Meet Our Passionate Tidal Therapy Solutions Team
At Tidal Therapy Solutions, our team is the heart of what we do. We are a group of passionate and experienced professionals dedicated to helping individuals achieve their communication and functional goals. Get to know the talented individuals who make our therapy services exceptional!
Meet the Occupational Therapy Team
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Meredith Gallagher
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Meredith is a 2025 grad of the Master of Occupational Therapy Program at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, and is very excited to join the team at Tidal!
Meredith grew up in Connecticut and New Jersey, and relocated to Wilmington in 2018. It was during her time studying psychology for her undergrad at James Madison University that she discovered a passion for Occupational Therapy and decided to pursue this interest following graduation. She received her associates degree in occupational therapy in 2020 from Cape Fear Community College, and hasn't looked back since.
Meredith has had several years of experience as an OTA, both in outpatient and school-based settings, and was eager to return to pediatrics after her masters program. Her main areas of interest include interdisciplinary collaboration, primitive reflexes, family centered care, and all the ways to facilitate play!
When she is not working, Meredith enjoys visiting new places, reading, trying out new coffee shops, and quality time with family and friends.
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Christina Needham
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Christy graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2001 with a degree in Occupational Therapy and began her 25+ year career working in pediatrics. She has had the opportunity to work in a variety of pediatric settings including early intervention, NICU/PICU, outpatient and schools throughout the country. She appreciates all the valuable experience and knowledge she has gained from colleagues and the families and children that she has worked with along the way. She continues to have passion for working with children and families with developmental delays, sensory processing differences, feeding challenges, neurological deficits, cognitive delays and genetic disorders in order to help develop and foster independence and improve functional performance. Christy continues to enjoy learning and building her therapeutic repertoire for the benefit of her clients. Christy and her family (husband, two children, dog) moved to North Carolina about 4 years ago and is excited to continue her journey as a pediatric OT and team member here at Tidal Therapy Solutions.
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Lina Lawson
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT
Lina has lived in Wilmington for 14 years, prior to that she lived in Chicago, Costa Mesa and the Dominican Republic. She has been a COTA for 3 years working with both adults and pediatrics in home health, public schools, and assisted living facilities. Sheena obtained her degree from Cape Fear Community College and am is currently enrolled to earn her Occupational Therapy Masters at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences. Lina and her husband love to travel and surf abroad. In her free time she loves to cook, skate, surf, do DIY home renovations and eat Britts Donuts.
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Alli Sutton
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT
Alli is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with 10 years of experience supporting individuals across the lifespan, from early intervention and pediatrics to adults and older adults. Over the past decade, she has worked with a wide range of diagnoses and functional needs, and prides herself on adapting intervention creatively to support meaningful participation and success for every child and family.
Originally from Henderson, NC, she moved to Wilmington 10 years ago and has loved growing both personally and professionally in this community. Her passion lies in thinking outside the box- using creativity, play, sensory exploration, and individualized approaches to help children build confidence, skill, and independence.
Alli began her OT journey at Cape Fear Community College, where she completed her OTA degree. Alli is currently advancing my education at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, working toward her Occupational Therapist (OT) degree to continue expanding her skills and clinical impact.
Outside of work, Alli enjoys spending time with her two dogs, cat, and family, reading, doing yoga, and crafting. -

Rachel Presti
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Rachel is a dedicated occupational therapist and neuro-specialist with over 28 years of experience graduating from Concordia University of Wisconsin. Rachel treats patients with a variety of orthopedic and neurological disorders however specializes in stroke rehabilitation and other neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and vestibular deficits. She has demonstrated her dedication to community support by spearheading four stroke support groups across the Charlotte metropolitan area and Hampstead, offering guidance to individuals who have had a stroke and neurological challenges.
Living in the beautiful beachside town of Hampstead, Rachel enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle that includes biking, swimming, yoga, and soaking in the calming atmosphere of the beach with her husband and two daughters.
Rachel is thrilled to be a part of the Tidal Therapy team, where she embraces an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to wellness, working to improve her clients’ quality of life.
Meet the Speech Language Pathology Team
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Makenzie Stutzman
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Makenzie was born and raised in a small town in Pennsylvania. She graduated from Bloomsburg University with her Bachelor's degree in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology in 2016 and earned her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2018. Makenzie has experience with various settings and ages, but working with the pediatric population is her favorite! She moved to Wilmington in the summer of 2021 with her dog, Sully, and loves living on the coast! In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, spending time with her dog, and traveling.
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Tyler Vincent
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Tyler was born and raised in a small town right outside of Chattanooga, TN. She recently relocated to Wilmington after getting married. Her love for speech pathology grew after her Mimi was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she witnessed how amazing speech therapy was!
She graduated with her Bachelors degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She then worked as an SLP-A for a year prior to obtaining her Masters degree in 2025 from Samford University in Birmingham, AL.
Tyler has worked in various settings, with a variety of ages, however has a passion for working with adults on cognition and swallowing!
In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to the beach, going on walks, finding good coffee shops, and cheering on the Vols! -

Tracy Kost
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANT
Tracy grew up in Upstate New York, where she received her Bachelor's of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at Cortland State College. Tracy decided to pursue a career in
Speech-Language Pathology, after spending much time with her Autistic cousin, leading her to wanting to be a part of helping that population of children.
After graduating, Tracy accepted a position in the schools in Binghamton, NY, working as a Teacher of Speech and Hearing-Handicapped for 3 years. Tracy then relocated to the Charlotte, NC area, where she worked as a speech therapist for the schools in Lancaster, SC for 6 years, and then transitioned to a pediatric, private clinic in Fort Mill, SC for 6 years, working with a diverse population of children, birth to 21 years of age.
Tracy currently resides in WIlmington, where she has lived for 8 years, working with children in the pediatric setting, for over 20 years, in the homes, schools, daycares, clinics, and as well as telehealth. Tracy loves spending time walking her dog on the Riverwalk, downtown, exercising, cooking, going out to dinner and spending time with her “toes in the sand” at the beach
Favorite Quote: "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." - Jimmy Dean -

Kelly Walker
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Kelly graduated from the University of Akron with her masters in Speech- Language Pathology. She recently moved to coastal Carolina from Ohio with her fiancé. She has a passion for working with the pediatric population and believes in a play-based, patient centered approach to treatment. When she is not working, she is playing with her new puppy, hanging out at the beach, or reading!