Columbus Community Hospital

Connect with us:

  • Our services
    • Anesthesia
    • Cancer services
    • Cardiac catheterization lab
    • Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation
    • Child Care Center
    • Columbus Sports Performance Center
    • Diabetes and health education
    • Diagnostic imaging
    • Emergency department and trauma services
    • Healthy Families Nebraska
    • Home Health
    • Hospice
    • Hospitalist services
    • ICU/ACU
    • Laboratory
    • Lifeline
    • Maternal child health
    • Occupational Health Services
    • Oncology and infusion services
    • Orthopedic services
    • Pain management
    • Rehabilitative Services
    • Respiratory care
    • Senior behavioral health unit
    • Sleep Lab
    • Sports medicine
    • Surgical services
    • Swing Bed
    • Thrive Cancer Rehabilitation Care
    • Wiggles & Giggles Therapy
    • Women’s health
    • Wound care services
  • Our clinics
    • Columbus General Surgery
    • Columbus Cancer Care
    • Columbus Cardiology Clinic
    • Columbus Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Clinic
    • Columbus Otolaryngology Clinic
    • Columbus Psychiatry Clinic
    • Columbus Surgery Center
    • Concussion Management Clinic
    • Humphrey and Lindsay medical clinics
    • North Central Radiology
    • Visiting Physicians Clinic
  • For patients & visitors
    • About us
    • Antibiotics Awareness
    • Bike Share
    • Cafeteria
    • Charging stations
    • E-Cards
    • Find a doctor
    • Interpreter services
    • Gift shop
    • Joint Commission
    • Medication safety
    • Nominate a nurse
    • Nominate a non-nursing employee
    • Non-discrimination and language help
    • Online bill pay
    • Patient and Family Advisory Council
    • Patient financial information
    • Patient Portal
    • Pathway to Excellence designation
    • Physician directory
    • Platte County Lifestyle Coalition
    • Pre-Admission
    • Price estimator
    • Registration
    • Social media policy
    • Valet parking
    • Visiting hours
  • Foundation
    • Ways to Give
    • Donate now
    • Current memorials
    • Holing Out Fore Health Golf Outing
    • News & events
    • Sterling Society
    • Estate Planning Seminar
    • Columbus Fieldhouse
  • Volunteer
    • VolunTEEN program
    • Importance of Caring Volunteer Spotlight
  • News & events
    • Calendar of Events
    • CCH Annual Calendar
    • Latest News
    • Annual Report
    • SimLab Annual Report
    • Lean Heathcare Annual Report
    • Quick Facts
    • Community Newsletter
    • Support groups
    • Importance of Caring newsletter
    • NHA Whitepaper
    • Awards and recognitions
    • Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)
    • Community Health Improvement Plan
    • CHIP Implementation Plan 2012
    • CHIP Implementation Plan 2015
    • CHIP Implementation Plan 2018-21
    • CHIP Implementation Plan 2021
    • Community Benefit
    • Harvest for Health
    • Press Releases
    • PCLC Annual Report
    • RCHD Whitepaper
    • Meals on Wheels
  • Careers
    • Apply
    • Benefits
    • Job postings
    • Physician recruitment
    • Shared governance
    • Student Central
  • Contact us
Home > Our services > Rehabilitative Services > Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids > Staff
  • Anesthesia
  • Cancer services
  • Cardiac catheterization lab
  • Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation
  • Child Care Center
  • Columbus Sports Performance Center
  • Diabetes and health education
  • Diagnostic imaging
  • Emergency department and trauma services
  • Healthy Families Nebraska
  • Home Health
  • Hospice
  • Hospitalist services
  • ICU/ACU
  • Laboratory
  • Lifeline
  • Maternal child health
  • Occupational Health Services
  • Oncology and infusion services
  • Orthopedic services
  • Pain management
  • Rehabilitative Services
    • Rehabilitative Services at the Wellness Center
    • Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids
      • Occupational Therapy
      • Physical Therapy
      • Speech Therapy
      • Staff
    • Classes
    • Premier Physical Therapy
  • Respiratory care
  • Senior behavioral health unit
  • Sleep Lab
  • Sports medicine
  • Surgical services
  • Swing Bed
  • Thrive Cancer Rehabilitation Care
  • Wiggles & Giggles Therapy
  • Women’s health
  • Wound care services

Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids Staff

Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids™ staff members are specialists in occupational, physical and speech therapy. 

To learn more about their backgrounds and qualifications, read their biographies below. 

Occupational Therapists:

Jill Zaruba, OTR/L
Wiggles and Giggles Clinic Supervisor

Jill received her occupational therapy degree from Creighton University in 1997. She began her career at UNMC’s Munroe Meyer Institute providing inpatient pediatric care and school based services. She developed her love for pediatric outpatient therapy services while employed at Handprints and Footsteps in Lincoln before moving to Columbus. She joined CCH Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids in 2002.

