Our Team
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much" - Helen Keller
Our Team
Michelle Hand and Keiri Porter, the owners of Butterfly Paediatric Therapy Inc., are Physiotherapists with a combined 45+ years experience in paediatrics, working in the community, at Children’s Treatment Centres, and in private practice.
While their focus and education have gone in slightly different directions, their treatment philosophies, passions and goals are similar. Butterfly’s vision is to be the #1 paediatric therapy service provider in the GTA, providing families with specialized care for their children.
Whether your child has special needs, an orthopaedic injury, sensory processing difficulties, fine motor delays and handwriting difficulties, feeding issues, challenges with school performance or a communication disorder, Butterfly’s multidisciplinary team of therapists will work one-on-one with your child to enhance performance, increase independence and decrease frustrations.
Butterfly’s goal is to increase access to care, provide a convenient location for families and offer multidisciplinary services in one central location. Butterfly is an environment designed specifically for children to be fun and motivating while also being therapeutic.
Occupational Therapy
Speech And Language Pathology
Client Experience
Physiotherapy
Michelle Hand
Physiotherapist – Clinic Owner
Working with children with special needs became a passion for Michelle when she was in school for Physiotherapy and inspired her to start her career at ErinoakKids Children’s Treatment Centre. Michelle’s skills as a therapist include Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME Level 3), Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), functional strength and exercise, Kinesiotaping and gait training. Michelle believes in a hands-on treatment approach, and sees the potential in every child she works with, challenging them to be the best that they can be!
Opening Butterfly Paediatric Therapy with Keiri Porter was the most challenging and exciting thing Michelle has ever accomplished. Working with children of all abilities, in an environment that is created for them to thrive, is what gets Michelle out of bed every day. As a business owner and mentor, Michelle is looking forward to sharing her experiences and knowledge with the wonderful staff around her at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy in hopes of growing the business and helping more children spread their wings!
Learn More About Michelle:
- If Michelle could teleport anywhere in the world, she would go to the French Polynesian Islands.
- If Michelle had an elephant, she would have a water fight with it!
- Michelle is embarrassed to admit that the movie Jaws scares her.
Keiri Porter
Physiotherapist – Clinic Owner
When Keiri was first interested in being a physiotherapist she was passionate about anatomy, and loved teaching. With increased experience and a few opportunities to see children, Keiri realized how inspiring and empowering it was to use play as a tool to make therapy fun and result in functional change. As her education and career progressed, she was consistently drawn in by making meaningful physical change and creating connections with children and their families.
Keiri enjoys treating using a very hands-on approach – sometimes trying things that might fail, and being pleasantly surprised with the response. She likes to challenge the kids and then give the families ideas and tools to be involved and push their kids without it seeming like therapy. Keiri is amazed by the children that she treats every day!
The decision to start Butterfly Paediatric Therapy with Michelle Hand was a work in progress over a few years, one that comes with no regrets. Having the business actually allows Keiri to treat kids on a regular basis, to make change, to impact families, to work alongside an amazing friend and therapists everyday, and now – going back to her original passion – to teach and mentor others.
Over her career she has found that what works best for her is an eclectic approach. Having different options and therapy approaches depending on the needs or sometimes even the moods of the child provides for more meaningful change. Keiri has taken her 8 week Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), has her Level 3 Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME), Paediatric Kinesiotaping, Functional Strength Training, Pilates for Neurological Impairments, Body Weight Support Treadmill Training and draws on these to create fun and functional treatment sessions.
Fun Facts About Keiri:
- If Keiri could be any animal, she would be an otter!
- If Keiri could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be macaroni and cheese.
- If Keiri had a movie about her life, Anna Kendrick would play her role.
Lisa Guidoni
Physiotherapist – Clinic Director Burlington & PT Clinical Lead
Lisa is an experienced clinician who enjoys working with children of all ages and abilities, and her passion for helping her clients reach their functional goals shines through during each one of her treatment sessions.
