1125 N 13th Street
Sheboygan, WI 53081
(p) (920) 803-1617
(f) (920) 803-1622
OUR TEAM- SHEBOYGAN
Our Providers
Nichole Elmendorf, OTR
Occupational Therapist/Owner
I love helping others learn and grow. As a result of my efforts, I have been able to help many individuals turn the stumbling blocks of their lives into stepping stones. I started Progressive Beginnings in 1999 with my husband John. When I am not working, I enjoy traveling, shopping, yoga, and watching my 3 children participate in their various sporting events.
Jessica Oakland, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist/Operational Partner
I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2010 and then my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May 2014 both from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. I started with Progressive Beginnings in June 2014 and became an Operational Partner in November 2014. I have a passion to work with pediatric patients and a large interest in the neuroscience of pain to educate and engage my patients. I create our newsletters, social media posts, and community outreach as the Director of Marketing. My husband and I live in Manitowoc with our daughter, son, and dog. We love to travel, hike, camp, and spend time with our family and friends.
Jenny Scieszka, PT, DPT
Lead Physical Therapist
Hi, I’m Jenny! I graduated from Grand Valley State University in Michigan in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in both Allied Health Sciences and Psychology. I continued my education at Grand Valley State University and received my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in August of 2021. Throughout my education, I enjoyed working with children and adults and Progressive Beginnings gives me the perfect opportunity to work with people in all stages of life. Being a physical therapist allows me to engage with my patients and find fun ways to help people become more active in their daily lives. When I’m not working, I enjoy being outside with my dog, traveling, trying new recipes, and paddle boarding.
Katie Cicchese, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Ever since my first anatomy course in high school I have had a desire to work in healthcare and after job shadowing I knew becoming a physical therapist was the right career path for me. I graduated from Viterbo University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s of Science of Biology and a minor in Psychology, and I also played on the women’s soccer team. I further pursued my education at Concordia University where I graduated in May of 2020 with my Doctorate of Physical Therapy. I initially started my career working in a hospital as an inpatient acute physical therapist, but I am excited to be making the transition to the outpatient setting. I love getting to work with patients of all ages and really enjoy the opportunity to work alongside them as they strive to reach their goals. In my free time I love spending time with family, playing sports, reading and working out.
Matt Olig, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Hello, I'm Matt! I attended Concordia University Wisconsin where I played on the men's baseball team and graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences. I continued with further education at Concordia University Wisconsin and graduated with my
Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2020.
I began my career working as a mental health occupational therapist. I love helping individuals achieve their goals and having fun in the process, which is why Progressive Beginnings was such a perfect fit. I cherish being an occupational therapist and bringing creativity to functional task performance! In my spare time I enjoy playing with my dog, playing sports, hiking, and traveling with my wife!
Alyssa Kostritza, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
I graduated from Mount Mary University with a Bachelors of Science in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Psychology in 2016. I continued my education with Mount Mary University, and graduated with my Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2017. After graduating, I worked as a Rehab Aide while studying for the National Certification Exam. While working as an Aide, my passion to help people continued to grow. The thing I love most about Occupational Therapy is that I get to be part of someone’s healing journey, and help them gain independence to do the things that they are passionate about. I am very excited to start my dream career with Progressive Beginnings, and work with such a dedicated team. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling and camping with my husband and dog, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Brenna Lieburn, COTA
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
I have always had a passion for helping others. I was introduced to the world of OT after my grandfather was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, and I knew it was the right fit for me. My primary background is in behavioral health; working with pediatric patients on the autism spectrum and clients diagnosed with other behavioral/mental health conditions.
I graduated from Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI in 2020, and my husband and I married shortly after. I remained in the behavioral health environment post-graduation and made the decision to switch gears when we welcomed our daughter in November 2022. I’m excited to begin my OT career working in a field so special to my heart, working with a population I am so passionate about.