Jill has supervised our Wiggles and Giggles clinic since 2004. In addition to this role, she also has the pleasure of providing occupational therapy treatment for infants and children with a variety of diagnoses. She is a certified provider for both the Interactive Metronome and Therapeutic Listening. Jill has also received advanced training in the areas of Handwriting Without Tears, NeuroDevelopmental Treatment for children and infants, myofascial release, sensory integration therapy, reflex integration and feeding therapy for infants and children.

Jill and her husband, Dale, live in Columbus where they both value being a part of the Columbus medical community. They have three children, Drew, Liza and Isabel. In her free time, Jill enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, shopping and reading.


Open Window

Shannon Kosch, OTR/L

Shannon received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Creighton University in 1998. During her first five years at Columbus Community Hospital, she treated children and adults. Shannon relocated to Omaha in 2003. While in Omaha she provided school based pediatric therapy services through Munroe Meyer Institute. In 2006, she joined Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids.

Shannon is a certified infant massage instructor and is certified in Interactive Metronome and superficial modalities. Shannon has received advanced training in Therapeutic Listening, Torticollis management, reflex integration, sensory processing, neurodevelopmental treatment, Get Permission Approach feeding, vision, and Handwriting Without Tears. She loves learning new techniques and is thrilled to work for a facility that believes in developing new skills. Shannon helps children be as independent as possible in all areas of their lives. She focuses on sensory processing, fine motor skills, and developmental delays, as well as rehabilitation following injuries to improve, develop and restore function.

Shannon loves to spend time with her family and friends. She enjoys volunteering for church and community organizations. Shannon enjoys traveling, sports, praying, and life’s daily adventures with 4 children. She is grateful for such a wonderful community and place to work with skilled colleagues who truly work together as a team to serve the needs of children.


Open Window

Trisha Nicolas, OTD, OTR/L

Trisha received her doctorate of occupational therapy degree from Creighton University in 2005. She started working at Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids™ in July 2006. She enjoys working with children with a variety of neurological and developmental conditions, such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, seizure disorder, hypotonia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder. She has received additional training in NeuroDevelopmental Treatment for infants and children, the Handwriting and Keyboarding Without Tears programs, feeding therapy and reflex integration. Trisha is a certified provider for Therapeutic Listening and Interactive Metronome and is certified in thermal and electrical modalities.

Trisha and her husband, Chris, live on a farm outside of Bellwood and enjoy spending time with their five children (Micah, Sadie, Colson, Sawyer and Weston) and extended family. She also enjoys doing yard work, traveling and reading.


Open Window

Amber Torczon, MOTR/L

Amber graduated in 2012 from the College of Saint Mary (CSM) in Omaha, Nebraska with a Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitative Studies. She continued her education at CSM and graduated in 2013 with a Masters in Occupational Therapy. After starting her career in Oklahoma as an out-patient pediatric and school-based therapist, Amber joined the Rehab Services and Wiggles & Giggles therapy teams at Columbus Community Hospital in October 2014.

Amber focuses her practice on treating all aspects of individuals to help them achieve their highest level of independence and a good quality of life. She has specialized training in upper extremity rehabilitation, concussion management/vision rehab, and evaluations for wheelchairs. Amber is certified in thermal and electrical modalities, Interactive Metronome, Handwriting Without Tears, and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). She is always eager to continue to expand her knowledge and education in order to provide her patients with the most comprehensive care.

Amber currently splits her schedule at the Columbus Wellness Center between Rehabilitative Services and Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids, treating both adult and pediatric patients needing OT interventions. Amber and her husband, Clint, reside in Columbus and have 2 children. Together, they like to spend time as a family, especially outdoors.


Open Window

Amber Podliska, COTA/L, BS

Amber graduated from Concordia University in Seward, NE, in 2014 with a bachelor of exercise science degree. At Concordia, she played softball for four years as the starting catcher. She then graduated from the occupational therapy assistant program at Central Community College in Grand Island in 2017.

Amber started her career in school-based pediatrics and skilled nursing facilities before joining the Rehabilitative Services and Wiggles & Giggles teams at Columbus Community Hospital full time in 2018.

As a certified occupational therapy assistant, Amber enjoys working with the occupational therapists in a variety of settings to achieve the best possible outcomes for her patients. She loves helping patients increase their independence and improve their quality of life through engaging activities.

Amber has additional training in Senaptec Sensory Station, Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) techniques, and is certified in Interactive Metronome and Physical Agent Modalities.

Amber is from Seward. She currently lives in Columbus with her husband, Nick, son, Merrick, and step children Hollynn and Emmitt. She enjoys coaching softball, playing sports, volunteering, working out, and spending time with family in her free time.


