Encourage appropriate infant and toddler development through individualized assessment, education and professional support.
Support the parent/caregivers in developing skills to encourage their child’s greatest potential.
Provide relationship based early intervention, recognizing that the child‘s ability to grow and develop starts with responsive and healthy early attachments to parents and/or caregivers.
Respect and acknowledge each family’s individual culture, ideas, goals, values and priorities.
Foster each family’s independence in being an advocate for their child in future services that the child may need.
Maintain effective communication and collaboration with all members of the Early Start Program, including other agencies involved in serving each of the children and families we also serve.
Abide by state and federal legislation as it applies to the Early Start Program and early intervention in general.
Our Team
The Child Development Network is proud to be represented by the collaborative work of our team of Therapists:
Machel Symons M.A. MFT
Owner / Program Director / Child Development Specialist
Machel is the Owner and Director of the Child Development Network. She also works as one of the Early Intervention Specialists. Machel has her teaching credential and Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education. She has been working with children with special needs for over 25 years now. What started out being a volunteer summer job at the age of 12, turned into a lifelong passion and profession in working with children who have various needs. Machel has worked internationally in Romania with children who have been orphaned and abandoned and has also lectured and worked at a school for “Differently Abled” children in India. Machel has also volunteered and consulted at an orphanage for children with special needs in Mexico on numerous occasions. Machel continues to grow and expand her knowledge in working with children and families by attending numerous conferences, workshops and classes every year and earning a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Hope International University in 2013.
Nicole Sevier
Child Development Specialist
Nicole has worked in the education field for almost 30 years. After graduating from Long Beach State University with a degree in Early Childhood Development she continued to earn both her Elementary Education and Special Education Credentials. Nicole taught in early intervention programs in both Long Beach and Cerritos, and then transitioned to teach Kindergarten and 2nd grade in Manhattan Beach. Once her family grew, she stepped away from teaching full time to allow more time to raise her three sons. Nicole held many volunteer positions including serving on the California Counsel for Parent Participation in Nursery Schools. She also started a Trash Free Lunch Program and expanded the environmental program at her local elementary school. Nicole later worked as a program manager for the non-profit Grades of Green where she helped over 50 schools in Southern California reduce lunch time waste. In 2017, Nicole’s heartstrings pulled her back to work in the field of special education. As an intensive behavioral interventionist, she supported children aged 5-8 to access both academics and social situations with greater ease. When Nicole and her husband moved to Santa Barbara in 2022, she joined the CDN family where she has reignited her passion as an early interventionist. Nicole considers it a privilege and honor to work alongside children and their families and to build supportive relationships with each of them.
Kris Pilkington OTR/L
License Occupational Therapist
Kristine Pilkington has been an occupational therapist in Santa Barbara, California for 50 short years and has worked with persons of all ages and abilities. She has extensive experience in program development and management and community collaboration as well as in direct services through her private practice, the Child Development Network of Santa Barbara, The Center for Developmental Play and Learning/Early Birds, Tri-Counties Regional Center, First 5/Welcome Every Baby, private and public schools and other programs. Her passion is home visiting and reaching children in their starting and amazing years of life, involving parents and families as attuned, active supporters of their children’s development, and providing
training and mentorship to others in this area.
Kris’ approaches include coaching and routines-based, family-centered intervention in natural environments, and understanding children’s unique sensory processing abilities as they influence participation in everyday life. She has written and spoken locally, nationally, and internationally on these
topics. Kris has worked with the WestEd Center for Prevention and Early Intervention in a variety of activities and was a consultant for Alpha Resource Center, Infant Development Association of California, the SEEDS Project and Early Head Start. She believes ongoing training and interdisciplinary teamwork are essential to strengthen program meaning and effectiveness. Kris is co-founder of a collaborative focusing on sensory and social-emotional development called Parents Learn-Children Grow and has a private OT practice in Santa Barbara working with children birth to age 12 and their families.
She is very grateful to have experienced challenges and shared joys with so many children and families across her long occupational therapy career, for her world travels, for her home, for God’s grace and for the support of her husband and three sons, family and friends through the journey.
JoDee Marquart M.S. CCC-SLP
Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
JoDee graduated from California State University, Northridge with a Master of Science in Communicative Disorders and Sciences degree. She worked in the Los Angeles area at a private practice serving preschoolers up through high school age students in the clinic, home and school-based settings. JoDee moved back to Santa Barbara in 2000 where she began working primarily with the pediatric (birth to three years) population. JoDee currently sees children through the Early Start Program and has had the pleasure of working with an amazing interdisciplinary team while serving this young population.
Laura Muzquiz M.S.
Bilingual Early Interventionist
Laura graduated from The University of Arizona Global Campus with a Masters of Art in Special Education in July 2022. She also has a Bachelor’s of Art in Early Childhood
Development from The University of Arizona Global Campus. For 16 years Laura
worked as a teacher with children ages three months to five years old. After graduating with her Master’s degree, she transitioned into Early Intervention. Laura sees herself as a lifelong learner and continues expanding her knowledge and skills by attending conferences and workshops. She is passionate about her work and honored to help children progress in all areas of their development. Laura finds inspiration in witnessing children reach their milestones. She firmly believes in collaborating with families to provide children with the best learning experiences and thriving in their natural environments.
