Hi, I’m Elana!
I am the lead pediatric occupational therapist and founder of OT Associates Chicago, originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago. I earned my Master's of Science degree in occupational therapy at Columbia University in New York. After graduating, I moved back to Chicago and was fortunate to start my career at a prominent private practice where I received recognition for providing exceptional care to my clients along with dedicated mentorship to new graduates and fieldwork students.
I have extensive experience in a variety of settings including outpatient pediatrics, private practice, inpatient rehabilitation, therapeutic preschool and kindergarten, telehealth, in-home and in-school therapy, and was previously certified in Early Intervention allowing me to gain experience in working with children under the age of 3.
I have worked with neurotypical children who need assistance with milestone achievement, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorder (SPD), executive functioning deficits (ADD, ADHD, ODD, Anxiety and emotional regulation), developmental delays, syndactyly, arthrogryposis, dyspraxia, dysgraphia (handwriting), oral motor challenges, and self care skills.
Being able to play a supportive role in a child’s development has fueled my motivation and I look forward to taking a journey with each child to help them overcome any limitations that are out of their control. Their journeys become mine as well. I create a partnership with each family and together we will devise a plan to prioritize and reach goals.
A few things about me. I love the outdoors, gardening with my mom, spending time with my husband, trying out new restaurants, learning new recipes and traveling to new places! I can’t wait to meet you and discuss how together we can help your child build and meet their goals.
Elana Monahemi, MS, OTR/L
Hi, I’m Taylor!
As the Head of Business Operations, it’s my mission to ensure that all financial, HR, legal, and operational components of the business are running smoothly and are equipped to scale as we hire and expand our footprint throughout the greater Chicagoland area. I also have a deep passion for building a culture at OTAC that empowers our team to bring their best self to work every day, helping them grow both professionally and personally during their tenure here.
Throughout my career, I’ve always been someone who loves to build things and help achieve goals at scale. Here at OTAC, I’m lucky enough to help a company that has those aspirations of growth while making a massive impact on the Chicagoland community. I’m also working alongside my wife and best friend which makes it all even better.
Outside of work, I’m an avid golfer, snowboarder, musician, and foodie, and will travel to any location that has a combination of those things.
Taylor Grinney, Head of Business Operations
