The Team
Meet our DH Therapy Family
The Clinic Owner, Occupational Therapist
Damir Hecimovic, MS OTR/L
Damir Hecimovic, MS OTR/L, is a licensed, registered Occupational Therapist with experience in treating children and adolescents with different developmental disabilities.
Damir was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina where he got his undergraduate degree in Sports Education. After working for US Military in Iraq for 3 years, he moved to Atlanta, GA. Damir attended Brenau University in Gainesville where he earned a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy.
In 2018, Damir founded DH Therapy LLC. Damir and his team treat children and adolescents with different developmental challenges including gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, handwriting, emotional regulation, and activities of a child’s daily living by implementing different therapeutic strategies. Damir has completed training in DIR Floortime (DIR 101, DIR 201, DIR 202) and Tomatis Listening Therapy (2.0). Damir views individuals holistically to incorporate an approach that looks at the whole child to promote independence in their daily activities.
Damir keeps current in his field through continuing education and training on subjects such as sensory integration, therapeutic listening, the DIRFloortime® model, and updated research.
Damir and his wife are the proud parents of three daughters Sara, Hana, and Leyla.
Clinical Director, Speech-Language Pathologist
Erika Kabu, M.Ed.,CCC-SLP
After pursuing a career in the Arts, Erika found her passion was for the ‘art’ of communication. She received a Master’s degree from the University of West Georgia in Speech and Language Pathology and thrives on continually learning and updating her skill set. Erika resides in Decatur and she is thrilled to be a part of the DH Therapy team.
Her experience includes 10 years in the clinical, school, and early intervention setting evaluating and treating children who have: developmental delays, articulation/ phonological disorders, expressive/receptive language impairments, Autism Spectrum Disorder, fluency disorders, Apraxia, oral function, and feeding challenges.
Erika enjoys working with the pediatric population and collaborating with families and other professionals to ensure the best possible outcome for each child.
Office Manager
Sharon Alvarado
Sharon is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business administration at Olgethorpe university. Originally born in Nicaragua, Sharon uses her bilingual abilities to communicate and implement interpersonal skills with her community, our families, and their children. With her love of helping others, she is happy to be able to work with the DH Therapy team. In her free time, she continues to help Spanish-speaking families through volunteer work in her congregation. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, loves listening to music, and exploring all the small spots of Atlanta.
Occupational Therapist, Lead
Rachel Rael, MS OTR/L
Rachel Rael graduated from Georgia State University with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and from The University of Georgia with a Bachelor's degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. Rachel successfully completed her fieldwork in an outpatient pediatric clinic where she gained experience with little kiddos with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, cerebrovascular accident, cerebral palsy, sensory processing disorder, and hearing and visual impairments. Rachel strongly believes in focusing on the strengths of each kiddo for therapeutic outcomes. In her free time, Rachel enjoys trying new local restaurants with her boyfriend, golfing, running, hiking, and taking her pup to the park.
Occupational Therapist
Taylor Nettles, MS OTR/L
Taylor graduated from Augusta University with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and received a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from The University of Georgia. Go Dawgs! Taylor has always had a passion for pediatrics and helping people and is so excited to fulfill both of these passions through OT. She enjoys working with a variety of kiddos and creating a unique, playful, and sensory-friendly environment. Outside of work, Taylor enjoys going to the gym, outdoor activities, traveling, and trying new coffee shops/local restaurants.
