Meet the Team

Caroline Baird is an Operations Director and the Co-lead of the Occupational Therapy Team at Black Bear Academy. Caroline graduated from Saint Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in occupational science and a master’s degree in occupational therapy. During her time at Saint Louis University, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain where she completed courses at the local university and volunteered at a local preschool teaching English. This is where she realized how much she enjoyed supporting children in the school setting. Caroline has worked with all the Plus, Prep and Blended classrooms throughout her time at BBA. She is passionate about treating the whole child and meeting all children where they are emotionally, physically, and mentally every day. She loves the way BBA allows disciplines to work collaboratively to help each child reach their fullest potential. In her roles at Black Bear Academy, Caroline oversees the day-to-day operations of the school including scheduling, building and safety, and program development. In her free time, Caroline loves attending Cubs games at Wrigley Field, working out at Orangetheory Fitness, and exploring new restaurants in the city.

Maggie was born and raised in Chicago and loves attending Chicago sporting events and concerts, as well as spending time at the park with her two dogs. Maggie graduated from the University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology with her bachelor’s degree in movement science. Most recently, she attended Washington University in St. Louis where she received her master’s degree in occupational therapy. Maggie has previously worked with both adults and children in various settings, including elementary and therapeutic schools, private clinics, and acute-care hospitals. She has worked at BBA since 2019 and is co-director of the OT department. Maggie is passionate about supporting the whole child and their families in order to help them grow and develop into the next chapters of their lives. She is thrilled to be a part of a growing multidisciplinary team and is excited for a great year at BBA.

Jenny was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago. She received her Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Health from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she was able to narrow down her interests in healthcare to occupational therapy. She received her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee then moved back to Chicago to begin her career. She has experience working in a private clinic as well as in the Illinois Early Intervention Program serving the birth to three years old population. Jenny has worked with clients of varying diagnoses and backgrounds during her time as an occupational therapist. She is excited to provide care to a variety of clients and to work with such a close interdisciplinary team, to ensure support for the children to be their most successful selves. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring new neighborhoods and restaurants in the city and suburbs!

Emilee earned her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She holds her OT license in Illinois, and has worked across multiple settings including hospital settings (inpatient acute care), schools, and outpatient private practice. She has experience in the education system providing OT to children aged 4 – 19. Emilee also has specialized training in feeding therapy through the SOS Approach to Feeding. Emilee is dedicated to understanding the whole picture for each of her clients and developing relationships with clients and their families. She strives to provide relevant and valuable interventions by participating in various continuing education courses.  Emilee is from the Chicago area and loves to spend her free time with her friends and family in the area. She also loves spending time outside, going for walks, reading books, and playing with her dog (Ollie)!

Becca received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and her Bachelor of Arts in Art Education from Hope College. While at Washington University, she had the opportunity to work with communities to help make environments more accessible to all, from physical mobility to sensory-friendly elements. Becca previously worked at a therapeutic school and in a pediatric outpatient setting, treating infants and toddlers in the Early Intervention Program to clients 15 years old with a variety of intellectual and developmental disorders. She is passionate about treating clients holistically and working as part of a multidisciplinary team to support each child in reaching their fullest potential. In her free time, Becca enjoys cooking, live music, traveling, and spending time with family and friends

Milena attended University of Illinois for her undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Science and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale for her Master’s degree in Communications Sciences and Disorders. Milena has worked with school aged children in an outpatient clinic, at the SIU Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder, and at an inpatient hospital in Chicago treating clients across the lifespan. Additionally, she has experience working in a preschool in the Chicago suburbs. Milena worked closely with Early Intervention students and families as they transitioned to the preschool setting. She has worked with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Downs Syndrome, and students with varying levels of abilities in expressive and receptive communication. She is passionate about working with early childhood populations to support communicative development. Outside of work, Milena enjoys baking, reading, and spending time with family and friends!

Alexandra has been working as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Black Bear Academy since June 2022. Alexandra graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as a certificate in Education and Educational Services. She earned her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Concordia University Wisconsin, where she also was a member of the School of Health Professions Interprofessional Education program. She has an extensive background as a Speech-Language Pathologist working with the pediatric population in a variety of clinical settings, including a bilingual elementary school in the Chicago suburbs, linguistically and culturally diverse preschool and elementary school for Chicago Public Schools, early intervention, a multidisciplinary pediatric outpatient clinic, and a therapeutic preschool. What Alexandra enjoys most about Black Bear Academy is its collaborative nature, child-centered approach to therapy, and passion for supporting each child’s growth and development. Alexandra enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring all that Chicago has to offer, traveling to new places, and outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, and camping.

