We help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives.

Casey Ames started Harkla in 2015 with a mission to make an impact in the special needs community. He grew up in a family of educators and always knew he wanted to be involved in education, but didn’t want to be a teacher. At an early age, Casey had an entrepreneurial spirit with his lawn business and self designed t-shirts.

Harkla has allowed Casey to combine his entrepreneurial ambitions with his desire to work in education.

When Casey isn’t coming up with ways to help the special needs community, you’ll find him either on a soccer field or hiking in the mountains with his wife.

Sensory Quirk: Casey can’t stand the tactile feeling and visual of heavily used, semi beat-up & stained plastic Tupperware!

Francois Dallain has been with Harkla since 2024 and helps keep things running smoothly behind the scenes—from products and inventory to the details that help ideas turn into real solutions for families. He enjoys problem-solving, building systems, and supporting the sensory community in practical, meaningful ways.

When he’s not working, Francois loves being outside as much as possible and spending quality time with his family. He appreciates simple routines, balance, and moments that help reset and recharge.

Sensory Quirk: Francois does his best thinking in motion—too much sitting still and things start to feel off.

Luana Silva Reis joined the Harkla team in October 2025 as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Casey. She works closely with Casey in a variety of capacities, supporting daily operations and helping keep processes organized and running smoothly. With a background in international corporate law, governance, contracts, and compliance, Luana helps support Harkla’s mission behind the scenes.

After years working in fast-paced international legal environments, Luana was drawn to Harkla’s ethical, collaborative, and people-centered culture, as well as the opportunity to support a mission focused on helping families in meaningful ways.

When she’s not working, Luana enjoys traveling to new places, spending time in the sun, relaxing at the beach, and watching movies in the cinema or at home.

Sensory Quirk: Luana has to chew gum to focus and often wears headphones, even when nothing is playing!

Amelia joined Harkla in 2018 and has helped shape the heart and look of the brand ever since. As Lead Graphic Designer and Brand Manager, she ensures everything you see — from our website and social media to our courses and product materials — feels cohesive, playful, and unmistakably Harkla.

She illustrates the characters and visuals that bring our sensory world to life and designs engaging graphics for our courses and resources. Amelia also collaborates with our product team to support new product research and development, helping ensure every new idea aligns with the Harkla brand.

Passionate about creating a welcoming and supportive experience for families, Amelia believes thoughtful design can make a meaningful difference for the sensory community.

Outside of work, she’s adventuring with her two young kids — hiking in the Boise foothills, reading, playing on the Nugget couch (and Harkla sensory swing!), and building impressive Magnatile and Lego creations with her kids. She also loves acrylic landscape painting, crafting and all things interior and graphic design.

Sensory Quirk: Amelia hates the feeling of cotton balls.

Amanda Mathers is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with 6.5 years of clinical experience working within the pediatric population. She has worked in different pediatric clinics, early intervention, school-based, and also sees clients privately and virtually for potty training/pelvic floor support. She has a passion for child development & supporting families through real-life challenges. She joined Harkla with the goal of empowering parents, therapists, and kiddos all over the world with practical, evidence-based tools that make daily life feel more manageable.

Amanda is especially passionate about potty training, pelvic floor health, and helping children build confidence in their bodies and routines. She loves breaking down complex developmental topics into relatable, easy-to-use strategies that support both families and professionals.

Outside of work, Amanda loves traveling around the world, taking workout classes, doing puzzles, and spending time with family and friends.

Sensory Quirk: Amanda occasionally gets overstimulated by certain noises: bathroom vents, car radio, sirens. Silence is her sensory safe space, and she often drives to work in complete silence without even realizing it.

Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, CPRCS, is a pediatric occupational therapy assistant, educator, author, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping children and families better understand the nervous system, sensory processing, and primitive reflex integration. She is the owner of Sensational Brain and The Sensory Project, where she provides continuing education for therapists and practical resources for parents and educators.

Rachel joined Harkla in 2021, where she enjoys translating complex neuroscience into simple, actionable strategies that can be used at home, in the classroom, and in clinical settings.

As a mother of two, she brings both professional expertise and real-life parenting experience to her work, blending evidence-based practice with compassionate, family-centered support.

In her free time, she loves to play sports with her kids and husband, as well as hike the foothills with her golden retriever.

Sensory Quirk: Rachel’s quirk is definitely auditory processing! She can't tell you how many times she tells her husband to 'turn down the tv!’

Claire joined Harkla in 2024, bringing her passion for photography and videography to support Harkla’s mission of empowering families and helping children thrive. From helping create digital courses, filming YouTube videos and podcasts, to product photography, she enjoys helping bring Harkla’s products and resources to life through her camera.

She lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, their daughter, and dog.