Occupational Therapist
Samantha Chong, MS OTR/L
Samantha is a graduate of the Thomas Jefferson University Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program. Her passion has always been to enrich the lives of the children she works with by supporting them to do the things they want and need. Samantha believes in a family-centered approach and wants to empower families to see their children's potentials and strengths through her work. Prior to discovering her love for pediatric OT, she grew up on the beautiful Borneo Island in Malaysia and attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. After college, she moved to New York for a year to do creative work but knew that working with children was what made her the happiest. Her love for diversity, traveling, and understanding of different cultures can surely be attributed to the different places she has lived in throughout her life thus far. In her free time, you can spot Samantha photographing her adventures in Atlanta or sipping coffee at your nearest coffee shop.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Darby Kunnemann, M.S.,CCC-SLP
Darby graduated from Georgia State University with a Master's of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Arkansas. Woo Pig! Darby has experience working in the clinical, school, and medical settings evaluating and treating children with developmental delays, articulation/phonological disorders, expressive/receptive language disorders/delays, social language disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, fluency disorders, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Darby is passionate about providing evidence-based and family-centered services. In her free time, Darby enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Rebeca Matos, M.S.,CCC-SLP
Rebeca Matos began her educational career by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Human Resources from the University of Puerto Rico (Río Piedras Campus). Through this process, she grew to develop an immense passion for children and understanding human development—not only within the realm of psychology but also speech therapy. As a result, to further develop her passion for helping children and serving her community via the pursuit of higher education, Rebeca continued her studies with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Carlos Albizu University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. “One of my greatest joys is working with children, especially in early intervention, where I am given the opportunity to create therapy sessions that foster an optimal learning environment focused on fun!” Furthermore, having grown up in a bilingual household with a constant immersion and influence of Hispanic culture, Rebeca desires to continue offering her services to those within the Hispanic population as well—especially through bilingual-based therapy services. Rebeca also enjoys training, walking on nature trails, and visiting new places in her free time.
Occupational Therapist
Dominique Peterson, OTD, OTR/L
Dominique graduated from Chatham University with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy and received a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at Georgia State University. Dominique has always had a passion for working in pediatrics and has experience working with children with Autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, sensory processing disorder, developmental delay, and more. She also has a strong passion for mental health and enjoys working with adolescents on emotional regulation, executive functioning, and life skills. In her free time, Dominique loves traveling, trying new restaurants in the Atlanta area, cycling, and being outdoors with her dog.
Occupational Therapist
Amy Siegel, OTR/L
Amy graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in health science and a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. She is passionate about working with children and has over 10 years of experience providing holistic family-centered care. Amy uses a patient, playful, and encouraging therapeutic approach to help children find their just-right challenge. She is excited to use her skills to work with families and help each child meet their individual goals. In her free time, you can find Amy playing with her two young boys.
Occupational Therapist
Kelsea Newman, MS OTR/L
Kelsea Newman graduated from Georgia State University with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and The University of Georgia with a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Science (Go Dawgs!). With a diverse background in OT settings, including early intervention, outpatient therapy clinics, and school-based practice, Kelsea's true passion has always been sensory integration. Her pediatric training includes Star Institute's Sensory Program, Integrated Listening System, Somatic Trauma Therapy, Primitive Reflex Integration, along with Handwriting without Tears. As an OT, Kelsea is passionate about building kids' self-esteem and independence through tailored activities that align with each child's unique goals and interests. When she is not working, Kelsea enjoys living a sensory lifestyle including yoga, hiking, cycling, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Emily Daugherty, SLP
Emily’s educational career began at the University of Georgia where she earned two bachelor’s degrees in Cognitive Science with a focus in linguistics and psychology and Communication Sciences and Disorders. Throughout this process, she garnered a love of language, the human mind, and the intersectionality between the two which sparked her interest in Speech Therapy. She later attended Georgia State University, graduating with a Master's of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Currently, Emily is working at DH Therapy to complete her Clinical Fellowship hours before becoming a fully licensed therapist.
Emily has experience working with adults as well as children of all ages in both the school and clinical settings. She has evaluated and treated persons with Aphasia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, fluency disorders, developmental delays, phonological disorders, expressive/receptive language disorders, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Emily brings passion when advocating for her clients’s needs and communications goals, collaborating with other professionals for interdisciplinary support and fostering a fun therapy environment. In her free time, she enjoys art, live music, camping, ballroom dance, and travel.
Jordyn Wagner, MS OTR/L
Jordyn graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and Troy University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services with a minor in American Sign Language. Before entering the career world, Jordyn completed two fieldwork rotations in pediatrics where she grew a passion for working with children. Jordyn is from Alabama and after graduating, she took a job in outpatient orthopedics rehabilitating hands, wrists, and elbows after surgeries and injuries for three years. When moving to Georgia, she wanted to return to her first love in occupational therapy- pediatrics. Jordyn understands that children learn best through play and she strives to help children to become as confident as their peers on the playground. When not at work, you can find Jordyn on the tennis court, FaceTiming her 4 year old nephew, or at home napping with her two dogs, Winnie and Simba!
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