Lisa grew up playing competitive hockey, and as a result became fascinated by the human body’s ability to move, adapt and repair. This fascination led her to complete both an undergraduate Honours Bachelor of Science Kinesiology degree, as well as a Master’s of Physiotherapy degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Since this time, she has completed her Level 1 and 2 Cueves Medek Exercises (CME) practitioner certifications. She has also taken continuing education courses related to infantile torticollis and plagiocephaly, infant and toddler motor development, paediatric scoliosis, pain in paediatrics and musculoskeletal soft tissue release. Most recently she has undergone further learning related to the assessment and treatment of concussions, taught by Shannon McGuire of Concussion Rehab Works Inc. Lisa is always seeking new opportunities to further her knowledge in order to provide effective care to her clients.
Lisa’s interest in paediatrics stems from her previous experiences both as a Summer Camp Counsellor and as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist where she worked with youth athletes of various ages and skill levels to help improve their performance in sport. Lisa continues to find joy in the paediatric population now working with infants, toddlers, children and adolescents on a daily basis. She has experience working with children with both neurological or genetic conditions, as well as musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions. She loves coming to the clinic every day to see the smiling faces of her clients, while they work towards reaching their goals.
When not treating clients, Lisa has taken on a leadership role at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy, helping to mentor our physiotherapists and set them up for success. She continues to assist with the growth and function of our clinics on a daily basis to ensure families feel welcome and comfortable in our space as they enter the doors. Lisa enjoys spending time in the community making connections with other healthcare providers as well as educating families on our services and the importance of paediatric care.
Let’s Get to Know Lisa:
- If Lisa could teleport anywhere in the world, she would go to Hawaii.
- If Lisa was on a deserted island and her needs were met, she would bring a bicycle to explore and a boat to leave when she’s ready.
- If Lisa was a celebrity, she would be famous for her organizational skills – she loves a clean pantry!
Cassandra Bodrucky
Physiotherapist
Cassandra is a passionate, energetic, and outgoing therapist who strives to make physiotherapy fun and engaging for all kids. Cassandra developed a love for exercise, health, and wellness at a young age through skiing, gymnastics, dance, wrestling, and baseball. Her involvement in sports sparked a keen interest in the body, human movement, and injury management, leading her to complete a Diploma in Physiotherapy Assistant at Humber College. During that time, a clinical placement where she helped empower children to reach their goals and achieve milestones sparked her interest in paediatrics. The clinical experience gained through her placements led her to complete her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at Lakehead University before pursuing a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science, followed by a Master of Science in Physical Therapy at Queen’s University.
During her time in the physical therapy program, she pursued opportunities to gain more clinical experience in paediatrics. Cassandra has worked with paediatric clients throughout multiple settings including remote northern communities such as with the company Firefly in Red Lake, Ontario. She gained clinical experience in assessing and developing creative treatment sessions for children with various common conditions and feels that being a part of life-changing treatment is incredibly rewarding.
Cassandra is motivated and excited to continue to increase her knowledge through continuing education programs to deliver the highest possible care to children. She has already completed courses in Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT), toe walking, and vestibular treatment. She is excited to join the Butterfly Paediatric Therapy team and help children reach their maximum potential through play-based physiotherapy sessions.
Question and Answer with Cassandra:
- If Cassandra could have a superpower, it would be teleportation.
- If Cassandra was on a deserted island and her needs were met, she would bring a book and a stand-up paddle board.
- If Cassandra was a celebrity, she would be famous for motivational speaking.
Elina Provad
Physiotherapist
From a young age, Elina has been fascinated by the human body’s ability to adapt and react, and was intrigued by the concept of exercise as medicine. This led her to complete her Master of Science in Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto, following the successful completion of her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at McMaster University, determined to pursue a career in paediatric physiotherapy. Elina’s passion for physiotherapy lies in watching her clients transform into more independent and confident versions of themselves.
To further her learning, Elina completed an internship at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital on the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team. There, she had the opportunity to deliver creative and engaging treatments to kids with varying brain injury diagnoses. She also completed an internship at a private paediatric clinic, where she prepared and delivered engaging play-based physiotherapy interventions for clients with gross motor/developmental milestone delays, gait abnormalities, torticollis, plagiocephaly, and a variety of other conditions.
Elina’s treatment style is straightforward and honest. She uses humour and empathy to guide her clients to achieve their and their families’ therapeutic goals. Showcasing her commitment to life-long learning, Elina is currently a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Sciences at KITE-Toronto Rehab-University Health Network, with a collaborative specialization in Neurosciences, at the University of Toronto. Her research involves studying balance and mobility in children and adults with non-neurodegenerative conditions, such as cerebral palsy.
