Cortney Baker, M.S., CCC/SLP; Owner

Cortney grew up in the Dallas area and graduated from Cedar Hill High School.  While attending Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, she discovered speech therapy was a natural fit and went on to earn her master’s degree in Communications Disorders & Sciences. After graduating from SIUC, Cortney worked in the school system for a year to complete her CFY, but longed for something different. In 2002 she discovered home health from a friend and fellow speech pathologist and decided to make a career change.

Cortney quickly realized she’d found her true calling in pediatric home health. She loved all aspects of what the setting had to offer- parent involvement in the child’s familiar environment, individualized attention and carryover from the initial visit. For the first time, she felt like she was actually making a difference with each of her patients. Cortney was able to provide personalized, quality care and focus on individual patients’ specific needs because all sessions were one-on-one.

Cortney wanted to allow other therapists the same opportunity to provide quality therapy services to the pediatric population in Dallas and surrounding areas. KidsCare Therapy was soon formed with the sole intent of being a supportive, positive work environment where therapists felt they could excel in their careers while being valued and heard. Cortney envisioned a great place to work, while supporting therapists in what she believes is the best avenue of providing therapy—home health.

Cortney has been thoroughly amazed at what KidsCare Therapy has been able to accomplish since opening on October 27, 2003. The company started out in a house in Garland with 10 patients, and has since grown into an successful agency with branches in Dallas and Fort Worth. Six years ago, when KidsCare Therapy opened, Cortney envisioned buying gifts for each of the patients during the holiday season, but had no idea the company would ever grow so much that this tradition would become impossible. The Family Holiday Party, held for the first time in 2009, was an incredible chance to meet the patients and families that KidsCare therapists are fortunate enough to treat. She was able to hear parents explain how much their therapist meant to them and how therapy had changed their child’s life, which only reiterated the importance of KidsCare Therapy’s role in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

She is thankful to those who have supported the vision of KidsCare Therapy and have put so much time, effort and energy into what it is today—an indication that people really care about what the company is doing in the community.

Cortney enjoys learning more about pediatric feeding and swallowing. She was thrilled to get VitalStim certified, along with dozens of other KidsCare therapists. She was excited to see the interest it generated among our therapists and is proud to have done it as a company, feeling that it expanded KidsCare Therapy’s ability to provide a more comprehensive service to all of its patients.
Cortney currently works to oversee the daily operations of KidsCare Therapy, supervises assistants and interns, and assists with recruiting and the Quality Assurance department.

Cortney and Jason are married with three children. In her spare time, she loves spending time with family and friends. She also enjoys reading and learning new things.

Melissa K. Scott, M.S., CCC/SLP; Administrator

Originally from El Paso, Melissa received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Texas Tech before attending graduate school at University of Texas at Dallas, where she earned a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Melissa first developed an interest in speech therapy while volunteering at a long-term facility, working alongside a speech therapist treating patients in comas or with severe brain injuries. She found the rehabilitation process extremely fascinating – it actually led to her switching her career path from physical therapy to speech therapy! During grad school, her passion for the pediatric population led her to work as an assistant at KidsCare Therapy, and she has since helped the company transition from a tiny, one-room agency into a successful team of over 150 employees, all the while retaining company support, great patient care and upholding the highest ethical standards.

She enjoys working in home health because it allows patients to reach key milestones in less time than other settings—patients are seen in a natural environment, and carryover found in home health allows patients, their families and therapists to develop a treatment plan that works for everyone. Melissa truly believes in the proven success of home health, and that many patients would not have the means to receive therapy without this option. Melissa has a specific interest in autism, feeding, cochlear implants and is VitalStim certified.

Melissa currently oversees all operations of KidsCare Therapy. This includes coordination of care across all areas, maintaining a check and balance system for billing, ensuring all clinical and/or supervision requirements are being carried out, maintaining adequate policies consistent with state regulations, and ensuring agency compliance with all regulations. In addition, she is very involved in marketing and recruiting efforts, oversees quality assurance, billing and social work services, and continually develops new policy and procedures.

Outside of the office, Melissa loves being a mom and enjoys reading, outdoor activities and traveling.

Jason Baker; CFO

Jason has been involved with KidsCare Therapy from the very beginning, when Cortney decided to create a home health agency.  He eventually moved into an administrative role to aid in the daily business operations.  In his current role, Jason’s responsibilities include directing all aspects of Human Resources; the design of benefit and compensation packages, employee relations and maintaining a workplace were employees are the most important asset. As CFO, Jason is responsible for all financial aspects of the company including payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and all other financial reporting.

