2019 and earned her Bachelors in Exercise Science from UNC Charlotte just before that. She has always had a heart and passion for kids and pediatrics is what sparked her interest in becoming a PTA!
Ally grew up in Harrisburg and has lived in the Concord area since she married her husband Curtis in 2016. She has two little boys and dog named Ziggy! Her favorite things are playing outside with her kids or taking family walks with their dog! She also loves spending Saturday mornings at the coffee shop with her family and finding new parks to play at on the weekends.
She is so excited to play a part in helping the children at Lively Therapy reach their goals. She is also excited to be a part in helping provide tools and resources to parents and caregivers to help their children succeed. There is nothing better than to see a child do something they thought they couldn’t, and to watch them be so proud of themselves for conquering a challenge.
Cassandra Smith
Speech Therapist
Cassandra is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist who enjoys working with young children. She has an associates degree in early childhood education, and worked for many years as a preschool educator. It was during this time in the classroom that Cassandra
became interested in helping children with communication disorders and decided to pursue a degree in speech/language pathology. She obtained her masters degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from UNC Greensboro and has previously worked with children with communication needs in the Head Start preschool program. Working in the school system, Cassandra gained experience with a variety of communication disorders, including ASD, apraxia, language and phonological disorders. Cassandra’s favorite thing about being an SLP is discovering each child’s unique way of learning and sharing in the joy when they successfully meet their goals.
Cassandra is married and has 2 teenage boys. She enjoys spending time with her family, camping/hiking, watching movies, listening to live music and finding fun places to eat. She also enjoys supporting her kids in their sports and music endeavors. In her spare time, Cassandra
likes to read, garden, and get together with her friends to play scrabble.
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Julie Slack
Speech Therapist
Julie is an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist who has served in the school setting for 14 years. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies and Linguistics, then went on to obtain her Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from East Carolina University.
Julie’s experience in the school setting spans from preschool to high school students with a variety of communication disorders, including developmental delays, Autism, language and articulation/phonology disorders. She values the relationship built with a child and their family. Julie collaborates well with other service providers and teachers to promote effective communication and learning skills.
A North Carolina native, Julie enjoys spending time with family and friends, being involved with her church, cheering on the Tar Heels, drinking a good cup of coffee, and traveling (especially to Disney World).
Administration
Office Assistant
Susan Lively
Susan came out of retirement to become support staff at Lively Therapy Services. In between taking care of her grandkids (Megan's sweet children!) she assists Cheyenne and Megan in behind the scenes work at Lively Therapy.
Susan was an EC teacher when Megan and her brother were in elementary school and also owned her own preschool for a while. She used to be administrator for the Montana Society of CPAS where she had a blast helping out with events and workshops. She loves the beach and mountains and quilting is one of her favorite hobbies. The bottom line: her absolutely favorite thing is her grandkids and exploring with them and the family.