Learning About Elina:
- One thing that Elina could not live without is Ginger Ale.
- If Elina could live in any country, she would live in Switzerland.
- Elina’s hidden talent is that she used to be a competitive ballroom dancer, and even performed half-time shows on Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. These days she is far too shy to dance in front of others!
Sandy Tung
Physiotherapist
Sandy has always been fascinated and interested in the science and movement of the human body which steered her to choosing physiotherapy as a career. She was interested in sports science but during her training she was exposed to working with babies and children with medical, surgical, orthopedic, neurological and genetic conditions in a variety of different settings which changed the trajectory of her career path. It was very rewarding and Sandy quickly found that her interest and passion was being directed towards paediatrics with a special interest in paediatric neurology.
In order to pursue her career in paediatrics and to have a well-rounded approach, Sandy’s continuing education includes being trained in Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT), Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME) Level I and II, paediatric kinesiotaping, core stability, infant mental health, early intervention, Task Specific Electrical Stimulation (TASES), General Movement Assessment certification and Certified Infant Massage Instructor by the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM).
Sandy is constantly seeking new ways and approaches to helping and treating the babies and children who are in her care in order for them to be the best that they can be.
What May Surprise You About Sandy:
- If Sandy could have a superpower, it would be to have photographic memory.
- One thing that Sandy could not live without is chocolate.
- Sandy’s hidden talent is that she can sing!
Madeleine Blott
Physiotherapist
Madeleine is energetic, caring, and passionate about using her creativity to ensure every child she works with not only strives to meet their goals but has fun in the process. Madeleine has always been passionate about working with children. Her passion began while spending several summers working outdoors at YMCA overnight camps as a Camp Counsellor, Leadership Trainer and then as a Waterfront Director. When she wasn’t at camp, she spent her free time competitively swimming and dancing, or going on active adventures with friends/family.
Her passion for moving continued into her career path. After completing her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo, she obtained a Master of Science in Physiotherapy at Leeds Beckett University in England, UK. She then became certified to provide acupuncture through McMaster University’s Neurofunctional Medical Acupuncture Program.
Madeleine has always believed in the importance of spreading passion for active living. While completing her education, she worked as a ski instructor for individuals of all ages and various abilities. Her favourite aspect of this included volunteering with the Waterloo Regional Track 3 Program where she taught children with physical and mental disabilities how to ski. Outside of school and skiing, she volunteered to facilitate exercise programs for children struggling with obesity/diabetes, and physical disabilities.
Let’s Learn about Madeleine:
- If Madeleine could use rollerblades as her primary mode of transportation, she would.
- If Madeleine was only able to have one item of food to cook from for the rest of her life,
she would choose a potato. - Madeleine believes that dance parties can solve most problems!
Mahnoor Akram
Physiotherapy Resident
Mississauga
She has always had a keen interest in the human body and physiology and was amazed by the body’s ability to heal through movement physically, mentally, and socially. This led her to pursue a career in physiotherapy as she wanted to grow with others and give clients second chances at reconnecting with the activities they love the most. After completing a Bachelor in Science in Biology-Physiology from McMaster University, she went on to complete a Master of Science in Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto.
During her Master’s, Mahnoor completed a clinical internship at ErinaoakKids where she learned to integrate play into rehabilitative care to make sessions fun and engaging for all children. She has also completed a miniMAP class where she learned about movement analysis and behaviour strategies to enhance pediatric care.
Outside of school, Mahnoor is also interested in integrating evidence-based care into practice. She’s currently volunteering with the NOvEL lab at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital where she is assisting in pediatric concussion research.
Mahnoor has always loved the Disney quote “if you can dream it, you can do it”. She is kind, empathetic, and optimistic and wants to help children and families of all abilities work confidently towards the directions of their dreams.
Get to know Mahnoor:
- Mahnoor thinks she is most like Moana from Disney! She follows her heart and
likes to think outside the box (or reef) - If she could choose a song to describe herself it would be “Walking on sunshine”
- Mahnoor couldn’t live without dessert!
Occupational Therapy
ELIAS SALAME
Occupational Therapist - OT Clinical Lead
Elias holds a BSc in Occupational Therapy since 2004 from the Faculty of Public Health and a MSc in Neuropsychology since 2018 from the Faculty of Medical Sciences, both at the Lebanese University. He is certified in Sensory Integration from the University of Southern California, USA. He is also certified in the early childhood education curriculum High/Scope and in Cortical Visual Impairment, both from the USA as well.
