Tandy Therapy Team

Lauren Tandy, M.S., CCC-SLP

Owner, Speech-Language Pathologist

I am a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who is also a Pacific Northwest native. I live in Post Falls, Idaho with a loving husband, two active sons, and a spitfire daughter. 

It is my dream to share the different aspects of communication and feeding in a fun, engaging, and comfortable environment. I have been in private practice since 2016 providing in-home and clinic-based speech, language, and feeding and swallowing services to my clients.

Before starting Tandy Therapy, I worked in a variety of settings serving children and adults, including out-patient hospital clinics, adult rehabilitation programs, long-term acute care hospital therapy, and school district services. I now specialize in areas of speech and language development, caregiver coaching, telepractice, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), and other related feeding difficulties. I have a unique experience as a mother of three completely individual little human beings. They have taught me much more than a master's in communication sciences and disorders ever could have. But I definitely learned a lot from that, too.

I am an evidence-based clinician that applies the latest research and proven practices to my intervention approach.

Brittany Gilbert, M.S, CF-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

I am a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who has always had a passion for helping others. I live with my husband and our two German Shorthaired Pointers. We are expecting our first child in April of 2023! 

Being raised in a military family, we moved every three years from along the west coast of the U.S. to Japan and Iceland. After my parents retired, we moved to Alaska where I attended high school. At 18 I moved to Arizona for college and later met my husband. After getting my bachelors’ degrees, I worked as a direct support specialist with young adults who were diagnosed with developmental disabilities and/or serious mental illnesses. Then I decided to change it up and worked as a 9-1-1 dispatcher for police, fire, and paramedics in Arizona and then Boise. Dispatching was an emotional rollercoaster.  I eventually made my way back to the SLP world as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) in the school setting for a couple of years. I graduated from Baylor University with a Master of Science in Communications Sciences and Disorders in 2022 and shortly after we moved to Coeur d’Alene. 

It is my goal is to help clients and families improve their quality of life through building meaningful relationships and improved communication. I understand that every client is unique and value the therapeutic relationship by providing empathy, trust, and respect. 

In my free time you’ll likely find me hanging out with my husband and dogs on a hike, camping, at a sporting event or concert, or trying out a local restaurant.

Shayla Troy
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant

Hello! I am a speech-language pathology aide (SLPA) and have lived in Spokane, WA my whole life. I recently graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I just moved to the Spokane valley area with my boyfriend and our cat, and have loved getting to explore the Post Falls area as well. I enjoy reading, trying new restaurants, traveling to new cities, going camping or hiking with my family, and I was a ballet dancer for 10 years!


I have a background working with school-age children and have enjoyed receiving more experience in early intervention with toddlers and pre-school age children. I really enjoy treating speech sound disorders and am also passionate about helping children on the autism spectrum. I believe that it is every child’s right to be able to communicate, and I am so grateful to be able to help children find their voice and be able to express their wants, needs, emotions, and passions. I love getting to know each child individually and being able to help them grow and succeed in many different areas of their lives!

Mandy Nelson, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

As an occupational therapist, I desire to equip people to be able to fully participate in their lives, no matter the circumstances. My time at Eastern Washington University exploring psychology, disability studies, and ultimately earning my master's degree in occupational therapy, grew my personal mission of helping others believe in themselves and all of the possibilities life has to offer.

While I enjoy working with all ages, my passion is with young people. As a mom of a child with a learning disability and speech apraxia, I completely understand the time and energy needed to navigate through all of the appointments and extra work that comes with these diagnoses, and I want to offer hope for others struggling to figure out how to manage it all. I believe with the right tools, every child can succeed and I love collaborating with families to provide the support they need for their child to thrive at home, in school, and everywhere else life takes them. Some of my professional interests are trauma-informed care, sensory integration, and strategies that promote positive family dynamics when faced with difficult diagnoses.

I am a mom of four amazing teenagers at home and also have five grown children out in the world busy being amazing adults, including two sons in the air force. When not at work, I love spending time with my kids, walking my three siberian husky dogs, gardening, reading books, drinking tea, and watching british television.

Daniela Brown, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Daniela is an occupational therapist who has been practicing since 2020. Daniela graduated from Eastern Washington university with a master’s in occupational therapy as well as a bachelor’s in exercise science. Daniela has an extensive history of working in pediatrics, she completed extensive job shadowing and was a therapy aide throughout graduate school. She works mostly with pediatrics and also has experience in adult rehab including trauma. She is passionate about trauma informed care and providing a holistic approach to therapy. She has received extensive ongoing training in MNRI, a primitive reflex modality that utilizes neurodevelopment re-patterning techniques to create change at the nervous system level. She has received certifications in trauma informed care as well as anti-inflammatory nutrition education. She enjoys working with families and children. She is passionate about helping children on the autism spectrum and increasing their functionality. Daniela enjoys health and wellness, yoga, and nature.

