Owner and founder of Step Forward Therapy Inc., Meribeth Cassidy is passionate and dedicated to helping children succeed. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Movement Science, and she received her Masters of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Throughout her career, Meribeth has worked in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, nursing homes and private practice. Meribeth specializes in the assessment and treatment of disorders affecting a child’s ability to function in their daily lives. Her expertise is with children ranging from early childhood through young adults with a variety of challenges including, but not limited to: autism spectrum disorders, Down Syndrome, developmental delays, cerebral palsy (CP), sensory processing disorders, behavior and social issues and impulsivity. Meribeth is fluent in American Sign Language, which she utilizes in therapy sessions with children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well as with children who benefit from multi-sensory instruction.
Meribeth co-authored an article in collaboration with Susan Cahill and Carrie Holt, entitled “Collaborating with Teachers to Support Student Achievement Through Early Intervening Services”, which was published in the Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention. While working in the schools, Meribeth was honored with the position of Department Chair for the Occupational Therapy department. Within this role, she was responsible for scheduling, training and providing mentorship across the department. She continues to be involved in mentoring programs for occupational therapists through the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Liz has been at Step Forward Therapy since February 2019. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Pre-Physical Therapy with a minor in Psychology at the University of Dayton in 2016 and received a Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy from The University of Minnesota in 2018. She has continued her education with training in the DIR Floortime model, Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist training, and Integrated Listening Systems (iLs), among other courses. Liz has had vast experience working with the pediatric population—both in the outpatient clinical and public school settings—and has treated children with various diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, behavioral challenges, fine/gross/visual motor delays, and genetic conditions. Liz values building a strong rapport with both her clients and their families and loves to utilize a child-led approach in all therapy sessions. She enjoys seeing the pride and excitement on the faces of her clients when they reach their goals, whether big or small, and is so grateful to be a part of their successes. In her free time, Liz enjoys spending time with her friends and family, snuggling her dog, Kaia, cooking, and exploring all that the Chicagoland area has to offer.
Claire received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree from Xavier University. She has had experience working in the pediatric realm of occupational therapy throughout her years being in school. She completed her Level II placement working primarily with children with cerebral palsy (CP) and worked a year at an OT camp for children with sensory processing difficulties. Claire enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee, staying active outdoors, and cooking with her family in her free time.
Jillian received her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Grand Valley State University and received her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from North Central College. Jillian’s passion and dedication for working with the pediatric population started from a young age and continued throughout her schooling years completing both clinical placements in a school setting and a pediatric outpatient clinic. Jillian joined Step Forward Therapy after completing her studies and is looking forward to growing as a compassionate and adaptable therapist. Jillian plans on continuing her learning by attending seminars focusing on sensory integration, reflexes, and handwriting. In her free time, Jillian enjoys spending time with her close friends and family, playing with her golden retriever, Jersey, and trying new restaurants throughout the suburbs.
Danielle is an Occupational Therapist at Step Forward Therapy. She received her undergraduate degree from Elmhurst University in Exercise Science with a Minor in Psychology. Danielle received her Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy from North Central College. She joined Step Forward Therapy following completion of her clinical placements and coursework while completing her final clinical experience as a student at Step Forward Therapy. Over the course of Danielle’s studies and work experiences, she has had opportunities to work with all age ranges from early childhood throughout the geriatric adult population within various settings which include early intervention, preschool, therapeutic day school, pediatric private practice, home health, outpatient hospital, acute care hospital and inpatient rehabilitation hospital settings. Danielle is passionate about creating collaborative and supportive therapeutic relationships with her kiddos and their families to empower them to achieve meaningful daily lives. She plans to continue to take courses to provide the best evidence based treatments to her clients. In her free time, Danielle enjoys spending time with her close friends and family, trying new restaurants, spending time outside and playing with her dog.
Ms. Vicki has 28+ years of experience as a Certified Occupational Therapist. Vicki is a mother of two wonderful kids in college. She has experience in hospitals, inpatient, outpatient, day rehab, therapeutic day schools, aquatic therapy, school based, clinic based, preschool and home based services. Vicki loves working with children of all ages and abilities, and makes therapy fun. She utilizes a supportive, evidence-based, therapeutic approach in her treatment sessions and is very passionate about seeing children and their families succeed. In her spare time, Vicki enjoys spending time with her kids Brett and Kirsten, playing with her dog Hunter, watching movies, attending sporting events and going to concerts.