He launched his career in 2004, in Kuwait, working in Paediatric Neurology initially at the Conductive Rehabilitation Institution, before moving to Hope School, where he was Lead Occupational Therapist for five years. He also worked in Community Based Rehabilitation with Palestinian and Syrian refugees, and his private practice furthermore covers adult neurology and elderly. Before moving to Canada, he was the Senior Occupational Therapist at the American Special Kids Clinic at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, AUBMC.
Throughout his 18 years of experience, he helped create, establish, and organize several OT departments, created and furnished various sensory rooms, attended numerous workshops, and participated as a speaker in national and international conferences. He has published one article about Screen Exposure and Autism and participated in another one about adaptation of RITA-T (Rapid Interactive Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers) for the Lebanese population. Between 2012 and 2021, he held the position of General Secretary of the Lebanese Occupational Therapy Association (LOTA) and is presently the WFOT delegate member of the Lebanese Occupational Therapists Syndicate (LOTS).
Get to know Elias:
- If Elias could teleport to anywhere in the world, he would teleport to Thailand.
- If Elias were to eat only one food for the rest of his life, he would eat Sushi.
- If Elias were to be an animal, he would be a bird so he could fly!
Rima Toop
Occupational Therapist
Rima’s passion for working with children and youth emerged from her early roles as a dance class assistant, camp counselor and cooking school instructor. With a background in competitive dance, Rima pursued a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics at the University of Guelph. Intrigued by the “non-traditional” and holistic perspective of Occupational Therapy, she furthered her education with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto.
During her academic journey, Rima strengthened her skills in paediatric care through a clinical placement at SickKids Hospital in the neurology, neurosurgery and trauma unit. Here, she learned to use play as a form of assessment and intervention. She also gained international experience at an intensive neurorehabilitation centre in Madrid, Spain, working with individuals of all ages and integrating traditional therapy techniques with evidence-based technology.
Throughout her clinical placements, Rima has gained knowledge in wheelchair seating and positioning, feeding, upper extremity neuromotor interventions, and guided discovery methods such as the CO-OP approach. Drawing on her two years of experience as a personal trainer and fitness coach, she also brings a solid understanding of biomechanics to her practice, helping individuals work towards their personal goals.
Rima believes in using a strength-based approach to build motivation and self-efficacy in clients. One of the many reasons Rima loves occupational therapy is because it emphasizes that well being can be achieved through small, meaningful steps. As often has been said, the little things are really the big things!
Rima is committed to providing high-quality, family-centred care. She is a lifelong learner who looks forward to continually expanding her knowledge and making a positive impact on the lives of the children and families she serves at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy.
A few fun facts about Rima:
- Rima finds joy in cooking and unwinding with rom-coms during quality time with friends.
- Her ultimate treat for a lifetime? Dairy Milk fruit and nut chocolate bars would be her top pick.
- While no longer engaged in competitive dancing, Rima indulges her dance itch with impromptu sessions while house cleaning.
KIMBERLY HOLLI
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Mississauga & Burlington
Kimberly is a dynamic and vibrant therapy assistant who strives to optimize and empower children and youth through meaningful and family centered activities and skill acquisition.
Kimberly received her Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physiotherapy Assistant diploma from Centennial College after completing her undergraduate degree in International Relations and History with a minor in Political Science from York University, Glendon Campus. After working at a few summer camps for children with complex neurological conditions, Kimberly knew she had to pivot away from where her undergrad studies had taken her and find a way to work with children and their families full-time in opportunities that enables life-enhancing skills, self-esteem, confidence and above all, fun!
Kimberly dove headfirst into her passion and worked for the Geneva Centre for Autism in their Group Services stream supporting children, youth and adults with Autism. Kimberly had the opportunity to have clinical therapy assistant placements in a variety of settings including hospitals, fast-paced clinics, school-based care and children treatment centers around the GTA. In her spare time, you can find Kimberly exploring the great outdoors, visiting the Toronto Zoo any time she can get; spending time at her local Orange Theory Fitness classes and searching the world for the next best donuts!
