Our Amazing Team
Donna Giachino - Founder & Director
Donna was trained as a Speech-Language Pathologist and practiced as an SLP for 28 years until May 1, 2019. She is now the Director & Special Educational/Family Consultant for Therapy 4 Kids Okanagan and Vancouver Language Therapy 4 Kids. Donna is tremendously passionate about her work and believes that family education is critical in the overall progress of a child's social, emotional and academic development.
As the Founder of Therapy 4 Kids Okanagan and Vancouver Language Therapy for Kids, Donna also coordinates all of the Registered Speech-Language Pathologists, Communicative Disorders Assistants, Communication Health Assistants, Special Education Assistants, Tutors, Occupational Therapists, Kinesiologists, and Rehabilitation Assistants on the team. She is responsible for organizing parent and community educational workshops, community outreach and coordination with other service providers.
Donna obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Trent University (Peterborough, Ontario) and a Masters of Science Degree in Speech Sciences from the University of British Columbia in 1992. After 18 years of clinical practice as a Speech-Language Pathologist, she founded Vancouver Language Therapy for Kids. During her time as an SLP, her experience focused primarily with preschool and school aged children in variety of settings including children's treatment centres (Fraser Valley CDC, Erinoak Children's Treatment Centre in Ontario) and for 10 years at a specialized language intervention centre in Vancouver for chNildren with primary language delays / disorders and language-based learning difficulties.
Donna's areas of focus as a Special Educational & Family Consultant is Emerging Executive Functioning and Family Support. Her approach is based on a strong foundation in neuroscience and years of experience dealing with educational issues and ADHD/ASD.
Rob Giachino - Occupational Therapist & Clinical Coordinator
Rob graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2000. He has had a wide range of experiences over the last 21 years which include; working at GF Strong in the Spinal Cord Injury Program, working at Penticton Regional Hospital, working at the Child Development Centre in Penticton and at Emerge OT, a private practice he founded in 2016.
Rob has an incredible amount of dedication to the students he works with. He has a very creative and engaging approach in his work with the children. Rob is certified in PEERS and Learning Without Tears.
Rob is an avid cyclist, rock climber and skier and is very interested in helping children, teens and adults functionally participate in activities both within their school and community. His wealth of knowledge and engaging personality serves him well in his work with students as well as their families.
Brett Needham - Kinesiologist & transdisciplinary therapist
Brett was born and raised in Penticton B.C and moved to Calgary Alberta where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary in 2019. Brett is a registered Kinesiologist and is provincially licensed by the BC Association of Kinesiologists (BCAK).
Brett brings a breadth of experience with autism and a particular interest in trauma informed care to her work with children. Brett enjoys being a part of a multidisciplinary team, and wants the opportunity in her career to help individuals reach their full potential, helping them achieve confidence and independence in their own lives.
In her spare time, Brett enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking, travelling, and spending time with her family and friends.
Sarah coghlin - SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Sarah is happy to return to the Okanagan as a registered Speech-Language Pathologist after graduating from Western University in London, ON, where she developed her clinical skills working with the pre-school and school aged populations in both the H.A. Leeper Speech and Hearing Clinic and the Centre for Autism Services. She enjoys working with children of all ages and abilities, with her primary areas of interest including prelinguistic development and early intervention for expressive/receptive language. Sarah strives to provide neurodiversity affirming services for the autistic community that she serves and is working towards becoming a practitioner on the Registry of Autism Service Providers (RASP).
Sarah is passionate about helping individuals reach their communication potential through family-centered approaches that focus on functional and meaningful changes that impact their day-to-day lives. She enjoys the connections she builds with her clients and their families, and the positive impact that therapy can bring.
Sarah’s advanced training includes:
· “It Takes Two to Talk” – The Hanen Program
Sarah is a member of:
· College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of British Columbia (CSHHPBC)
· Speech-Language Audiology Canada (SAC)
In her spare time Sarah enjoys spending time outside exploring the Okanagan, practicing her baking skills, travelling and playing soccer.