Lori Kishimura, M.S., OTR/L

Clinical Supervisor

Lori decided to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy while attending UC Davis, where she graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Biology. She always had a passion for working with children, so Lori naturally gravitated toward the field of pediatrics and eagerly began volunteering at a pediatric Occupational Therapy clinic in her hometown of Gilroy. She later continued working as an Occupational Therapy Aide and Office Assistant during her studies. After earning her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at San Jose State University in 2010, Lori returned to Gilroy to work as a pediatric Occupational Therapist. She joined the Pediatric Pathways team in the summer of 2013, where she continues to pursue her passion in helping her young patients and educating and supporting their families. She is dedicated to keeping herself up-to-date on the latest research and most effective treatment methods in pediatrics and has completed her training in the H.O.P.E. (Harper’s Optimal Protocol for Enrichment) Method, Therapeutic Listening Program, the iLs Safe and Sound Protocol, Astronaut Training, the Alert Program, the S.O.S. (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding, the Wilbarger Therapressure Protocols, Handwriting Without Tears, and Social Thinking, to name a few. In 2019, Lori earned a scholarship to attend a week-long intensive mentorship at the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing in Denver, Colorado. There, she was mentored by some of the most respected and influential therapists and researchers in the field of pediatrics and sensory processing disorder (SPD). Lori currently lives in San Jose with her husband and Shiba Inu "doghter" and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, strength training, yoga, hiking, gardening, cooking, and eating delicious food!

Angelica Ramirez, M.S., OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Angelica has always loved learning from and advocating for others, both in the Bay Area and around the world. She graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz in 2012 and has spent time traveling, teaching, and learning in a global context. She wanted to help her students at a more foundational level and started her journey towards becoming an OT in January 2016 as a volunteer at Pediatric Pathways. She continued to be a part of the Pediatric Pathways team as an aide and office assistant while pursuing her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University. She joined the team as a therapist in 2021 and has learned about the latest research, protocols, and training including the H.O.P.E. (Harper’s Optimal Protocol for Enrichment) Method, the iLs Safe and Sound Protocol, and the S.O.S. (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding. Angelica currently lives in San Jose and enjoys hiking, traveling, baking, drinking tea, and anything DIY. She’s a big crafter and is always looking forward to her next project.

Vanessa Mitchell, M.S., OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Vanessa has worked with children in different capacities for over 15 years and once she found the field of OT, she fell in love! She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology from San Jose State University and graduated from Dominican University of California in May 2020 with her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Over the course of her career, she has developed an inclusive recreation program, taught swim lessons to children and adolescents with varying conditions, worked with adults with developmental disabilities to live as independently as possible in their own homes, and has worked in schools, hospitals, and clinics. Vanessa has always been an advocate for people with disabilities and has presented on the importance of inclusive recreation at the United States Swim Association conference, presented research at the California Occupational Therapy conference, and has sat on panels to discuss her work in the schools as an occupational therapist. She feels grateful to spend every day working with children and their families to help them live life to the fullest by working on what matters most to them. Vanessa works hard to stay up to date on the latest evidence-based practice in the field in order to offer the most up to date treatment for the children and families she serves. She is certified in the Alert Program for Self Regulation, Handwriting Without Tears, and is currently completing training in the H.O.P.E. (Harper’s Optimal Protocol for Enrichment) Method. Vanessa lives in Morgan Hill with her husband and two children and enjoys spending time reading, gardening, hiking, playing guitar, and traveling. 

Magalí Brecke, LAc MTCM

Functional Nutrition Consultant

Magalí Brecke, LAc MTCM joins the Pediatric Pathways team with seven years experience working with individuals and families using Traditional Chinese Medicine and Functional Nutrition as the cornerstone of her practice. Throughout her career, Magalí has emphasized real-world tools, like food preparation and direct experiential learning, to enable foundational shifts in habits for health, starting deep within the gut. 

Magalí has worked with complex gut disorders, autoimmune processes, cancer recovery, and hormonal issues, as well as within the chronic Lyme disease community. With an intense focus on the gut microbiome and the gut-brain connection, Magalí works closely with her clients to evaluate areas of challenge and opportunity, starting with diet, food quality, and the state of the digestive system.

Using a tangible, hands-on approach, Magalí works to educate through action, providing practical interventions that happen daily, in the kitchen and in the home, complimented by supplement regimens and lab work when needed. 

Her work with Pediatric Pathways is perhaps the most important of her career thus far in that when we can potentiate strong guts in childhood, we give our children a foundation for lifelong resilience and vitality. Her work with Functional Nutrition is often felt to be the “missing link” in the progression of OT treatment, enabling significant strides forward as the gut heals, seals, and begins to truly feed the brain and body as a whole.

Angie DeTata

Office Manager/ Occupational Therapy Aide

Angie completed her undergraduate studies at University of the Pacific in 2020 with a concentration in Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences. She has always wanted to pursue a career working with kids, and discovered the field of Occupational Therapy not too long after starting her first year at UOP. With a drive to learn more about the career, Angie started seeking out places to volunteer and gain more experience, observing under different OT’s developed in their fields. Gaining more exposure to the field through volunteering further solidified her passion for pursuing a career as an Occupational Therapist. Angie looks forward to learning more about the profession, and furthering her knowledge while working alongside the therapists here at Pediatric Pathways. She is grateful for this opportunity as it will aid her as she continues her journey towards OT school in 2021. Angie currently lives in Gilroy, and in her free time, she loves to hike with her dog, tend to her plants, and spend time with family and friends.