Kelowna Staff
Occupational Therapists
Born and raised in Peachland, BC, Monika now lives and works in Kelowna. Monika first joined the Meridian Team as an OT student while completing her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at University of Alberta. Monika has also completed her Bachelor of Human Kinetics through University of BC-Okanagan. Monika enjoys how diverse her days can be – whether working with clients with chronic pain or helping her smallest clients with with printing and play, no two clients or programs are alike. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and going camping.
Qualifications and Memberships
Bachelor of Human Kinetics – University of British Columbia (Okanagan campus)
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy – University of Alberta
Member of the British Columbia College of Occupational Therapists
Member of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Registered Autism Service Provider for children under 6
Areas of Practice
Case Management
Chonic Pain Rehab
Community Rehabilitation
Job Sit Visits and Job Demands Analysis
Post-Concussion Rehab
Return to Work Coordination
BC Transit assessments
Pediatric Services
Autism Services
Johanna earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology at Simon Fraser University, before going on to complete her Master of Occupational Therapy at UBC. Johanna’s interest in vocational health and wellness, ageing in place, accessible design, restorative care and community activation brings an exciting outlook to her addition to the team! She also enjoys spending her free time out in nature hiking or on the water, working on home projects, spending time with her dachshund Cello, and is always up for a lively game of Euchre!
Qualifications and Memberships
Masters of Occupational Therapy – University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) – Simon Fraser University
Registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of BC
Member of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists
Certified Canadian Life Care Planner
Certified Catastrophic Impairment Evaluator – Functional Observation
Areas of Practice
Case Management
Community Rehabilitation
Chronic Pain Rehab
Functional Capacity Evaluation and Critique
Cost of Future Care Assessments and Critique
Return to Work Coordination
Progressive Goal Attainment Program Services (PGAP)
Universal Home Design
Lindsay comes to us with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, a Bachelor of Education, and a BA in history with a minor in Cultural Studies. Lindsay has a special interest in working in mental health including PTSD, depression and anxiety. She’s also experienced in return to work programming and post-concussion assessment and treatment. Lindsay believes it’s important to have a solid foundation of wellness skills in our “toolbox” before tackling big projects and responsibilities. A fun fact about Lindsay: She did musical theatre for many years and has a minor in theatrical performing arts! Outside of work, you can find Lindsay hiking, relaxing at home watching a movie, or island hopping on her latest travels! Her favourite islands so far? Sardinia, Tasmania, Le Mont Saint Michel!
Qualifications and Memberships
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy – University of Toronto
Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Arts (History/Cultural Studies)
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Ontario College of Teachers
Areas of Practice
Case Management
Community Rehabilitation
Post-Concussion Rehab
Seating Assessments and Prescription
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Return to Work Coordination
Ergonomic Evaluations
Mental Health and Mental Wellness
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Anxiety and Depression
Dana was born and a raised in Northwestern Ontario on the rocky and lake-filled Canadian shield. She obtained a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Manitoba and spent several years working and traveling to places like South Korea, China, Central America, and Borneo. Dana returned to school in 2016 to earn a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta. She enjoys working with a diverse population of clients, with a focus on pediatrics. Dana works from a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming perspective.
Bachelor of Social Work
Sabrina joined the Kamloops team in 2015 and is now the Kelowna office manager. After graduating from University of Victoria with an undergraduate degree in Psychology, she set her sights on completing the Master of Occupational Therapy program at UBC. Sabrina is experienced in medical-legal functional capacity evaluations for both Plaintiff and Defence, and she’s been accepted to provide expert witness testimony in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Sabrina is also experienced in Return to Work services, equipment assessment and prescription, exposure therapy treatment for clients with PTSD and anxiety, as well as treating clients with chronic pain. Sabrina keeps active all year round with running, squash, curling, softball, golf and hiking with her family.
Qualifications and Memberships
Master of Occupational Therapy– University of British Columbia
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – University of Victoria
Member of the British Columbia College of Occupational Therapists
Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAP)
Matheson Functional Capacity Evaluator
P.I.E.C.E.S Certificate (Adult mental health)
Concussion Management
Areas of Practice
Case Management
Community Rehabilitation
Chronic Pain Rehab
Dysphagia
Functional Capacity Evaluation & Critiques
Cost of Future Care Assessments & Critiques
Post-Concussion Rehab
Seating Assessments and Prescription
Spinal Cord Rehabilitation
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Programming
Job Site Visits and Job Demands Analysis
Return to Work Coordination
Ergonomic Evaluations
Progressive Goal Attainment Program Services (PGAP)
Residential care contract services
Exposure therapy (Anxiety/PTSD)
Orthopaedic
Kinesiologists and Rehab Assistants
Mandy has always had a passion for working with people, and received her Rehabilitation Aide Certificate in 1997. Over the last 20 years she has worked with people of all different ages and abilities as an Education Assistant, Community Support Worker and Long term Care Aide. She also took her passion for people to the United States and Zambia where she did volunteer work for 1 year. Mandy also works as an rehab assistant and SLP assistant on our pediractic team, helping children meet their goals and reach milestones. In her free time Mandy enjoys playing soccer, doing Zumba and spending time with her husband and children.
