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)!

Meaghan attended University of Illinois for her undergraduate degree in kinesiology and Davenport University for her master’s degree in occupational therapy. Meaghan has previously worked in a therapeutic school and in a pediatric outpatient setting. She has experience working with children diagnosed with various developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disability. Meaghan is appreciative of Black Bear’s collaborative and interdisciplinary approach that supports each student’s unique needs, and she cannot wait to be part of the therapeutic team. Outside of work, Meaghan enjoys live music, DIY projects, and spending time with family and friends.

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.

Courtney received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and Master’s degree from Western Michigan University in Speech-Language Pathology. Courtney has worked with the pediatric population in a variety of settings, including several diverse elementary and middle schools in Metro Detroit and an outpatient clinic at the WMU Charles Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing clinic, evaluating and treating children with ASD, ADHD, and a wide range of speech and language disorders. Additionally, she has experience working in a rehabilitation center with individuals across the lifespan with traumatic brain injuries. Courtney’s favorite thing about Black Bear is the opportunity for collaboration between disciplines and how passionate all of her colleagues are for each child’s development. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, visiting her home in Michigan, and going to hockey games (Go Red Wings!)

Payton received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Butler University and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Rush University. During her time at Butler University, she led a preschool class for children ages 2-5 and studied the effects of phonological instruction on children’s language development. Throughout her time at Rush University Payton has worked in hospital, public school, and outpatient clinic settings. Payton previously worked at a pediatric private practice providing services in the clinic, as well as homes and schools for children aged 12 months to 18 years old with a wide range of speech, language, and feeding disorders. Her favorite part of working at Black Bear is the ability to collaborate with other disciplines to maximize each child's growth during their time here. Payton is passionate about treating speech sound disorders as well as utilizing play-based therapy approaches for developing and strengthening language skills. In her free time, Payton enjoys traveling, trying new coffee shops around the city, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

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.

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!

Brittney was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, and moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in public relations and advertising and worked in digital media for a few years. During this time, she volunteered at her younger siblings’ schools and realized her passion for education. Brittney returned to DePaul and earned a Master of Education degree with a learning behavior specialist endorsement. Before joining Black Bear, she spent three years as a special education teacher in CPS. She taught students diagnosed with various developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disability, and intellectual disability. Brittney’s teaching philosophy is that all children can learn, and she strives to meet children where they are academically, emotionally, and physically. In her free time, she enjoys reading, being outside, watching Bears’ games, hanging out with family and friends, and relaxing with her two fur-babies: Moses and Willa.

Born and raised in Chicago, IL. Eric obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Columbia College Chicago. He then obtained his Master of Art in teaching from National Louis University. A few years later, he returned to NLU to obtain his special education endorsement.  Eric was a Case Manager/Special Education teacher for three years before joining BBA. Before that, he taught children ages (1-5) in various early childhood programs (Head Start, etc) for 5 years. He is happy to bring it all together here at BBA, where he can be both ECE and special education teacher.

Eric has a passion and love for music and art! He is a writer and has written five novels, numerous short stories, and poems. If he is not writing, he is enjoying riding his bike. He also loves nature as well as calming and exploring his inner self. He enjoys teaching children because they are open and willing to take in everything they can. He hopes to foster their minds to assist in making them understand they are capable of learning anything they desire. He hopes to continue this at BBA!

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.

Vanessa studied Education and Art at Purdue University and  has over 10 years of experience working with children throughout Indiana and Illinois, most recently working as a Preschool teacher and Registered Behavior Technician working with children ages two to 20 on the autism spectrum. She is passionate about creating lesson plans with most anything involving language and communication. Even happier when work involves daily living/adaptive skills as well as pre-academic and social skills. In her free time Vanessa loves to spend time with her family, cooking, traveling, concerts, and reading. She is also an avid practitioner of Krav Maga.

Collin, a passionate individual hailing from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, brings a diverse set of interests to his role as a Learning Support Specialist. With a love for basketball, fishing, and sports, he finds joy in both active pursuits and leisurely activities like taking walks and reading. His appreciation for working with children blossomed during his time at a summer basketball camp, fostering a genuine excitement to help kids achieve their educational and social goals. Collin is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of young learners through his role as a Learning Support Specialist.

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.