Rachel Keene, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
The field of speech language pathology constantly intersected my life. I grew up with a grandfather with polio-related swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), friends with hearing loss, relatives with speech disfluencies (stuttering), and grandparents with dementia. Over the course of my 20+ years as a teacher, I worked with students on the autism spectrum, learned from skilled educational assistants and therapists, and started my exploration of augmentative and alternative communication devices. I returned to school to change careers and study Communication Sciences and Speech Disorders at UWM. Since earning my masters degree, I have worked with students in several Milwaukee area school districts (ages 3 to 19) and worked in the medical setting with adults in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Sheboygan. I currently work in the Whitefish Bay School District full time. I am thrilled to join the team at Progressive Beginnings where I can collaborate with others and work directly with families. I love staying current on research in my field and assisting families on their communication journeys. When I am not working, I am looking for ways to get outdoors, explore, and spend time with my college-aged daughters and bonus family here in Sheboygan.
Sosita Angelyn Angelio
Healthcare Virtual Assistant
I'm a Certified Healthcare Virtual Assistant and a Registered Physical Therapist in the Philippines. I started with Progressive Beginnings in March 2022 and I'm happy to be part of this company because I not only have work but I gained a family and most especially more knowledge about my profession.
John Elmendorf, OTR
Occupational Therapist/Owner
We started Progressive Beginnings in 1999 to provide a choice of providers in pediatric care and an opportunity for local residents to receive warm water aquatic therapy. I have spent my career as an Occupational Therapist working to understand reimbursement, legislative guidelines, and helping others grow their new careers in healthcare. I continue to grow and expand Progressive Beginnings in the areas of management services for long term care, home health, and outpatient rehabilitation services. Our newest undertaking has been growing outpatient clinics within Assisted Living Facility communities
Sara Ploeger, COTA
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant/ Rehab Manager
Hello! I'm Sara, a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant and Rehab Manager at Progressive Beginnings. I completed my bachelor's degree in psychology, graduated as a COTA in May 2017, and started with ProgressiveBeginnings in November 2017. I became Rehab Manager in 2020 and love the opportunity to provide additional support to our staff and management team. I have always worked with people and truly enjoy being able to help them be able to do the things they love. I thoroughly enjoy helping people and seeing their face light up when they achieve a goal makes me smile! During my free time, I enjoy traveling, camping, and learning about new cultures.
Mikelyn Schneiss MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
I attended UW-Milwaukee for my undergraduate degree where I played on the women’s volleyball team and graduated in May of 2018 with a bachelors degree in Occupational Studies and a minor in Psychology. I continued with further education at UW-Milwaukee and graduated with my Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy in December of 2020. I love being able to support and encourage others, which is a huge reason why I love Occupational Therapy. It is so enjoyable for me to be a part of someone’s journey, to work alongside them while they work towards accomplishing their goals, and to watch them be able to participate in the things they love to do! In my spare time I enjoy cooking, baking, crafting, fishing, hiking with my husband, and being outside enjoying God’s creation.
Aaron Cicchese, MS, OTR/L
Lead Occupational Therapist
I attended Viterbo University where I played on the men’s soccer team and graduated in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Sports Science and Leadership. I continued my education at Carroll University and earned my Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2020. As a new graduate, I began my career working as an inpatient acute occupational therapist. I now enjoy having the opportunity to work with patients of all ages and help them progress towards their goals here at Progressive Beginnings! In my spare time I enjoy playing/watching sports, spending time with my family and friends, and working out.
Jenna Tadych, COTA
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
I graduated as a COTA in December of 2016 from Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wi. I started out my career in the skilled nursing facility setting with high hopes I’d always be able to get back to working with my passion, kids. Progressive Beginnings has given me that opportunity as well as being able to continue to work with adults, and I’m so happy and excited to be a part of such an amazing team. One of my favorite things about being in the occupational therapy field is being able to see each of my patient’s grow to their fullest potential and complete the things they love doing on a daily basis. It is such a rewarding career and I look forward to helping someone reach their goals every single day. In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my family, dog, and friends as much as possible. I love a good game night or enjoy time outside playing yard games or relaxing by a lake or pool.