Qualifications and Memberships
Rehabilitation Aide Program –
Development Instructor Training Program
BCRPA Fitness Theory course
Occupational First Aid
Non-violent crisis intervention
Areas of Practice
Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Programming
Gym-Based Exercise Programs
Aquatherapy
Community Integration Programs
Post-Concussion Exercise Programs
Traumatic Brain Injury Programs
Complex TBI and orthopedic rehabilitation
Lifeskills & Return to Homemaking Programs
Walking programs
Speech Language Areas of Practice:
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Pediatric services (autism services, early language development etc.)
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech)
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)
Stroke and brain injury rehabilitation
Dysphagia assessment and intervention
Cognitive communication intervention (conversational topic maintenance, attending to others, memory, solving problems, planning etc.)
Social skills training
Charlene grew up in Trail, BC and has recently joined the Kelowna team as a Rehab Assistant. She enjoys being able to work with a variety of clients, each with unique needs and goals. She finds helping people overcome their specific challenges rewarding. Charlene loves to get outside and enjoy all the Okanagan has to offer. You can often find her hiking, camping, swimming, or relaxing with family and friends.
Qualifications & Memberships
Therapist Assistant Diploma – Okanagan College
Areas of Practice
Pediatric Services
Occupational Therapy Programs
Speech Therapy Programs
Taylor grew up in Maple Ridge and graduated from UBCO with her Bachelor of Human Kinetics, minoring in Psychology, and has now joined the Meridian family! Taylor has an interest in concussion treatment, chronic conditions, injury prevention and recovery, and is excited to not only problem solve but be creative in the way that she deliver exercises and adapts them to each client’s needs. Taylor enjoys the outdoors, and you can find her hiking, paddle boarding, snowshoeing, camping, as well as playing volleyball, reading, crocheting, or working on her yoga teacher certificate! She also loves to volunteer with children including Canucks autism network she has volunteered with for 3 years.
Qualifications & Memberships
Bachelors of Human Kinetics – UBCO
Minor in Psychology – UBCO
Practicing Member of BC Association of Kinesiologists (BCAK)
ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP)
Areas of Practice
Gym-Based Exercise Programs
Community Integration Programs
Post-Concussion Exercise Programs
Lifeskills & Return to Homemaking Programs
Walking programs
Speech-Language Pathologists
Meagan grew up in a small rural town in northern Alberta before moving to the big city to complete both her Bachelor in Recreational Therapy and her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology. Meagan has lived and studied abroad in both the UK and Japan. Her love of language has led her to study French, Spanish, Japanese, and most recently, sign language. She loves celebrating growth in her clients and building relationships with the families she treats. Outside of work, she can be found spending time with her son. She also enjoys keeping busy with martial arts, dance, yoga, and fitness.
Qualifications and Memberships
Bachelor Degree in Recreational Therapy, Concordia University, Montreal
Master Degree in Speech-Language Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax
Certification in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL)
Member of College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC
Member of Speech and Audiology Canada
Member of American Speech and Hearing Association
Concussion Management Workshop
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6
Areas of Practice
Pediatric Services
Autism Services
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech)
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)
Social skills training
Reading and writing therapy
Fluency / stuttering therapy
Brook comes to us from Grimsby, Ontario and has her Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University and her Master of Health Science from University of Toronto in Speech Language Pathology.
In Brook’s spare time, you will find her shopping, watching the Toronto Raptors or taking ballet classes. Brook enjoys building lasting relationships with clients and families and seeing clients develop their skills in a way that allows them to do the things they want to do every day.
Qualifications & Memberships
Honours Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science of Language from McMaster University
Master of Health Science from University of Toronto in Speech Language Pathology
Member of the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC
Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP) for children under 6 (supervised)
Areas of Practice
Pediatric Services
Speech sound therapy (articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech)
Language therapy (expressive and receptive language skills)
Stroke and brain injury rehabilitation
Dysphagia assessment and intervention
Cognitive communication intervention (conversational topic maintenance, attending to others, memory, solving problems, planning etc.)
Social skills training
Reading and writing therapy
Voice therapy
Fluency / stuttering therapy
Administrative Staff
Tamara grew up in Edmonton. She is a certified eyelash technician.
Tamara has always had a passion for the healthcare field, as well as a passion for beauty and wellness. She likes that she gets to work with people she admires while also getting the opportunity to run her own lashes business.