Padra Smith is the founder and clinical director of Mighty Minds and Muscles who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Physical Education from Arizona State University. After obtaining her B.S., she pursued a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University School of Medicine and trained at Mayo Clinic & the University of Champaign Hospital and Clinics (and other locations). To build on her exercise and research background, when Padra continued her studies at Washington University School of Medicine she studied how cognition develops and changes through the life cycle. Additionally, she studied how the physical environment affects one's ability to participate and be successful in the world. She also took care of a child with severe physical and mental disabilities and traveled internationally with and assisted a professional adult with quadriplegia on a daily basis. These experiences inspired her to develop her practice using neurodevelopmental therapeutic interventions and coaching strategies. In addition to providing O.T. services, Padra also incorporates her skills as a Professional Organizer in order to help clients and their families to interact with their belongings and successfully complete life tasks in a calm organized fashion. She also acts as a consultant to a number of schools and provides teacher and parent workshops regularly. Padra is constantly promoting her own knowledge and seeks to grow with each client as they grow and learn. Padra also provides mentorship to other therapists and emerging clinicians. Padra is a Certified Tomatis Method® Practitioner, Certified Therapeutic Listening Provider, Certified iLS Provider and Certified in Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) and a Licensed Cellfield Reading Intervention provider. She is also training in the Masgutova Sensory Neural Reflex Integration program. She is very experienced in Handwriting Without Tears, Balametrics, Astronaut Training, The Alert Program and incorporates concepts related to Orton Gillingham, Writer's Workshop, Singapore Math, Brain Gym, Beckman's Oral Motor Techniques, NDT and many more programs. When she is not working Padra loves to spend time with her devoted husband, visit with her family and friends, read, design (anything), cooking, photography, arts & crafts, going to the movies or shows and most of all she loves to travel.

Kate joined the MMM clinic team with a wealth of experience working with families and children in homes, clinics, and ABA center based schools. She graduated from Seton Hall University with a Masters degree of Occupational Science and jumped head first into the Early Intervention program for babies/toddlers 0-3 years old. She believes strongly in the benefits of a therapeutic connection between child and therapist. She strives to give each child specific challenges to watch themselves attempt, fail, learn, grow, and succeed in their therapeutic activities and exercises. She has experience with selective eaters, delayed fine motor, increasing social skills, and leading group therapy sessions. Outside of her work hours she enjoys meditation, playing piano, yoga, sweets, and jogging. She is recommitting herself to learn how to cook dinner meals for her family and always tinkering around making DIY toys for fine motor.

Gaby is a bilingual speech and language therapist with over a decade of experience working with toddlers, children and adolescents with a variety of speech, language, communication and feeding challenges. Gaby has worked with children of all abilities and ages in both English and Spanish through Early Intervention, in public and private schools, and in private practice. A native New Yorker, Gaby attended Stuyvesant High School and later Vassar College. Discovering speech and language pathology allowed Gaby to integrate her background in both hard sciences and liberal arts with a passion for linguistic and cultural diversity. She went on to graduate from Teachers College at Columbia University with a Masters of Science in Communication Disorders and certification as a bilingual Teacher of Speech and Language Disabilities. Gaby takes a holistic approach to treatment-- considering the whole person while using a collaborative model that incorporates caregivers, educators, medical professionals, OTs, and PTs as partners in care. Starting from the foundation of a trusting and engaging therapeutic relationship, each session is customized to support each child in building on their strengths and facing their challenges in a fun and functional way. Her experiences with neurodiverse children and young adults further shaped her approach to therapy as highly individualized and based on addressing all the client's needs from the physical to the sensory, and in turn supporting more effective communication. Gaby is excited to be a part of the Therapy Cooperative @ Mighty Minds and Muscles, which fosters the collaboration of therapists across these disciplines to best support the client. Gaby lives locally in downtown Manhattan and loves to spend her free time with her husband and young daughter exploring the many adventures NYC has to offer. Credentials: · DIR-Floortime Trained · PROMPT Trained · Solid Starts Foundations for Feeding · Certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association · Certified Bilingual Speech Therapist and Teacher for Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD-bi) from Teachers College at Columbia University

