ABOUT
Getting To Know Our Team & Our Philosophy
ABOUT ME
Stacy Panetta, OTR, CLC
Feeding Specialist
I knew from a young age that I wanted to be in the rehabilitation field. I have always loved helping others and being with children. I also knew I wanted to work within pediatrics. Occupational Therapy was the ideal fit for me. I started my career at Michigan Medicine, and worked alongside some of the most inspiring team members, who lead me to my passion of Feeding Therapy. I have been a pediatric OT for 16 years, with most of the past 10 years focused on feeding & swallowing.
Shooting Star Feeding & Swallowing Therapy came from that passion and love of helping others. I wanted to create a space that allowed for a variety of options to help families and to truly put patients and families first.
MY APPROACH
Going Above & Beyond for Your Child
Feeding and eating are a part of all our lives, and when something disrupts this, it becomes stressful for both the infant or child as well as the family. I believe that together, we can work to improve the quality of your mealtime and bring the love back into feeding and eating within your home. Whether the disruption is from stress around your infant gaining weight, your toddler eating limited foods, or your child having difficulty with swallowing, there is hope and opportunity for change. I believe in a team approach and will be your coach to help guide you and your family along your journey.
Tara Swodzinski, MSOT, CLC
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Tara has worked as a pediatric occupational therapist for 9 years with children of all ages and abilities in school, camp, and outpatient settings. During her fellowship in Oregon, she found her passion for feeding therapy. Since that time, she has spent the last 6 years expanding her knowledge of feeding and swallowing. She is a Certified Lactation Counselor as well as a certified VitalStim provider. She loves helping children become more successful eaters and families feel more confident during mealtime. She believes that feeding can, and should be, a fun and positive experience.
Outside of work, Tara enjoys spending time with her growing family, traveling, and hiking anywhere that takes her to a mountaintop!
Heather Bowen, MSOT
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Heather has been a pediatric Occupational Therapist for 13 years. She has been working with children in a variety of settings including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Inpatient and Outpatient services as well as in the school setting. She has a love for helping kids learn to eat and a passion for helping to advocate for these kids and families along the way. When she is not helping kids in her job, she is at one of her son’s sporting events, traveling with her family or at The Big House watching Michigan Football!
About Nicole Martin
Office Manger
"I realized my love for helping children while working for Plymouth Canton Schools in their preschool classroom for children with Autism. Being able to help and be a part of their growth made me feel like I was a part of something bigger. I felt like I was doing what I was made to do."
Nicole is a mom to three girls, which keeps her busy and is her most cherished title. Her girls are "her world".
She is excited to be a part of Shooting Star because it combines two things that she loves most, family and being able to help others.
About Elise Garza
Therapy Technician
Elise is an Occupational Therapy student at Concordia University. She started off as an ABA technician and soon found the wonderful world of Occupational Therapy. She spends her weekends working at Michigan Medicine with adults in Inpatient Rehabilitation.
"I knew Occupational Therapy fit for me when I looked around and saw the positive impact it had on each person."
She loves working at Shooting Star because of the great educational and personal growth that is attained.