The most rewarding part of Jason’s job is meeting people from other companies who tell him they have heard, from current employees, that KidsCare Therapy is such a great place to work. He also enjoys stories of how the incredible KidsCare therapists have made a difference in children’s lives.

Jason and Cortney are married with three children. Outside of the office, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing hockey and traveling.

David Reimer, Executive Director

Originally from Topeka, Kansas, but raised in Arlington, Texas, David attended Stephen F. Austin State University, and then went on to receive his master’s of science from the University of Texas at Tyler. After undergrad, David realized a calling to understand the science behind health and fitness, and went on to pursue his masters in clinical exercise physiology.  During this program David was able to see the patients’ lives improve as a result of his work, and it solidified his desire to make the healthcare industry a career field.

David has held positions such as Director of Occupational Medicine, Environmental Health, Laboratory Services, Rehabilitation Services, and Business Management Consultant for Dental-Medical Economics. He received his credentials as a certified healthcare business consultant, and continues to maintain this status today.

As the Executive Director for KidsCare Therapy, David holds responsibilities such as the head of billing, HR, IT and finance. In addition, he collaborates with ownership, administrators, and clinical directors to develop concepts for operational efficiencies, corporate compliance with federal and state regulations, and forward thinking strategies for growth that are consistent with KCT’s mission and goals. David also plays an active role with federal and state legislative agendas and managed care organization relationships that impact the company’s ability to provide access to care for our patients, as well as a competitive compensation and benefits structure for our employees. 

David still holds true to his calling for the healthcare profession, saying that learning about the success stories of our patients is still one of his favorite parts of his career. In his spare time, David likes to spend time with his family, coach youth athletics, and do home repair projects.

Jennifer Morgan, M.S., CCC/ SLP; Clinical Director/Alternate Administrator

Jennifer is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Jennifer started with KidsCare Therapy in February of 2005. She currently works as a clinical director for KidsCare Therapy, serving as the alternate administrator when needed.  While she enjoys the business side of KidsCare Therapy and her role in management, she continues develop her therapy skills by treating patient’s both privately and through KidsCare Therapy as opportunities arise.

Her background includes a variety of settings ranging from outpatient facilities, schools, private practices and pediatric home healthcare. Jennifer’s areas of interest are feeding, autism, and genetic syndromes.  She is certified for Vital Stim, a form of NMES, and is trained in PECS, Picture Exchange Communication System.  She has attended private courses with Dr. Vincent Carbone to develop individualized treatment plans for patients using a behavioral approach to therapy.

Her interest in the therapeutic field was sparked initially when she worked closely with an occupational therapist.  That interest grew when a family member was diagnosed with autism.  During her studies at Texas Woman’s University, she developed a parent/teacher training manual for recognizing signs and symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome. The project was then expanded to include therapeutic techniques for parents and teachers to incorporate in their daily activities/interactions with individuals with Asperger’s syndrome.  Jennifer’s primary passion is to see a treatment plan implemented with success where all disciplines and caregivers communicate about areas of concerns and areas of progress.  She loves working for KidsCare Therapy because as an agency they have given her the tools to meet this expectation for patient care.

Micki Roget, Clinical Director Fort Worth and Waco

Micki graduated from the University of New Mexico with a master’s of science in communication disorders. While she has been working part time for KidsCare Therapy since 2010, she became the new Clinical Director over Fort Worth and Waco when the position was created in 2011. Micki came to KidsCare Therapy with over 28 years of pediatric and adult clinical experience.

Micki began her career as a school based clinician, and later began a private practice with a clinical psychologist in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Upon arriving to Texas, she worked in the public schools as a supervising SLP. Later, she transitioned to a skilled nursing facility in order to gain the knowledge necessary to take care of her parents as they got older. She became the Director of Rehab for the nursing facility, and supervised a team of therapists that included all disciplines. Micki’s most recent position held was the Regional Director of Operations for a rehab company, where she oversaw the daily operations of a territory within a health care company.

Mick has always felt as though her mission revolved around children, and is happy to be back in the pediatric field. Micki’s eclectic background has brought different perspectives to the KidsCare team, and she has been enthusiastic about helping KidsCare Therapy grow into a new market. In her spare time, Micki enjoys cooking, exercising and reading.

