Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program Team
Melanie Bachmeyer-Lee, PhD, LP, BCBA-D
Director
Dr. Bachmeyer is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and a licensed psychologist and board certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level. She earned a master's degree in educational psychology with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis from Georgia State University and a doctoral degree in school psychology from the University of Iowa. She completed a predoctoral internship in the feeding disorders clinic at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her research has been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, Behavioral Interventions, and Clinical Pediatrics. Dr. Bachmeyer is a past president of the North Carolina Association for Behavior Analysis and recipient of the Fred Keller Excellence in Behavior Analysis Award from the North Carolina Association for Behavior Analysis.
Caitlin Kirkwood, PhD, BCBA-D
Associate Director
Dr. Kirkwood is a board certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level. She earned a Master’s of Science in clinical psychology with a concentration in applied behavior analysis from the University of North Carolina Wilmington under the supervision of Dr. Melanie Bachmeyer. She earned a doctoral degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Nebraska under the supervision of Dr. Cathleen Piazza. During her doctoral training, she worked in the intensive day treatment and outpatient programs of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute and University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Intestinal Rehabilitation Program. She has conducted research on the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders and caregiver training. Dr. Kirkwood has authored publications in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, book chapters, and training manuals.
Connor Sheehan, MA, BCBA
Program Coordinator
Connor is a board certified behavior analyst. She earned a Master’s of Science in clinical psychology with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis from the University of North Carolina Wilmington under the supervision of Dr. Carol Pilgrim. She completed undergraduate internships providing clinical services to individuals with developmental disabilities exhibiting severe problem behavior at the New England Center for Children in Massachusetts and the Neurobehavioral Outpatient Unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. She completed a graduate internship in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program at the Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health.
Nannette Blois-Martin, MSN, RN, C-PNP
Pediatric Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioner, PedzFeedz, PLLC
Nannette is a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner who specializes in the medical management of children with feeding disorders. She earned a diploma in nursing from Barnes Hospital School of Nursing, a Baccalaureate of Nursing from the University of Wyoming, and a Masters of Science in Nursing (Pediatric Nurse Practitioner) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Johnson Scholar). She developed and co-directed the feeding team in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology at the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. Nannette relocated to the North Carolina coast and joined Coastal Children’s Services in the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology at the Nunnelee Pediatric Specialty Clinics at New Hanover Regional Medical Center where she developed and coordinated the feeding team. Nannette has co-authored publications in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Pediatrics, and Diseases of the Esophagus and Neuro-gastroenterology and Motility.
Tara Eichert, RD, CNSC, LDN
Pediatric Registered Dietitian
Tara earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and completed directed independent studies in sports nutrition and therapeutic nutrition. Tara completed the didactic program in dietetics along with a dietetic internship at Winthrop University. Tara relocated to Wilmington to work as a registered dietitian where she quickly found a niche for pediatric nutrition and became certified as a nutrition support clinician. Tara has provided care to patients with a variety of medical conditions and maintains membership with the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. She enjoys working with other providers in a multidisciplinary approach to achieving successful outcomes for our patients.