Ilaria obtained her MS in Neuroscience from UConn 1995 and her MA in Occupation Therapy from NYU in 2000. She began her career as Clinical Coordinator for the Brain Research Center of Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC, challenged with assessing new drug treatments for use in children with autism. She continued her research at Yale University School of Medicine and published several articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. Ilaria used her research and therapy skills to work with canine patients. In 2001, she started Thera-Paw, Inc. She spends the majority of her time designing, developing, and custom-fabricating devices for animals with special needs. She teaches nationally and internationally, and has contributed to the 2013 publication Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (J. Wiley & Sons). In 2010, Ilaria and Thera-Paw, Inc. organized and hosted the first Symposium on Therapeutic Advances in Animal Rehabilitation (STAAR), a conference for veterinary specialists and professionals that brings together the rehabilitation community and offers advanced, continuing education courses in comprehensive animal healthcare taught by leaders in the field. Ilaria has a special interest in Greyhound dogs and their unique medical issues. She has lectured and written articles on paw-related conditions in ex-racing Greyhounds and has conducted and co-authored one of the largest epidemiological studies on the breed. In her spare time, Ilaria loves skiing, hiking, and riding her horses. When there's time, she enjoys traveling and immersing herself in foreign cultures. She has a passion for theatre and loves attending random, off-Broadway productions and uncovering new talent.
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