Founder Debbie Haymon is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, receiving the 2011 Beatrice Award. In addition, she has received recognition for her outstanding commitment to Urban healthcare. Her experience includes sensory integration theory, handwriting interventions, neurodevelopmental techniques, listening therapy and myofascial release, and much more.
As an experienced and knowledgeable pediatric occupational therapist for the past 20 years, Debbie continues to contribute to the education of the next generation of occupational therapists as a guest lecturer and fieldwork educator. She leads her team by example, and she is committed to delivering high-quality therapy with integrity and excellence. While building relationships with her families, Debbie aims to empower parents, children, and the team. In her free time, she loves to roller-skate.
Marlen discovered her path towards occupational therapy through her varied experiences in serving children with developmental disabilities and their families. Marlen received her Master's degree in occupational therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2014. While completing her degree, Marlen engaged in multiple research projects and training. This training included exploring a peer-to-peer model to educate and build the capacity of parents to understand their child with autism and completing the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities training. She is an Early Intervention specialist and trained in Myofascial Release, SOS to Feeding approach, Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting without Tears, and more. She is committed to being a lifelong learner by taking advanced courses in sensory integration, therapeutic handling and positioning, and related courses. Marlen is passionate about Smart Moves because the therapists use a family-based approach to understanding the unique strengths and needs to provide quality, evidence-based therapy. She enjoys exploring her hometown of Chicago, especially restaurants, with friends and family in her free time.
Physical Therapist, Ellen Buchanan, has 30 years of experience in Physical Therapy. Ellen works with children that have neuromuscular disorders, balance disorders, sensorimotor issues, neurological ailments, and orthopedic conditions. Smart Moves Pediatric Clinic is a family-friendly environment that offers specialized therapies by experienced Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Physical Therapists. Ellen has worked at Smart Moves since 2015 because of its mission to advance the skills of children's crafts and include every parent as an integral member of the treatment team. Smart Moves staff are a great group of friendly, energetic therapists that enjoy providing interventions within a fun, collaborative environment.
Jennifer Zachacki has spent her whole life in the Chicagoland area. She graduated from the Wright College COTA program, and Jennifer was the recipient of the outstanding volunteer award for her work with the Midwest Brain Injury Clubhouse and Special Olympics annual Polar Plunge. She has diverse fieldwork experience, including early intervention and acute care at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In addition, Jennifer has over 15 years of experience working with the pediatric population in schools, homes, and recreational settings. She is so excited to join the Smart Moves team because of all the experience, knowledge, and dedication each staff member brings. In her spare time, she cheers on all 3 of her sons at the hockey rink or baseball field.
Kelly attended Northeastern Illinois University beginning in May of 2004, where she obtained a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Social Work. In May of 2020, she received her Master's Degree and certification in Occupational Therapy from Chicago State University in Chicago, Illinois.
Kelly enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and dining out. She has two children who require services; therefore, her exposure to the profession and experiences has positively impacted her family.
Candace received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a sociology minor from the University of Illinois at Chicago and her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from Chicago State University. She has five years of experience working with the pediatric population in Early Intervention, sensory-based clinics, and school settings.
She is passionate about helping children learn new skills, learn to self-regulate, and become independent so that they can engage in activities that they need and want to do.
Candace has several hobbies such as traveling, bike-riding, reading, dog-training, and learning to play guitar. However, her favorite pass time is doing home improvement projects.
Dora graduated from Brown Mackie College's COTA program. She is from the south suburbs of Chicago, and her favorite pastime is spending time with her family, especially her grandson, where we like going to water parks. In addition, she enjoys "Glamping" and trips to Nashville and Michigan.
As a mother of a child with ASD, Dora was drawn to occupational therapy by witnessing the positive gains her son made. As a result, Dora returned to school to pursue a career as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. In addition, she has always enjoyed working with children, as my pediatric experience includes preschool teacher and elementary school paraprofessional.
Rebecca attended Fox College and graduated in 2019 with an associate's degree as an occupational therapy assistant. Rebecca is from northern Wisconsin, but she grew up in the southwest Chicago suburbs (Lemont).
Rebecca's passion is pediatric occupational therapy, as she has had opportunities in middle school-high school to assist special education students. From these experiences, she found occupational therapy a career option. She truly fell in love with working with children of all ages to help them be as independent as possible and reach their full potential. Rebecca also genuinely enjoys helping parents and siblings in any way she can, and Smart Movesgives the time and resources to treat entire families. She enjoys attending church, country music concerts, and baseball games in her free time. Rebecca also enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog and at the beach, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends, especially her niece and nephew.
Magaly received her Master's Degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Indiana University at Bloomington. While in attendance, Magaly completed the Speech Therapy Education Practicum and Services (STEPS) program for Latino Children and Families where she was trained in the area of bilingualism. Through the completion of this program, Magaly is qualified to serve as a bilingual speech therapist. Her experiences have led her to develop a passion for servicing the pediatric population and families within her community.
Magaly enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. She enjoys trying new restaurants, going on hikes, attending concerts, and loves a good cup of coffee.
Linda attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she obtained a Master's of Science degree in 2007 and a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy in 2013. Linda was born in California and raised in the Chicagoland area. Her favorite pastime is eating different foods, traveling with her family, yoga, and meditation. Linda's inspiration for becoming an occupational therapist lies in her being given the diverse areas of occupational therapy. She believed that if she stuck to its core value of supporting others in a meaningful and purposeful way, she could never go wrong.
With a passion for kids and a giving heart, Breana Lenoir is a “Jane of all Trades." She’s a Chicago native and mom of two that enjoys planning events, volunteering at church and helping those in need. She has a decade of experience in childcare and studied at Robert Morris University. When she’s not on mom and career duty, she enjoys finding creative ways to spend time with her friends and accepting new challenges to take her life to the next level.
Iza attended Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri and earned her Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology. She has a special interest in language development and gestalt language processing.
She is new to Chicago, but in her free time she likes to read, run, explore the city, and socialize with friends. She is passionate about communication in all forms and loves working with kids!
Nick currently attends Oak Park’s River Forest High School and is connected with Smart Moves via their life skills program. Nick is a responsible, energetic, conscientious worker that is an overall pleasure. He has a special knack for engaging children and bringing the best out of them. Nick has worked at various locations through the program and has a running record of great success and thus, is in high demand. We are lucky to have him and consider him as our secret weapon!!
Lauren attended Midwestern University where she obtained a doctorate degree in occupational therapy in 2023. During her studies, she completed research on the utilization of cultural humility in practice and created a program for vulnerable youth. Lauren also obtained the Practice Leadership Service Award for her commitment to the community and the profession.
Lauren enjoys spending time going on walks, traveling, trying out new restaurants, and hanging out with friends and family. She is passionate about supporting others to be the best versions of themselves.
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