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

Owner, Occupational Therapist, Certified Autism Specialist

Chelsea started her career as an occupational therapist over eight 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 two young children. She is a Rhode Island native, born and raised, with a strong dedication to serving her local community. Chelsea started her 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. However she is now embarking on a new mission to bring innovative pediatric therapy services through sensory and social play!
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. 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.
Currently, Chelsea is pursuing her PhD at Concordia University of Chicago.

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.

Michela Coleman

Director of Administration

Michela has been an educator for the past 7 years. During her time in the classroom she particularly enjoyed identifying each learner's unique strengths, learning styles, and personalities! Her transition to Bizzy Bees is inspired by her passion for advocacy and community support. She is a graduate of Boston College with a Master's in Applied Developmental Educational Psychology and undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Applied Psychology in Human Development. Outside of work, Michela enjoys teaching dance classes, reading, and visiting the newest coffee shops. She is beyond excited to be part the Bizzy Bees team!

Brittany Sorice CCC-SLP

Director of Clinical Education & Development, AAC Specialist, Speech Language Pathologist

Brittany received her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Brittany’s passion is and has always been Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and helping individuals find their “voice”. Brittany has previously worked in Early Intervention and outpatient clinics, primarily treating individuals with Autism and individuals with complex medical needs. Her favorite part of the job is helping clients feel empowered to advocate for themselves. Brittany is always finding ways to incorporate music into treatment sessions. When she is not providing therapy she loves kickboxing, volleyball, and jigsaw puzzles.

Dani Elson CCC-SLP

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.

Sarah Aldrich MS, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist, AAC Specialist

Sarah graduated from The University of Rhode Island in 2016 with her Bachelor's of Science in Communicative Disorders. She then went on to pursue a Master's of Science in Human Development and Family Studies focusing her thesis research on the impact of augmentative alternative communication (AAC) on verbal language acquisition. Upon graduating, she attended another graduate program at The College of Saint Rose to complete a Master's of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She began her career in a specialized school setting working primarily with children with developmental disabilities and complex communication needs. She continues to be passionate about AAC evaluation and treatment, traumatic brain injury, and Autism and other developmental disabilities. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys reading, traveling, riding her bike, and trying new coffee shops.

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.

McKenna Thomas MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

McKenna graduated from Springfield College with her Bachelor’s in Health Sciences and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees. McKenna’s career started at a behavioral school working with children with ASD and other developmental disabilities. She also has extensive experience working in school, home, and hospital settings. After starting a family of her own, McKenna transitioned to an outpatient pediatric clinic where she worked closely with children to develop their fine and gross motor, sensory processing, and life skills. Having her own son with complex medical needs has expanded McKenna’s passion of helping children reach their potential and assisting families in supporting their overall development. When she finds the time, McKenna enjoys hiking with her family, eating ice cream, and exploring new coffee shops. McKenna recently relocated to Cumberland from MA and is excited to join the Bizzy Bees team!

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.

Aisha Martins MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Aisha graduated from American International College with a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Science and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She has spent the past five years working throughout New York City and Brooklyn in a variety of specialized educational environments, in children’s homes as well as in outpatient pediatric settings. She has extensive experience working with the neurodivergent population, particularly with an emphasis on working with children with varied degrees of challenging behaviors. Aisha was the founder of a NYC based private social enrichment program for the neurodivergent population and is excited to bring her knowledge of group facilitation to the Bizzy Bees team. She is passionate about neurodiversity affirming care, sensory and social enrichment as well as collaborating with and supporting the mental health of her students and their families. She is certified in Crisis Prevention Intervention, Zones of Regulation and is a Certified Handwriting Specialist through Handwriting Without Tears. Outside of work, Aisha enjoys spending time with her partner and their two dogs, Homer and Davos.

Danielle Daria OTR/L, c/NDT

Occupational Therapist, Neurodevelopmental Specialist

bio coming soon!

Jessica Zahlany MPT

Physical Therapist

Jess has been a pediatric physical therapist since 2003. She received her Masters degree from Northeastern University. Jess began her career in Early Intervention, working with infants and toddlers with various diagnoses and developmental delays. Over the years she has widened her scope of practice and has worked with children and adolescents from birth to age 22. Jess is a mother of two and when she is not working or spending time with her children, she enjoys teaching kickboxing and running. I look forward to working with you and your family here at Bizzy Bees!

Paige Barry, PTA

Certified Physical Therapy Assistant

Paige received her Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from the University of Rhode Island and completed the Physical Therapist Assistant program at New England Institute of Technology. Paige gained pediatric experience through performing a clinical rotation with us at Bizzy Bees and gained experience both in the home setting as well as the outpatient setting. Paige loves to incorporate play into functional gains and see kids make progress each visit! Outside of work, Paige loves to travel with her husband, find new coffee shops, and spend time with friends and family.

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.

Vanessa Blaise

Account Manager, Care Coordinator

Vanessa is our Accounts manager/care coordinator and has over 15 years of experience handling patient accounts and providing billing and account support. Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys traveling and shopping.

Meet the Team: Meet the Team