Lactation & Development Resources
Office Locations:
Dallas • Houston • Corpus Christi
At Lactation & Development Resources, our mission is to help families move from survival mode to truly thriving. We meet each family where they are—addressing current concerns while helping prevent challenges at the next stage of development. Our care is evidence-based, holistic, and highly individualized, designed specifically for infants, toddlers, and their caregivers. From the moment you walk through our doors, your family will feel supported, welcomed, and hopeful for the journey ahead.
Dallas Office
MARISSA YAHIL, MSOT, OTR/L, IBCLC
Clinical Director
Occupational Therapist
Infant Feeding Therapist
Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Marissa is the Founder and Clinical Director of Lactation & Development Resources and is the Co-Founder of The Lactation OT (an online continuing education platform).
From a young age, Marissa was exposed to an alternative way of thinking about health and wellness through her parents’ wellness-focused marketing company. Marissa attended Brandeis University where she dedicated her studies to Psychology and Public Health with an emphasis on maternal/child health and child development. During and after college Marissa worked with children 0-5 years old both privately with families and at a child development center.
Ultimately, Marissa earned her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) at Salus University. While in graduate school, Marissa was fortunate to participate in fieldwork at the Breastfeeding Resource Center in the greater Philadelphia suburbs. It was there that she learned that breastfeeding does not seem to come easily (or go as planned) for the majority of families.
Partnering with families to meet their lactation and infant feeding goals has become Marissa’s passion and life work. She loves combining her knowledge and skills in order to offer an integrated and holistic approach to resolving lactation and infant feeding difficulties.
Marissa is an avid lifelong learner. The families she supports are her greatest teachers, and she is always engaged in a multitude of continuing education opportunities.
Marissa lives in Dallas, TX, is married to her college sweetheart, Uri, and is the mother of two beautiful children, a daughter — Aurora, and a son — Ezra.
Houston Office
Kiara Aponte, MSOT, OTR, CBS, CEIM
Occupational Therapist
Infant Feeding Therapist
Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
Certified Educator of Infant Massage
IBCLC Candidate
Kiara Aponte is an Occupational Therapist (OT), Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS), and Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM). As an Anthropology and Women’s Studies major at Oberlin College, Kiara developed a special appreciation for the vast diversity of the human experience. This led her to pursue a career in healthcare which could both celebrate people’s differences and support their independence in ways that are most meaningful to them. She earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) at Washington University in St. Louis.
Through Kiara’s eyes, occupational therapy represents the combination of many of her favorite things: creativity, community, autonomy, movement, and holistic mental and physical health care. These are the values she holds dearly in her work, with goals to help her clients learn, grow, and adapt to change through collaborative and fun intervention.
Kiara has clinical experience in a variety of OT settings including: outpatient private practice, schools, summer camp, telehealth, home health, and non-traditional consultation. Her special interest in early childhood development, primitive reflexes, and infant feeding inspired Kiara to pursue specialized training in Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI), Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI), and 100+ hours of lactation-specific education. She recently completed her Pathway Three Lactation Internship in pursuit of becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).
Kiara lives in Houston with her husband, Samir, and two cats–Winnie and Freya. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing video games, and exploring Houston’s vibrant food scene.
Corpus Christi Office
Haydee Medrano, MOT, OTR, CBS
Occupational Therapist
Infant Feeding Therapist
Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
IBCLC Candidate
Haydee is a Maternal Health and Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT) as well as a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS). Haydee became passionate about lactation, infant feeding, and infant development during her pregnancy after taking the Lactation & Development Resources' online prenatal breastfeeding course. Her postpartum journey was much like yours, with similar struggles initiating breastfeeding, navigating oral restrictions, and with limited support in the Coastal Bend. As a result, she made it her personal mission to further her education and training to fill the gaps in her community.
Haydee earned her Bachelor of Sciences in Rehabilitation Services at the University of Texas Pan American, with a minor in Dance. She moved to Houston, Texas after graduation to further her studies in Occupational Therapy, where her drive to help individuals participate in everyday meaningful activities continued to flourish. During her graduate school program, Haydee served as President of her Student Occupational Therapy Association, was a member of Pi Theta Epsilon, a student occupational therapy honor society, and continued with various community service projects. Her passion for community has continued with the development of maternal and infant health OT community playgroups and support groups in the Coastal Bend.
Haydee was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, but currently lives in Corpus Christi, TX with her family. She is married to her college sweetheart, Tomas, has a daughter, Alessi, and 2 pups, Teddy and Charlie. She is bilingual in both English and Spanish. Haydee loves the field of occupational therapy and considers herself a lifelong learner.
Mitra Shirmanesh, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLC
Speech Language Pathologist
Infant Feeding Therapist
Certified Breastfeeding Counselor
Mitra earned her Bachelor of Science at Austin College where she dedicated her studies to Biology, Psychology, and Communication. Ultimately, she graduated from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences with her Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders at The University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) with her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). While in graduate school, she was fortunate to participate in fieldwork engaging with medically complex and fragile infants in the NICU, learn a responsive approach to feeding, and work with many different diagnoses.
Mitra has always had a passion for pediatrics and has experience with in-home visits as well as hospitals, gaining many years of experience working with pediatrics in both outpatient and inpatient settings. She specializes in infant feeding, transitioning to purees and solids, picky eating, and oral motor-sensory based feeding. She also enjoys working with little ones who are behind in their speech and language development.
Partnering with families to help unlock their child’s potential with feeding and speech/language achievements has become one of Mitra’s passions. She is honored to be able to combine her knowledge and skills in order to help lead families to more fulfilling lives.
Mitra was born and raised in Plano, TX and currently lives in Dallas, TX. She is married to her college sweetheart, Clay, and has two dogs — Diggs and Pepper. She is also a huge foodie!
Mitra practices gratitude daily and tries to live life knowing that tomorrow is not promised and that each day is truly a gift.
Office Admin
Joel supports clients and staff at Lactation & Development Resources as the Office Administrator and Client Care Coordinator.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas. There, he found it fascinating to learn in-depth about the mind and human behavior.
After graduation, he obtained his certification as a Reiki practitioner and trainer. Joel has a passion for health and wellness, and he enjoys helping others achieve balance and joy in their lives.
JOEL CECALA, BS
Office Administrator
Client Care Coordinator