Hannah Delaney, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Hello, I'm Hannah! I graduated from Marquette University in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. I continued my education at Marquette and graduated in 2021 with a masters in Speech-Language Pathology. From there I completed my Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) at a school district in Wisconsin evaluating and treating students from ages 2-18. I found a love in evaluating/treating pediatric clients with a variety of communication and feeding/swallowing needs. I am looking forward to joining the Progressive Beginnings team and collaborating with OT, PT and families to help achieve our clients goals along with making a difference in their lives. In my free time, I enjoy watching/playing sports, baking sweet treats, spending time outdoors and playing board games with family and friends.
Victoria Moore, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
I have been a full time speech-language therapist for 19 years. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Northern Illinois University and then my Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from
UW-Milwaukee. I'm experienced working with children age 3 to 21 years within elementary, middle, and alternative school environments with autism, attention deficit disorders, trauma, reactive attachment disorders, dyslexia, apraxia, learning and intellectual impairments, fluency, voice, articulation, language disorders, as well as numerous medical/neurological conditions. It’s an honor and privilege to be in a profession that inspires and empowers others to express themselves. My husband and I have two sons. We love to be active. In my spare time, I can be found running, skiing, hiking, golfing, weight training, and driving my boys to practices and games.
Nekaya Jackson
Receptionist
Hi, my name is Nekaya. I recently
joined the Progressive Beginnings
team as a receptionist. I am
currently a student at the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee pursuing
an education degree. Working here
fits my personality and life goals of
wanting to work with children, and in
a short period of time, has already
made me consider switching my degree to become a therapist. I have been super excited to join this team because Progressive Beginnings shows that they care for their patients and community. When at home I love to watch movies with my boyfriend, read a huge book, and snuggle my two dogs.
Ashton Elmendorf
Therapy Aide/Receptionist
I’m currently enrolled as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay pursuing my degree in education. The Progressive Beginnings family has been very welcoming and I enjoy experiencing the care and support that each therapist provides to their patients, and I always look forward to seeing the numerous smiles that come and go from the office each day. In my spare time I enjoy playing games or sports, watching a good show, and spending time with my family and friends!
Latest Clinic News:
Autism in children.
Sept 7, 2023
Autism is a spectrum of related disorders having a shared core of signs and symptoms. All kids on the spectrum have difficulties with (1) communicating non-verbally and verbally, (2) relating to the world around and to others, (3) behaving and thinking flexibly. Looking for resources? We can help support your family.
Exercise in water can help reduce chronic pain.
July 13, 2023
Exercise in water utilizes several principles and has a number of benefits that will speed recovery, boost your muscle performance, and help to reduce pain. By using equipment such as water paddles or noodles, the therapist can create gentle currents aimed at specific areas of the body, helping to improve problem areas.
The importance of good sleep hygiene
April 19, 2023
Good sleep hygiene involves getting 7-8 hours per night. Here are some tips to getting a good night sleep:
➡️ Maintain a daily routine such as reading before bed
➡️ Consider learning meditation or deep breathing techniques to clear your mind
➡️ Stop drinking liquids 3-4 hours before bedtime
➡️ Stay active, avoid naps
➡️ Prescriptions and over the counter medications can affect sleep
➡️ Reduce or eliminate drinking alcohol
Find your LOVE for movement!
Feb 2, 2023
Our bodies are designed to move. Although the idea of moving seems simple, we often forget how much our bodies need movement!
The CDC recommends that:
-KIDS have 60 minutes every DAY of moderate to vigorous activity
-ADULTS have 2.5 hours every WEEK, or 30 minutes each DAY at least 5 days a week of moderate activity.
If you feel limited in your ability to participate in activities of exercise, let our PB team create an individualized movement plan for you! It's never too late to find your love for movement.