Polina Starr is a founder and the executive director of Function Junction NYC. Polina has been a pediatric occupational therapist since 2008. She graduated with honors from Long Island University with  Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy. She  began her career by working  for Department of Education and Early Intervention and then in various pediatric settings including pre-schools, home care, and sensory gyms. Polina worked as pediatric independent provider at Bank Street College Family Center and School for Children. She started occupational therapy department at Alexander Robertson School and continued to oversee services provision at that school for several years. To sharpen her skills and to further her education she earned multiple certifications and has extensive training in sensory processing treatment, Therapeutic Listening program, Wilbarger deep pressure protocol, kinesiotaping, Vestibular and visual program, Astronaut training, Handwriting Without Tears program and she uses Greenspan Floortime Approach in her sessions with children. She is a Certified Senior Irlen Syndrome Screener and provides visual screening to children and adults. Polina’s passion is to empower children and help them reach their highest potential by setting up reachable goals and working towards them.

Julia has been working with children since earning her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from New York University in 2002. She has worked in a variety of settings including sensory gyms, pre-schools, elementary schools, and home care. Julia has taken advance courses and built her expertise in such areas as sensory integration and sensory processing disorder, design and application of individually - tailored sensory diet, praxis, regulation and behavior management, vestibular habilitation (including Astronaut Training protocol), bilateral integration, Therapeutic Listening program, executive function, handwriting (including Handwriting Without Tears, D'Nelean, and other programs), and play skills. Julia is thoroughly committed to collaboration with parents, teachers, other professionals, school administrators, and all important people in a child's life. Julia also draws on her background in psychology and personal experience as a NYC parent.

Marie Leo is a pediatric occupational therapist with over 40 years of experience. She is currently transitioning to retirement. Marie has a background in sensory integration and is certified in the Sensory Integration Praxis test. In addition, she is trained in the Floortime approach using the Greenspan/Weider D.I.R.model. She has extensive training in working with children with neurological, sensory-motor, and social-emotional and relatedness challenges. Her graduate work was in Motor Learning and she has also had experience as a hand therapist and working with adults with neurological and orthopedic issues. She is currently consulting to the Function Junction NYC occupational therapy practice and doing a little of direct treatment.

For more than 30 years, Kathleen has worked extensively with children and their parents to bring about developmental progression through movement, play and age-appropriate activities.  Kathleen has practiced in a variety of settings: Hospital and Clinic, performing evaluation and treatment, UCP Manhattan Children’s program, OT specialist in NYC elementary schools and preschools, Sensory Gyms and Children’s Homes, and also as an Early Intervention Program consultant.  She has also been in private practice since 1985. Kathleen works with developmental disabilities, including developmental delays, neurological involvement, and spectrum disorders. Kathleen received a BA in Occupational Therapy from the University Of Illinois. She is certified in Pediatric NDT (Neurodevelopmental Treatment). Trained in Sensory Integrations (with Jean Ayres) Certified in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, (Infants, childrenand adults), Myofascial Release Technique, Pediatric Kinesiotaping, and Gyrotonic Expansion System.  Kathleen is happy to share her wide-ranging skills, substantial experience and love of children with Function Junction NYC.

Carol has been a Nationally Certified and Registered Pediatric Occupational Therapist, (NBCOT) in private practice in New York City for 25 years. She specializes in the treatment of children from birth to 10 years of age with Developmental Delays, Neuro- Muscular, Sensory Processing and Cognitive Disorders. She also treats typically developing pre-school children to prepare them for the expectations of Kindergarten. Carol’s approach to Occupational Therapy integrates the breadth of her professional training and career experience in the performing arts and body mind sciences. Throughout her career as a movement educator she has had the privilege of working with populations from birth to 90 years of age in a variety of educational, performing, business and community venues across the country and in Europe. Using principles of Occupational Therapy training, Laban Movement Analysis, Sports/Fitness Rehab, Dance, Music and Yoga, she designs individualized treatment programs that meet children at their own level and inspire them to learn. It is her goal for children to obtain the skills and confidence they need to succeed an express themselves authentically in their homes, schools and social communities. It is her goal for parents to understand their child’s challenges, become partners in their therapeutic process and share in their successes.

Donna Zapin is a pediatric Occupational Therapist with over 24 years of experience. She graduated from the University at Buffalo with her Bachelors in Occupational Therapy. She has worked with children and their families in a wide variety of settings including sensory gyms, home based early intervention, public schools, private schools and private practice. Donna has advanced training in sensory integration, Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, Astronaut Training and The Zones for Regulation. Donna works closely with families to help children reach their greatest potential. Donna is a long-time Upper West Side resident and mom of two daughters. 

Jill graduated with honors from Stanbridge University in Southern California with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She graduated summa cum laude with distinctions including an award for Academic Excellence and an induction into Pi Theta Epsilon, the occupational therapy honor society. She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa. 

Jill is passionate about providing compassionate, playful, and individualized care to help children and their families thrive. She has experience working in outpatient, sensory gym, and school-based settings, and she pursues ongoing advanced training and certifications. She enjoys learning about each child’s needs and abilities in order to lead them toward their full potential. Jill works creatively to include each child’s interests into their therapy, promoting a collaborative environment in which children can grow in skill and confidence. 

Laurie Gittelman is a pediatric physical therapist who has been practicing for over 30 years. Following an internship at the Lamm Institute for Child Neurology and Developmental Medicine at LI College Hospital in Brooklyn, she worked at Roosevelt Hospital in the acute care and outpatient divisions. Laurie was part of the the initial team of providers performing evaluations and therapy treatment at the inception of Early Intervention in NYC in 1993. She has worked in a wide range of clinical, home and school based settings with ages ranging from birth to 18. She has worked extensively in early intervention, pre-schools and with school aged children in sensory gyms and in the home. She is knowledgeable in the areas of assessment, treatment, equipment and orthotic management, family instruction and collaboration with other healthcare providers.

She is trained in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), sensory integration, kinesiotaping, treatment of torticollis and childhood spasticity, orthotic management, adaptive seating, motor learning and Laban movement analysis.

In addition, Laurie is a licensed massage therapist, yoga practitioner and former modern dancer, contributing to her use of a holistic approach by addressing and incorporating children’s global needs as a member of an integrated team. Laurie believes that working in conjunction with parents and caregivers, supports and strengthens the growth and development of a child.