Pediatric Occupational, Speech, Physical, & Feeding Therapy Services
​30 Martin St 4B
West Entrance
Cumberland, RI 02864
401-228-2186
Call us today @ 401-228-2186 or send us a text @ 401-217-5207!
For general information, email us at info@bzbeestherapy.com.
For intakes, email intakes@bzbeestherapy.com
Our Team
From the moment you walk in our doors, this team is here for you and your family...
Chelsea Maziarz MS, OTR/L, CAS
Founder, Chief Executive OfficerÂ
Occupational Therapist, Certified Autism Specialist
Chelsea started her career as an occupational therapist over 11 years ago after graduating with her Master's in Science, Occupational Therapy from Sacred Heart University. Initially, her career was focused on acute care with dedication to the ICU, then moving on to home care services with specialties in geriatrics and cognitive rehabilitation.
Chelsea has a husband Andrew and three young children. She is a Rhode Island native, born and raised, with a strong dedication to serving her local community. Chelsea started her first private practice at the end of 2019 with the idea of building better quality therapy options for at risk populations. Initially the practice was directed at home care therapy through contract work and private consulting for agencies. She then turned her sights to a brick and mortar pediatric private practice known as Bizzy Bees, with a mission to bring innovative pediatric therapy services through sensory and social play! Over the past 4 years, the Bizzy Bees brand has evolved to specialize in children with complex medical needs. This includes interprofessional practice solutions, advanced clinician training, parent education/training, early exposure to assistive technology, AAC, and power mobility.
Much of Chelsea's drive and passion for her patients stems from her role as a mother. Chelsea has a son with complex medical needs who has required therapy since birth. Her youngest son has also required therapeutic services for developmental and neurological needs. She understands the complex nature of the health care system and what it takes to advocate for her clients. This is evident through her dedication to quality initiatives. In 2024, Chelsea and her husband Andrew established the BeeLieve Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports children and families in the local community, impacted by significant developmental and medical needs.
Currently, Chelsea is a PhD candidate at Concordia University of Chicago, wrapping up her thesis on early power mobility in medically complex children. She is determined to improve access to innovative and meaningful interventions to her local community.
Andrew Maziarz
Director of Finance
Andrew has had a very diverse background ranging from golf course management to leading teams in manufacturing the most innovative human therapeutics for the last 8 years. Although Andrew hasn’t always been employed by Bizzy Bees, he was always involved behind the scenes supporting his wife Chelsea, the owner and founder of Bizzy Bees. Andrew shares Chelsea’s passion for helping families navigate the intricate nature of today’s health care system because of his own experiences with his son’s complex medical needs. Outside of work Andrew enjoys spending his time playing golf, whenever he finds time in between his 3 children’s activities and sports. Andrew is excited to start his official role in Bizzy Bees Therapy.
Laura Degrange DPT
Clinical Director, Physical Therapist
Laura is our amazing pediatric physical therapist. She has her BS in Human Development with focus in Early Childhood, and Doctorate in Physical Therapy, both received from URI, and has been practicing since 2009. Laura’s experience is primarily in Early Intervention and outpatient settings, though she has worked in all settings and with all ages. She is passionate about working with children, and reaching the children that are being missed by current therapy models. Laura believes therapy should be personalized, adaptable, innovative, and within reach for children of all abilities.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys getting outside, working out, spending time with friends and going to the beach. She was born and raised in RI, and except for a short stint in Plymouth MA, has lived here all her life. She is married with two young sons, and her boys keep her busy! Having children has helped Laura understand both sides of the process, both as a therapist and as a mother. This helps her provide empathetic care to her families.
Natalia Downes
Director of Administration
Natalia graduated from The University of Rhode Island with a BA in English Language Arts with a concentration in African American Literature, and a minor in Unites States History. Natalia also earned her teaching certificate from Providence College.
After a quick stint in teaching, Natalia spent the past 10 years dedicating herself to helping both adolescents and adults with behavioral and mental health needs throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It wasn’t until Natalia and her husband welcomed their only child that she felt the positions she held, while impactful to others, was not fulfilling and manifested herself working at Bizzy Bees where her son receives speech, occupational and physical therapies. Natalia is excited to help improve the and grow practice and increase the client satisfaction .
On a personal note Natalia loves to spend time with her family, whether it be traveling, splashing around in the pool, sharing a delicious meal, or taking self-defense and karate classes with her son, Teddy. Natalia also enjoys reading, crafting, and cooking.
Dani Elson CCC-SLP
Speech Lead, Speech Language Pathologist, Feeding Therapist
Dani received her Master's Degree in Speech, Language, and Learning from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She has experience assessing and treating speech, language, and swallowing in individuals across the lifespan with a special interest in treating fluency disorders. Outside of work, Dani loves taking care of her houseplants, sailing, and embroidery.
Meaghan Bernard MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist, AAC Specialist
Meaghan received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Worcester State University. Meaghan loves working with kids of all ages and helping them make progress towards their goals. Her favorite thing is hearing about their child’s victories and getting to cheer them on along the way. Meaghan has had experience working with children of all ages in the school setting and at Bizzy Bees during her clinical rotations. Her favorite part of the job is connecting with the children to create a happy and loving environment where they can have fun and communicate in the best way for them. Outside of work, Meaghan enjoys crafting, reading, and spending time outside.
Brooke Taylor MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist, AAC Specialist
Brooke graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor’s degree in Communicative Disorders and a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. She has experience working with children and young adults in the public school and outpatient settings. She enjoys helping children make progress towards their communication goals and learning through play. Outside of work, Brooke spends her time reading, traveling, and listening to music. She also loves spending time with family, friends, and her cat Reese.
