Our Team
Aspen Stebbins, OTR/L
Aspen has grown up working with children and young adults with varying ability levels. She quickly realized it was her passion in life and dedicated herself towards making it a career. Aspen completed her undergraduate and master's degree at the University of Minnesota. In 2021, she founded Olea Pediatric Therapy. Aspen lives in Plymouth with her husband (Carter), twins (Audrey and Beau) and Springer Spaniel (Lola)! Her favorite thing to do in her free time is spend time with friends and family, attend Minnesota sports games, and go up north to her family cabin. Give her sushi or pizza and she is a happy camper! Aspen's favorite part about being an occupational therapist is celebrating all the small, yet mighty milestones her kids hit along the way. Seeing kids make progress and build upon their achievements encourages and inspires her! Aspen's favorite quote is “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation.” – Plato. She believes watching and admiring children's imagination is one of the greatest gifts in life. She can't wait to meet YOU!
Brenna Dedeker M.A., CCC-SLP
Brenna is our Clinic Manager and Speech-Language Pathologist here at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD, and received her Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology from University of South Dakota. Since the beginning, she always knew she had a passion for working in pediatrics, and she has worked for multiple Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) clinics and outpatient clinics with clients of all ages, needs, and ability levels. Brenna has a special interest and passion for working on Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC), early intervention/late talkers, and feeding difficulties. When not at work, Brenna and her husband love board games, hiking, and relaxing with their dog, Coal! Brenna’s favorite speech therapy quote is a simple and powerful quote “Everyone deserves a voice”, and she loves helping clients find theirs! . Her favorite part about working pediatric therapy is the relationships that can be built both with the clients and their families and the pride that the client’s show when mastering a specific skill set. .
Sarah Littlefield, COTA/L
Sarah is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant here at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse and her COTA degree from Herzing University. Born and raised in Minnesota, she lives in Minneapolis with her boyfriend and miniature schnauzer, Chester! A fun fact about Sarah is she is also a certified yoga and prenatal yoga instructor and loves to spend as much time as she can outdoors. Her favorite books from childhood are all of the Berenstain Bear books and favorite food is soup! One of Sarah's favorite quotes is "Play is the highest form of research." - Albert EInstein. She believes children learn so much through play and enjoys witnessing their smiles when they reach their goals!
Madeline Kurtz, COTA/L
Madeline is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant at Olea Pediatric Therapy and loves working with kids, but has also spent a lot of time in transitional care, long term care, and with adults with a variety of disabilities. She completed her general studies at Black Hills State in Spearfish, SD and got her degree in OTA at Herzing University in Minneapolis, MN. Madeline moved to the Twin Cities in 2018 with her dog Cosmo, cats Bleu and Gibbs, bearded dragon Bernie, and boyfriend. She currently lives in Northeast Minneapolis and loves patios, coffee shops, and being outdoors. Her favorite quote is "Not all those who wander are lost" by JRR Toilken. She started pediatric OT because seeing a lightbulb moment in a child when they grasp a concept or learn something new is one of the greatest things of all time, and who doesn't like to play all day? Madeline's favorite OT activity to do with kids is writing with shaving cream because it is messy, super fun, and engaging; but also teaches handwriting, posture, and attention! A fun fact about Madeline is that she has anosmia, which means she can't smell anything!
Hannah Coulter, OTD, OTR/L
Hannah is an Occupational Therapist here at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She completed her undergraduate degree in exercise science at Minnesota State University, Mankato and her Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. Hannah grew up in a small farm town called Hector. She got married 3 days before her first day at Olea in November! She has a highly energetic Australian Shepherd at home named Kona. Hannah loves to spend time outside- hunting, fishing, kayaking, and boating. When she’s not doing those things, you can find her at Target, traveling, playing sports (volleyball & basketball), or spending time with her friends and family. Hannah loves the spontaneity of kids, seeing them flourish in a nurturing environment, and witnessing their pure excitement when they complete a meaningful activity!
Michelle McPhillips, OTR/L
Michelle is an Occupational Therapist at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at College of Saint Mary in Omaha, NE. Michelle was born and raised with small town roots in Nebraska and moved to Minnesota immediately after grad school in 2017. Since becoming interested in occupational therapy she always knew she had a passion for working in pediatrics, and she has worked for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) clinics, outpatient clinics and completed home health visits with clients of all ages, needs, and ability levels. When Michelle is not working, she is spending time with her husband and brand new baby girl. She loves CrossFit, traveling, spending time with friends and the NFL, more specifically the Patriots. Michelle loves seeing the progress children make and believes incorporating physical activity into play is the best "medicine."
