Kid's Work Therapy Staff
Dr. Stephanie Foster, PhD, OTR/L RYT500
Founder, Kid’s Work Therapy
I am honored to be your guide on this journey to help your child. After 30-plus years of practicing as an occupational therapist (OT) both in private and school-based settings, my passion is assisting families in understanding their child’s sensory needs. I work with families to help figure out why kids are unable to self-regulate and how to manage meltdowns and other disruptive behaviors. I firmly believe in occupational therapy’s non-pharmacological approach to assisting children in thriving in their true occupations of living, learning, and playing.
Marie Foster
Marie is a highly talented individual who provides behind the scenes help for Kid’s Work Therapy. In the office, she works on billing, managing company finances, and other administrative support.
In her free time, Marie loves to go on adventures with her friends, whether that’s the beach, hiking, or weekend trips to somewhere new. She is currently between schools and will be heading to India in Winter 2022 to work with different community growth initiatives. Marie values the work that Kid’s Work Therapy does and is excited to be a part of the team!
Abby Declines
Website Programmer
Kid’s Work Therapy is excited to have Abby Declines on our team. Abby is currently a Student of Occupation Therapy at Stanbridge University in Irvine, CA. She has a B.S. in kinesiology with a minor in cognitive & behavioral neuroscience from San Diego State University. Growing up, she played tennis and volleyball, and she was also on the SDSU Men’s Rowing team during her time in undergrad.
Abby is eager to gain experience and insight into the world of occupational therapy with KWT via Telehealth by helping kids with physical exercise skills, emotional maturation, and communication. ‘
Melissa Vega
Office Manager and Interactive Metronome Therapist
Kid’s Work is pleased to introduce Ms. Melissa Vega as the newest member of the Kid’s Work family. Ms. Vega has a long career as a professional office manager to several local medical practices. She brings a passion for precision, referral coordination, and accounting. She’s especially good at Quick Books and will make sure your insurance claims are accurately processed.
Ms. Vega is passionate about helping children and families understand their medical insurance, and wants to ensure that children are covered and receive the help they need to function. She shares that at a young age, she felt compassion for children who are differently-abled, and has admired how much love these children hold if you learn how to communicate with them properly. The most important lesson she learned is that all children deserve to be treated with the same respect and care.
When Ms. Vega is not working, she’s actively riding her bicycle around Santa Maria and helping the homeless with necessities. She’s a proud grandmother and is very close to her family. She’s the pet owner of a beautiful lizard named “Lucky Lucy”. One fun fact about her is that she used to drive race cars for fun. Nowadays, you can see her driving her favorite PT Cruiser around town.
Kayla Nicholson
