(713) 977-0730
4.8 stars | 20 reviews
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4.8 stars | 20 reviews
Our Team
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5757 Woodway Drive, Ste 202, Houston, TX 77057|23922 Cinco Village Center Boulevard, #200, Katy, TX 77494

Meet Our Team of Pediatric Occupational Therapists

Welcome to the Center of Developmental Pediatrics, where our team of pediatric occupational therapists is passionate about helping children thrive. With a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise, our dedicated professionals are committed to providing compassionate, personalized care to support each child's unique needs and developmental journey. Meet our team below, and contact us to schedule your initial evaluation at one of our convenient locations in Katy and Houston!

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Becky Mahalec headshot

Becky Mahalec

Owner and Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Owner and Pediatric
Occu-
pational
Therapist

Becky Mahalec is the heart and soul of the Center of Developmental Pediatrics. With over 25 years of experience, Becky's pediatric occupational therapy journey has been inspiring. Graduating with honors from Texas Woman’s University, Becky's career has taken her through various settings, including private clinics, schools, and a decade-long tenure at Texas Children’s Hospital. Her dedication to the field led her to become certified in Sensory Integration and Praxis (SIPT), Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT), and Integrated Listening Systems (iLs). In 2011, Becky returned to the private sector and eventually became the proud owner of the Center of Developmental Pediatrics in 2015. Alongside her fantastic staff, Becky continues to educate and empower children and their families with compassion, knowledge, and expertise.

Lacer Kafer headshot

Lacey Kafer

Clinic Director, Katy Location

Lacey brings her passion to help all children reach their full potential while prioritizing caregiver education to support their child’s individual differences. Lacey graduated from Texas A&M University with her bachelor's degree and from Texas Woman's University- Dallas with her Master of Occupational Therapy degree in 2015 and has been working in pediatrics ever since. Lacey has completed the Level One Hybrid Mentorship Program at the Star Institute of Sensory Processing and has additional certification and experience in Ayers Sensory Integration through CLASI, DIR/Floortime, Handwriting Without Tears, feeding, and Animal Assisted Therapy. She has extensive experience working with children of all ages and with a wide variety of diagnoses including ASD, ADHD, anxiety, dysgraphia, and developmental delay. Outside of work, Lacey enjoys spending time with her family, anything outdoors, and competing in dog sports.

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Amy Newberry

Woodway Coordinator

Woodway
Coor-
dinator

Amy Newberry brings her passion for pediatric occupational therapy to the Woodway location of the Center for Developmental Pediatrics after serving as Clinic Director at the Katy location from 2020 to 2025. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Baylor University and a master’s in Occupational Therapy from The University of Texas Medical Branch.

Driven by a desire to help children reach their full potential, Amy specializes in Sensory Integration and handwriting development, with certifications in Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) and SOS Approach to Feeding. She is dedicated to understanding each child's unique needs, fostering their confidence, and promoting independence.

Amy values a collaborative approach, working closely with families, schools, and medical professionals to deliver exceptional care. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, exploring the outdoors, and traveling.

Eve Anderson headshot

Eve Anderson

Director of Educational Services

Director of Educa
-tional
Services

Eve Anderson is a licensed Occupational Therapist in Texas with a Master's in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University and dual Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Dance from the University of Michigan. With over a decade of experience, she has worked in public school systems, including Harris County Department of Education and Katy ISD, specializing in supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder from preschool to high school.

Eve's expertise includes sensory integration and guiding families through the ARD process, helping them secure appropriate educational accommodations. Her approach focuses on empowering children to thrive in their daily environments while celebrating their progress and fostering strong family connections.

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Andrea Christopher

Andrea’s journey in occupational therapy began at Grambling State University, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in leisure studies. After pursuing a career in occupational therapy at Tomball College, Andrea's passion for pediatric OT flourished. With over 13 years of experience, Andrea's sensory integration and fine motor skills expertise have made her a valuable asset to the Center of Developmental Pediatrics team. Andrea's effortless passion for children and commitment to their success is evident in every session, as she strives to provide them with the tools needed to thrive in all aspects of their lives.