VANIA WU
Occupational Therapist
Vania is a passionate and enthusiastic new Occupational Therapy graduate and is very excited to build her skills as an Occupational Therapist at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy! Growing up, Vania has always had a passion for working with children. Whether it was being a summer camp counsellor or teaching kids how to play badminton, she knew she wanted to have a job where she could be helping children and their families. Vania completed her undergraduate degree at McMaster University in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour with a specialization in Mental Health. Shortly after, she began pursuing a Master’s degree in
Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. There, she learned how she could use a variety of approaches and tools to help children achieve goals that are important and meaningful to them, and knew she was on the right career path!
During her time as an Occupational Therapy student, Vania developed her skills and knowledge with pediatric populations during her clinical placements at SickKids in the Neurosurgery unit and the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists with the School-Based Occupational Therapy team. Vania values family-centred and strengths-based approaches – as well as the occupation of play! – when working with children and their families. Through her clinical placements and education at the University of Toronto, Vania has developed knowledge on treatment approaches such as Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach, Zones of Regulation, and other interventions for feeding, handwriting, and fine motor skills development. She is eager to continue her learning and taking more courses for treatment approaches to add to her Occupational Therapy toolkit.
Outside of work, Vania enjoys playing fetch with her dog, having karaoke sessions in the car, trying out new cafes and restaurants, and spending time with friends and family. Vania is very excited to be a part of the Butterfly Pediatric Therapy team to meet clients and support them in doing what is meaningful and fun for them!
Fun facts about Vania:
- If Vania could eat only one food for the rest of her life, it would be macaroni and cheese.
- If Vania could teleport anywhere in the world, it would be to Japan.
- If Vania were to be an animal, she would be a capybara because they get along well with all animals and bathe in hot springs filled with oranges!
ANDREA GARDIOLA
Occupational Therapist
Andrea is a passionate and eager recent Occupational Therapy graduate, excited to begin this new chapter at Butterfly Paediatric Therapy! Andrea completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto studying Health Studies and Biological Anthropology. Throughout her undergraduate career, Andrea participated in several research opportunities and projects that aimed to bring the young and young at heart together through intergenerational engagement. She has a strong passion for research and continues to work as a research assistant to give back to her community.
Andrea continued to Queens University for her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy.
During her Masters degree, Andrea had the opportunity to have clinical placements in school- based rehabilitation in Kingston, ON and at Grandview Kids Treatment Centre. She was able to enhance her skills and knowledge in Handwriting Without Tears, emotional regulation approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and the Zones of Regulation, and interventions for fine motor and sensory challenges.
Outside of occupational therapy and research, Andrea enjoys spending time with her family and dog, as well as rock climbing and reading during her spare time.
A few fun facts about Andrea:
- One of Andrea’s life goals is to renovate a van and road trip across Canada with her dog
- Andrea’s favourite food is French fries, and she even worked at a French fry shop to fuel her love for fries.
- Andrea loves spending time with her nieces and nephews
Speech and Language Pathology
LORI O’KEEFE
Speech Language Pathologist – Clinic Director Mississauga & SLP Clinical Lead
Lori is a passionate Speech – Language Pathologist who comes to us from the East Coast. After graduating from St. Thomas University in New Brunswick with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, she pursued her Masters of Clinician Science in Speech- Language Pathology at Western University. Empowering and supporting families is important to Lori and she loves the opportunity Butterfly affords her to focus on this.
Lori is passionate about ensuring children have the absolute best start in life by utilizing their strengths to expand their communication skills. She enjoys working with children and their families and has experience in a number of areas including language development, social communication, stuttering, speech sound production and reading skills. Lori has a keen interest in motor speech difficulties and has taken a number of continuing education courses in this topic area in addition to being PROMPT certified. An avid reader, literacy is another passion of Lori’s and she is trained in the ‘ASCEND Smarter Intervention Structured Literacy Approach’ to help support struggling readers.
Get to know Lori:
- If Lori could only eat one food for the rest of her life, it would be french fries! Extra fun fact: she grew up in the French Fry Capital of the World.
- If Lori had to compare herself to a Disney character, it would be Rapunzel due to her long hair.
- Lori is embarrassed to admit the movie “Scooby Doo Zombie Island” scares her, but her sisters agree!
