The Team
Aaron Zapata
Office Manager
Aaron Zapata is the Office Manager at Achieving Milestones. Aaron and his wife Julie have fostered 28 children and adopted 6 through both private adoption and the foster care system.
He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, IL with a Bachelor's degree in Family Ministry & a Minor in Early Childhood Education. He is a former Childcare Director, Children & Families Pastor and truly has a heart and passion for helping kids and families.
Aaron has called Celina home since December of 2021 and has loved every minute of it. He is recently served as chairman of the Celina Public Library Committee & President of the Celina Friends of the Library Board.
In his free time, he enjoys reading thriller novels, watching reality tv, cooking for his family, and making new friends. You might catch him and his family hanging around the Celina downtown square.
Paige Runkel
Speech Language Pathologist
Paige graduated with a B.S. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Baylor University. She is passionate about serving the pediatric population and supporting children in reaching their communication and feeding goals. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, traveling, reading, and spending time outdoors. She is excited to contribute to the Achieving Milestones team!
Liana Bartkowiak
Speech Language Pathologist
M.S., CCC-SLP
Liana Bartkowiak has been married to her wonderful husband for 3 years (though they've been together since they were sophomores in high school)! About a year ago, they bought a 1920s craftsman for their first home and have poured a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into renovating it themselves. They love spending what time they have left with their active dog Jett, their cuddly cat Butters, or kayaking in local lakes.
Liana first became interested in becoming a Speech Language Pathologist when she remembered how much she loved going to speech therapy in 2nd grade for articulation (/r/ and "sh" were her biggest struggles). Since becoming an SLP, she's realized how much she loves every aspect of the field - articulation, feeding, language, AAC, and stuttering. There's nothing that she loves more than getting to watch tiny humans achieve BIG milestones.
Alyssa Aguilar
Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
Alyssa graduated from Texas Tech University with her B.S. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She just moved back home to Celina and is so excited to begin her new journey at Achieving Milestones.
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In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, as well as going on hikes with her dog, Charley.
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Alyssa joined Achieving Milestones in July of 2023, and says it’s been so fun getting to know the patients and their families in the same town she grew up in. She feels so blessed to be surrounded by an amazing team and community, and can’t wait to see everything she accomplishes!
Emma Gentile
Speech Language Pathologist
Bio coming soon!
Ellen Gentile
Speech Language Pathologist
Ellen Gentile, M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist with extensive experience supporting middle school students in the areas of language, articulation, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and social communication. She has significant experience working with students on the autism spectrum and is dedicated to engage successfully in every day settings. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, friends and her horse.
Janel Swann
Lead Occupational Therapist
MOT, OTR/L
Janel graduated from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center- Shreveport in 2018 and has worked in pediatrics ever since. Janel's experience includes clinic-based care, home health, and working in a developmental preschool. She appreciates building relationships with each family she works with and believes collaboration is key to each child's success.
Janel grew up in south Louisiana and moved to DFW after meeting her husband, Eric, while on clinical rotations in Frisco. They have a sweet and very active baby boy, Emmett. They have a dog, Riley, and cat, Binx (they are besties.) In her spare time, Janel enjoys spending time with family, outdoor activities, traveling, listening to true crime podcasts, and DIYing.
Joni Smart
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
COTA, CKTP
Joni Smart brings over 25 years of experience and a deep passion for pediatric care to Achieving Milestones Pediatric Therapy. She earned her Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy from Amarillo College in 1998 and began her career with a nonprofit agency supporting children and young adults with visual impairments in mastering daily living skills.
Joni’s journey into pediatric therapy began with an Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program, where she worked with children ages 0–3. Her passion for working with kids truly flourished during her ten years at an outpatient pediatric and young adult therapy clinic, where she honed her skills and developed a heartfelt dedication to helping children thrive.
Since relocating to the Dallas area in 2013, Joni has continued to serve children through outpatient therapy and pediatric home health. She is Kinesio Tex Tape Certified (KT3) in pediatrics and holds a Certificate of Mastery in the DIR/Floortime model for infancy and early childhood. Joni has also completed advanced training in handwriting, including Fine Motor Gymnastics and Multi-Sensory Print and Writing Success programs tailored for children with Autism.
No matter how many years she’s been in the field, Joni’s passion for helping children reach their full potential never fades. She finds joy in celebrating every milestone with her young clients and their families.
Outside of work, Joni is a proud mother of two grown children and a loving grandmother to a one-year-old grandson, with a granddaughter on the way. She enjoys volunteering in her church’s children’s ministry, walking her dog, watching true crime shows, and spending as much time as possible with her family.
Abby Goode
Patient Care Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon
Sadie Ingram
Occupational Therapist
Bio coming soon.
Brooke Foskey
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Bio coming soon.
Shyanne Carr
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Family and connection have always been at the heart of Shyanne's life, which is why she is excited to be moving from San Antonio to North Dallas to be closer to loved ones. At home, life is wonderfully full with her spouse, their six children (ages 5-13), and four playful cats who keep the family on their toes.
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Shyanne's passion for occupational therapy began during her years as an early childhood teacher, where she worked closely with many children who experienced sensory challenges. Later, her own children's experiences further deepened her understanding and inspired her to help little ones grow in confidence through meaningful, everyday activities. She earned her Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy from St. Philip's College, gaining pediatric clinical experience in areas such as fine motor development, self-care skills, sensory processing, and social participation.
With more than a decade of experience supporting children and families, Shyanne is dedicated to building strong connections and celebrating each milestone; whether it's mastering a new skill, trying something for the first time, or simply developing confidence. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys being outdoors, creating and building projects, listening to music, and exploring new ideas through research.
Abby Goode
Patient Care Coordinator
Bio coming soon.
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Mallory Zambrana
Speech Language Pathologist
Mallory is so excited to join the Achieving Milestones team. She has been a Speech Language Pathologist for 5 years serving primarily elementary aged kiddos. After spending most of her career in the public schools, she and her husband welcomed their first baby this Spring. Mom life called for a change of plans and she is beyond thrilled to have the flexibility in her life to be Mom and also support the Celina community's speech and language development here at Achieving Milestones. She looks forward to getting to walk alongside all of our families in this journey to best support their kids communication development.