Andrea Christopher headshot

Andrea
Christ-
opher

Andrea’s journey in occu-pational therapy began at Grambling State University, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in leisure studies. After pursuing a career in occupational therapy at Tomball College, Andrea's passion for pediatric OT flourished. With over 13 years of experience, Andrea's sensory integration and fine motor skills expertise have made her a valuable asset to the Center of Developmental Pediatrics team. Andrea's effortless passion for children and commitment to their success is evident in every session, as she strives to provide them with the tools needed to thrive in all aspects of their lives.

Kyra Brown

Kyra’s dedication to pediatric occupational therapy is fueled by her upbringing in a family of occupational therapists. Graduating summa cum laude from Texas A&M with a bachelor's degree in allied health and later receiving her Master of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman's University, Kyra's journey in OT has been guided by her passion for helping children reach their full potential. With experience in various settings, including acute, inpatient, and outpatient rehab, Kyra's areas of interest include gross and fine motor delays, sensory processing, and handwriting. As a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and Texas Occupational Therapy Association, Kyra is committed to empowering children to conquer their world with confidence.

Erin Caramanian headshot

Erin Caramanian

Erin Caramanian's journey in pediatric occupational therapy is fueled by her passion for working with children and fostering their development through play and fun activities. Graduating cum laude from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science degree in rehabilitation and disability services and later receiving her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Texas Woman’s University, Erin's expertise in sensory processing, feeding, and fine motor skills has made her an invaluable member of the Center of Developmental Pediatrics team. Erin's dedication to promoting independence and self-esteem in every child she works with is evident in her commitment to their success.

Erin Caramanian headshot

Erin
Cara-
manian

Erin Cara-manian's journey in pediatric occupational therapy is fueled by her passion for working with children and fostering their development through play and fun activities. Graduating cum laude from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science degree in rehabilitation and disability services and later receiving her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Texas Woman’s University, Erin's expertise in sensory processing, feeding, and fine motor skills has made her an invaluable member of the Center of Developmental Pediatrics team. Erin's dedication to promoting independence and self-esteem in every child she works with is evident in her commitment to their success.

Rachelle Shaffer headshot

Rachelle Shaffer

Rachelle Shaffer's journey in pediatric occupational therapy is driven by her personal experience as a Type 1 diabetic and her passion for breaking stigmas and empowering children to reach their full potential. Graduating with a Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Texas Woman’s University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas, Rachelle's expertise in sensory integration and promoting functional independence has made her an invaluable member of the Center of Developmental Pediatrics team. With a focus on collaboration and support for families and teachers, Rachelle is committed to celebrating every child's successes and fostering their development through sensory integration and play.

Elizabeth Bontrager headshot

Elizabeth Bontrager

Elizabeth Bontrager brings her passion for sensory integration and visual perceptual processing to her role as a pediatric occupational therapist at the Center of Developmental Pediatrics. Graduating cum laude from Baylor University with a degree in child and family studies and later receiving her master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Elizabeth's journey in OT has been guided by her commitment to helping children meet their greatest potential. With experience running her own sensory OT clinic in Switzerland and focusing on empowering children through personalized care, Elizabeth is dedicated to fostering their growth and development in meaningful ways.

Jessica Cohen headshot

Jessica Cohen

Jessica Cohen brings a unique perspective to pediatric occupational therapy, drawing from her personal experience as a dyslexic individual who attended occupational therapy as a child. Having graduated with honors from Brunel University of West London with a master's degree in occupational therapy and a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Texas Christian University, Jessica's journey in OT has been shaped by her passion for empowering children to do and be anything they want to be. With a focus on sensory processing, nature integration, and emotional regulation, Jessica is dedicated to helping children unlock their potential and thrive in a world that celebrates their unique abilities.

Erin Aust headshot

Erin Hernandez

Erin
Hern-
andez

Erin graduated from Texas A&M University in December of 2019 with her Bachelor's in Nutrition. She later received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Baylor University in December of 2022. She completed her clinical fieldwork rotations in the ICU Burn Unit, NICU, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at Medical City Plano (Plano, TX) and in outpatient pediatrics at Synaptic Pediatrics (Irving, TX). She completed her Doctoral Capstone at It's a Sensory World (Farmers Branch, TX), where she spearheaded a new program called the Sensory Bus. She developed various programs in which the Sensory Bus was used for advocacy, education, and inclusion for sensory integration services in underserved communities.
 
