About Us
One Team. Endless Dedication.
We are Sunny Pediatric Services — a unified team of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and lactation consultants serving families across the Big Bend region of Florida.
What We Do
Comprehensive Early Intervention
Every service we offer is rooted in one goal — helping your child reach their full potential as early as possible.
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Speech Therapy
Our speech-language pathologists support babies and toddlers with challenges related to breastfeeding and bottle feeding, tongue-ties, transitioning to solids, oral motor skills, and safe swallowing. We also address speech and language delays, limited vocabulary, difficulty understanding or following directions, social communication skills, and play development.
Through family-centered, play-based intervention, we help children build strong foundations for communication, feeding, and overall development during the most critical early years.
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Occupational therapy
Our occupational therapists address fine motor development, sensory processing, self-regulation, feeding participation, visual-motor skills, and early self-help skills such as dressing and utensil use. We work closely with families to support children who may struggle with attention, transitions, body awareness, or tolerating textures and new experiences. Through play-based, relationship-centered intervention, we help children build the skills they need to thrive at home, daycare, and beyond.
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Physical therapy
Our physical therapists address concerns such as torticollis, plagiocephaly, delayed gross motor milestones (rolling, sitting, crawling, walking), muscle weakness, asymmetrical movement patterns, and balance difficulties. We provide play-based, developmentally appropriate interventions and caregiver coaching to help children move confidently and safely within their natural environments. Our goal is to support strong motor foundations that allow children to explore, play, and engage fully in daily life.
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Lactation consulting
Our International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) provides comprehensive breastfeeding and infant feeding support, including latch difficulties, nipple pain, milk supply concerns, slow weight gain, reflux symptoms, bottle transitions, and pumping guidance. Our goal is to empower families with practical strategies, education, and individualized support to
promote confident, successful feeding experiences.
Meet Our Team
The People Behind the Practice
Highly trained specialists who are as passionate about your child’s progress as you are.
Annika Suarez
MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC, CIMI-2
Speech-Language Pathologist
Owner
Lactation Consultant
Infant Massage Instructor
Owner of Sunny Baby, she is a speech-language pathologist specializing in infant and toddler
feeding since 2012. She has extensive training in the evaluation and treatment of infant feeding
challenges, including tongue-tie, breastfeeding and bottle-feeding difficulties, and oral-motor
dysfunction. She is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and a
certified infant massage instructor. Through her work, she supports families in developing safe,
effective, and positive feeding experiences for their babies. She serves families throughout
Tallahassee, Florida
“Tina” Vallone
MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Clinical Director
Christina Vallone completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at Florida State University. There, she received extensive training on using an interdisciplinary approach for the treatment of development disabilities in pediatric patients through their KIDDs grant program. Christina has experience treating individuals of all ages, from children to elderly adults in a variety of settings including acute care, pediatric outpatient, home health, and elementary, middle, and high school settings. Christina is very excited to be a part of the team at Sunny Pediatric Services, working with children and their families to enhance their language development and feeding skills. She serves children in Tallahassee, FL and surrounding areas.
Caitlin Boland
MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Caitlin Boland is from Fort Lauderdale, FL. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Florida and her master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at Nova Southeastern University. She has experience treating the pediatric population in the public school setting in the areas of autism spectrum disorder, AAC, articulation/phonological disorders, receptive and expressive language, and fluency. She has received specialized training in the DIR/Floortime Model. Caitlin is very excited to be a part of the team at Sunny Pediatric Services, working with children and their families to enhance their language development and communication skills. Caitlin serves children in Tallahassee, Monticello, FL and surrounding areas.
Dr. Mari Therrien
PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Pediatric physical therapist with 20+ years of experience specializing in early intervention and caregiver coaching. Has helped many families avoid cranial remodeling helmets for torticollis and plagiocephaly. Researcher with FSU’s Family Guided Routines Based Intervention program. Passionate advocate for empowering families.
