Education & Experience: Mariana graduated with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from New York University, the post-professional M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University and a Doctor of Education from Spalding University in Louisville, KY. She has over 20 years of experience in pediatric occupational therapy in numerous settings. Mariana is currently an Associate Professor in the OT Department at Georgia Health Sciences University. Previously she was on the faculty of Eastern Kentucky University. She has also been a Georgia Governor's Teaching Fellow (2008), and has presented at numerous conferences on the state and national level. She is certified in sensory integration assessment and treatment, the Ayres Fidelity Measure, and is Board Certified in Pediatrics. Dr. D'Amico became trained and certified in administration of the Sensory Challenge Research Protocol by Dr. Lucy Miller at the STAR Center in Denver, Colorado. Dr. D'Amico is the author of numerous publications and a member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Susan Stallings-Sahler, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, Director

Education & Experience:  Dr. Stallings-Sahler graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy.  She earned the post-professional M.S. degree in pediatric O.T. from Boston University, where she studied with distinguished O.T. scholars including Dr. Sharon Cermak, Dr. David Nelson, and Dr. Anne Henderson.  Her master's research was on vestibular dysfunction and efficacy of vestibular treatment in autism.  While an Assistant Professor of OT at Rush University-Chicago, Dr. Stallings-Sahler studied with Dr. A. Jean Ayres, the founder of the sensory integration approach, and assisted Dr. Ayres in development of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests, and directed the normative tester training.  In 1995, Dr. Stallings-Sahler completed her doctoral work in Educational Psychology with a concentration in early developmental psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and published a dissertation on maternal-child interaction and motor competency of cocaine-exposed infants.  This was another opportunity to study with distinguished scholars in educational/developmental psychology, including Dr. Ruth Pearl, Dr. Artin Goncu, and Dr. Roger Weissberg.  In 2002, Dr. Stallings-Sahler became trained and certified in administration of the Sensory Challenge Research Protocol by Dr. Lucy Miller at the STAR Center in Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Stallings-Sahler studied and become certified in both pediatric and advanced infant Neuro-Developmental Treatment with Dr. Sarah Capelovitch of the European Bobath Tutors Association (EBTA).  She is certified in Sensory Integration and in the Ayres Fidelity Measure.

Awards & Professional Service 

• Roster of Fellows, American Occupational Therapy Association: "For Sustained Leadership in Pediatric Education, Practice, and Research."  1999
• Award for Outstanding Practice in Pediatrics, North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association (1998)
• Awards for Distinguished Service (4), American Occupational Therapy Association
• Chair, AOTA Sensory Integration Specialty Section
• Editor, Developmental Disabilities Quarterly
• Accreditation Reviewer, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
• Member, NCOTA Board of Directors 

Specialty Certifications: 

• Certificate in Sensory Integration Evaluation and Treatment by the University of Southern California and Western Psychological Services. 2003
• Certified in Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment by NDTA (#BC-1395-90).
• Certified in Advanced Neurodevelopmental Treatment of the Infant by EBTA.
• Board Certified in Pediatrics, American Occupational Therapy Association
• Certified to Administer and Interpret the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (#5009)

Clinical Background:  Susan has over 30 years of experience with infants, children, and adolescents, in medical, educational, and community settings, including the following: 

• The Ayres Clinic, Torrance, California
• National Association for Perinatal Addiction Research & Education, Chicago IL: developmental specialist in NIDA-funded research study with cocaine-exposed infants & children.  Principal Investigator:  Dr. Ira J. Chasnoff. 
• Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL:  faculty member & clinician for NICU
• St. James Hospital Medical Center, Chicago, IL:  NICU, developmental pediatrics
• NIMH/St. Elizabeths Hospital Child & Adolescent Unit, Washington, DC:  mental health
• James Whitcomb Riley Children's Hospital/Univ. of Indiana Medical Ctr:  NICU, pediatrics
• Children's Neurotherapy Services, Chicago, IL: pediatric private practice manager & therapist
• The Pediatric Place, Chicago, IL: private practice manager & therapist
• School Systems/Early Intervention Programs: DuPage County, IL; Cook County, IL; The Cove School, Willmette, IL; Hickory, NC.; Southwest Early Intervention, Beverly IL.