Kelly Burton is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Clinical Manager who joined team MMM in 2022! As one of our primary liaisons for families, she ensures that every child's journey is filled with empathy, compassion, and careful guidance. Kelly is passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children. She is trained as a Certified Autism Specialist, equipping her with additional education and understanding of the sensory processing systems, behavior interventions, and how symptoms of ASD may impact the many areas of occupations in childhood. Kelly is an advocate for lifelong learning, holding certifications in Masgutova Neurological Reflex Integration (MNRI), Therapeutic Listening, and Interactive Metronome interventions. With a wealth of experience in treating children with ADHD, ASD, SPD, and global developmental delays, she employs a holistic, bottom-up approach to therapy. From creating customized home exercise plans to leading innovative programs like our Summer’S COOL camp, Kelly believes that therapy should be both effective and fun! When she isn’t helping children reach their goals, you might find her enjoying a new restaurant, walking through Central Park, in a workout class, or cooking a new recipe at home or with friends! With a blend of expertise, creativity, and a whole lot of heart, Kelly is proud to be part of a team that transforms lives one playful interaction at a time!

Catherine Procopio is a physical therapist with 30 years experience working with children and their families. She has certification in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, NeuroDevelopmental Treatment, Zero Balancing, and Soaring Crane Qigong. She also has extensive experience with Yoga, Aikido and meditation. She has found that Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy has been the most transformative therapy she has used in her practice. She looks forward to meeting and sharing these mind/body therapy techniques with you, no matter what your age!

Jayme joined the MMM OT team in 2024 after working in various other pediatric settings in New York City and New Jersey. She is a NJ native and graduated with her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University in January 2016, with over 8 years of experience in the field. She has over 6 years of experience working in pediatrics settings, including in sensory gyms, Early Intervention, NICU, PICU, and schools, using push in and pull out methods. She comes from a DIR/Floortime and NDT background and is trained in DIR/Floortime 101, Astronaut Training Protocol, Therapeutic Listening Program, and Pediatric NDT. She has worked with children with a variety of conditions including ASD, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Rett Syndrome, motor delays, genetic conditions, torticollis, and more. She also has Basic CPR/First Aid and Seizure Recognition training. Prior to her pediatric journey she worked with patients with various neuromuscular, orthopedic, cardiac, neurological and traumatic conditions in an acute care setting. She believes the best part of working as an OT is the connection you make with a child and their family. She prioritizes taking a holistic approach, working from the bottom up, and following a child’s lead during treatment sessions. Outside of work, you can find Jayme running around NYC, training for her next marathon. She also enjoys daily crosswords, trying new coffee shops and watching Jeopardy.

As a physical therapist, Dr. Morlaye Kamara has nearly a decade and a half of success improving the quality of life for his clients in both pediatric and adult care. He’s an expert at identifying movement dysfunction in the body’s complex kinetic chain. Rather than focusing on a particular source of pain, or developmental delay, Dr. Morlaye’s approach is to evaluate the body as an interconnected system, including his patients’ psychology, to accurately diagnose and effectively treat his patients. His mode of treatment always includes building self confidence through movement and enhancing his patients’ physical abilities. Dr. Morlaye received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Hunter College in New York City and holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles. He has worked with patients across all ages, from newborns to the elderly. Dr. Morlaye is an avid traveler and has visited over 80 countries! He is very creative and artistic, frequently engaging in projects where he is tasked to build things and create art installations. Through his love of art and innate sensitivity to others' energy and individuality, he is able to create immediate and strong connections with his patients to help them gain as much as possible out of their time together. He brought his skillset to the National Wheelchair Rugby team and created the organization “Project Guinea”, which provides clothing, toys and physical therapy for underprivileged children and adults in West Africa.

Alison is an elementary general education and special education teacher. She provides Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) at Mighty Minds and Muscles, both in our Tribeca clinic and in schools.  Alison studied communications and culture at Clark University, then went on to study elementary education at Manhattanville College. She has been teaching since 2014 and is New York State certified in both general education and special education. Her specialty is teaching early literacy using a structured literacy approach (otherwise known as Orton-Gillingham or OG). Alison has worked with students ranging from 4 - 12 years old with neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, speech and language disorders, intellectual disabilities, pathological demand avoidance (PDA), and various learning disabilities.  One of her favorite aspects about teaching at Mighty Minds and Muscles is collaborating with Occupational Therapists and Speech/Language Pathologists so she can expand her teaching toolkit!