Open Window 

Physical Therapists:

Therese Chase, PT, DPT

Therese strives to treat the “whole self”, and loves working with children. She is passionate about continuing her education and the use of the most current research in regards to patient care. She has a particular interest in neurological rehabilitation techniques, hands on facilitation to promote proper movement patterns, and working with infants on developmental strengthening. Particular areas of continued education have focused on certification in Interactive Metronome use, Thrive Cancer Rehabilitation certified, advanced training in gait function, torticollis, and neurodevelopmental handling techniques. Therese also enjoys integrating aquatic therapy during sessions, which tends to be very enjoyable and beneficial for patients of all ages.

In her free time, Therese enjoys being outdoors, exercising, and spending time with her family and friends. Therese and her husband, Hon, live in Columbus and have three children (Everly, Sage, and Oaklynn) as well as their lab, Cedar.


Open Window

Cris Hoelscher, MPT

Cris graduated with her BS from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1996. She went on to receive her Master of Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2000. Cris initially worked for 3 years as an educationally and medically based pediatric physical therapist in Bellevue, then spent a year doing in-home medically based pediatric therapy before moving with her family to the Columbus area and joining the team at Wiggles and Giggles in August, 2004.

During her career at Wiggles and Giggles, Cris has enjoyed the opportunity to work with children of various diagnoses and their families. She has completed a variety of continuing education with emphasis on neurodevelopment, manual therapy and handling, and motor development. Cris is certified in Interactive Metronome, and has completed training in myofascial release, the use of TheraTogs supports and NeuroDevelopmental Treatment.

Cris and her husband, Rod, live near David City, and her children attend school at St. Mary’s and Aquinas Schools there. Her daughters Loren, Paige and Brooke and sons Evan and Isaac fill the rest of her time with ball games, robotics competitions, art shows, musical performances, and lots of laughter.


Open Window

Kala Preister, PT, DPT, CSCS

Kala graduated in 2011 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Spanish. She continued her education at UNMC and graduated in 2014 with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in 2017 and is a certified Sportsmetrics™ instructor for ACL injury prevention in youth athletes.

Kala began her pediatric career in Lincoln in 2011 and joined the Wiggles & Giggles therapy team in August 2018. Kala brings her love for working with children to Wiggles & Giggles and provides physical therapy to infants and children with a variety of diagnoses. Kala’s background in sports related activities is especially beneficial and engaging for many of our patients.

Kala and her husband, Jacob, have one child (Jace). She enjoys spending her free time exercising and reading.


Open Window


Speech Therapists:

Rachel Hoppe, MS, CCC-SLP

Rachel graduated in 2013 from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI, with a bachelor’s degree in allied health sciences. She earned her Master’s of Science in Education degree in communication disorders from the University of Nebraska Kearney in 2015. Rachel holds the Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a licensed speech-language pathologist in the state of Nebraska. She joined Wiggles and Giggles in May 2016.

Rachel has treated and evaluated clients of all ages and has experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and cleft palate. Her expertise includes assessment and treatment of receptive and expressive language disorders; motor speech disorders, including childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria; fluency; articulation disorders; phonological disorders; and augmentative and alternative communication. Rachel is a certified PECS and Interactive Metronome provider.

Rachel lives in Columbus with her husband, Jared, and daughter, Harper. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and the outdoors.


Open Window

Delanie J. Hudnall, MS, CCC-SLP

Delanie graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1999 with her master’s degree in Speech Pathology. After starting her career with the Scottsbluff Public Schools, working in elementary, middle school, and summer programs for five years, she joined CCH’s Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids in 2004.

Her favorite highlight and biggest joy is seeing all the cute faces every day that visit W&G. Being part of W&G has allowed her to pursue the passions she feels most rewarding. It has let her develop and continue to grow in her ability to provide services in all areas related to pediatric speech pathology, specializing in feeding, AAC, and Apraxia. She enjoys collaborating with her fellow speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists as well as professionals outside of W&G to provide the best possible care for her patients.

Working at W&G allows Delanie to be involved in the community of Columbus serving on boards including the Nebraska Speech-Language Hearing Association, Nebraska Childhood Cancer board and the UMC Christian Social Witness committee. She also stays heavily involved in activities her family, husband, Eric, and two daughters Madeline and Lillian, take part in such as, Lemon Smiles Lemonade Stand, 4-H, and numerous school activities.


Open Window

Melissa Brown, MS, CCC-SLP

Melissa received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology with an emphasis in communication sciences and disorders in 2017. She then earned her Master of Science degree in speech language pathology from Pacific University in Oregon in 2019. Later that year, she joined Columbus Community Hospital at Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids. Melissa is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

Melissa works with a variety of pediatric conditions, including expressive and receptive language disorders, articulation disorders, autism and cleft palates. In her free time, Melissa enjoys running, volunteering, and visiting friends and family.