Kristie Nieslanik, PT; Clinical Manager

Kristie is a physical therapist and current Clinical Manager for the PTs at KidsCare Therapy.  Kristieis originally from Colorado and has lived and worked in Oklahoma, Arizona, Massachusetts and now Texas.  She received her Master of Physical Therapy degree at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Kristie has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including in-patient pediatrics, pediatric rehabilitation, and home health. 

Kristie has worked for KidsCare Therapy since May 2006, and she was the first physical therapist to come on board.  She has experience in working with a variety of diagnoses and ages; in particular, children with Cerebral Palsy.  Kristie has been a therapist in the field for 10 years and enjoys working with children and their families, as well as the opportunity to be a mentor to her peers.  As a clinical manager at KidsCare Therapy, Kristie is excited about the opportunity to be involved with the growth and development of the physical therapy department.   

Kristie loves working with children and finds that by working with this demographic, one learns and is excited by something new every day.

Kate Short, Clinical Development Supervisor 

Kate received her master’s in Physical Therapy from UTMB Galveston, and later went on to UNT to also receive her MBA in strategic management. She has 17 years of pediatric experience, including acute and OP pediatrics, IP pediatric rehabilitation, as well as almost five years of pediatric home health experience. In addition to being a Clinical Development Supervisor for KCT, Kate also serves on the nominating committee for TPTA and is very involved in the PT Community.

With a pediatric RN as a mother and five siblings, Kate’s interest in the pediatric medical field sparked early. Since nursing wasn’t exactly her calling, she decided to follow her interest in sports and science, and volunteered as a freshman at Texas A&M as a physical therapy tech in the student health center. Working with the students and athletes made her realize that PT was the perfect fit.  Kate later went on to work as a PT tech at an acute care pediatric hospital where she solidified that pediatric physical therapy was the field for her. Kate says she loves the resiliency of kids, and the challenge of finding what motivates each one to improve.  For Kate, this is motivation to not only be a better therapist, but a better human being as well. 

Kate’s favorite part of her profession is mentoring new therapists and students, caring for patients and continuing to learn and expand her clinical skills. As a native Texan, Kate enjoys being around her extended family, as well as running after her two sons. In addition to spending time with her family, in her spare time Kate enjoys snow skiing and watching college football.

Molly McNown, OTR/L; Clinical Manager

Molly is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, occupational therapy program and is an OT Clinical Manager at KidsCare Therapy. She is originally from Jefferson City, Missouri, however she has been a traveling therapist for the past nine years.  She has lived in seven states and has remained faithful to working in only pediatric therapy settings, as this is where her passion lies.  Molly has experience with children ages birth to 21 with a variety of diagnoses.  She has a special interest in self-regulation management,  including behavior and sensory techniques, as well as providing strategies for the families to incorporate into their child’s daily routine. Molly has experience working in the school systems, clinic and home health settings, where she has taken on various leadership and management roles. 

Since working at KidsCare Therapy, Molly has been impressed with not only the company’s dedication to their patients and staff, but with how welcoming and helpful everyone has been. She is excited to be part of the management team and to be back in the home health setting.  Compared to other settings, she feels home health encourages the parent to be an active participant in the therapy, so that techniques and skills are acquired more quickly.  Molly is looking forward to collaborating with other clinicians in order to ensure best practice in terms of patient care, to foster professional growth, and to be a general support.  She also is excited to work with KidsCare staff to help the company grow and continue to develop!

Through all her travels, Molly has enjoyed a variety of experiences such as white water rafting in upstate New York, riding a hot air balloon over California’s wine country, exploring the Quinault Rain Forest in Washington State, living in Las Vegas, and taking a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon.  When she is not traveling, she enjoys scrapbooking, reading, karaoke, taking her dog to the park, and grilling out with friends. 

Shannon Hanberry, M.S., CCC/SLP; Clinical Manager

Shannon is originally from Stillwater, OK.  She received her bachelor’s degree in speech, language and hearing sciences and her master’s degree in speech –language pathology from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. 

Shannon has worked as a speech-language pathologist for KidsCare Therapy since June 2006, and she became a clinical manager in May 2010s6.  She is excited to oversee fellow therapists and help them grow in their field.  She also enjoys supervising speech therapy assistants and CFs.