Maggie is a passionate Pediatric Occupational Therapist with a heart for helping kids thrive! She graduated with her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Bay Path University in Massachusetts in 2021 and has gained valuable experience working in both school and sensory gym settings. Currently rocking it at a private school and the sensory gym, she brings creativity and collaboration to therapy sessions, weaving fun and a bottom-up approach into skill-building activities that enhance motor, sensory, and social skills. Maggie is committed to lifelong learning, having completed continuing education courses in motor planning, sensory diets, quick shifts, and the Zones of Regulation. She loves working alongside teachers and team members to make every day an opportunity for growth and learning. Outside of work, a fun fact: Maggie was born and raised in Minnesota, which fuels her love for exploring the vibrant streets of downtown Manhattan—so don’t hesitate to say hi if you see her out and about! She enjoys leisurely walks with her dog, Frankie, and cherishes traveling with her husband, especially when they get the chance to visit family back in Minnesota.

Fahim comes to the Mighty Minds and Muscles team with 14 years of classroom teaching and tutoring experience in grades ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade. He graduated with a B.A. degree in English from Cornell University, went on to complete a MSEd degree from Hunter College, and earned a dual New York State certification in Childhood Education and Special Education. While at the Bronx Charter School for Better Learning, he was nominated for New York State Teacher of the Year and his students in grades 3-5 regularly outperformed the city and state averages in examinations for ELA, Math, and Science. He has worked extensively in inclusive classroom settings, helping students achieve over 90% of their IEP goals. He was also a Coding and Robotics Coordinator, guiding his First Lego League team to the city finals. His greatest joy is in seeing his students cultivate a love of learning and in seeing his students achieve personal and academic goals, whether it is learning the alphabet, understanding the Pythagorean theorem, achieving the dexterity to throw a football, or figuring out just how to make friends. Fahim’s main extracurricular passion is traveling. His travels abroad have included 16 countries, including a six-month assignment as an English language teacher in Thailand. His experiences abroad have brought him into contact with a multitude of wonderful human beings who have both broadened and deepened his perspective of the world.

Roopali has been an occupational therapist for 10 years after receiving her Master’s of Occupational Therapy from Seton Hall University in 2014. Roopali brings empathy to her practice with her lived experiences of providing therapy for her own child, and excels at providing parental support during her OT sessions. She is skilled in creating home programs and family trainings with her years in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. Seeking out opportunities to continue to excel, Roopali has taken continuing education courses in early intervention, sensory processing and movement analysis. In her spare time, Roopali is a trained classical Indian dancer, pageant contestant and a local director for a national pageant system. As a mother of 2 young girls, Roopali is a guest moderator for the Jersey City Moms group. She looks forward to providing excellent care to your child!

Emma is a native of Massachusetts and attended the University of Delaware for her undergraduate degree, receiving a Bachelor of Science. She went on to receive a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She comes to Mighty Minds and Muscles with experience working with children with a diagnosis of Autism and is LSVT BIG for Parkinson’s certified. Emma is passionate about working with the pediatric population; increasing their participation and independence in all aspects of life. She is enthusiastic about building a strong rapport with clients and families to be able to work as a team together to support any child. She is eager to make a positive impact in the lives of the children she serves. As a new resident of New York City, Emma loves to explore the city and walk on the west side highway. When she is not in the clinic, she likes trying new restaurants and new workout classes with friends. Emma is excited to continue growing both professionally and personally in her role at Mighty Minds and Muscles.

Esmé Erdynast is a dedicated pediatric occupational therapist with a deep commitment to supporting children and families through meaningful, client-centered care. A graduate of Columbia University's Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program, Esmé joined the Mighty Minds and Muscles team in 2024, and has been working with children for 5 years. Esmé is a certified Trauma-Informed Care clinician and is passionate about integrating mental health awareness and nurturing emotional intelligence into occupational therapy. She believes that emotional well-being is a crucial component of a child’s overall development and strives to create safe environments where children can feel heard, supported, and empowered. Esmé’s approach is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based techniques, ensuring that each therapy session is tailored to meet the individual needs, interests, and strengths of the child. Esmé is excited to continue her work at Mighty Minds and Muscles, where she combines her knowledge of trauma-informed care, sensory integration, and child development to provide comprehensive, individualized care. She is deeply committed to helping children not only develop the skills they need to succeed but also feel confident, capable, and understood every step of the way.

Malinda continuously works to transform Padra's creative thoughts into a final product she loves!