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SHOREWOOD CLINIC
(815) 773-9000
fax: 815-773-9001
SYCAMORE CLINIC
(815) 991-5760
fax: 815-991-5766
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
(815) 730-1800
Fax: 815-730-1835
Hillmann Pediatric Therapy
Occupational Therapy Service
* Sensory Integration
* Fine & Visual Motor Development
* Daily Living Skills
* Motor Planning and Praxis
Occupational Therapy Team
Dania has been practicing as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for the past 28 years. She has participated in a multitude of continuing education courses to improve her knowledge in the areas of Sensory Integration and Sensory Processing as well as in behavior management and Autism. She also completed a variety of management and team building courses that have supported her in her role as the Director of Clinical Services. Dania is a Certified Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) trainer. Dania has been a part of the Hillmann Pediatric Therapy team since August of 2008. In her free time, Dania has earned her black belt in the art of Kajukenbo Karate and has been involved with a local travel baseball team as the assistant travel commissioner. Dania is married and 2 children that she enjoys watching play college softball and baseball.
Dania Polly, COTA/L
Director Clinical Services
Stephanie Meyn, MOT,OTR/L LMT
Stephanie received her Bachelor degree in Rehabilitation and Disability Services from
Northern Illinois University in 2019 and her Masters in Occupational Therapy from North Central
College in 2021. Prior to becoming an OT, Stephanie has had several opportunities working with
children in a variety of backgrounds and abilities, and each opportunity has only further solidified her passion for the pediatric population. She has worked in a variety of pediatric settings,including schools and outpatient clinics. She has been a part of the Hillmann Pediatric Therapy team since July of 2023. Stephanie strives to develop meaningful relationships with clients and their families. Through a holistic approach, she loves to create interventions that are exciting and fun for children. There is no better feeling than seeing clients overcome obstacles, no matter how big or small. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors, traveling, and cooking new recipes.
Samantha Thompson, MOT,OTR/L
Sami received her Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University in Normal, IL and her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from North Central College in Naperville, IL. Sami completed her clinical fieldwork in a variety of areas including inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, schools, early intervention, and outpatient pediatrics at Hillmann Pediatric Therapy in Shorewood, IL. During these clinical rotations Sami had the opportunity to treat individuals of all ages with a variety of diagnoses including neurological impairments, neurodegenerative diseases, orthopedic injuries, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, cerebral palsy, among many others. Sami has also worked and volunteered with children of all ages and abilities in recreational programs and within the school system as she has always had a passion for working with children and their families. When Sami is not at the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her Fiancé, family, and friends, exercising, and spending time outdoors.
Nikki started her degree towards Occupational Therapy at NIU with a focus in Family and Child
Connections. She transferred to Western Michigan University where she was accepted to their
4+1 Masters program. Nikki graduated with her Bachelors Degree with a focus in Occupational
Therapy in 2017 and Masters of Occupational Therapy in 2018. Nikki has been with working at
Hillmann Pediatric Therapy for 5 years both in the clinic and school settings. She enjoys having
the opportunity to work both at the schools and the clinic setting. At the clinic, Nikki enjoys
working with the Early Intervention population and older kids working on functional life skills
such as cooking. Her favorite activities are anything that involve getting messy and having fun
because that’s the best way to learn. When not at work, Nikki enjoys traveling, spending time
with her family or taking walks with her dog.
Nicole Meyers, MS,OTR/L
Melissa is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who began working for HPT in
2019. She attended and graduated from McHenry County College in 2018. Melissa truly
enjoys working within the pediatric setting ranging from ages 0-18 in both clinic and
school settings. She loves working as a team with parents, guardians, and teachers to
promote a better learning experience and continue furthering a child’s development.
During her free time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her kids and family, being
outdoors, and horseback riding.
Melissa Long, COTA/L
Hannah Miller MSOT, OTR/L, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
Hannah received her Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Individual Development and Psychology in 2018 from Northern Illinois University. She received her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Lewis University in 2021. Hannah is also a certified breastfeeding specialist. She continues to enhance her expertise through ongoing training and experience in areas such as oral ties, bottle and nursing techniques, pumping, and combination feeding. This allows Hannah to utilize a holistic and evidence-based approach, integrating skilled occupational therapy with lactation support to guide families towards a successful and fulfilling feeding journey.
Hannah's love for working with kids and families stems from her time in early childhood education, but her passion for breastfeeding really took off after her own experiences as a mom. She knows firsthand how challenging breastfeeding can be, and it doesn't always go smoothly. Hannah is passionate about helping families navigate feeding and development during this delicate stage of life and happy to be able to offer the kind of support she wished she had when she was a new parent.
Outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her children, husband, and 2 dogs, who keep her very busy!