Her interest in the field developed from taking speech therapy as a child and helping her brother, who is diagnosed with an Auditory Processing Disorder.  Shannon volunteered for a speech-language pathologist at a hospital while in college and realized that speech therapy was her true calling.  She enjoys working with the pediatric population and helping them with the variety of challenges that they face.  Shannon is VitalStim certified and has a special interest in feeding and swallowing disorders, autism, cochlear implants and the preschool population.

Shannon enjoys working for KidsCare Therapy because of the support they have given her to grow as a therapist, and now a manager.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, attending musicals, and catching up on her DVR.

Karen Wade, M.S., CCC/SLP; Clinical Manager

Karen received her master’s degree in communication disorders from the University of Texas at Dallas.  She became interested in speech therapy in 1996 when her niece began receiving speech therapy services through Garland ISD for a severe phonological disorder. 

Karen spent four years working in the schools right after graduate school.  She then spent a year working for the Ministry of Education in Palmerston North, New Zealand, working with a wide variety of disorders in the schools.  Upon return to the United States in 2005, she began working with KidsCare Therapy.  As a result of working with Spanish-speaking families of KidsCare patients, Karen was inspired to learn to speak Spanish.  While her Spanish is far from perfect, she is now able to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients and families.

Karen is certified in the use of VitalStim Therapy and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).  She loves working for KidsCare Therapy because of their dedication to making sure children of all ages, backgrounds, and disabilities receive the services they need.   She is excited to have the opportunity to impact children’s lives through the training and education of therapists.

Tonya Dickey, M.S., CCC/SLP; Clinical Manager

Tonya   KidsCare Therapy’s Clinical Education Manager. As a native of Richardson, TX, she received her undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology from the University of North Texas, and her graduate degree from Texas Woman’s University.

While Tonya always knew she was going to make a career out of helping others, it wasn’t until she was introduced to the Speech Pathology program that she knew she had found her true calling. After graduation she began working as a speech therapist assistant during the day, and attended graduate school at TWU during the evenings. After graduating from TWU, she began working for KidsCare Therapy in August of 2008, and has been with us ever since.

Tonya enjoys the home health field because it allows her to get to know her patients and their families on a much more personal level in their natural environment. She feels this helps  focus on the functional communication needed for that particular child’s environment.

 In her spare time, Tonya enjoys canoeing and camping with her husband, scuba diving, reading, bowling and spending time with her family.

Marcy Cisneros, BSN, RN; Supervisory Nurse

Marcy is from Sherman, Texas. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University in nursing. She served six years in the army, two years enlisted and then four years as an officer in the Medical Center. Marcy also served on active duty during Desert Storm.

Marcy has always wanted to work with sick babies and premature infants. She spent 15 years as a NICU nurse before she began looking into other pediatric healthcare options—this led her to KidsCare Therapy in 2009.

Marcy enjoys working at Kidscare Therapy because it has allowed her to learn how different therapies work together to treat the special children we service.  She’s also grateful because it’s allowed her and her husband of 21 years to spend more time together and grow closer as a couple. In their spare time, they enjoy being with friends and family, traveling, and shopping for their granddaughter.

Andrea Sheppard, BSN, RN; Supervisory Nurse

Andrea was born and raised in Port Sulphur, Louisiana, and later resided in the New Orleans area. She graduated with an RN diploma in 1986 from Charity Hospital School of Nursing, and later received her bachelor’s in nursing from Loyola University New Orleans in 1999. She arrived in Texas in August, 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and decided to make Fort Worth her home. 

Initially, Andrea wanted to be a Pediatrician. She first developed an interest in nursing while residing with her grandparents. Her grandfather had a genetic cardiac condition which required multiple and frequent hospitalizations, and she enjoyed helping care for him until his death during her junior year of nursing school. Over the years Andrea has worked in several different areas of nursing from pediatrics to geriatrics, community and public Health, education and surveyor; however, home health has been her passion. She has worked in many capacities in the home health arena over the last 15 years, ranging from field staff all of the way to state surveyor.

Andrea has been with KidCare Therapy since November of 2009. She appreciates how she was welcomed and made to really feel like a part of the “KidsCare Therapy family.” Her current position allows her to have continued contact with patients and their families. She is able to utilize her clinical and teachings skills with patients, staff and families, and assist with our agency’s compliance with state and federal regulations.  She enjoys the challenges of the new branch that opened in February 2010 and all of the activity and creativity that comes along with the opening of a new branch.

Andrea is married with two sons. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching and training future health care workers, working with the youth, health and hospitality ministries at her church, traveling to attend her son’s track and field events, and visiting her hometown.