JESSICA LEGGETT
Speech Language Pathologist – Media/Marketing Lead
Jessica received her Masters Degree in Speech Language Pathology from Western University. She has had many opportunities throughout her studies and years at Butterfly to work with children of all ages with a variety of communication difficulties including: speech sound disorders (articulation), language delays, fluency disorders (stuttering), and motor speech disorders. Jessica’s passion especially lies within early language learning and articulation therapy! She also believes wholeheartedly in family-centred care. She is passionate about helping children find their way to successful communication and loves to watch each of her clients find their voice and spread their wings!
Get to know Jess:
- If Jess could be an animal, she would be an octopus because she loves being in water, and octopi are extremely flexible and adaptable.
- If Jess could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be pasta! She loves carbs, especially pasta.
- If Jess could live anywhere in the world, she would live in Slovenia! She was able to travel there recently and loved it so much, she would love to go back!
KELSEY ARGUE
Communicative Disorders Assistant
Kelsey is a passionate Communicative Disorders Assistant. She received her undergraduate degree from Western University and completed her Communicative Disorders Assistant program at Durham College. Kelsey is dedicated to helping individuals improve their communication skills and overcome any difficulties they may have in expressing themselves or understanding others. Kelsey has experience working with children of all ages, who have experienced a wide range of communication challenges, including speech and language delays, articulation and motor speech disorders, and fluency disorders.
Get to know Kelsey:
- Kelsey’s silliest talent is that she can fold her tongue into the shape of a clover! Only around 15% of people can do this!
- Kelsey couldn’t live without her chapstick. Specifically, Burt’s Bees Lip Balm (with Vitamin E & Peppermint)
- Kelsey is most like Belle from Beauty and the Beast as she is constantly seeking new knowledge and opportunities like Bell, and she is not afraid to define what she believes in.
JHANVI SHAH
Speech Language Pathologist
Jhanvi is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University and a Masters Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Toronto. She has had many opportunities throughout her studies and time at Butterfly to work with children of all ages with a variety of communication difficulties including: language delays, speech sound disorders (articulation), fluency disorders (stuttering), and social communication disorders. She is also currently enjoying taking the “Meaningful Speech” course to help develop her knowledge about the other way of natural language development (Gestalt Language Processing) to better support her clients that acquire language this way. Jhanvi’s passion especially lies within early language learning! She is a strong advocate for early intervention, multimodal communication, and family-centred care. She truly enjoys helping children achieve successful communication in a fun, engaging way that focuses on using their strengths and abilities to help them spread their wings!
Get to know Jhanvi:
- If Jhanvi could be any animal, she would be a panda because she loves her naps as much as they do.
- Jhanvi’s superpower would be teleportation so that she can travel the whole world.
- Jhanvi is a bookworm! If given the opportunity, she can read 3+ novels in a day (while snuggled with a big cup of tea and a blanket of course!)
Ayesha Ahmed
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
Ayesha is a research assistant for the Bilingual and Multilingual Development Lab at the University of Toronto, where her role involves supporting and assessing the literacy skills of English-Urdu bilingual children. She is also a volunteer teacher for elementary level English, providing support for reading, writing, and comprehension. In addition to her work with the paediatric age group, Ayesha has provided long-term support in speech therapy programs for individuals with communication disabilities, where she has gained hands-on experience working alongside interprofessional teams with SLPs, CDAs, and social workers.
Ayesha’s journey in the field of speech-language pathology (SLP) is fueled by a genuine passion for enhancing children’s lives through speech therapy, focusing not only on advancing their speech but also nurturing their self-esteem and social belonging. Her approach is deeply rooted in creating safe, welcoming, and engaging spaces where children from all backgrounds feel supported and empowered. Ayesha is dedicated to fostering holistic learning and development, aiming to help children reach their full communication potential, while also building confidence that will positively shape their futures.
With her strong academic foundation, valuable experience, and heartfelt dedication, Ayesha is committed to positively influence the lives of the children she supports in reaching their communication goals, through comfort, compassion, and effective treatment. Ayesha is incredibly excited and honored to be a part of Butterfly’s inspiring team, who shares her commitment to nurturing happiness and unlocking each and every child’s full potential!
Fun facts about Ayesha:
- If Ayesha could have any superpower, she would want to be able to speak all languages and communicate with all living things. Humans, animals, plants, and all!
- The Disney character that Ayesha is most like, is Princess Tiana- they both share joy in learning family recipes, cooking food, and sharing homemade meals with others.