Erin is currently an adjunct professor for Baylor University’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate program. She is an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider and has recieved a Certificate in Ayres Sensory Integration (CASI) through the Collaborative for Leadership in Ayres Sensory Integration® (CLASI) allowing her to assess children using the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI). Erin is passionate about working with children to help them reach their full potential at home, school, and within the community.

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Addie Meinke

Adaline (Addie) Meinke graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in Allied Health with a minor in Psychology in 2019. She worked at Reach Unlimited for almost a year before returning to school at Texas Woman's University- Houston to complete her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy degree in 2023. She completed her fieldwork at Faith Pediatric Rehabilitation in Richmond, TX and at University Health Hospital in San Antonio, TX. She has worked in pediatrics since completing her degree. Addie has utilized the sensory integration approach since beginning her career and is currently undergoing certification in the Ayres Sensory Integration approach, among other continuing education, to further develop her skills. Her passion is to empower children to do what they both need and want to do in life as well as empower families to achieve a fulfilling and functional lifestyle.

Outside of work, Addie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring new places, watching movies, reading, writing, singing, and trying new foods.

Hailey Spreeman headshot

Hailey Spreeman

Hailey Spreeman's passion for sensory integration and pediatric occupational therapy shines through in her role as a board-certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA/L). With experience in sensory-based feeding approaches and a dedication to helping children become the best versions of themselves, Hailey's commitment to functional skill development and celebrating the outcomes of hard work makes her an invaluable member of the Center of Developmental Pediatrics team.
 
In her free time, Hailey enjoys spending time with her dogs, pursuing photography, and engaging in outdoor activities like wakeboarding and snowboarding.

Ritu headshot

Ritu Das

Ritu graduated from Texas Woman’s University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, but quickly realized a career in Occupational Therapy was a better fit.  She graduated from Houston Community College as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in 1999 and has never looked back.  Her fieldwork included rotations at Memorial Hermann Rehab Hospital in Houston, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Richmond, and ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) in Cypress. Through those fieldwork experiences, she discovered she wanted to pursue a career with the pediatric population. Ritu began her pediatric career at the Occupational Therapy Center where she started her journey learning about Sensory Integration.

Ritu now has over 20 years of experience working with children in a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, home health, and schools. She loves seeing children increase their confidence in their skills and being able to not just function, but enjoy all aspects of their lives. In her free time, Ritu enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, listening to audiobooks, playing board games, and trying new foods/restaurants.

Somty Okoye headshot

Ogo Nwagbologu

Ogo
Nwag-
bologu

Ogo graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2015 and received her master's degree in Occupational Therapy in 2020 from the University of New Mexico. As a graduate student she completed additional specialized courses in Sensory Integration and Hands. Ogo completed her Occupational Therapy Clinical fieldwork in various settings including Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Post-NICU Developmental Clinic, Early Interventions and outpatient Neurology at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Texas. During this time until now she continues to devote her time, skills and heart to help children overcome a combination of developmental challenges. She has experience working with children to address self-regulation, fine and gross motor coordination, visual motor skills, sensory modulation, and executive functioning skills. 

Ogo remains passionate in supporting the acquisition and development of functional skills while helping individuals cultivate a healthy sense of confidence as active participants in the routines, activities, and events that shape their lives. She remains excited and committed to guiding others along their journey as they strive to reach their full potential all while celebrating small and big victories along the way.

Lindsey Lott headshot

Lindsey Lott

Lindsey Lott graduated with Honors from the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. During her studies, she contributed to a research study on evidence-based practices for children with ADHD and served on the study's Institutional Review Board (IRB).

She represented her school at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Conference as a board member of the Student Occupational Therapy Association and presented her capstone project, which focused on educating parents and teachers on sensory integration strategies to support children with ADHD.

Lindsey previously worked as a Pediatric Registered Behavior Technician and interned at an orphanage in Uganda, where she co-developed a handbook to support developmental milestones for young children. Her expertise in ADHD and sensory integration fuels her passion for improving the lives of children and families through occupational therapy.

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Service Area

23922 Cinco Village Center Boulevard #200
Katy, TX 77494

Serving the Houston, Spring Branch, & Memorial City areas.

Business Hours

Monday8:00AM-6:30PM
Tuesday8:00AM-6:30PM
Wednesday8:00AM-6:30PM
Thursday8:00AM-6:30PM
Friday8:00AM-6:30PM

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4.8 stars | 20 reviews
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