Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services

Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services is in the business of helping children and their families achieve their goals. We recognize that our success depends on the skills and experience of the people who work for us. Thom Springfield Infant Toddler employs more than 75 full and part-time staff members: nurses, teachers, counselors, social workers, and therapists. Many therapists provide specialized services, such as infant massage instruction, nutrition and feeding interventions, and we have employees who are fluent in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Somali and Sign Language.

Meet some of our dedicated staff:

Lynn is a Team Leader and has been with Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services over 20 years. She is a dedicated Speech and Language Pathologist who has a wide range of experience working with children who have feeding challenges, processing difficulties, autism spectrum disorder, articulation/phonological processes and other communication differences. Lynn has a strong background in teaching young children and their families how to use alternative methods of communication and enjoys working with caretakers and childcare providers to help children be able to communicate their thoughts/ideas. She also enjoys working collaboratively with her talented co-workers from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.

Lynn helps her team of therapists learn more about communication and child development through reflective supervision and hands-on teaching. She has assisted numerous undergraduate and graduate students from local colleges gain the experience and knowledge needed to receive their full credentials. Lynn has been a guest lecturer at Springfield College. She has taught workshops on communication for local childcare providers, and has hosted Baystate Medical Center pediatricians who join her on home visits as part of their residency.

Allyson is an Occupational Therapist and Team Leader at Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services. She joined the organization in 2018 after working for an Autism-specific Early Intervention program in Connecticut for 7 years, first as an ABA Therapist and then as an Occupational Therapist. Allyson has extensive experience creating programs around feeding, toileting, and preschool readiness skills. She has a long history of working closely with Speech Language Pathologists and BCBAs to address communication needs through total communication approaches, including sign language and PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Allyson has completed training on evidence-based practices in early intervention, coaching and mentoring families, and learning in the natural environment to strengthen parenting competence and confidence to promote child learning and development. She is trained in the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol and has completed trainings in developing interventions to address toe walking, sensory integration and feeding difficulty. In May of 2022, Allyson became certified as an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist. She has extensive experience working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and with intensive challenging behaviors such as aggression, property destruction, and self-injurious behaviors. Her expertise and passion in this area allows her to work closely with interdisciplinary teams to develop supportive, child-centered interventions to best support families and their children.

Tanya is a Developmental Specialist and Team Leader at Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services. She has always been passionate about working with children and pursued her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology. She has previous experience working in center-based childcare settings for a variety of age ranges, shifting into Early Intervention in 2018. Since arriving at Thom, Tanya has enjoyed working with children and families needing developmental support or guidance. She has become an Intake Specialist, managed multiple evaluation teams, and is now a Team Leader. She is passionate about helping families work on social communication skills, emotional regulation, and obtaining access to providers that can evaluate for Autism or help connect families with treatment options once a diagnosis is obtained. Tanya also has a very strong desire to help parents access care for themselves so they can better care for their children and families.

Michele is a dedicated Developmental Specialist with over 30 years of experience in early intervention. Prior to joining Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services, she worked as an EI Specialist and a teacher for toddlers and preschoolers. Michele is passionate about supporting and advocating for children and families within a multidisciplinary team, having served as a CEIS Coordinator, playgroup leader, and now serving as the WRCP Program Coordinator.

Katherine is the Clinical Coordinator at Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services. With degrees in human development, child life, and family-centered care from Wheelock College, Katherine has been a dedicated professional in the field of early intervention since 2013.

Prior to joining Thom, she was a Developmental Specialist and then a Program Director at a Boston-area early intervention program. Katherine is passionate about connecting families to essential resources and supporting clinicians in providing exceptional care.