Meet Our Therapists
About Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation
Ever have those days when you wish your child received more therapy than the one time per week or two times per month that your insurance covers? Therapists created Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation, LLC with this in mind. It has been researched and proven that children who participate in intensive therapy programs have higher rates of progress and success, especially children with feeding disorders. All programs are set up to meet the specific individual needs of each child and their family. Please contact us for availability, pricing, and to set up a plan of care that will promote your child’s development.
About Olivia LaGasse, MS, OTR/L, Formerly Olivia Beare
Owner, Occupational Therapist
Olivia earned her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from a small private college in upstate New York, Sage Graduate School and her Bachelors of Science with a major in Psychology from Russell Sage College. Olivia was accepted into the Occupational Therapy program at Sage as a Junior in High School. While working at a small in-home daycare in upstate New York, Olivia observed a Speech and Language Pathologist working in the Early Intervention program with a little baby to help with his feeding skills. This baby was born with a genetic disorder resulting in significant low tone causing him to require a feeding tube in addition to his oral feedings. After observing this therapist in the daycare setting Olivia researched additional pediatric professionals and began shadowing an Occupational Therapist in the preschool setting. Olivia knew being an OT working specifically with the pediatric population was her calling in life half-way through her high school career.
Olivia has had continuing education training in the Sequential Oral Sensory approach to feeding therapy through The Star Center in Denver, Colorado. She has also completed a course specific to feeding therapy for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Early Intervention (EI), and home based services. Olivia has training in Sensory Integration techniques including The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol. It is extremely important to Olivia to stay current on the most effective treatment approaches for the therapy she is providing to children and their families.
Olivia is passionate about her professional career. She enjoys working in the natural environments with children and their families. Involvement of parents in their children’s therapy is crucial to ensuring carry over of treatment techniques into the daily routines of the child. Olivia believes the interventions she renders leads to progress in the child’s development across all of their daily occupations.
When Olivia is not engaging in activities of her professional career she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Olivia enjoys being outdoors, camping, hiking, scuba diving, four wheeling and loves traveling the world. During her alone time Olivia also enjoys quiet activities including scrapbooking, reading, and doing photography. Olivia learned at a very young age the joys of social interactions surrounding food and loves to cook meals for a crowd of people any size. Olivia is an outgoing, fun loving lady who looks forward to working with your child and your family to ensure the highest quality of life your little one can possibly have.
Olivia started Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation with the goal in mind of creating a natural environment clinic. Something similar to the environment of a child’s home where they are comfortable, playful, and relaxed, while also providing structure, direction, and therapeutic activities. Her passion around working with parents and engaging them into their children’s care, empowering them to be advocates for their children, and teaching them all she can about child development is evident in all of her interactions with her families. Peak, is her baby, and she will openly support and love the children that have joined the Peak family.
About Shelby Cole, MA, CCC-SLP
Practice Manager, Speech Therapist
Shelby grew up in a small town near Dallas, Texas. She studied at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders, as well as her master’s degree in Speech Pathology. Shelby has always had a passion for working with kids of all ages and abilities. This passion is what initially peaked her interest in speech pathology.
Shelby got married in October 2016 and moved to Lakewood, Colorado with her husband. She joined the Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation team in November of 2016. She enjoys painting and all things crafty, especially with her daughter. On the weekends, you will find her spending time at coffee shops, working on craft and woodwork projects with her husband, or exploring the great outdoors.
Shelby’s favorite thing about her job is being able to make connections with children and their families. She loves helping to make a difference in the lives of those she works with, advocating for the child and families’ needs and helping each child increase their ability to functionally communicate with their family and peers. She enjoys individualizing therapy to fit each child, to find what works best for their learning style. She loves being able to use her creative side to make therapy exciting and fun.
About Caitlin Eis, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Caitlin is from Beatrice, NE. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She earned her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy degree from Creighton University in Omaha, NE. Caitlin gained experience working with children in early intervention and home health prior to joining the team at Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation. Caitlin was in undergraduate school and was not sure what she wanted do long term in life. She started to do research on different professions what work with children and stumbled across Occupational Therapy.
After shadowing many therapists she decided this was the field for her. She enjoys being creative with the children while still be able to use her science mindedness during treatments. She also really likes being able to work with children in a one on one environment.
Caitlin has experience working with families and children with special needs which include developmental delays, sensory processing, Down syndrome, and Autism. Caitlin’s occupational therapy background also includes sensory integration, visual deficits, and primitive reflexes. Caitlin also has interests in visual skills development and training.