Lindsey Drooger, COTA/L
Lindsey is an Occupational Therapy Assistant at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She received her Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota and her OTA degree from St. Catherine University. Lindsey has a 2-year old poochon puppy named Minne who is the best thing ever. She loves spending time with family and friends, especially her niece and nephew, watching Minnesota sports, reading, exercising, and taking Minne for walks. A fun fact about Lindsey is that 3/5 people in her immediate family are left-handed! Lindsey loves working with kids because every day they learn something new and nothing is better than playing all day!
Allison Cox, M.S., CCC-SLP
Allison is Speech-Language Pathologist at Olea Pediatric Therapy and loves to work with children of all ages and abilities. She received both her undergraduate and masters degrees from the University of North Dakota. Allison grew up in small-town North Dakota and recently moved to the Twin Cities after graduation. During her free time, Allison loves to read, be outdoors, and shop at Target :). Her favorite thing about being an SLP is teaching a child and their family ways to communicate effectively to reach their goals. Pediatric therapy is so rewarding and she can't wait to see the children she works with grow in their communication!
Stephanie Maurer, COTA/L
Steph is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She completed her generals at Minnesota State University, Mankato and got her OTA degree at St. Catherine’s University. She grew up in a small town in southern Minnesota called Gibbon. Her and her fiancé recently moved back to Minnesota after living in Pittsburgh for 2.5 years and are getting married in just a couple weeks! Steph loves spending time with family and friends, playing volleyball, exercising and shopping. She loves seeing the progress children make and loves seeing their faces light up when they reach their goals! She says it is so special and rewarding to be a part of the journey!
Jami Rokala, MS, RDN, LD, CLC
Jami is a Registered & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her master’s degree in Nutrition with specialization in nutrition education and counseling from the University of North Dakota and holds a dual bachelor’s of science degree in Community Nutrition and Dietetics. She has worked as a child nutrition professional since 2013 and has a passion for working with both neurodivergent & neurotypical children with a focus on those struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating patterns.
Jami is a Certified Lactation Counselor, Certified Food Protection Manager and MN approved Food Service Manager CEU trainer. She serves on multiple boards including the Board of Directors for the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (Chair-elect for National Fruit and Vegetable Council) , past Board of Directors for the National CACFP Sponsors Association and the University of North Dakota’s Nutrition and Dietetic Advisory Committee. She is an active member of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association and MAND.
Jami lives in Northern Minnesota and is a wife and the mother of 2 busy kids. She is the owner and founder of Headwaters Nutrition Counseling, LLC and when she is not working she enjoys family time, anything outdoors, and being a hobby farm enthusiast.
Mariah Winkles, COTA/L
Mariah is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She fell in love with OT after attending her client's OT sessions while working as a personal care assistant. Her 10+ yrs of experience and passion to work with children and people with disabilities led her to expand her B.A degree in psychology from UWEC to include an OTA degree from The University of St. Kate's. Mariah currently lives in Minnetonka, where she grew up and loves creative projects, hanging out with family and friends, walking through the MN arboretum and around the lakes and baking desserts. Fun fact, Mariah is left handed but had not seen/used left handed scissors until she became an OTA. Mariah loves how play based OT has the abiltiity to empower children and their families by expanding their abilities.
Alane Fideler, Office Manager
Alane is a recent graduate of a medical coding associate program at Rasmussen University. Born and raised in Burnsville, MN, she worked as a PCA/home-health aide for children while in high school and college. She moved to Fargo, ND for school in 2007 and spent the last 10 years working as a traveling surgical technologist, specializing in open-heart and vascular surgery in 9 different states across the country. With he days of surgery and moving behind her, she is excited to start fresh in 2024 and get back to her roots of working with children. Outside of Olea she is an artist, writer, creator, and musician. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, card games, studying history, classic movies, coffee, reading, and cooking. She currently lives with two cats, Dottie and Dixie (and she would love to have more pets).
Angela Crum, OTR/L
Angela is our Clinic Liaison and Occupational Therapist here at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She received her graduate degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Findlay. Born and raised in O-H-I-O, she relocated to the Land of 10,000 Lakes in August of 2023. Angela resides in White Bear Lake with her boyfriend. She is also a certified Grief and Trauma recovery specialist, a certified RISE advocate, certified Tier I and Tier II Start Behavioral Health provider, certified Reiki Level I and II practitioner, and EMBER Trauma Yoga mentor. Angela offers extensive experience in the field of occupational therapy (26+ years) specializing in multi-sensory integration, school-based practice, autism spectrum disorder, mental health, advocacy, trigger point release, whole food-based nutrition, youth leadership and mentorship, and animal assisted therapy. In her free time, she enjoys all things outdoors throughout all the seasons… Lake Life, River Life, and Forest Life. Angela is passionate about serving individuals from all walks of life, supporting developmental milestones and inclusion. Her favorite quote is "Occupational Therapy: Hopeless into hope. Can't into can. Impossible into possible."
