Meet the AT Village Team

Christine Pelis, PT, DPT, PCS

Christine is a licensed physical therapist and a board certified pediatric clinical specialist. She is currently working for the Golisano Center for Special Needs to improve access to equipment and recreation for children of all abilities. Christine has received continuing education in multiple pediatric diagnoses as well as the evaluation of wheelchair seating and positioning. She volunteers with the Arise Adaptive Design group to create equipment for children using low-cost materials. Christine works directly with families, clinicians, and local therapists to find solutions to obtaining durable medical equipment.

Helena Schmidt

Helena is an advocate for herself and others. She plans to attend a four-year college to earn a degree in psychology. As the Social Media Intern at the Fitness Inclusion Network, Helena manages the Fit-IN Instagram account where she shares resources about inclusive fitness and recreation. In her free time, Helena enjoys the outdoors, animals, and spending time with her friends and family.

Peyton Sefick, BA

Formerly the Project Coordinator at the Fitness Inclusion Network, Peyton focuses on fostering local partnerships to bring adaptive recreation and low-cost AT to communities. He recently joined the Golisano Center for Special Needs full-time to continue as the Community Inclusion and Mobility Specialist. In this role he works directly with kids and families, helping them to maintain active, inclusive, and enjoyable lifestyles within our local community. Peyton is also an accomplished power wheelchair soccer athlete. He plays for and has captained CNY United in Syracuse for over 10 years. He has also played for the United States National World Cup Team, both in 2011 and 2017. Peyton has used his experience on the soccer court to travel the world, coaching and learning from other disabled athletes in Australia, Asia, Europe, and South America.

Michele Lamb, RN, BSN, PMHN-BC

Michele has been a Registered Nurse for 12 years. She spent 10 years in psychiatry and is certified in that specialty. Over the past 2 years she has enjoyed working with pediatric patients at the Golisano Center for Special Needs. Throughout the process to obtain durable medical equipment Michele helps families with follow-up and paperwork.

Maddy Locastro

Maddy is an MD/MPH student at SUNY Upstate and serves as the Equipment Navigator at the Golisano Center for Special Needs. She works with families to navigate the processes to access adaptive technologies that both include and extend beyond insurance reimbursement.

Nienke P. Dosa, MD, MPH

Dr. Dosa is a developmental pediatrician at the Golisano Center for Special Needs and medical director of the Spina Bifida Center of Central New York. She is the Upstate Foundation Professor of Pediatrics and is a Senior Fellow at Syracuse University’s Burton Blatt Institute. Her academic work is focused on community models for developmental disability care, particularly as this relates to the transition to adulthood and inclusive fitness across the lifespan.