Meet our leadership team!
Contact our office for a full therapist roster.
Christina Gallo, MS, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Infant Mental Health Specialist
Founder
CEO
Christina was born and raised outside of Boston. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in the Biological Basis of Behavior. This major integrated psychology and neurobiology sparked Christina’s interest in functional neurobiology and therapeutic interventions that impact brain processing. She then pursued a Master's of Science in occupational therapy with the specific intent to work with children using a neurobiological approach to therapy. She graduated from Temple University and earned Temple’s Award for Highest Academic Achievement. Her Master’s thesis explored the relationship between Sensory Processing and ADHD.
Christina has also completed the Napa Infant Parent Mental Health Fellowship, a highly regarded 15-month fellowship, and an intensive, interdisciplinary training and mentoring program for professionals who work with children ages 0 to 5. The program’s graduates are among a small group of providers in the United States formally trained in this important field. Christina is also an Advanced Mentored Clinician in Sensory Processing Disorder, via the STAR Institute. Additional training/certifications include Assistive Technology Applications, DIR/Floortime, therapeutic listening, Safe and Sound protocol by Dr. Stephen Porges, Interactive Metronome, Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to feeding, and Brain Gym.
Christina sits on the Advisory Board for Down Syndrome Connection of the East Bay. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Coach Art, a non profit organization that brings the arts and athletics to children with chronic illness. She is an exercise enthusiast and enjoys adventuring and spending time with her friends and family.
CA License 11034
Christina has also completed the Napa Infant Parent Mental Health Fellowship, a highly regarded 15-month fellowship, and an intensive, interdisciplinary training and mentoring program for professionals who work with children ages 0 to 5. The program’s graduates are among a small group of providers in the United States formally trained in this important field. Christina is also an Advanced Mentored Clinician in Sensory Processing Disorder, via the STAR Institute. Additional training/certifications include Assistive Technology Applications, DIR/Floortime, therapeutic listening, Safe and Sound protocol by Dr. Stephen Porges, Interactive Metronome, Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to feeding, and Brain Gym.
Christina sits on the Advisory Board for Down Syndrome Connection of the East Bay. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Coach Art, a non profit organization that brings the arts and athletics to children with chronic illness. She is an exercise enthusiast and enjoys adventuring and spending time with her friends and family.
CA License 11034
Irene Lestari, MS, OTR/L,
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Clinical Psychology Student
Director of OT Department and Clinical Education
Irene was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. She moved to the Bay Area during her high school years and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley. While pursuing her undergraduate degree at Berkeley, she discovered her love for Occupational Therapy when caring for a boy with autism. She then pursued a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University. Irene has been an OT since 2003 and has worked in various settings treating children with numerous disabilities in clinical as well as home-based and school-based settings. She firmly believes in harnessing the power of playfulness, connection, and attunement with each child she treats. She is dedicated and passionate about continually developing her skills, and is committed to the principle that every child has the best chance for progress if they are treated with a comprehensive approach. She is well versed in Sensory Integration approaches and has participated in numerous workshops, including having completed certification in SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Test) and achieved a Level 1 STAR mentorship program with Dr. Lucy Jane Miller and Dr. Sarah Schoen. She has a special interest in the connection between sensory processing with trauma/anxiety in children and in combining mental health approaches with sensory treatments. She believes that regulating and resourcing the body in a sensory environment is a crucial avenue towards the child’s pathway to healing. She is certified in Somatic and Regulation by Kathy Cain and Stephen Terrel, and is trained in Brain Spotting and Transforming the Brain. She is currently enrolled in the intermediate year in the Somatic Experiencing program. Additional training includes multiple auditory listening programs, ocular motor treatment, Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding, visual perceptual program, AEIOU feeding intervention, Kinesio Taping, self-regulation, HANDLE, and various handwriting approaches. She has obtained certification in the MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration) program. Other interests include manual therapy areas such as MNRI, Craniosacral therapy, and Dynamic Movement Integration. She is a certified Irlen Diagnostician and a certified provider of the Safe and Sound protocol by Dr. Stephen Porges. When not in the clinic, Irene enjoys traveling, watching light-hearted movies, taking culinary trips, and spending time with her family.
CA License : 7552
Gina Pretzer, PhD, CCC-SLP
Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
Director of Speech Department
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26123Gina was born in the Central Valley and grew up in Southeast Idaho. She completed her BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders and MS in Speech-Language Pathology at Idaho State University. She received a PhD in Cognitive and Information Sciences at the University of California, Merced where she worked on two National Science Foundation research projects. Gina's personal research focused on the effects of parent interactions on prelinguistic development as well as exploring the relationship between motor and language development. She has been published in peer reviewed journals including Infant Behavior and Development, PLoS One, and Scientific Reports. Gina's main clinical interests are early speech and language development and social communication with family and peers. She is also passionate about providing education and support to each child's family. She is trained in Hanen It Takes Two to Talk and the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach for Feeding. When she is not working, Gina likes to spend her time adventuring with her friends and family. She loves to travel and to experience art in museums or on the stage. She is an avid reader and devoted cat mom.
CA lic 26123 |
Our Front Desk Team is here to help:
Rachel Shea, B.A.
Front Desk Associate
Rachel was born and raised in the Bay Area. She attended Sonoma State University where she majored in Human Development and minored in Anthropology. During her time in Sonoma, she enjoyed volunteering at a therapy farm that offered animal-assisted and horticultural therapeutic activities for at risk youth. As a part of her major, she traveled to Nicaragua with a non-profit to build an elementary school alongside members of the community. After graduation, she worked at an after school daycare where she designed and implemented the kindergarten program. In her free time she enjoys visiting National Parks, hiking, camping, and spending time with family and friends. Working with children has always been a joy for her, and she is so excited to further her career in pediatric occupational and speech therapy.