Co-founded by the nationally-recognized team Marsha Dunn Klein, Stephanie Cohen & Karen Dilfer—the Get Permission Institute Team loves children, good food, & brings decades of experience to pediatric feeding and mealtime success.
Marsha Dunn Klein
OTR/L, M.Ed., FAOTA
Co-Founder & Senior Instructor
Marsha is a pediatric occupational therapist who has specialized in pediatric feeding for over 50 years.
She has co-authored Pre-Feeding Skills, First Edition, Pre-Feeding Skills: Second Edition, Mealtime Participation Guide, and Homemade Blended Formula with Suzanne Evans Morris, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. She co-authored Feeding and Nutrition for the Child with Special Needs with Tracy Delaney.
Marsha is a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She holds a Masters of Education with emphasis on special education from the University of Arizona, and is trained in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT). Her bachelors of science degree in Occupational Therapy is from Sargent College of Boston University.
Her newest book is Anxious Eaters, Anxious Mealtimes: Practical and Compassionate Strategies for Mealtime Peace.
Marsha presents to professional communities nationally and internationally. She is a food celebrator and is passionate about supporting children and their families.
Karen Dilfer
OTR/L, MS
Co-Founder & Senior Instructor
Karen Dilfer is an occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and food enthusiast. She has a strong pediatric background and loves to help children with motor, sensory, and mealtime challenges.
A Chicago native, Karen enjoys discovering new restaurants and cooking with friends and family. She is a founding member of the Chicago Feeding Group, a non profit organization that seeks to support parents and professionals who work with children who struggle to eat. Karen was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune.
Karen has a bachelor of science degree from Calvin College and a master’s of science degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She is Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) trained and has also completed post-graduate education in Sensory Integration.
Karen trained under Marsha Dunn Klein at Mealtime Connections, LLC, in Tucson, Arizona. Karen is a contributing member to the Get Permission team and regularly teaches Get Permission workshops and webinars. She maintains a private practice and actively treats children with feeding challenges. You can learn more about her work at eatwithkaren.com
Stephanie Cohen
M.A., CCC-SLP, CLC
Co-Founder & Senior Instructor
Stephanie Cohen is a speech-language pathologist and lactation counselor in private practice who has worked with children with complex medical needs and their families for more than 20 years.
Stephanie has advanced training in feeding and swallowing; she specializes in working with the 0-3 population and is passionate about helping families of children with feeding challenges find ways to make mealtimes more successful and enjoyable.
Stephanie has bachelor of arts and master of science degrees from Northwestern University. She maintains a private practice in Northbrook, IL and is a credentialed evaluator and provider in the IL Early Intervention program.
Stephanie speaks about a variety of topics, including typical and atypical feeding development, responsive feeding, and trauma-informed feeding assessment and treatment. She enjoys mentoring, collaborating, and teaching. Stephanie’s first children’s book, My First Learn-To-Talk Book, was released in June 2022. Stephanie is also the author of the My First Learn-to-Talk board book series (Sourcebooks).
Stephanie lives in Northbrook, IL with her husband and three children.
BreAnne Robison
OTR/L, M.S.
Instructor & Community Engagement
Bre earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Arizona and spent two years working in school systems before pursuing her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from AT Still University. Following graduation, she completed the Marsha Dunn Klein Feeding Fellowship, where she developed expertise in the Get Permission Approach.
For the past 10 years, she has been working at Mealtime Connections, LLC, an outpatient feeding clinic where she supports children and families in building positive mealtime experiences. In addition to clinical work, she serves as an educator, administrator, and Community Engagement Coordinator for the Get Permission Institute. Her practice centers on helping families connect through a foundation of trust and respect.
Outside of work, her life revolves around her husband and three children. She is hands-on with homeschooling, loves cooking with them, and treasures watching them grow and discover the world.