Caitlin moved to Colorado and greatly enjoys spending time outdoors. She has climbed many of Colorado’s 14,000 foot mountains, loves snowshoeing, and has found a new interest in indoor rock climbing.
Caitlin is a patient, kind, honest therapist with a sweet heart who has enjoyed getting to know all of our families and their children. She uses all of her creativity during sessions to make therapy fun for the children. Caitlin along with all the other therapists here at Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation are honored to be your choice for your child’s therapy needs.
About Kaitlin Poteat, MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Kaitlin attended the University of Florida where she graduated with her Bachelors of Health Science and then earned her Master of Occupational Therapy in December of 2016. She is excited to be entering the field of occupational therapy and to be working with the pediatric population. Growing up, she has always loved working with children, and her passion for children with special needs sparked in college, when she joined Balance 180, an organization that offered a Young Athletes Program and Adaptive Gymnastics. While being a buddy and assistant coach for Balance 180, she found herself filled with love working with the children and seeing them form friendships and participate in activities that were challenging. Another place that has Kaitlin’s heart is Camp Boggy Creek in Florida, which enriches the lives of children with serious illnesses.
During school, Kaitlin completed her fieldwork rotations at an outpatient pediatric clinic and a children’s hospital. These placements provided an opportunity for her to work with children of all ages and with various diagnoses. She has experience working with children on fine motor skills, visual spatial abilities, motor planning, self-care, sensory processing, feeding and self-regulation.
Even though Kaitlin grew up in Florida, she has always felt at home in the mountains. In her free time, she loves to be outside hiking, hammocking, taking photos, and kayaking. She also loves to bake, crochet, and enjoys a variety of arts and crafts. Kaitlin utilizes her creative spirit to make her sessions engaging and fun for each child. She is excited to be working with children and their families, and to be part of the team at Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation, LLC.
About Kathryn (Katie) Loud, DPT
Physical Therapist
Katie grew up in Woodstock, Georgia. She discovered physical therapy while in high school after going on a mission trip to the Duvall Home in Florida, a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities. Since then, she has devoted her education and career to helping people learn and understand their bodies and how to move them optimally. Katie attended University of North Georgia where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She went on to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA in May 2020. Katie has always enjoyed working with kids and discovered a career in pediatric physical therapy would allow her to find new and creative ways to support kids and families as they reach their goals. During physical therapy school, she had the opportunity to complete a 4-month clinical rotation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This rotation provided an opportunity for her to work with children of all ages and with various diagnoses.
Katie first knew she wanted to live in Colorado when she was 7 years old, after taking a skiing trip to Copper Mountain with her mom and 2 older sisters. In August of 2021, Katie and her fiancé moved from Georgia with their dog, Drake. They have enjoyed all of the outdoor activities and adventures that Colorado has to offer. In her free time, Katie enjoys running, hiking, cooking, reading, and traveling.
Ashley Thomas, MS OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Ashley grew up in a small, rural town in central Kansas. She found occupational therapy while studying Marine Biology in Pensacola, FL by volunteering at a therapeutic horseback riding facility. From there she moved back to Kansas to pursue occupational therapy by obtaining her bachelor’s degree in exercise science with a minor in psychology in 2017. She completed her undergrad internship at Hearts & Horses, a therapeutic horseback riding facility in Loveland, CO then moved back to Kansas City to gain her master’s in occupational therapy at the University of Kansas Medical Center in May of 2020.Ashley has worked with children through her local library’s summer school program, as a nanny, and as a volunteer for multiple therapeutic horseback riding facilities.
While at the therapeutic horseback riding facilities she worked with a variety of diagnoses from Autism, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, muscular dystrophy, developmental delays, sensory processing, and more. She loves to be creative and feels children have an outlook on life that all adults could learn from. Ashley is excited to help support children’s growth, mentally and physically, to promote their highest level of independence while creating a meaningful and purposeful life for them and their families.
Ashley has worked within the home health setting for older adults where she enjoyed including family members in treatment to make therapy more meaningful and purposeful. She found herself looking for more camaraderie, a team aspect, and a place where her creativity could flow which lead her to Peak Pediatric Rehabilitation and pediatrics.
In her free time, Ashley loves spending time outdoors hiking, snowboarding, and kayaking/stand-up paddle boarding with her husband and husky, Sanu. She is a yoga instructor and loves indoor rock climbing as well as cooking, painting/drawing, tending to her plants, and spending time in local coffee shops. She hopes to incorporate all of these