Christina Gagosian MS, OTR/L
Lead Occupational Therapist, Feeding Therapist
Christina graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s of Therapeutic Studies and Master’s of Occupational Therapy. For the past 5 years, she has worked in outpatient pediatrics in Oregon. Christina has extensive experience working with children and adolescents ages 1-25 with Autism, sensory processing dysfunction, feeding disorders, and developmental delays. She is certified in the SOS Approach to Feeding, Zones of Regulation, Handwriting Without Tears, and Project ImPACT: Teaching Social Communication to Children with Autism and Other Developmental Delays. Christina is passionate about providing therapy that is child-led, play-based, and family- centered. Outside of work, Christina enjoys hiking with her partner, reading, traveling, and playing with dogs. Having grown up in Massachusetts, Christina is looking forward to being back on the East Coast and closer to family.
Laura Collins COTA/L
Occupational Therapy Assistant, Feeding Therapist
Meet Laura Collins! She is a licensed, certified occupational therapy assistant. Laura received her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science at URI in 2015 and completed the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at the Community College of Rhode Island, graduating in 2018. Laura recently obtained her SOS Approach to Feeding Certification. She has experience working with children from 3-21 years old in home and school based settings. She enjoys working with children and their families to help them develop the skills needed to be successful in their everyday lives using creative, fun approaches. Laura believes therapy should be customized to fit every child's needs in order to maximize functional independence and overcome challenges. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, spending time with friends and family, and escaping to the mountains in New Hampshire!
Justine Rotz, MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist, Feeding Therapist
Justine attended Castleton University, in Castleton, Vermont and received her Bachelorette’s of Art in Developmental Psychology. She then went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of New England in Portland, Maine. Justine has experience working in the acute care and sub-acute setting with adults presenting with a variety of diagnoses. Most recently, she has been working in the early intervention setting with children who have autism, developmental delays, feeding disorders, sensory processing disorder, and medical complexities. Justine’s passion is working with children with a variety of abilities, however, specifically, children with complex medical needs and children who are neurodiverse. She aspires to spread awareness, advocate for inclusion and focus on the abilities. This passion comes from having a little brother with Down syndrome who received therapy services since he was born. Her experiences with her brother give her a unique aspect on providing therapy and advocating for children and their families. Outside of work, Justine enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family and playing with her dog.
Danielle Daria OTR/L, c/NDT
Occupational Therapist, Neurodevelopmental Specialist
Danielle is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and received her degree in both
Occupational Therapy and Psychology from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. Danielle has 20+ years of OT experience working with babies and young children. She and her family relocated to Rhode Island in 2021 from New York City where she had
been in private practice for 10 years on NY’s Upper West Side. Prior to that, she worked for 7 years at The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York with a focus on both developmental and orthopedic diagnosis. Danielle also has experience with New York and Connecticut’s Early Intervention Program as well as school based services here in Rhode Island. Danielle holds an advanced certification in Neuro-developmental Facilitation Technique. She particularly enjoys educating fellow therapists and parents on handling techniques to help motor movement and development through positioning, handling and play.
When Danielle is not doing what she loves at work, she enjoys being outdoors,
practicing yoga, reading, and spending time with her husband, son, daughter and their sheepadoodle, Millie!
Shanna Ames OTR/L,
Occupational Therapist
Shanna first got her feet wet in the outpatient pediatric world as an occupational therapy student at Bizzy Bees Therapy. She continued to gain experience in outpatient pediatrics since then in the Boston area and is now back at Bizzy Bees as a full-time OT! Shanna has professional training and special interests in neuro affirming care, executive functioning consulting with young children, teens and their families, as well as aquatic occupational therapy. Outside of work, Shanna enjoys swimming, long walks in the sun, cooking, iced coffee, and quality time with friends and family.
Jessica Robin MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
bio coming soon!
Christina Heon, RD
Registered Dietitian
bio coming soon!
Meghan Murnighan
Intake/Patient Care Coordinator
Meg is an awesome addition to our team, she knows exactly how to make people smile!
Meghan‘s care for children is extensive as she nannied for 12 years servicing multiple families in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Her love and passion for children extends into her own home, in which she has two young boys of her own.
Meghan has always wanted to be around children her whole life and making sure kids are having fun is her top priority. She is so excited to be a part of the team where she can see the kids grow, thrive and succeed here at Bizzy Bees.
Kimberly Maurice
Family Resource Specialist & Part-Time Care Coordinator
Kimberly brings compassion, firsthand experience, and a deep understanding of family advocacy to her role as Family Resource Specialist and Part-Time Care Coordinator. After spending 20 years raising her nine children—including one medically complex child—she returned to the workforce with a clear mission: to help other families navigate care with confidence and support.
From helping families find trusted doctors, specialists, and counseling services to managing check-ins, scheduling, and day-to-day coordination, Kimberly is a steady, empathetic presence at Bizzy Bees. Her journey as a mother and advocate naturally led her to this work, where her resourcefulness and heart for helping others shine every day.
Kimberly is also a Certified Grief Counselor, providing added support to families during times of loss and transition. She believes every family deserves to feel seen, heard, and empowered—and she’s proud to be part of a team that helps make that possible.
Outside of work, Kimberly enjoys spending time with her kids, reading, crafting and baking.
Sally Donnelly, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist, AAC Specialist, Feeding Therapist
Sally received her Master's Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Emerson College in Boston. She has experience assessing and treating speech, language, and feeding/swallowing in pediatrics with special interests in AAC, complex communication, and pediatric oral-motor feeding skills. Outside of work, Sally loves hiking with her rescue dog, trying out new recipes, and running.