Melinda Burke, MSPT
Mindy graduated from the University of Evansville with a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy in 2002. She has 18 years of pediatric experience working with the birth to three population and has also worked in the school system. Mindy was on the Eligibility Determination team for First Steps for 7 years. She has experience in the evaluation and treatment of the wide range of diagnoses, including but not limited to developmental delay, prematurity, torticollis, plagiocephaly, hypotonia, Down Syndrome, congenital heart disease, cerebral palsy, genetic conditions, arthrogryposis, osteogenesis imperfecta, muscular dystrophy, autism, and visual impairments. Mindy has experience and is comfortable treating children with complex medical needs and diagnoses.
Mindy is passionate about helping children grow and reach their goals and enjoys providing families with the tools to help their child’s development progress. She believes that children and their families should enjoy physical therapy and strives to make the session child and family centered.
Mindy and her husband live in Zionsville with their two children, ages 9 and 3.
Theresa Clancy, PT
Theresa graduated (1990) with a B.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She has extensive background in acute care, outpatient clinics, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, wheelchair and seating clinic, motion analysis, and early intervention services. Theresa is skilled at providing services either in-home, or in the traditional clinical setting. She is an experienced clinician, having worked with pediatric, adult, and neurologically impaired clients in a variety of settings, most recently at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab (15 years).
Currently, Ms. Clancy works as a direct service provider in the First Steps program in Indiana.
When not working, Theresa loves to spend time with her grandchildren and share her passion for gardening, cooking and baking. Theresa also loves to knit and crochet.
Kari Durham, PT, DPT
Kari graduated from IU in 2008 with a BS in Kinesiology. She graduated from the IU Doctor of Physical Therapy program in 2012. After graduation, she worked primarily as an outpatient orthopedic PT at Union Hospital in Terre Haute until 2014. She then was employed by Kindred at Home from 2014 through 2019 working with the geriatric population. Kari currently has worked for PSA since 2019 and serves families in Hendricks County and west/southwest Marion County.
Kari enjoys working in Early Intervention as she enjoys seeing the individualized care that is able to be provided, as well as the successes/challenges that each child encounters and strategizing how PT and all disciplines involved can improve their development.
Originally from Cory, IN, she now lives in Clayton, IN. Kari has been married to her husband, Chris, since 2014 and they have two children (ages 4 and 1) and 2 crazy beagles.
Kelsey Keefer, PT, DPT
Kelsey graduated from Indiana University with a BS in Kinesiology in 2009. She has specialized in pediatrics since receiving her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the Indiana University School of Health and Rehabilitation Science in 2012. Kelsey has 6 years experience working with the birth to three population and has served as a pediatric physical therapist in outpatient as well as school settings. Her passion lies in early intervention where she has had the privilege to serve families and children with a variety of diagnoses including but not limited to extreme prematurity, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, spina bifida, club foot, seizure disorder, torticollis, plagiocephaly, autism and various genetic conditions. Kelsey lives in Indianapolis with her husband and enjoys yoga, running, reading and spending time with friends & family. She and her husband welcomed a baby girl this past December 2017.
Miranda Paris, DPT, PCS
Miranda is a board certified specialist in pediatrics and is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). She graduated with a BS in Kinesiology from Indiana University in 2006. She has been working for Pediatric Specialty Associates ever since receiving her doctorate in physical therapy in 2009 from Mount St Joseph University in Cincinnati. Miranda has also worked for Riley Hospital for Children, gaining years of experience working with medically complex children. She continues to expand her knowledge in the field by attending continuing education courses across the country each year. Her experience also includes working with children with SMA, achondroplasia, arthrogryposis, spina bifida, tracheostomies, congenital heart disease, intracranial hemorrhage, prenatal substance exposure, torticollis, cerebral palsy, down syndrome and many other genetic conditions and developmental delays. Miranda lives in Indianapolis with her husband, and enjoys reading, working out and spending time with friends/family.
Heather Handley, PT, DPT
Heather Handley earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Indiana University in 2012. Heather enjoys working with children and their caregivers with a play-centered approach to make therapy fun; and empowering families to be their child’s own best “therapist.” When she is not working directly with children, she dedicates time to staying current on the latest research on evidence-based therapeutic interventions to share with her families. Heather has experience in the treatment of a variety of diagnoses including prematurity, torticollis, plagiocephaly, low/high muscle tone, congenital heart disease, spina bifida, hypoxia ischemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, down syndrome and other genetic conditions and developmental delays. She is comfortable working with children that have a tracheostomy, feeding tube, ostomy bag, or ventilator.
Heather is from Portland, Oregon but now calls Indianapolis her home. She practices yoga and enjoys spending time hiking with her son and dog.
Heather Smith, PT
Heather Smith has been working as a physical therapist with the Indiana First Steps program since 2003. She has experience treating children with various diagnoses and needs including extreme prematurity, autism, cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, Down syndrome, and general gross motor and developmental delays. She has worked with several families with twins and triplets. Heather also has experience working with children with hearing and vision impairments, as well as medically fragile and ventilator dependent children.
Heather enjoys working alongside families, physicians and other First Steps providers to help each child reach their greatest potential and thrive within their unique and individual family and community environments.
Stephanie Tellus, PT, DPT
Stephanie attended University of South Carolina where she completed her undergraduate degree in Dance Performance & Choreography in 2015. She continued her education to receive her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Indiana University in 2018. Stephanie was selected as a fellow for the Riley Childhood Development Center’s Leadership & Education in Neurodevelopmental & Related Disabilities (LEND) training program, which she completed in 2018 as well. Stephanie has a wide range of experience in pediatrics including work in early intervention, outpatient pediatrics, NICU, hippotherapy, and robotic-assisted gait training.
She has learned much of what she knows about working with children from her mother, who has worked a pediatric physical therapist through First Steps for most of Stephanie’s life. Stephanie loves working with children and using each child’s individualized interests and strengths to make the “work” of therapy fun. She is passionate about empowering parents with strategies to help their children reach their goals.
Stephanie lives in Indianapolis with her husband and one year old son.