Meghan is thrilled to join Black Bear Academy as a speech language pathologist! At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Meghan completed her undergraduate degree studying Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education Policy. She then completed her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at Rush University and is thrilled to remain at home in Chicago to complete her clinical fellowship at Black Bear Academy. During her graduate studies, Meghan participated in a caregiver coaching study and discovered her love for working with pediatric populations and building connections with families and communities. Outside of Black Bear, Meghan loves to attend concerts, try new restaurants, and travel to new places.

Hannah attended University of Illinois for her undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Science and Rush University for her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has previously worked in Early Intervention, pediatric outpatient clinics, and therapeutic schools providing individual and group therapy for children with varying diagnoses and backgrounds. Hannah also has vast experience working with pediatric feeding disorders, a particular interest of hers! Hannah is so excited to join Black Bear Academy so she can continue to empower and support children in growing their speech and language skills. In her free time Hannah enjoys walking on the lakeshore path, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Olivia attended the University of Iowa where she received her undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences, along with a certificate in Disabilities Studies. Olivia worked at Chicago Speech Therapy, a multidisciplinary clinic, as a Speech Therapy Practice Associate and Behavioral Therapist during her gap year. She then obtained her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Rush University Medical Center. Olivia has worked in various clinical settings during her graduate studies including Chicago Public Schools, outpatient clinics, private practice, and hospitals. Additionally, she participated in pediatric literacy groups and research studies throughout homeless shelters in the Greater Chicago Area. She has worked closely with children with Downs Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, expressive and/or receptive language delays, developmental delays, and feeding disorders. Olivia is passionate about working with the pediatric population by helping them grow their speech, language, and communication skills. She is excited to be completing her Clinical Fellowship year here at Black Bear Academy! Outside of work, Olivia enjoys reading, traveling, and going on long Lakeshore Drive walks!

Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Lauren is excited to be able to build a career in the city. Lauren has always had a passion for teaching and working with children, and she is honored to be able to share that passion with the wonderful students of BBA. She holds a degree in early childhood education from Miami University with a minor in special education. Lauren has worked as a Black Bear Lead Teacher for the past three years where she has refined her techniques to help children progress academically, socially, and emotionally. Lauren has also taken on the role as the Lead of Academic Programs and is excited to promote academic growth in each and every BBA classroom.

Her goal in teaching has always been to guide children as they explore the world around them, and she hopes to help her students progress in every area of development while teaching kindness and caring for others through her own actions. Lauren also believes in parent involvement both inside and outside of the classroom and will continue to work toward a goal of open communication with each family. She is committed to making the classroom a fun environment where each child feels safe, loved, and encouraged to learn and grow.  Lauren also has a passion for the environment of continued education that BBA promotes. She has recently earned her Wilson Reading System Level 1 Certification and is recognized as a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner.

Born and raised in Michigan, Izzy is excited to be able to build a career in the city. Izzy has always had a passion for working with children, and feels lucky to have a career with such an amazing team at BBA. Izzy studied Elementary Education at DePaul University. She then took a gap year to Peru and Costa Rica to teach English. This experience opened her eyes to a variety of teaching styles. Izzy was amazed at the love and hospitality from these programs and schools. After her gap year Izzy finished her Bachelor's degree at Grand Valley State University.  Over the past 3 years Izzy has worked in the JK classroom, 2/3's classroom and the  preschool classroom. She loves how eager her students are to learn not only in the classroom but outside the walls. Her goal in teaching is to make sure students have an environment where they feel safe and engaged. Izzy loves seeing the progress in her students and wants them to see it in themselves as well. Izzy also believes the classroom is a place to challenge  skills. She is willing and committed to help students through difficult challenges that may arise in the classroom. She is committed to making her classroom a place of love, learning, and kindness to all.

Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Kaycee received her BFA in Theatre from Concordia University Chicago. During her time there, she worked as a TA in their Early Childhood Education Center with their 3-5's blended program. It was here that she discovered her love of working with kids, and is continuing her education in ECE at Triton College. She is so excited to begin her 3rd school year at Black Bear Academy! Kaycee is passionate about open communication and collaboration with classroom teachers, parents, and therapists, and believes it is one of the key factors to successful development in the classroom. She strives to make her classroom a safe, fun, and loving learning environment for her students. Outside of the classroom, Kaycee enjoys reading, writing, hiking, cooking, and spending time with friends and family!

Originally from Rockford, Illinois, Morgan studied Special Education (Learning & Behavior) at Illinois State University. She studied abroad in Florence, Italy for a semester, where she learned about community, diversity, and culture and how to encourage this in her classroom. After graduating, Morgan worked as a Primary Cluster teacher in Chicago Public Schools for four years, where she designed and implemented various academic and behavior interventions for students (ages 4-8) with diverse needs. She is passionate about open communication and collaboration with parents and coworkers, meeting the child where they are with their social-emotional and academic development, and maintaining a student-focused approach to teaching. Outside the classroom, Morgan enjoys exploring Chicago, traveling, exercising, and spending quality time with family & friends. She loves the Black Bear community and shows enthusiasm for supporting our students!

Alex is from St. Paul, Minnesota and moved to Chicago 5 years ago. Alex holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from University of Iowa and is continuing her education receiving her masters in Special Education at Purdue. Alex is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment and has dedicated her career to making a positive impact on the lives of young learners. With 4.5 years of experience in the field, Alex has had the privilege of working with preschoolers in both therapeutic and classroom settings. Alex believes in a hands-on and engaging approach to learning, fostering curiosity and a love for education. Outside of work, Alex loves spending time with friends and family, trying new restaurants in Chicago and hanging out with her dog, Biggie.

Amanda is a member of the therapeutic enrichment team and is the Learning Support Team Lead. She was born and raised in Northbrook, Illinois and attended Indiana University in Bloomington where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing science. Before her time at BBA, Amanda worked at the Cove School as both a one-to-one and elementary classroom assistant. She also worked at Westmoor Elementary School as a kindergarten classroom assistant and as supportive staff for both Northern Suburban Special Education District and Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association. Amanda has received training in behavior intervention and has worked closely with the behavior team at her previous schools. She has built strong relationships with students, staff, and parents throughout her career, and she looks forward to continuing assisting in the development of the students at BBA in a variety of classes. She is currently working towards earning her Masters in Social Work at the University of Denver.

Born and raised in Skokie, Illinois, Natasha attended the University of Illinois at Chicago where she studied Psychology and Criminology, Law, and Justice. She has experience as an infant and toddler teacher as well as an ABA therapist, and has previously worked with children ages 3 months to 6 years old. Having experience providing direct and group support in both a therapeutic clinic and school setting, Natasha has been an advocate for children with a variety of needs. She is passionate about bringing compassion and kindness to her classrooms, and loves to watch the progress her students make academically and socially. Outside of the classroom, Natasha enjoys trying new cuisines and traveling to explore different cultures.

Courtney was born and raised in the Chicago area. She attended Indiana University Bloomington for her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology with a focus in child development. After graduating, she moved to Scottsdale, AZ where she was a preschool teacher and quickly became an advocate for her students. After moving back to Chicago a few years later, she worked in a neurodiverse clinic which enabled her to implement teaching and advocacy together with her clients. Courtney frequently worked one on one with her students but was often supporting them in their classrooms as well. She is dedicated to providing the best environment for all learners and to make sure they have fun along the way. She is committed to creating a supportive and engaging community that empowers individuals to reach their full potential. In her free time, she enjoys going to Cub’s games, being with friends and family and exploring new places.

Originally from North Carolina, Kendel just relocated to Chicago this summer! She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Carolina State University and has spent the last 5 years working as a special education preschool teacher. Kendel has worked in early childhood education with children from ages 2-7 years old in a variety of classroom settings. During her time as a teacher she developed a profound interest in the effects that social- emotional learning, early childhood experiences and intervention have on a child's development. After teaching in NC for 5 years, Kendel is excited to shift her career to focus on providing learning support for students at Black Bear Academy. She is eager to be a part of such a collaborative team and work to provide each child with meaningful experiences and skills to promote growth & development in a fun and nurturing environment. During her free time, Kendel enjoys spending time with friends & family, cooking, working out, exploring new restaurants throughout the city!