Interviewed by Joani Medero, OTS and Rachel Lalezarian, OTS LIU-Brooklyn Kristine Pilkington, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with over 30 years’ experience working with young children and families. She specializes in understanding how sensory processing and other developmental factors influence a child’s participation in everyday routines,activities and relationships. Kris is a nationally recognized speaker and writer in the field of early intervention. She developed and directed local programs including the Welcome Every Baby Newborn Home Visiting Program and Early Start programs. She participates on the California Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Intervention and is a consultant for WestEd Center for Prevention and Early intervention in Sacramento. She has a current private practice in occupational therapy in Santa Barbara and consults to early childhood organizations around California. Kristine is the Co-Founder of Children Grow and has many years of experience working with young children and their families in Santa Barbara, providing in-home services for families of young children birth to age 10, parenting counseling and guidance, developmental check-ups for babies and children, specialized assessments (feeding, regulation, sensory processing, emotional development), practical strategies to enhance child development and success, information and resources on many infant and early childhood topics. Kristine is certified as a Newborn Behavioral Observation provider (Infants birth to 3 months) by the Brazelton Institute at UMASS Boston Infant-Parent Mental Health Program.