Meet the Coastal KIDS Team
Every therapist at Coastal KIDS shares a commitment to individualized, family-centered care.
Kali Penders, DPT
Owner | Pediatric Physical Therapist
Kali is a pediatric physical therapist who partners closely with families to support each child’s unique journey. With a warm, individualized approach, she focuses on helping children build confidence, strength, and functional movement in ways that feel natural and supportive.
Kali earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University, where she gained extensive clinical experience at major Boston hospitals and completed certification in Early Intervention. She brings over 20 years of pediatric experience across hospital, school, and Birth to Three settings, and is certified in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT). She founded Coastal KIDS to provide family-centered care in a welcoming environment where children feel safe and parents feel heard.
Outside of the clinic, Kali is a local shoreline mom raising two daughters. She is active in the PTO and Madison Chamber, and enjoys running, paddle boarding, and relaxing with a good book on the beach.
Special interests include:
Prematurity • Torticollis & plagiocephaly • Neurological and genetic disorders • Orthopedic injuries • NDT
Emily Messerschmidt, DPT
Pediatric Physical Therapist
Emily is a pediatric physical therapist who is passionate about supporting each child’s therapy journey with a fun, positive, family-centered approach. She celebrates every milestone, big or small, and strives to make children and their family feel capable and confident every step of the way.
Emily earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Elon University and has experience working in outpatient pediatrics at Yale New Haven Hospital. She brings experience in supporting children with diverse needs, including gross motor delay, adaptive equipment management, and cancer rehabilitation.
Outside of the clinic, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, trying new recipes, and going to the beach.
Special interests include:
Neurological and genetic disorders • Adaptive equipment • Cancer Rehabilitation • Gross motor delay • Torticollis & plagiocephaly
Chelsea Bradley, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Chelsea is the Lead Occupational Therapist at Coastal KIDS and enjoys partnering with families to help children build skills for everyday life through play and meaningful activities. She values following each child’s lead and using their interests to support progress toward child- and family-specific goals.
Chelsea earned her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Washington and began her career in Seattle before relocating to the East Coast to be closer to family. She brings a diverse pediatric background with experience in outpatient clinics, Birth to Three programs, and school-based settings.
Outside of work, Chelsea is a mom of two young children and enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and dog.
Special interests include:
Feeding therapy (SOS approach for picky eaters) • Sensory processing differences • Autism spectrum diagnoses • Executive functioning • Fine motor delays • Handwriting and typing development
Sarah Flanagan, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Sarah is a pediatric occupational therapist with a strong passion for supporting children with neurological and genetic differences. She values a holistic, family-centered, and play-based approach, creating meaningful activities that help children build skills and confidence in everyday life.
Sarah earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Scranton and has experience working in Birth to Three programs, outpatient pediatric clinics, and school-based settings. She brings unique experience in designing and implementing sensory rooms in elementary schools and enjoys helping families create sensory-friendly spaces within their homes.
Outside of the clinic, Sarah enjoys baking new recipes and spending time outdoors, especially walking by the beach.
Special interests include:
Neurological and genetic conditions • Feeding therapy • Visual and fine motor delays • Sensory processing differences • Autism spectrum disorder
Anne Koba, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Anne is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 30 years of experience supporting children and families. She brings a thoughtful, practical approach to therapy, helping children build independence and confidence in their everyday routines across home and school environments.
Anne earned her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University and a Master of Science in Special Education with a concentration in Assistive Technology from Southern Connecticut State University. She has extensive experience in school-based and early intervention settings and is also a full-time Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Hartford.
Special interests include:
Assistive technology • Emotional regulation • Sensory processing • Fine motor development • Activities of daily living
Marissa Pesce, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Marissa is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 10 years of experience working with children and families across a variety of settings. She enjoys incorporating movement into therapy sessions to help children stay engaged while building skills that support participation at home, school, and play.
Marissa earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Connecticut and her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Boston University. She has experience working in hospital, outpatient clinic, and school-based settings, and is currently expanding her knowledge in primitive reflex integration strategies.
Outside of the clinic, Marissa enjoys staying active through movement and exercise, including teaching Barre and Pilates classes. She also loves spending time outdoors with her husband, son, and dog.