Sonia Rifkind M.Ed.
Child Development Specialist
Sonia has twelve years of experience working with children with a variety of needs and has been working for Child Development Network since 2018. She graduated from Walden University with a Masters of Science in Education with an emphasis in special education. She has worked in Los Angeles, Arlington (VA), and currently in Santa Barbara. Her specialty interests include fostering close connections and positive attachment between child and parent, offering a variety of strategies that fit each families’ unique dynamic, and working as an inclusive team with each specialist to ensure the best support for the families she works with.
Alexa Dell M.S. CCC-SLP
Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
Alexa received her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from San Diego State University after completing her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders with a Minor in Music from the University of Redlands. She brings over a decade of experience working with children from birth through adolescence across home, school, and clinical settings. She provides speech and language therapy from a foundation of research and clinical expertise, while incorporating the values and goals of the child and their family. Alexa’s philosophy is that therapy for children should be fun and motivating! She believes that progress is made and maintained when children are engaged in meaningful interactions and play. As a Santa Barbara native, Alexa is grateful to support families within her home community.
Caroline Rodriguez (de Witte) M.S. CCC-SLP
Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
Caroline Rodriguez (de Witte), MS, CCC-SLP graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communicative Disorders before earning her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from New York University in 2019. She has found her true passion in working with the pediatric population conducting evaluations and treatment for articulation, receptive and expressive language delays and disorders. She is certified in Natural Language Acquisition (NLA), working with children who communicate using echolalia and scripting. She believes in taking a full communication approach with her clients to make language most accessible to them, whether it be increasing verbal language/understanding, introducing sign language, or creating low/high-tech augmentative communication devices (or a combination of all!).
Rachel Williams, M.S. CCC-SLP
Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist
Rachel is passionate about helping young children find their voices and bringing support to families as they navigate the world of early intervention and beyond. She received her Masters degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from California State University, Northridge as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from BIOLA University. Since 2015, Rachel has been serving individuals and families in Santa Barbara in a variety of settings including early intervention, state preschool, private clinic, and post-secondary transition. She has professional experience working with a range of speech and language needs as well as ages ranging from birth to 22 years. Her passion lies in providing early intervention services and establishing relationships with families in the community. Rachel and her husband live in Santa Barbara, California, with their chocolate lab. She enjoys horseback riding, going to the beach, walking to the farmers market, and playing tennis in her spare time.
Mona Sethi
Child Development Specialist
Mona has her BA in Early Childhood Development and a CA CLAD teaching credential. Over the last 35 years, she has worked with children and families in a variety of settings. Mona has volunteered with organizations that teach young mothers pre and post-natal infant development, job training and general life skills. She taught for many years at the preschool and elementary school levels in California, New York and Arizona. Mona began working as a Developmental Specialist in Charlottesville, Virginia prior to moving back to California in 2009 and has been with Child Development Network since 2014. She continues to grow and expand her knowledge base by taking classes and workshops every year. Mona has four children ranging in age from 18 to 23. She brings experience, passion, dedication and a deep respect of children to her job.
Laura Kinney M.S. CCC-SLP
Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
Laura graduated from San Diego State University with a Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology and her Bachelor's degree from University of California Santa Barbara. Laura has worked as a Speech Language Pathologist in the Santa Barbara area in the community and school setting. Laura is certified in the Hanen program, "It Takes Two to Talk" and is passionate about working with young children and their families. She enjoys not only working with children, but also educating families and other professionals about language development and techniques to support language growth in everyday environments.
Gwen Harris M.S. CCC-SLP
Program Manager, Child Development Specialist
Gwen has worked with children and families for over thirty years in a variety of capacities. She has a degree in Child and Family Services and initially worked with victims of child abuse and neglect. A few years later she was the Mental Health coordinator for the Head Start Program in Nevada. Gwen became a service provider for Early Start in Santa Barbara in 2004, then began with Child Development Network at its inception. Gwen believes strongly in forming a bond with her little clients and their families while supporting their specific needs and development. "The biggest joy in this work is sharing in the child's and family's motivation, progress, and successes over time."
Jean Weitensteiner OTR/L
License Occupational Therapist
Jean Weitensteiner has worked with individuals, families, and children for 25 years,
integrating her skills as a licensed occupational therapist, as a certified pediatric
neurodevelopmental specialist, trauma informed clinician, and registered Cranial Sacral Therapist training for 2 years in England in the biodynamic model of Cranial Sacral Therapy. Jean is a certified Neuromovement® practitioner focusing on how movement informs the higher processes of the brain and the importance of attuned connection. Jean also works with infants, children, and adults in her private practice, provides, lectures, and was a contributing faculty member at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute from 2003 – 2006. Jean worked within a nonprofit research clinic as a practtitoner supporting families in early bonding and attachment from 2000 to 2013.