Teaching Experience:

• Currently Associate Professor of O.T. at Brenau University, teaching courses in Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Neuroscience, and guiding master's thesis research.
• Professor of Occupational Therapy, Medical College of Georgia
• Tenured Professor & Founding Chair of the Occupational Therapy program, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory NC
• Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL
• Instructor of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Faculty, Sensory Integration International, Torrance, CA 
• Over 85 invited lectures, papers, and workshops presented across the U.S., as well as in Bermuda, Canada, China, Israel, Poland, and Portugal.

Professional Publications:

1. Stallings-Sahler, S.  “Sensory processing and praxis contributions to handwriting legibility in  second graders.”  In preparation.

2. Stallings-Sahler, S. A. (2006).  Relationship between motor control and caregiving  environment in prenatally cocaine/polydrug exposed infants of recovering mothers: Part I.  Developmental Disabilities Quarterly, 1-6.

3. Stallings-Sahler, S. A. (2007).  Relationship between motor control and caregiving  environment in prenatally cocaine/polydrug exposed infants of recovering mothers: Part II.  Developmental Disabilities Quarterly, 1-6.

4. Ayres, A.J. (posthumously) and Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (In preparation). Aspects of the Somatomotor Adaptive Response and Praxis.   Santa Rosa, CA:  Crestport Publishers. 

5. Carrasco, R.C. and Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (2005).  Sensory integration assessment and intervention.  In J. O’Brien (Ed.) Pediatric Practice Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants.  New York: Elsevier Publishers.

6. Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (2000).  Sensory modulation disorder in a child with gastro-esophageal reflux.  Sensory Integration Quarterly, Fall 2000.

7. Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (1998).  Sensory integration assessment and treatment in infants and young children.  In J. Case-Smith (Ed.) Pediatric Occupational Therapy and Early Intervention, 2nd. Ed. Edition.  Boston:  Butterworth-Heinemann.

8. Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (1996).  Object manipulation in toddlers:  Effects of uterine drug exposure, maternal-child interaction, and home environment quality.  Chicago:  University of Illinois Dissertation Press.

9. Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (1993). Sensory Integration:  Assessment and intervention with infants.  In J. Case-Smith (Ed.) Pediatric Occupational Therapy and Early Intervention.  Boston: Andover Medical Publishers.

10. Stallings-Sahler, S.A. (1993). Enhancing reimbursement for sensory integration procedures in occupational therapy.  Sensory Integration Quarterly, 16, 4.

11. Stallings-Sahler, S.A., Anzalone, M., Bryze, K., Carrasco, R., Pettit, K.  (1993).  Results of the SISIS Reimbursement Survey.  AOTA Sensory Integration Special Interest Section Newsletter, 16, 4.

12. Stallings-Sahler, S. A.  (1992). Prenatal cocaine exposure and infant behavioral  disorganization.  AOTA Sensory Integration Special Interest Section Newsletter, 16, 3.

13. Stallings-Sahler, S.A.  (1991). Creating a challenging environment for sensory integration. OT Week, April 22, 1991.

14. Stallings-Sahler, S.A.  (1990).  Certification in Administration and Interpretation of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests.  American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 4,7.

15. Stallings-Sahler, S.A.  (1990).  Report of an occupational therapy evaluation of sensory integration and praxis.  American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 4, 7. 

16. Stallings-Sahler, S.A.  (1983).  Re-standardization of the Southern California Sensory IntegrationTests. CSSID Newsletter, Fall.

Mary Elizabeth "Beth" M. Willson, MHS, OTR/L 

Education & Experience:  Beth is originally from Savannah, Georgia.  She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a B.S. in Biology and earned the Master of Health Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia.  Prior to joining Sensational Kids she was employed by St. Joseph's/Candler Hospital in Savannah.  She completed Level II internships at St. Joseph's and also at Southeastern Orthopedics in Savannah.  Beth is trained in the Handwriting without Tears, How Does Your Engine Run, and Beckman Oral-Motor programs, and is certified on the Ayres Fidelity Measure.

Dr. Tankersley earned her BS in PT degree at the Medical College of Georgia in 1996 and the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences (Mesa, AZ) in 2005.   Her research interests include assistive technology in pediatric practice and school-based models of physical therapy practice.

Janet co-directs District Five of the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia and is a member of the American and Georgia Physical Therapy Associations. As a regional classifier for the National Disability Sports Alliance and the American Academy of Adaptive Sports Programs for Augusta, she helps ensure athletes are competing against others with similar abilities.

Dr. Tankersley also has earned 10-year certification as a pediatric clinical specialist, one of 10 in Georgia.  She is also certified as a neurology clinical specialist.