Open Window

Natalie Rieck, MS, CCC-SLP

Natalie received her Bachelor’s of Education degree from UNL in 2002. Natalie began working at Wiggles & Giggles in 2003 and held the role of a Communication Assistant starting in 2004. She entered graduate school and received her Master’s of Science Degree in Communication Disorders from California State University Northridge in 2013.

Natalie is a speech language pathologist who feels blessed to be working with the pediatric population. She enjoys helping patients find their voices and improve their ability to communicate with their family members. Natalie works with a variety of pediatric speech/language conditions including receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation, voice disorders, autism, cleft palate and childhood apraxia of speech. Natalie has experience introducing and implementing Augmentative Alternative Communication for children who require different ways to communicate. She is certified in PECS and Interactive Metronome.

Natalie is a Columbus native who is happy to be working and living in her home town with her husband, Corey, and son Miles. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing on the lake, scrapbooking and singing for her church.


Open Window

Nichole Reardon, MS, CCC-SLP

Nichole received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in psychology in 1999. She returned to school and received her Master’s of Science degree in communication disorders from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2002. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a licensed speech-language pathologist in the state of Nebraska.

Nichole joined Columbus Community Hospital in 2002. She initially began treating both adult and pediatric patients. She is currently a pediatric speech pathologist at Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids. Nichole assists patients in reaching their maximum potential. She has treated a variety of pediatric conditions, including motor planning disorders, processing and reading disorders. She has received advanced training in phonological processing, Dyslexia, apraxia and is a certified Interactive Metronome provider.

Nichole and her husband Dan, have three children (Alyssa, Ian, and Olivia). In her free time, Nichole enjoys attending her children’s activities and baking.


Open Window

Chelsea Werner, MS, CCC-SLP

Chelsea has worked for Columbus Community Hospital at Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids since November 2015. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a licensed speech-language pathologist in the state of Nebraska. Chelsea completed her Bachelors of Science degree in the area of speech-language pathology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2012. She then earned her Masters of Arts degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Kansas in 2014.

Chelsea works full time in the school setting, providing her a dynamic approach to her services. She is able to readily help families connect services done in the schools to those done in the medical setting at Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for Kids. She has treated and evaluated patients of all ages and has experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder; complex communication needs; receptive and expressive language disorders; motor speech disorders, including childhood apraxia of speech, fluency, articulation disorders, phonological disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication.

Chelsea and her husband, Taylor Werner, live in Humphrey, NE and have two children (Hartley and Hank). In her free time, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her family, visiting friends, golfing, gardening, traveling, and being outdoors.


Open Window

Chelsey Wurdeman, MS, CCC-SLP

Chelsey graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in speech-language pathology. She continued her education at the University of Nebraska Omaha, earning her Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology in 2018. Chelsey holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a licensed speech-language pathologist in Nebraska.

Chelsey began her career in a local geriatric setting assessing and treating language, communication, cognition, voice and dysphagia. Chelsey joined the Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for KidsTM team in 2022. She treats various pediatric conditions, including receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, autism spectrum disorder and augmentative and alternative communication.

Chelsey lives outside Columbus with her husband, Dillan, and their son, Dax. She enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors and visiting friends.


Open Window

Sagan Ruskamp, MS, CCC-SLP

Sagan joined Columbus Community Hospital’s Wiggles and Giggles Therapy for KidsTM in June 2021. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is a licensed speech-language pathologist in Nebraska. Sagan completed her Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology from the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2018. She then earned a Master of Arts degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, in 2021.

Sagan treats various pediatric conditions, including articulation disorders, expressive and receptive language disorders, fluency, childhood apraxia of speech and autism. In her free time, Sagan enjoys reading, traveling, gardening and spending time with her dogs, Tallulah and Hughie.


Open Window


Office Manager

Michele Foreman, Office Manager

Michele has worked for Columbus Community Hospital since June 2004. She began her career at CCH in Admissions and Patient Accounts where she worked for 12 years before becoming the office manager at Wiggles and Giggles in 2016. She brings both her love for children and her considerable experience in billing and insurance to our families at Wiggles & Giggles. Michele was a Humphrey native before moving to Columbus.

Michele and her husband, Craig, live in Columbus and have 5 children, Nathan, Adam, Ashley, Bryce and Eva. They also have a mini schnauzer named Coco. She enjoys going to all of her children’s activities and keeping up with all the laundry and cooking!


Open Window

© 2023 Columbus Community Hospital, Inc.
4600 38th Street
P.O. Box 1800
Columbus, Nebraska 68602-1800
T: 402-564-7118
E: info@columbushosp.org

Hospital Website design by In10sity

  • Home
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Search This Site
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Product Review Request
  • CCH PACS-Lite
  • Volunteer Information Center
  • About Us
  • Clinical Education
  • Student Central
  • Citrix
  • OneContent & PCH
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Sitemap
  • Staff Email