Meet the Speakers
With your Hosts

Dr. Kailee Noland PT, DPT
is a Pediatric Physical Therapist and founder of The Movement Mama community.

Holly Peretz OTR/L
is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and the founder of the Playful Pod Membership Community
Lauren recognized a need in maternal mental health in both her personal and professional life as a licensed and trained registered nurse in the NICU and made a career shift to focus on mental health. Turning pain into passion, The Matrescence was born. The Matrescence is a digital maternal mental health community providing space to learn, grow, and heal.
Megan Dalton,
PMHNP &
Lauren Hays
–
Ashley Brown is a mom of two, author of the Routine Building Handbook, and creator of Routine and Things, which serves to help women get organized and into routine so they enjoy the heck out of life. Ashley knows when women feel good, the world is better for it. She’s on a mission to see as many women as possible organize their life one routine at a time!
Ashley Brown
–
Dr. Cassidy Freitas is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a virtual group practice in California. She's a mom to 3 and hosts the parenting wellness podcast Holding Space.
Cassidy Freitas,
Ph.D., LMFT
–
We’re Lindsay and Emily, paediatric and neonatal occupational therapists engaged in clinical work and, through our courses, to educate others in the fascinating world of sensory processing and infant development.
Our mission is to empower and encourage those working within neonatal, perinatal and early intervention to provide the best possible sensory-informed care for babies, their families and the staff supporting them.
Emily Hills,
OT MSc, CNT &
Lindsay Hardy, OTR
–
My name is Jena Schultz, I am the owner and founder of Driving Development, a pediatric physical therapy company and education platform based in North Texas. I am a board-certified pediatric physical therapist, mom of two, and expert in treating infants and toddlers with conditions such as tongue tie, torticollis, and developmental delay. Through my practice, I aim to provide compassionate care that helps children reach their full potential.
Jena Schultz,
PT, DPT, PCS
–
Dr. Sarah McKay is a neuroscientist, author and science communicator who simplifies brain science for health, well-being, performance and creativity. Sarah completed her MSc and PhD in neuroscience at Oxford University. After relocating to Australia and completing five years of postdoctoral research on spinal cord injury, Sarah hung up her lab coat to establish Think Brain, which offers online professional development training in applied neuroscience and brain health.
Sarah McKay,
BSc, MSc, DPhil
–
Dr Jodi Pawluski is a Neuroscientist, Psychotherapist and Author. For over fifteen years Jodi has studied the neuroscience of motherhood and the effects of perinatal mental illness on the mother and developing offspring. She regularly speaks nationally and internationally about her research findings as well as the fascinating effects of parenting on the brain.
Jodi Pawluski,
PhD, HDR, PMH-C
Dr. Jen Fraboni, PT, DPT, is an internationally-renown physical therapist who specializes in helping people overcome chronic pain and maximize physical performance. As the founder of the new platform and app, “Jen.Health,” and co-host on The Optimal Body Podcast, she brings a unique, whole body approach to strength, mobility and pain-free living.
Jen Fraboni,
PT, DPT
–
I'm Brooke! A mom and pediatric occupational therapist (OT) who specializes in "flat head" prevention and conservative correction. I am passionate about bringing awareness to "flat head" prevention and empowering parents with practical tools to correct this common occurrence among babies!
Brooke Boruff,
OTR/L
–
Emily, a wife and mother of two, is passionate about helping parents select the best products tailored to their family's unique needs and budget. She understands the importance of every purchase, particularly the big ones. Motivated by her own struggles to find honest, mom-centric reviews during her first pregnancy, Emily founded "The Stroller Mom," a resource committed to offering firsthand insights into baby products, such as strollers, car seats, and baby carriers.
Emily Schultz
–
I am a pediatric occupational therapist who specializes in TOTs tethered oral tissues and infant feeding difficulties.
Shana Quarrie,
OTR/L, CLC, C/NDT
–
A babywearing consultant and motherhood mentor, Elise is the founder of A Mother's Compass, a platform dedicated to guiding mothers towards an intuitive and authentic journey through motherhood. Elise combines her expertise in babywearing education with her passion for empowering mothers, resulting in a unique approach that focuses on nurturing maternal instinct and building practical skills through online courses, workshops, and communities.
Elise Hall,
CBWS
–
Melissa Guerriero is the momma behind the pumping support page @pump_moma_pump on Instagram and pumpmommapump.com. A mother of two, Melissa exclusively pumped for a total of 22 months and brings that personal experience into her practice to remind pumping mommas that they are far from alone in their pumping journeys. She is a passionate educator and loves talking about flange sizing, milk supply, and maternal mental health. Her sunny outlook will be sure to help make pumping not suck, and help empower you on your individual feeding journey.
Melissa Guerriero,
CLC
–
Mallory Roberts specializes in infant reflux, feeding and oral development. Through her professional work, and with the lack of support during her own journeys, she created, The Feeding Mom. It is here that she strives to empower parents locally and around the world. Her philosophy is: every parent deserves to love feeding their baby.
Mallory Roberts,
MS, CCC-SLP
–
Deborah McNelis, M.Ed is an author, speaker and creator of Neuro-Nurturing®. As an Early Brain Development Specialist and founder of Brain Insights LLC, she has developed the unique Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Series and The First 60 Days booklet . She has been seen in publications, heard on radio interviews and webinars worldwide and receives rave reviews for her engaging and insightful presentations and keynotes for communities, schools, organizations and companies.
Deborah McNelis,
M.Ed
–
Holly Peretz is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with 12+ years of experience working with children and parents as a therapist and parent educator within hospitals, NGO’s preschools, hydrotherapy and now online.
Holly supports parents and clinicians in creating a childhood that "bakes in" the science of what makes children thrive in the early years of critical development.
She is also the hostess of the annual Toddler Play Conference and the Thriving in the First Year Summit.
Holly Peretz,
OTR/L
–
Dr. Kailee Noland is a Pediatric Physical Therapist and Mama of 2 (soon to be 3). She is a self-proclaimed baby & toddler enthusiast and is passionate about helping families incorporate developmental play into everyday routines and rhythms. She also has helped countless families feel empowered to choose the right shoes for their children.
Kailee Noland,
PT, DPT
–
Let's go from surviving to thriving
© Thriving First Year 2023