Ellie Schwartz, COTA/L
Ellie is an Occupational Therapy Assistant at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She completed her undergraduate degree in developmental psychology with a minor in visual arts at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities and a COTA degree at St. Catherine University. When she's not working, she loves taking care of her plant babies, relaxing with her family, and playing with her dog, Marty! Ellie has 12 nieces and nephews, and her love for working with kids stems from the joy she experiences while playing with them. She finds it incredibly fulfilling to witness the children's enthusiasm when they reach their goals. She is excited to help children improve their skills and learn through play!
Grace Grommesh, COTA/L
Grace is an occupational therapy assistant at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Science at North Dakota State University in 2021 (go Bison!) and her OTA degree at St. Catherine University in 2024. Her passion for pediatrics started in college when she worked with infants at a daycare center. When she's not working, she enjoys crafting, playing with her two cats, going on walks, and trying out new restaurants/activities in the Twin Cities. Grace's favorite thing about working with children is watching them smile and get excited when they achieve a goal!
Maddie Clubb OTD, OTR/L
Maddie is an Occupational Therapist at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She completed her undergraduate degree in child developmental and family studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato and her Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy at University of Mary in Bismarck North Dakota. Born and raised in Minnesota, Maddie lives in Minnetonka with her fiance (Jimmy), two cats (Penelope and Piper), and a golden retriever puppy (PattyJo). In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors, and on the lake. Maddie’s two favorite parts about working in pediatrics are that no day looks the same, and getting to experience the “lightbulb” moment when kiddos achieve a new skill.
Sophie Shish, OTR/L
Sophie works as an occupational therapist at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood and family studies from the University of Washington in Seattle, and her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Mary at a satellite site in Billings, Montana. Originally from Washington State, Sophie resides in Saint Louis Park with her husband, Lane, and their corgi, Tater Tot. In her leisure time, she enjoys spending quality moments with her loved ones, creating fashion content, baking sourdough bread, walking her corgi, and indulging in reality TV. Sophie finds immense joy in working with children, particularly witnessing their delight in simple pleasures like bubbles and teaching them to live their lives to their fullest potential.
Lily Beckers, M.S., CCC-SLP
Lily is a speech language pathologist. She earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and masters in Speech Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she also participated in the LEND program and Project CASTLE. These training programs specialize in comprehensive assessment and treatment for autistic individuals. Lily is passionate about augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and celebrates all kinds of play. Lily and her best friend/roommate (also named Lily!) live in northeast Minneapolis with her dog, Odie. Lily enjoys visiting her family in Green Bay and loves being an aunt to her niece and nephews. Her favorite things to do are swim in lakes, go to concerts and walk to coffee shops with her friends. She can’t wait to support you and your family in your child’s communication journey!
Cassie Araujo, M.S., CCC-SLP
Cassie is a Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) who completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at St. Cloud State University. Cassie has practiced as a bilingual (English-Spanish) SLP since 2018 in various educational, private practice, and ABA settings. Cassie’s experience ranges from various pediatric ages and areas of focus including: pre-language, social language, receptive/expressive language, AAC, articulation, apraxia of speech, reading comprehension, dyslexia, feeding, and fluency/stuttering. Cassie believes in the importance of children communicating with their loved ones. She strives to support her clients growth through parent-therapist collaboration, evidence based practice, and use of creative therapy techniques unique to each client. Cassie grew up in Oakdale and currently lives with her husband, dog (Watson), and cat (Jack Jack). She enjoys going for walks, playing volleyball, and cooking. Cassie’s favorite quotes she uses in her practice include: “If a child cannot learn in the way we teach . . . we must teach in a way the child can learn” - Ivaar Lovaas and “It shouldn’t matter how slowly a child learns, as long as we are encouraging them to not stop.”
Maddie McCauley, M.S., CCC-SLP
Maddie is a Speech-Language Pathologist here at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Minnesota State University-Mankato and has experience working in an outpatient clinic, ABA/EIDBI centers, and a school. She lives in Eagan, with her boyfriend and many plants! She loves to spend time with family and friends, coach/play volleyball, go to concerts, and try new restaurants and breweries! Her favorite books from childhood are the Frog and Toad series. Maddie’s favorite part of her job as a pediatric SLP is watching her clients build their communication skills and grow to meet their goals!
Blaire Peterson, COTA/L
Blaire is an Occupational Therapy Assistant at Olea Pediatric Therapy. She has worked as a COTA/L for 7 years, working within the geriatric population. She graduated from St. Catherine University in 2017. Her almost 2 year old nephew is who inspired her to enter into the pediatric field, so she could learn more about child development and growth. When she is not working, she enjoys being outdoors, hiking, camping, vacationing, and playing with her 2 dogs (Nacho and Tito) with her husband. She enjoys working with kids because she loves to watch them grow and develop through their different phases of life!