Amy Martin has over 25 years experience as a PT working with children and families in a wide variety of settings and she loves her job! She is a trained dancer and singer and loves to incorporate music and creative movement into therapy sessions to make the work more fun! She is the President and founder of Pediatric Therapy Specialists, Inc. DBA Empower House.
Jill Benge-Lembright, OT is a Northern Kentucky native and has over 28 years experience working with children and families. She provides school-based services in both Ohio and Kentucky and has expanded her practice to include outpatient and private clients as well. Jill has a wonderful rapport with kids and families and it is clear to see she loves what she does!
Craig has more than 25 years experience working as a PT. He and his wife are residents of Campbell County and have 8 children. Craig spends his time outside of work running kids around and coaching sports when he can. Craig is thrilled to be working in Campbell County schools where he appears to already know everyone and is well-loved!
Cathy Bookser-Feister has enjoyed being a family-centered physical therapist for 30+ years. She values treating in a child’s natural play environment and working collaboratively with parents, teachers, and caregivers. Cathy is a board certified clinical specialist in pediatric PT, and she also teaches pediatrics in the physical therapy program at UC.
Jennifer Clause, PT has been a physical therapist for more than 30 years. She is a skilled and intuitive PT and has extensive experience with many different kinds of patients in a variety of settings. She works with First Steps and also works with students in the Boone County School system since 1999. She finds it very rewarding to work with kids of all ages and in all developmental stages from birth through high school. She very much enjoys her work as a PT and the relationships that she builds with families.
Sherri Lee Collier is an excellent Physical Therapist who has over 26 years of experience working with children in a wide variety of settings, including early intervention, school based therapy, and outpatient clinic/ hospital settings. She has a passion for working with young children and their families. Her experience and strong desire to stay on top of the latest evidence based literature makes her a great resource for families. She enjoys finding creative ways to help families meet and even exceed their goals.
April Florence loves working as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in school settings as well as working with kids of all ages in the office. Those who know her attest to her impressive skills as a therapist as well as her steadfast dedication to her clients and team. April is resourceful, collaborative, and insightful and we are so pleased to have her on board.
Rebecca has been working as a speech therapist for more than 20 years. She also has worked as a Special Education teacher and case manager for many students. Rebecca is skilled at identifying needs, meeting kids and families where they are, and helping teams move forward in complex and challenging situations. She is a wonderful and versatile therapist with her experience mostly in the schools working with preschool and primary students. She has experienced the critical role individuals and families have in the therapeutic process, and she strives to keep therapy client and family centered.
Rebecca had experience with a wide variety of communication needs: Apraxia, articulation, phonological disorders, language delays, and language disorders, especially pertaining to vocabulary and grammar. She has trained in the science of reading and the role speech and language skills play in literacy. She is familiar with grade level standards and expectations and she can incorporate those into therapy whenever appropriate.
Rebecca has experience with AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and therapy promoting core language and client-centered use of AAC. She has experience with neurodiversity, both professionally and personally and she supports neuro-affirming practices in therapy. She genuinely loves her job and approaching each person as a unique human being.
Beth Kerl has worked as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for nearly 10 years and is a dedicated, skilled and intuitive provider who consistently goes the extra mile for her clients. She has experience in a variety of settings including early intervention, school-based services, and outpatient services, as well as home health and nursing home settings. She has been with us for more than 5 years and has found her niche specializing in pediatrics!
James has over 30 years of experience managing medical practices. He brings a “customer service” focus to all interactions with patients and their families.
Kerry Larson’s experience includes accounting, office management, and computer application support. The mission, vision and values of Empower House directly align with her personal vision and values. She is proud and motivated to assist the Empower House Therapists.
Shannon Linville has worked as a Physical Therapy Assistant for the past 15 years and loves working in pediatrics! She has experience in a variety of settings and currently provides PT in several school districts in Northern Kentucky as well as providing First Steps services in the home and community. Shannon is a skilled, intuitive and insightful therapist and connects easily with families of all kinds. She is patient and flexible whenever possible and a good communicator with the team.
Malloy Mattheis, SLP has been practicing with us for 8 years and specializes in helping kids with developmental communication needs and is also a primary level evaluator for First Steps. She was initially drawn to pediatrics at a very young age while watching her younger brother with Down Syndrome work with his therapists. She knew then that she wanted to work with children with disabilities, which prompted her to pursue her degree in Speech Therapy and early intervention. Malloy is a well-rounded and insightful therapist. She has a wonderful manner and rapport with children that helps put families at ease.
Dr. Miller is a professor at University of Cincinnati and occupational therapist who is passionate about the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the community. She received her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy at Eastern Kentucky University in 2013 and her PhD from the University of Kentucky in 2022. Her dissertation was completed on the inclusion of children with disabilities in community settings.
Dr. Miller worked as a school-based occupational therapist in Northern Kentucky for three years then completed a competitive American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) residency in pediatric Occupational Therapy at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in May of 2017. This residency year included participating in the UCEDD's (University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities) LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) program where she served as the trainee liaison to the national UCEDD network. Dr. Miller is state licensed in Kentucky and Ohio and is nationally registered with a recognized specialty in Pediatrics.
Emily Puthoff has a background in pediatric orthopedic practice with Dayton Children’s Hospital and has expanded her practice to include early intervention and school based services. She is a skilled and knowledgeable PT who enjoys continuing her education and growing professionally. She finds helping families manage challenging situations to be very meaningful and is grateful to do this work.
Amy Tucker, OT has over 25 years experience working with children and families in a wide variety of settings, currently including outpatient and private clients as well as school-based services. Amy specializes in helping to manage sensory processing and fine motor challenges and loves that she gets to support families in such meaningful ways.