Beyond Boundaries: Therapy for Kids

08/04/2025

🎉 Guess who's back?! 🎉

We're SO excited to welcome SEIT Melissa Kwitek back to the Beyond Boundaries team! We missed her energy, heart, and all the magic she brought to her kiddos. Let's do this! 💙

"My name is Melissa Kwitek and I am very excited to be back as a Special Education Teacher with Beyond Boundaries Therapy for Kids beginning August 1st! I am a dedicated Special Education Teacher with over 20 years of experience. For 17 of those years, I have specialized in providing early intervention and preschool-level services. Throughout my career, I have worked with a diverse population of students with a wide range of disabilities, including Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, speech and language delays, fine motor delays, and challenging behaviors. My experience has equipped me with the skills and compassion necessary to support each child's unique needs and promote their development."

07/21/2025

⭐️NEW⭐️ to Beyond Boundaries: OT, Rachel King!

"My name is Rachel King, and I am a licensed Occupational Therapist with a degree from D’Youville University. I recently returned to the area after spending two years in the Adirondacks, and I am thrilled to reestablish my professional roots in a community I hold close to my heart.

I bring over 12 years of experience working with children under the age of five in a variety of preschool and daycare settings. My passion lies in pediatric occupational therapy, and I am dedicated to supporting the developmental and functional needs of young children through compassionate, evidence-based care.

In addition to my clinical work, I co-authored a literature review titled “What is the Effectiveness of Group Therapy to Promote Health Management for Caregivers of Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities.” I had the honor of presenting this work at professional conferences, including the 2023 AOTA Specialty Conference for Adult Rehabilitation and the NYSOTA Annual Conference.

Outside of my professional life, I am an avid houseplant collector with over 100 varieties, and I enjoy hiking, exploring new restaurants, and crafting. I also share my home with two pet bunnies and a turtle. I am excited to be a part of the Beyond Boundaries therapy team and look forward to working with children and families in a city I am proud to call home once again."

Welcome Rachel!! 🤗

07/17/2025

⭐️NEW⭐️ to Beyond Boundaries: OT, Katie Hadley!

"I am very excited to be joining the Beyond Boundaries team! I recently moved back home to Buffalo after working as a travel therapist at a school district on the central coast in California. I am passionate about helping kiddos and families achieve their goals, and love working on sensory processing strategies. When I am not working, my favorite things to do are travel and explore National Parks, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy live music. I am extremely grateful to be working in such a fun and rewarding field!"

Welcome Katie!! 🤗

07/14/2025

⭐️NEW⭐️ to Beyond Boundaries: On-going Service Coordinator, Adriana Ragland!

"Adriana Ragland, LMSW earned her undergraduate degree from Niagara University and her Master’s in Social Work from the University at Buffalo. She is passionate about supporting children and families in the City of Buffalo and brings both professional expertise and a deep personal understanding of the neurodivergent community.

Adriana is the founder of the Neurodiversity Network of Western New York, a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting acceptance and belonging of neurodivergent individuals. Adriana is excited to join the team as a Care Coordinator, where she looks forward to helping families access the support and resources they need to thrive.

When she’s not working, she enjoys yoga, writing poetry, listening to vinyl records, hiking, and exploring local creeks and nature trails with her son TJ."

07/07/2025

⭐️NEW⭐️ to Beyond Boundaries: PT, Katie Weller!

"Hi everyone! I’m Katie Weller, a pediatric PT with 6 years of experience across outpatient clinics, schools, and early intervention. I graduated from the University at Buffalo and recently moved back to Buffalo after spending 4 years in Washington, DC. While I’ve worked with kids of all ages, my passion lies in early intervention and preschool settings. I enjoy using a coaching approach and love tailoring sessions to fit each family’s priorities and daily routines.

Outside of work, I love playing volleyball, knitting, and baking—especially when I get to share treats with friends and family. I’m so excited to be back in Buffalo and to be joining the Beyond Boundaries team!"

Welcome aboard, Katie!! 🤗

07/03/2025

⭐️NEW⭐️ to Beyond Boundaries: SLP, Alix Novak!

"Hi! My name is Alix Novack, and I’m an SLP-CF. I earned my Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from SUNY Fredonia, and I’m so excited to start this journey working with young children and their families.

I knew early on that I wanted a career where I could make a real difference in families’ everyday lives. I’m especially passionate about supporting early communication through play-based, individualized therapy. I love creating sessions that feel more like fun than work—where kids are laughing, exploring, and growing without even realizing they’re practicing important skills. Getting to build connections with families and celebrate those small-but-mighty milestones together is what makes this work so meaningful to me.

Outside of work, I’m usually spending time with my friends and family, exploring new places to eat, or out enjoying the sunshine. I also have two sweet dogs, Louie and Hank, who keep life fun (and a little chaotic in the best way).

I’m so grateful to be joining this team and can’t wait to meet the amazing families I’ll be working with!"

Welcome, Alix!! 🤗

07/03/2025

Our Kindergarten Readiness Series is filling up quickly!!

We will cover pre-academic, social emotional, and daily living/life skills development to help support caregivers & kids of all needs.

*PLEASE NOTE* Clarence's location has all seats filled. Lackawanna and Buffalo are only available!

Save your seat today before it's too late: https://parentnetworkwny.org/events/

06/25/2025

⭐️NEW⭐️ to Beyond Boundaries: SLP, Jana Whitehouse!

"Hi, My name is Jana Whitehouse! I graduated with my B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University in May 2023 and my M.A. in Communicative Disorders and Sciences from University at Buffalo in May 2025. I am SO excited to start my professional career with Beyond Boundaries. I have such a passion for working with young children and can’t wait to get started. Besides all things SLP, I love trying new restaurants, weight lifting, scrapbooking, spending time with my two cats, Chai & Mosa, and of course watching the Bills!"

Welcome, Jana!! 🤗

06/24/2025

Story time with Aggie! 🐶

06/24/2025

Our Kindergarten Readiness Series is returning next month!

For our 5 week series, participants now have different days and location options to attend.

We will cover pre-academic, social emotional, and daily living/life skills development to help support caregivers & kids of all needs.

Register to save your seat: https://parentnetworkwny.org/events/

06/17/2025

We’ve had the pleasure of hosting Kaylyn O’Grady, a Public Health student and future Occupational Therapist from St. Bonaventure University, as our summer intern at Beyond Boundaries!

Over the past month, Kaylyn jumped right in—shadowing across disciplines including Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Social Work, while also supporting our operations team and creating helpful resources for our providers. Her energy, curiosity, and compassion made a lasting impression on both our staff and the children we serve.

A special connection: Co-owner, Mary Frances Bayer, is not only proud of the work we do at Beyond Boundaries, but also proud to be a St. Bonaventure parent!

We love our interns. They are the future of our field, and we’re so lucky to help shape that future through meaningful hands-on experiences. ❤️

06/11/2025

Important news 📰 for families and providers working to protect children from lead exposure.

A new resolution, highlighted in The Buffalo News, calls on New York State to expand early intervention services to children with high lead levels-a vital step toward preventing long-term developmental and behavioral challenges.

Through the Beyond Boundaries program Lead It Go in Erie County, we see firsthand how early intervention can make a profound difference for children exposed to lead.

In 2019, as chair of the Erie County Legislature, now-State Sen. April Baskin introduced a resolution calling on the state to allow early intervention services for children with lead poisoning. Six years later, the Buffalo Democrat has answered her own call.