- One thing that Ayesha could not live without is hand cream- she will always have some with her in case she or anyone else is ever in need.
Nikki Warren
Communication Disorders Assistant
Get to know Nikki:
- If she could be an animal, it would be a wolf as they are very loyal, friendly and caring.
- If she could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be pizza.
- If she could live anywhere in the world, it would be Switzerland as she loves exploring the beautiful mountains and blue lakes.
Marina Iskandar
Speech Language Pathologist
Burlington
With hands-on experience as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, Marina has had the opportunity to support children of varying ages in their articulation difficulties, language delays, social communication abilities and much more. Marina is committed to providing personalized, evidence-based therapy to help her clients thrive. Marina is excited to grow in her knowledge and skills alongside her clients, and aims to empower each child to the best of their communicative potential!
Get to know Marina:
- If I was an animal, I’d be a giraffe!
- If I was a disney princess, I’d be Pocahontas
- If I had to pick one food, it would be sushi
Client Experience
RILEY SHIPPEL
Client Experience Lead
Riley was first introduced to Butterfly at age 11, while accompanying a family whose children were receiving therapy at Butterfly. These visits in her early teen years inspired her to pursue an education in Kinesiology at Western University, which provided the foundation of education in healthy living practices. She enjoyed studying about the connection between exercise and nutrition to physical and mental health, and she continues to build upon this learning today. Having always loved being around children of all ages and varying needs, Riley spent many years volunteering at McMaster Children’s Hospital in the Child Life Unit and in school settings. She is happiest when supporting and learning from children. They keep her grounded and offer a perspective that often helps her make sense of the world around her.
When Riley isn’t spending her free time with friends and family, she is exploring the outdoors with her loveable corgi, Bunker.
She is excited to be a part of the Butterfly team, so that she can help support the amazing therapists who are helping children reach their absolute full potential.
Get to Know Riley…
- If Riley could teleport anywhere in the world, she would tour all of Europe in one go!
- If she were on a deserted island but all needs were met, the two things she would bring would be her dog and a live band that takes song requests.
- Her rarest and silliest talent is that she can nap anywhere.
EMMY ST. KITTS
CLIENT EXPERIENCE Lead
Emmy is our energetic and friendly Client Experience Coordinator at our Burlington location. Emmy graduated Humber College from the Legal Assistant program and has a background in both the Legal and Finance industry.
Emmy is thrilled to be part of the Butterfly team and is eager to learn, meet and support all the staff, kiddos and their families, while they work with their dedicated therapists to reach their individual goals.
As a mom of three boys, Emmy loves spending time with her kids and is passionate about exploring new places, foods, and sharing experiences as a family!
Get to Know Emmy…
- If someone were to play Emmy’s role in a movie about her life, it would have to be Tiffany Hadish or Awkwafina.
- The song that best describes Emmy, would be “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”.
- If she could choose to be a single age for the rest of her life- she wouldn’t choose! Emmy recognizes that each year, she has grown, learned and gained experience, and she doesn’t take this for granted (Even though her bones and muscles may beg to differ!).
DANICA AREVALO
Client Experience Coordinator
Danica graduated in Social Services from Sheridan College. She completed placements at Youth Assisting Youth and in Childhood Education in multiple childcare centres. Ever since high school Danica has loved working with children, whether that be face to face or behind the scenes. Danica has always had an interest in working in a paediatric setting but never had an opportunity until finding Butterfly.
Danica loves being around positive individuals who are also passionate about helping children. She finds fulfillment in seeing happy families and knowing she can enhance their experience from behind the desk.
Some fun facts about Danica:
- If Danica could teleport anywhere in the world, she would go to South Korea, Spain and Japan.
- Time travel would be Danica’s superpower.
- The one thing Danica can not live without is music, she listens to music 24/7, loves playing instruments and singing!
Gabriele Pavlic
Client Experience Coordinator
Mississauga
In her spare time, she loves reading books and spending quality time with her loved ones.
Some fun facts about Gabi:
- If Gabi could have any superpower, it would be the ability to fly, symbolizing freedom and perspective.
- If she could be any animal, she would be a fox, admired for its intelligence and adaptability.
- Nature and adventure are at the heart of what she loves, always seeking new ways to connect with the world around her