ABA Therapy & Pediatric Therapy in Arlington Heights

Kayleen received her Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a Bachelor's in Psychology from St. Leo University. Kayleen previously worked as Clinical Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, overseeing the ABA department at Lake Bluff as well as the Diversity, Equity Inclusion and Belonging Committee (DEIB).

For Kayleen, client progress is the most rewarding part of the job. She loves providing mentorship to students and Behavior Therapists to reach their true potential. Kayleen's passion for pediatric therapy can be traced back to 2005, when her baby brother received OT, and SLP services.

Ask her about how to dance - it’s her secret talent! When Kayleen is not keeping busy with her Lake Bluff Team, you can find her on a run, or traveling with her husband and beautiful daughters.

Ryan Emry received his Bachelor of Science from The Illinois Institute of Technology, and his Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

As an Area Director at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Ryan works as a clinician while also supporting a great team of Behavior Therapists, Behavior Analysts, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists, across multiple centers.  

For Ryan, watching our children learn and grow is the most rewarding part of the job.  

When Ryan is not keeping busy at the clinic, you can find him spending time with his wife and two amazing daughters.

Liza received her Bachelors of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences with Minor in Psychology from Indiana University, and a Masters of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

As Vice President of Clinical Quality & Training at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Liza oversees the clinical operations of the Chicagoland locations, as well as provides internal clinical support to our BCBAs, leads the internal ABA apprenticeship fieldwork study program preparing students pursing their master’s in ABA to become BCBAs, and also serves as our internal ACE coordinator providing internal continuing education events to our team of BCBAs.

In addition to her role at NSPT, Liza also has served as an adjunct professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology teaching master’s courses to future BCBAs. For Liza, expanding the reach of our services to new communities and areas where there are limited options on comprehensive pediatric therapy providers is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves growing the field through her work with student mentorship.

Michelle Condon is a pediatric Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), who received her Master's Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University.

As a Lead Assistant Clinical Coordinator at NSPT Arlington Heights, Michelle oversees BTs and RBTs, while managing a caseload of her own. She also creates treatment plans, trains new staff, and participates in assessments.

Michelle has experience working in clinical, home, and school settings. She is passionate about working with the pediatric population, and has spent the last 4 years providing ABA services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Ask Michelle about dance or gymnastics! She was a D1 collegiate dancer, and coached gymnastics for many years. In 2022, she was the AAU adult national champion in gymnastics!

Ashlyn is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Iowa State University and earned her Master of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Northern Illinois University.

As a BCBA at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Ashlyn oversees Behavior Technicians and collaborates with families to provide them with the support and training to provide the most effective and beneficial care. Ashlyn has experience working with both adults and children with a background in therapeutic day school environments.

For Ashlyn, seeing the growth and milestones the children achieve is the most rewarding part of the job, and she loves being able to be a part of their journey. When Ashlyn is not keeping busy in the clinic, you can find her making sourdough bread, going on walks, and enjoying time with family and friends.

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Katy has worked as an occupational therapist at North Shore Pediatric Therapy since December 2022. She received her Master's in Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree from Concordia University-Wisconsin in 2016.

Prior to NSPT, Katy worked in another pediatric outpatient clinic and has also worked in public, private, and therapeutic schools. Professionally, she is interested in promoting functional independence in activities of daily living, visual perception, and executive functioning skills with her clients. Katy is certified in the S.O.S. Approach to Feeding and enjoys working with clients on their feeding therapy goals. Academically, she has mentored OT students in their fieldwork placements and clinical internships. Katy is involved with professional organizations such as the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA)  and American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She also sometimes volunteers with The Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) to provide access to adaptive sports and equipment for individuals with physical and visual impairments.

In her free time, Katy enjoys knitting, cooking, gardening, and riding her bike in the warmer months.

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As Assistant Clinical Coordinator at North Shore Pediatric Therapy in Arlington Heights, Haley provides compassionate care to clients and families, assists in coordinating therapy services, and supports the clinical team.

For Haley, the most rewarding part of this job is seeing children thrive and reach new milestones. She values being part of a collaborative team that shares her dedication to making a positive impact. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending time outdoors and relaxing with a good television series.

As the Client Service Experience Specialist and Community Liaison at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, I work with all new or returning ABA therapy clients, whether newly diagnosed with Autism or families seeking a new ABA clinic. Additionally, with over 15 years of experience as a mom of a wonderful 15-year-old girl with intellectual disabilities and Autism, and as a nero diverse child advocate, I provide resources to our families. These resources range from parent support groups and accommodating activities around town to sports and camps for those seeking extracurricular activities beyond therapy. Helping families that are new to this journey has become a true passion of mine. My husband and I were blessed to receive tremendous support from our community in finding help and resources, and I have made it my mission to pay it forward!

When we are not attending or hosting a special needs event, you can find me learning about my Taino roots, listening and dancing to salsa music, exploring old and new art, reading, creating something of my own in the way of creating fun new popcorn flavors, or making fun handbags and jewelry! Of course, all in my spare time!

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Melissa Schmitz is a board-certified occupational therapist who earned her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana in developmental psychology.

Melissa has experience working in public schools, therapeutic day schools, and outpatient pediatric clinics. During her undergrad she worked as a Registered Behavior Technician and paraprofessional helping students with disabilities reach their maximum potential. She has experience working with clients with a variety of diagnoses including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), cerebral palsy (CP), attention-deficit hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD), sensory processing challenges, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and global developmental delay among others. She values building loyal relationships with clients and their families.

When not working, she enjoys spending her time with family and friends and staying active.