Meet Our Team

Center of Developmental Pediatrics

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, Houston and the surrounding area!

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Becky Mahalec

Owner and Pediatric Occupational 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.

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Lacey Kafer

Clinic Director, Katy

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

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.

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Leslie Mills

Director of Education, Horizon Pediatrics

Leslie brings over 15 years of experience in early childhood and elementary education to our team. A graduate of Sam Houston State University and former Texas Student Teacher of the Year, she’s passionate about creating inclusive, engaging learning environments for all students. Leslie was recently honored as a Model Teacher in her previous district, recognizing her leadership and innovation in the classroom.


Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, reading, and staying active with anything sports-related!

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Eve Anderson

Director of Educational 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Ritu Balla

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.

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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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Ann Schmitz

Ann has spent her career serving children and their families in their journeys of growth. Ann's discovery of speech language pathology began when she was teaching Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students in Spring Branch ISD. After receiving her Bachelor degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University and teaching for 8 years, she returned to graduate school to study Communication Sciences and received her Masters of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has worked in both public and private school settings and private clinics, learning various methodologies and components of therapy. She specializes in working with individuals with neurological differences and fluency disorders. Now, with over 23 years of experience in working with clients ages three to twenty-one, she has learned the importance of the need to establish the regulation of the body to get to the processing language and communication. She knows how to meet her clients where they are and how to integrate a variety of techniques that support their regulation and progress. Ann is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist in Texas, has her Certificate of Clinical Competency, and is a member of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

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Yvette Castillo

Yvette is a dedicated and compassionate Occupational Therapist who has been specializing in pediatrics for the last 12 years. A proud alum of Texas Woman's University-Houston, Yvette shares a unique family legacy- earning her Master's of Occupational Therapy degree from the same graduate program as her father and sister, all of whom are now practicing therapists in the pediatric and adult neuro fields.


With a strong foundation in evidence-based practice and passion for helping children reach their fullest potential, she brings her creativity, energy and fun to every session.


Yvette's work is fueled by her love for her family, friends and the clients she serves. She strives daily to expand her knowledge and refine her therapeutic skills in order to provide the highest quality care to the families she supports.

Sarah Mansfield

Sarah Mansfield

Sarah discovered her passion for pediatric occupational therapy at a young age after accompanying her mother, an occupational therapist, to work and witnessing firsthand the meaningful impact OT can have on children and families. She completed her undergraduate degree at Baylor University before earning both a Master of Science and a Master of Occupational Therapy from Long Island University in Brooklyn. With experience in acute care, home health, and outpatient settings, Sarah brings a well-rounded and thoughtful approach to her practice. She is SOS Feeding certified and has a strong interest in sensory integration, handwriting, and supporting children with gross and fine motor delays. Sarah is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential by building confidence, independence, and skills that empower them to thrive.

Micah Thompson

Micah Thompson

Micah was inspired to become an occupational therapist after seeing how OT helped her loved ones overcome challenges and regain independence. She is dedicated to supporting children and their families, helping them build confidence, develop essential skills, and participate fully in everyday life. She earned her Master of Occupational Therapy from Abilene Christian University and has experience working with a variety of clients, giving her a broad perspective on therapy. Micah works primarily in pediatrics, providing individualized care and partnering closely with families to support each child's growth and success.

Laura Payton

Laura Payton

Laura is a licensed Certified Pediatric Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/L) who brings a unique perspective to OT as a family member of a child with a disability. Her sister Lizzie was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome at a young age, and since then, Laura has been involved in her sister’s therapies and home care, inspiring an early love for OT. She now prioritizes involving families in therapy, and her passion remains working with the pediatric population. Her favorite aspect of pediatrics is the everyday opportunity to learn and grow herself while empowering little minds and bodies to do big things. Laura graduated from Texas A&M University in 2022 with a Bachelor's degree in Health with a minor in Psychology, then attended LoneStar College in Tomball for further education in Occupational Therapy. She completed her clinical fieldwork rotations first at a pediatric outpatient clinic and then in neurological acute care at Houston Methodist Hospital before graduating and working in home health for 1 year. There, she gained experience treating a wide variety of patients and discovered her interest in the sensory-based approach and primitive reflex integration.

Estefania Fernandez

Estefania Fernandez

Estefania is a Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant dedicated to building meaningful relationships with the children and families she serves. She believes therapy is most effective when families feel supported, valued, and part of a collaborative team. Originally from South Texas and raised in a Spanish-speaking community, Estefania discovered her passion for speech therapy while exploring her path in France. With over seven years of experience in pediatrics, she supports children with articulation, early language development, autism spectrum differences, selective mutism, fluency, and neurological differences. Estefania's approach centers on trust, play, and connection, creating a safe and nurturing environment where children feel understood and empowered to grow, and families feel supported every step of the way.