Meet the Team
We view our personal relationships with our families as a privileged role, and never lose sight of the enormous trust placed in our hands. Together, we can celebrate the “inchstones” as well as the “milestones” that mark each child’s progress toward their goals.
Yulia
Speech Language Pathologist
Yulia Zach received her Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Purdue University in Indiana. During her years of graduate school, she became certain she wanted to be a pediatric therapist, and her experience in a pediatric setting only confirmed her passion for helping children learn, communicate, and think. Yulia believes that children learn best through play and relationships, and her little clients know that she respects them and their interests. She has worked with children 1-18 years old with various needs and developmental levels. Yulia has completed extensive training on developing communication skills in children on the Autism Spectrum and earned an Advanced Certificate in the DIR Floortime model. Yulia is also interested in bilingualism as she and her family speak three languages: English, Russian, and German. She is married and has two beautiful daughters, one of them on the spectrum. Yulia loves reading, biking, hiking, and traveling with her family and dog Maxwell.
Jennifer
Occupational Therapist
Jennifer graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy. She has over 25 years of experience working in pediatrics in a variety of settings including hospital, clinic, home, and community. Jennifer began her career at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis before transitioning into owning her own practice providing contracted services in early intervention. After living her whole life in Indiana, Jennifer and her husband moved to Scottsdale in early 2023.
Over the years, Jennifer has worked with children of all ages, but has developed a niche providing services to infants and toddlers. She has experience with a variety of complex diagnoses. Specialty areas include oral-motor and sensory-based feeding challenges, sensory processing differences, motor development and extreme prematurity. Jennifer is comfortable working with medically fragile children and has developed a thorough understanding of the complex bodily systems impacting occupational performance.
Jennifer’s enjoyment in working with families is palpable. She strives to empower parents by providing holistic support and education about all aspects of their child’s development. She realizes each child’s journey is unique and she utilizes a variety of tools and techniques to tailor treatment plans to the distinctive needs of the child and family.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys yoga, outdoor fitness, cooking and spending time with her husband, three daughters and her dog, Phoebe.
Jordan
Speech Language Pathologist
Sarah
Occupational Therapist
Sarah is a pediatric occupational therapist who graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Occupational Science and a Master of Occupational Therapy. She has always known that she wanted to work in the medical field, and when she found out that there was a job that combined eating, playing, crafting, and teaching children to grow up to be the most successful versions of themselves – she knew that occupational therapy was a perfect fit. Sarah has worked in a variety of settings, including an intensive feeding program, private practice, outpatient clinics utilizing hippotherapy and aquatic therapy, and pediatric home health with a strong focus on feeding and sensory integration.
Sarah has completed the Certificate Program in Sensory Integration from the University of Southern California with coursework specified to address Sensory Integration for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum and Sensory Based Feeding and Eating Challenges. She is also trained in the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding (SOS Approach), TummyTime! Method, and Therapeutic Listening, and is proud to have completed over 100 hours of continuing education focused on infant and child feeding.
Jordan
Speech Language Pathologist
Jordan Wakser is a speech-language pathologist from Phoenix, AZ. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona and her master’s degree from Northern Arizona University. Since graduation, Jordan has worked in clinical settings with the pediatric population targeting all aspects of speech and language treatment, specializing in oral-motor pediatric feeding disorders. Outside work, Jordan can be found trying new restaurants and hanging out with friends and family!
Sheida
Occupational Therapist
Sheida received her doctorate in occupational therapy from Northern Arizona University. During the program, she had the opportunity to complete pediatric-focused projects, including an internship with the Institute for Human Development, an evidence-based program for teenagers with autism and eating disorders, and a self-regulation program for families using neurofeedback. Sheida has experience working with adults and children across various settings, including outpatient, acute care, and inpatient rehab. She has an advanced skill set in sensory integration, neuro rehab, and trauma-informed care. With certifications in brain injury, stroke rehabilitation, neuromuscular facilitation techniques, and kinesiotaping, she brings a versatile background to support families and their children’s specialized needs.
Originally from California, she has lived in Arizona for over four years. She is excited to make this her new home. She has a passion for working with children and their families to improve outcomes through therapy, with a focus on education, collaboration, and the magic ingredient – play! Outside work, Sheida enjoys spending time with her husband and friends, traveling, exploring new restaurants around town, and being a fur mom to her two dogs, Luna and Riley.
Grace
Speech Language Pathologist
Grace Chermack (M.S., CCC-SLP) is a speech language pathologist from Scottsdale, Arizona. She received dual bachelor’s degrees in Speech & Hearing Sciences and Family & Human Development from Arizona State University. She received her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from A.T. Still University.
Since graduation, Grace has gained experience providing care to clients of all ages from infancy through adulthood in both clinical and post-acute care settings. With a deep commitment to person-centered care, Grace believes every child deserves individualized support that empowers them to thrive in their communication and daily lives. She brings warmth, creativity, and evidence-based strategies to her therapy sessions, helping children and their families navigate complex speech, language, and feeding needs with confidence and compassion.
Outside of work, Grace enjoys fitness classes, getting outdoors, trying new coffee shops, and spending time with her friends and family.
Liz
Occupational Therapist
Liz received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Northern Arizona University. Before receiving her degree in Occupational Therapy, Liz was a Kindergarten and First-grade teacher in Flagstaff, where she fell in love with working with children and their families. Liz has extensive clinical experience working with diverse populations in acute care, pediatric, and neurological settings. She has developed a strong interest in expanding her expertise in feeding and developmental milestones. Liz adopts a comprehensive, child-centered approach, placing emphasis on the whole child and celebrating each developmental milestone along the way. She understands the importance of involving families in this process and collaborates closely with them to ensure the highest quality of care. When not at work, Liz can be found baking, reading, playing with her dog Winston, and spending time with her husband.
Laurel
Owner – Occupational Therapist
The founder of Little Roos is Laurel McMillan, MA, OTR/L, an occupational therapist specializing in infant and pediatric therapy services. She is a graduate of the University of San Diego and earned her master’s degree at the University of Southern California. She has many years of specialized experience treating infants in a variety of settings, including outpatient rehabilitation, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and in the community. Laurel has thorough experience and knowledge in infant development, specifically motor skill acquisition and feeding development. She is eager to support families every step of their journey and help their little ones thrive.
Matt
Director of Services
Meet Matt, the Director of Services at Little Roos, who brings a wealth of experience to our team. With a background in software development and leadership, Matt is a strategic thinker and problem-solver, committed to delivering high-quality pediatric therapy services.
Outside of work, Matt enjoys playing music and spending time with his family. He brings his passion for creativity and collaboration to his work at Little Roos, where he is constantly seeking new ways to improve our therapy services.