Outside of work, you’ll find her cooking something new in the kitchen, walking or biking along the Greenbelt, or floating the river during Boise’s sunny summers. She and her husband are soaking up every moment of being new parents and loving this season of life.

Sensory Quirk: Loud background noise. Especially when she’s trying to focus. (She’s definitely the person who turns down the car radio to “see” better.)

Ameran Link joined Harkla’s content creation team in 2025 as the Social Media Manager. She brings her experience in storytelling and strategy to Harkla’s incredible community online.

With a degree in Writing and a background in organic media management and content creation, Ameran loves supporting meaningful connection on the internet. She believes everyone deserves to feel seen, included, and encouraged online. 

When she’s not drafting a caption, Ameran is likely reading, watching movies, playing games, or adventuring outside. She lives in Boise with her partner, Kris, and their cat, Sunny.

Sensory Quirk: Ameran loves tactile input and hates when her hands feel sweaty, dirty, or sticky.

Shoaib brings both heart and discipline to Harkla’s growth team. He started his career working on ships before moving into eCommerce, which taught him the importance of patience, reliability, and doing things carefully.

At Harkla, he focuses on marketplace growth with one simple goal: helping more families find products that truly support their children. He believes the best results come from listening to parents and improving little by little.

Outside of work, Shoaib enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and practicing karate.

Sensory Quirk: Shoaib can’t stand having wet hands and will dry them immediately, even if it means searching for a towel.

Robert joined the Harkla team in 2025 as a Marketing Coordinator, where he helps lead and execute the brand’s marketing efforts across digital, creative, and campaign strategy. Working closely with the team, he supports everything from day-to-day marketing operations to larger initiatives that help bring Harkla’s products and mission to life.

After beginning his early career in finance, Robert made the jump into marketing through freelance design and creative work, eventually turning that hands-on experience into a full-time role. He’s driven by a simple philosophy: do high-quality work, support the team, and help the company win.

Outside of work, Robert spends his time working on cars, playing music, and exploring the off-road trails in the mountains and deserts around his hometown of Boise, Idaho.

Sensory Quirk: Robert focuses best when he has something to fidget with, usually a Sharpie, a ring, or whatever happens to be within reach!

Juliane joined the Harkla team as our K–12 Schools Account Executive, where she works closely with school districts and education teams to help them find the right solutions to support students’ sensory needs. She’s responsible for guiding schools through the process, from understanding their challenges to helping them implement practical, classroom-ready tools.

With a background in international business and years of experience working with organizations across different countries and cultures, Juliane brings a thoughtful, structured approach to every conversation. She’s especially passionate about helping educators feel supported without adding extra complexity to their already busy days.

Outside of work, Juliane enjoys an active routine that includes the gym and horseback riding, as well as traveling, reading romance books, and spending time with her fiancé and dog.

Sensory Quirk: Juliane almost always sits cross-legged and it’s her default position. She even bought a desk chair designed for it.

Aynur is Operations Assistance, assisting in supply chain and the company operations daily reports / updates. Aynur helps Harkla produce products and inventory and keeps track of the details that help ideas turn into real solutions for families.

She is a mom of 2 children. She's been working in operations & supply chain for 8 years.

Aynur is very passionate about her work, family and her kids.

Sensory Quirk: Aynur hates chewing sounds and loud noise

Nicole Przychodzen joined Harkla in 2017, bringing with her a deep commitment to high-quality products and exceptional customer experiences. As Customer Support Manager, she leads with empathy, ensuring every family and professional feels supported and understood.

Nicole is a mom of five boys and has spent countless hours in IEP meetings and OT waiting rooms, giving her a firsthand understanding of the challenges many families face. She has also worked with children on the spectrum in both home and classroom settings.

Driven by both personal and professional experience, Nicole is passionate about Harkla’s mission: that every individual, regardless of ability, deserves the opportunity to reach their highest potential.

Sensory Quirk: Nicole strongly dislikes the smell of leftover tomato sauce!

Jessica Beaty joined Harkla in 2022, bringing with her a passion for supporting families and creating positive customer experiences. As a Customer Service and Order Fulfillment Specialist, she helps ensure families receive the products, resources, and support they need throughout their journey.

Jessica is a mom of two and part of a neurodivergent family, giving her firsthand insight into the concerns, challenges, and celebrations many families experience. With a background in IEP coaching along with personal experience navigating OT, speech, PT, and mental health services with her children, she brings a compassionate, family-centered perspective to every interaction.

When she's not working, Jessica is busy keeping up with her children's many interests, including ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, and art.

Sensory Quirk: Jessica has a movement-oriented brain, so regular walks and movement breaks help her process ideas, make decisions, and do her best work.