Amanda Crawford
MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Amanda Crawford is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who specializes in
feeding therapy and early communication development for infants and toddlers during
the critical birth-to-three years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Florida State
University in 2012 and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the
University of South Florida in 2014. During graduate school she enjoyed working at a
pediatric medical daycare with medically fragile children as well at Moffitt Cancer
Center. Amanda has worked in a variety of settings including an inpatient rehabilitation/
skilled nursing facility, outpatient therapy, a hospital, and over 10 years experience in
home health care. She is passionate about supporting young children and partnering
with families to help them thrive. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending time with
her husband, her three-year-old daughter, and their pets.
Saint Claire Mottley
MSOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Specializing in self-regulation & sensory-motor strategies, Saint Claire has a service history providing direct therapeutic care for pediatric clients aged 0-21 in Florida & community-based/built programs for people aged 0-100+ worldwide. She is passionate about providing general lifestyle & occupational therapy services to families who do not receive person-centered services otherwise. She is excited to be a part of the Tallahassee care team.
Dr. Alexandra Hultstrom
PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Alexandra Hultstrom earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Duke University
and completed a pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins. Alexandra has experience across
outpatient, acute care, and early intervention settings, with extensive training in working with
medically complex infants and children. She is passionate about supporting their development
during the earliest and most critical stages of life. Alexandra is dedicated to empowering
families with knowledge about their child’s gross motor development and providing evidence
based, family-centered care that helps children reach their fullest potential
Sandy Thermidor
MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Sandy completed her Bachelor’s degree at Florida A&M University (FAMU) and
her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Florida State University. During her
graduate training, Sandy developed strong skills in using an interdisciplinary approach when
working with pediatric patients with developmental disabilities. Sandy has experience working
with individuals across the lifespan, from young children to older adults in various settings,
including outpatient clinic and elementary school environments. Sandy is excited to be part of
the Sunny Pediatric Services team and is dedicated to supporting children’s communication
and feeding development.
Madison Kenworthy
Business Administrator
Madison has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management in Healthcare and
serves as the Business Administrator for a pediatric therapy practice. In her role, she helps
oversee daily operations and supports a team dedicated to helping children thrive through
early intervention therapy services. Madison has a strong passion for working with the pediatric
population and is committed to helping families access the care and resources their children
need to grow and succeed. Her background in healthcare management allows her to combine
strong organizational skills with a dedication to compassionate, family-centered care. Outside
of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and visiting Disney whenever she can. She
values balancing her professional goals with creating meaningful connections with the families
and children she serves.
Dr. Cassidy Vescelus
PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Cassidy is a dedicated pediatric physical therapist who is passionate about helping
children reach their highest potential through play-based, family-centered care. She earned her
undergraduate degree from Florida Atlantic University, where she played collegiate soccer, and
went on to receive her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Georgia Southern University.
Cassidy has a special interest in supporting infants and young children with developmental
delays, neuromotor conditions, and sensory-motor challenges. She strives to create a fun,
supportive environment where children feel confident and families feel empowered. Outside of
work, she enjoys staying active, exploring nature, traveling, and spending time with her
husband and their two dogs. Cassidy is excited to join the team at Sunny Pediatric Services
and looks forward to supporting the children and families in the community.
Kelsey Leasure
MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kelsey completed her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders
from Edinboro University and received her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from West
Chester University of Pennsylvania. She brings a wide of clinical experience working with
preschool through high school aged students, facilitating speech and language skills, and has
also served the geriatric population in skilled nursing facilities, where she developed a passion
for swallow rehabilitation. Kelsey looks forward to a career dedicated to educating and
coaching families and facilitating infant and toddler oral motor and feeding skills.
Kayla Carter
Patient Care Coordinator
Hi! I’m Kayla Carter. I’m the Patient Care Coordinator for Sunny Pediatric Services. I
grew up in Alabama and now reside in Quincy. I’ve been married since 2017, and my
husband and I have one daughter. In my free time, I enjoy reading and baking. As the
Patient Care Coordinator, I enjoy supporting our families by helping with scheduling and
making the therapy process as smooth as possible. I’m happy to be part of a team that
supports children and families in the community.
Ready to Take the First Step? ☀️
Whether you’re concerned about your newborn’s feeding or your toddler’s speech, our friendly team is here to help. Reach out today — we’d love to talk.