Sera Almeida, COTA/L
Occupational Therapy Assistant

Hello! I am Sera and I am an Occupational Therapy Assistant. I graduated from the COTA program at Spokane Falls Community College in 2016. It has always been my passion to help kids and I knew that this was my calling as soon as I started the program. I have worked in pediatrics since graduating school. I love being able to see the progress each week with kids and helping families strive to support their kids in a nurturing environment. I enjoy working with all types of kids, however my areas of interest have always been in feeding/sensory play, fine motor, visual motor and handwriting. I continue to take courses that support these interests to best support my kids and families.

I grew up in Spokane, Wa and have worked in both Spokane and Post Falls. I have a supporting husband, two beautiful kids and two dogs that are like my other children. We enjoy camping, taking the kids and dogs on adventures whenever possible, and spending time with family and friends.

Heidi Fowler, COTA/L
Occupational Therapy Assistant

I am an occupational therapy assistant with close to 20 years of experience. I love finding fun and creative ways to help children and families reach their goals towards a more fulfilling life. Areas I am passionate about include helping children and families who need extra support and resources for ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, Fine Motor Skills, and Emotional Regulation.

Currently, I live in Spokane Valley with my husband and 2 children. I understand how difficult and challenging parenting can be and want to give parents and caregivers the tools they need to help their children be successful.

I grew up in the Seattle area where I developed my great love for the outdoors. I have a bachelors degree in Psychology from the University of Washington which I find especially useful for helping others in the area of emotional regulation. My hobbies outside of work include reading, gardening, exercise, boating, and music.

Sue Cooper, COTA/L
Occupational Therapy Assistant

Hello! I am Sue and I am an Occupational Therapy Assistant. I graduated from the COTA program in Anoka, MN in 1986. That's right, I have worked in the field of occupational therapy for many years! I feel like I've been called to help people, and have done so for many years. The thing that I love most about occupational therapy is that it is ageless. I have worked in schools and many other areas to assist all ages of people.

I'm really enjoying being able to see the progress each week with kids I see and helping their families. I enjoy assessment of function in fine motor, visual motor skills, handwriting, sensory integration and development of all ADL skills for daily living. I am currently taking courses that support these interests to best support my kids and families.

I grew up in Spring Lake Park, MN and have worked in many states throughout my life. I fell in love with the mountains when my kids were grown and moved from the Boise area to beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I have a Shih Tzu mutt I adopted. I love spending time with family and friends. I enjoy arts and crafts and refurbishing furniture.

Cidney Guthrie
HR Manager/Administrative Executive

Hello, I'm Cidney, and I'm thrilled to be part of the Tandy Therapy family as the HR Manager and Administrative Executive. With a passion for fostering a positive workplace culture, I bring a unique blend of experience and warmth to our team.


I've called this beautiful region home for the past 13 years. After graduating from Lake City High School, I pursued my education at North Idaho College. Along the way, I discovered my love for teaching and earned certification as a Montessori teacher.


Outside of the office, you'll often find me with my family, enjoying the wonders of the great outdoors that this region has to offer. Whether it's tending to my garden, cooking up a delicious meal, or exploring scenic landscapes, I cherish every moment spent with my wonderful husband and our energetic little boy.
My journey has led me to a fulfilling career in human resources, where I strive to create a workplace environment that reflects the warmth and camaraderie I value in my personal life. I believe that a positive workplace is the foundation for both individual and collective success, and I am dedicated to supporting our team members in every way possible.


I am excited to bring my background in Montessori education, my love for the outdoors, and my commitment to creating a harmonious workplace to Tandy Therapy!

Jillian Perkins
Finance Manager

Hey there! I’m Jillian, the finance manager at Tandy Therapy, and I’m so thrilled to be part of a team that’s all about spreading warmth and care to our little superheroes. While I may be a rookie in the finance world, I bring a whole lot of enthusiasm and a touch of playfulness to the numbers game.

I have a background in childcare which is where my desire to help families began. I’ve embarked on this finance journey with the goal of making sure every penny aligns with the joy and well-being of the kids we’re here to support. I believe that finance doesn’t have to be all serious and stern - my approach is all about blending the warmth of a friendly smile with the precision of a well-balanced budget. Together with our amazing team, I’m on a mission to keep the financial side of things in tip-top shape while ensuring that our office remains the happiest place for our little ones and their families. Let’s turn those spreadsheets into smiles and make a real difference in the lives of the kiddos we serve!

When I'm not in the office you may find me enjoying nature, doing pottery, or out venturing new and creative culinary experiences!

John Tandy
Facility Maintenance Manager

John Tandy is our facility maintenance manager. He is our helping hand that fixes and builds what we need in order to deliver successful therapies to our families. He may be seen around the clinic assisting in various projects. He is also our owner, Lauren Tandy’s husband. He has been around the therapy world as long as she has. They have been married since 2007 and have three children. Their family calls Post Falls, Idaho home, and loves recreating in the surrounding lakes and mountains.

Ian Tandy
Facility Maintenance Assistant

Ian is the clinic helper that you will see moving around and doing what is needed in all buildings and parking lot areas. He is Lauren Tandy’s eldest son and has grown up helping create therapy materials and learning about all thing therapy from his mom and her team. He loves mountain biking, snowboarding, scootering, baseball, and parkour.