Are you looking to refine your neonatal therapy skills and make that dream job in the NICU a reality? Learn how NANT Member Shannon Casola, neonatal occupational therapist, used the Ignite Core Training and Mentoring Program to jumpstart her new career. Shannon used her enrollment in the Ignite Program to help demonstrate competence and credibility and obtain a role as a neonatal therapist. The foundational knowledge acquired during the on-demand training modules and live guidance calls was instrumental in elevating her confidence. We are delighted that Shannon found such value and support in her Ignite mentorship and within the NANT Member Community. She concluded her interview by stating, “NANT is an incredible gift. Ignite is the icing on a Neonatal Therapist’s Cake.”
Ignite Program Spotlight: Shannon Brown Casola
Discipline/Credentials: Occupational Therapist, MS, OTR/L
Workplace: Studer Family Children’s Hospital, Ascension Sacred Heart
Location: Pensacola, FL
Here are Shannon’s responses for our Ignite Program Spotlight:
How long have you been practicing in the NICU, and what sparked your passion for neonatal therapy? My passion for the NICU began as a teenager interning at a local hospital and my first encounter with a preterm infant in an isolette. It furthered as I worked with families in a pediatric hospital as a Chaplain Intern. Since 2011, I’ve had enumerable encounters while often teaming with other therapists in Level II-IV NICUs and NICU Grad clinics. I’m currently in a 72-bed (Level II & III) NICU unit with an incredible team.
What made you interested in the Ignite Core Training and Mentoring Program for the Neonatal Therapist? I became aware of settings in which therapists with no hospital background were preparing to enter the NICU without intensive mentorship or formal training. The implications to the neonatal population, families, and integrity of our profession were alarming. I reached out to a former professor and trusted colleague for guidance. In less than an hour of time with her, I knew that Ignite was a MUST in my own next steps and efforts to establish foundational knowledge, professional development, and credibility within the NICU setting.
What part of the Ignite program did you find most valuable? The passion, research base, depths of knowledge, experience, and transparency of presenters within the Guidance Calls and modules are game changers in how I approach my role within the NICU setting.
In what ways have you been able to transfer your learning into your neonatal therapy practice? It has provided a framework for everything I do in the NICU, from recognizing how to effectively assess the most fragile of our population to a more hands-on approach with those more medically stable or developmentally appropriate. I now readily recognize stress signs and indicators of stability in the autonomic, motor, and state subsystems and teach others how to recognize the baby’s efforts to communicate. I implement theory, therapeutic touch, and neurodevelopmental positioning in response to a baby’s cues while considering the environment, decibel levels, lighting, medical status, psychosocial dynamics, and the synergistic influences on brain development of a neonate within my care. My vocabulary and lens have shifted significantly as a result of the knowledge gained through the Ignite program.
How has the NANT Community and Ignite Alumni supported your learning experience? I had the opportunity to attend the NANT Conference 14 in Florida— it far surpassed any expectations! I value the collaborative opportunities within the Facebook NANT exchanges and online dialogue within the Ignite Facebook groups. Shared experiences far outweigh an individual journey!
What would you tell other therapists who are considering Ignite enrollment? Ignite will exceed your every expectation. I believe there will come a time, in the not-too-distant future, when we will look back as therapists and be appalled that therapists risked licenses by being placed into such a monumental position without appropriate teaching, mentorship, or competency.
With your newly expanded foundational knowledge, what are your next steps professionally? The next steps in my professional journey include furthering my education in fetal and preterm development. My team is working on a developmental assessment appropriate for the wide span of neonates served within our population. We are also looking into the SENSE Program and providing in-services on decibels and AAP-recommended lux within our neonatal setting.
We are grateful to Shannon and all other Ignite participants for making such great use of this education. For those interested in enrolling in the 2025-26 Ignite Program, visit igniteneonatalmentoringprogram