Special interests include:
Emotional regulation • Sensory processing challenges • Handwriting and visual-motor development • Feeding therapy (picky eating) • Fine motor delays
Hannah Joyner, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Hannah is a pediatric occupational therapist who values child-led play as the foundation for meaningful growth and learning. She is passionate about providing family-centered care and building strong, collaborative relationships with families to support each child’s unique strengths and needs.
Hannah earned her Masters of Occupational Therapy from Worcester State University. She has experience working in schools, as well as outpatient pediatric clinics. She is currently expanding her knowledge in aquatics to support children with sensory processing concerns and motor skill development.
Outside of the clinic, Hannah enjoys baking, running, and spending time with friends/family.
Special Interests:
Therapeutic Listening
Sensory processing
Feeding
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Fine motor skills
Aquatics Therapy
Sarah Coley, M.S. CCC-SLP
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist
Sarah is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who enjoys supporting children and families in building strong communication and feeding skills. She values early, individualized intervention and works closely with families to support development through play-based and functional activities.
Sarah earned her undergraduate degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from the University of Connecticut and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. Her clinical interests include early language development, pediatric feeding disorders, gestalt language processing, and the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to support meaningful communication.
Outside of the clinic, Sarah enjoys yoga, baking, spending time in nature, and going on walks with her husband and daughter.
Special interests include:
Early language development • Autism spectrum disorders • Speech sound disorders • Pediatric feeding disorders (oral-motor and sensory-based) • Newborn and infant feeding therapy
Elizabeth Traversaz, M.S. CCC-SLP
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist
Elizabeth is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who grew up on the shoreline and was inspired to enter the field by her younger brother. She enjoys partnering with families to support children’s communication and feeding skills through thoughtful, individualized care.
Elizabeth earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders from Southern Connecticut State University and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. She has experience working in Birth to Three programs, outpatient clinics, and school-based settings throughout Connecticut. Her clinical interests include neonatal feeding challenges as well as neurological and genetic conditions.
Outside of the clinic, Elizabeth enjoys walking at Hammonasset, reading a good book, and spending beach days with her family.
Special interests include:
Early development • Speech sound disorders • Autism spectrum disorders • Pediatric feeding disorders
Maegan Onofrio, M.S. CCC-SLP
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist
Maegan is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who enjoys supporting children and families through early intervention and individualized, play-based therapy. She values building strong connections with families while helping children develop communication skills that support confidence and daily participation.
Maegan earned her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Duquesne University. Her professional interests include working with children in Birth to Three programs, pediatric feeding disorders, expressive and receptive language delays, articulation challenges, and fluency disorders.
Outside of the clinic, Maegan enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, coaching high school softball, and hiking with her two shepherds, Nova and Zulu.
Special interests include:
Articulation disorders • Expressive and receptive language delays • Stuttering disorders • Pediatric feeding disorders • Early intervention
Melissa Biondi, LCSW
Transition Specialist | Social Skills & Life Coaching
Melissa is a social worker and transition specialist with over 23 years of experience supporting students, families, and school communities across Connecticut. She is passionate about helping adolescents and young adults with disabilities build the skills needed for independence, self-advocacy, and meaningful participation in their communities.
Melissa earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Sacred Heart University and her Master of Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University. She has completed advanced training in Social Thinking (Michelle Garcia Winner) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) with Dr. George Sugai. For more than a decade, her work has focused on supporting individuals ages 18–22 through transition planning, social communication development, and life skills programming.
Outside of work, Melissa enjoys time with her husband, two children, and her Labradoodle, Boomer.
Special interests include:
Transition services • Life coaching for young adults with disabilities • Positive behavioral systems • Social communication skills
Jennifer Berluti
Adminstrative Coordinator
Jennifer provides administrative support to the Coastal KIDS team and is often the first friendly voice families connect with. She is passionate about child development and helping families feel supported, informed, and welcomed from their very first interaction.
Jennifer earned her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of New Haven. The mission of Coastal KIDS—to empower children to succeed at home and in their communities—aligns closely with her values as a parent. Jennifer homeschools her three children, and together they enjoy spending time outdoors, traveling, and pursuing their passions.
Jennifer is here to guide you through the process and help make getting started feel easy.
