Our Team
Providing Passionate & Consistent Care
Taneal Behm
Owner of NoCo Pediatric Occupational Therapy
OTR/L
Taneal is our fantastic leader and owner. She started NoCo Pediatric OT LLC in 2013 as a partner with Sheryl Daneman and she has continued to grow it ever since. She is experienced in the school setting, skilled nursing facilities, pediatric home health, clinic settings, and therapeutic horseback riding. She developed a passion for kids with sensory needs and thus came the dream of IPTA.
Taneal has continued to lead her growing team and see a caseload of patients both in the home and in hippotherapy. Her compassion and leadership have been the driving force of a growing practice.
Stephanie Voorhes
Clinical Director - Iron Horse
COTA/L
Stephanie has worked as an Occupational Therapy Assistant for over 17 years. She completed her schooling in Minnesota and her first therapy job was in a school setting combined with Early Intervention. Her love of the mountains brought her to Wyoming where she found her passion in hippotherapy. She helped create a farm-based therapy program for adults that is still up and running in Laramie. Montana was the next step in expanding her knowledge while working in an acute and long-term rehab facility. Family brought her back to Colorado where she worked in home health and has now found her forever job at the farm in pediatrics! Steph and her husband enjoy taking care of their cat and chickens, camping, hiking, and gardening in her free time.
Leah Ortiz
Equine Program Director
Leah joined our team in May of 2021. Her love of horses started at the age of three when she was first put on a horse. A Colorado native, Leah grew up spending summers on her grandfather’s cattle ranch in Crested Butte. She brings with her an extensive background working with children and families. During college, she worked as a wrangler for two summers. She received her BA in Spanish and Bilingual Education from Fort Lewis College in Durango. Leah is our Equine Program Director and Horse walker. She is a mother of 3 adult children, grandma and enjoys time in nature, gardening, cooking, and baking gluten-free deliciousness, and caring for her flock of chickens.
Our Team
Nicole Summerson
Clinical Director - Greeley
OTR/L
Nicole Summerson graduated from Colorado State University in 2018 with her Master of Occupational Therapy. Nicole is originally from Henderson, Nevada where she completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Nicole loves working in the pediatric field and has many years of experience working with both children and adults with special needs and disabilities. She has specialized training and knowledge in pediatric feeding (including the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol and SOS Feeding Approach), social groups, sensory processing and integration, and equine movement. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with friends and family.
Lindsey Messenger
Lead Therapist - Iron Horse
OTR/L, CTP
Lindsey graduated from Colorado State University with her MS in Occupational Therapy in December of 2020. She received her BS in Psychology and Pre-Occupational Therapy and a minor in American Sign Language. A Las Vegas native, Lindsey grew up with an older sister, Kelli, who had Rett Syndrome. She now practices pediatric OT in her sister's memory to give back to the community that shaped so much of her life. Lindsey recently became a Certified Trauma Professional, and utilizes a trauma-informed background in all of her treatments. In her free time, Lindsey can be found snuggling her cats, spending time with friends, and going camping in the great outdoors!
Heather Hiltz
COTA/L
Heather has spent the last decade teaching developmental gymnastics classes to children both on the West and East coast. After falling in love with the magic that is Occupational Therapy, Heather switched career paths and graduated as an OTA from Pima Medical Institute earlier this year! Heather is passionate about helping children learn, grow, and celebrate all of their incredible victories. Heather has pursued continuing education in sensory processing and is constantly in pursuit of learning and developing in all areas of pediatric OT. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, board games, exploring the outdoors with her son, dancing, and anything involving crafts and baking!
Emily Hiltz
Lead Horse Walker
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Growing up in southern Colorado, Emily moved to Fort Collins in 2020 to be with her older sisters. She began volunteering at the farm as a weekend care, horse assistant, then sidewalker and is now our lead horse walker on the equine team. She has grown so much in her few years here and continues to expand her knowledge in animals. Her experiences here and have sparked an interest in pursuing higher education about animal care!
Erin Kelley
OTR/L
Erin graduated from Colorado State University with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2021! She has always been passionate about working in pediatrics and has a specific interest in incorporating animals into her practice. She got undergraduate degrees in both Human Development and Equine Science from CSU, with the hopes of utilizing horses to support kids with disabilities! She also has an interest in using dogs in her practice and has raised a service dog for Canine Companions. On days off, Erin is most often spending time with her dog outdoors or inside baking something!
Andrea Gurga
OTR/L
Andrea graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with her Master of Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Andrea is a lifelong Chicagoan and graduated from Loyola University with a BS in Psychology. She has a passion for working with children and their families. She is a research-informed clinician and has training and experience in participation measures and outcomes, environmental modifications, as well as integration of the Intentional Relationship Model (IRM) and DIR/Floortime with children and families. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys exploring new hiking trails, traveling to National Parks, and aspires to be a Search and Rescue Team Member and solo skydiver.
Christine Barnard
COTA/L
Christine always had an interest in caring for those in need since a young age and pursued a biomedical degree at CSU during 2020. After falling in love with OT, she soon switched paths and graduated as an OTA at Pima Medical Institute in 2023. Se is passionate about equine movement and sensory processing. She plans to further her continuing education with toilet training and pelvic floor strengthening. Christine also enjoys fitness, and has taken many courses to be a certified adaptive special needs personal trainer. During her free time, she enjoys playing the piano, working out, archery, hiking with her husband, and reading!