Vanderbilt Consortium LEND (VCL)

LEND faculty and trainees

LENDTraineesFaculty & Staff

LEND

The Vanderbilt Consortium LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) expanded from Middle Tennessee to East Tennessee State University and Milligan University in the fall of 2016. In addition to ETSU and Milligan, the VCL also includes faculty and trainees from Belmont University, Meharry Medical College, Tennessee State University, The University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, and Family Voices of Tennessee.

The purpose of the VCL is to reduce and prevent NDRD (neurodevelopmental disabilities and related disabilities) in children and to increase access to family-centered, community-based, culturally competent, interdisciplinary services. The VCL focuses on preparing graduate and post-graduate level health professionals to assume leadership roles and develop interprofessional team skills through a 300-hour certificate program that is in addition to the trainee’s regular education program.

For more information about the Vanderbilt Consortium LEND go to: https://www.etsu.edu/coe/efse/lend.php#tab-6-1

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant #T73MC30767, Vanderbilt Consortium LEND. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

EAST TENNESSEE LEADERSHIP TEAM

Evon Batey Lee, PhD

VCL Director

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Psychology, and Psychiatry

Vanderbilt

Dr. Batey Lee has expertise in the assessment of children with a variety of developmental disabilities, including children on the autism spectrum. She has served as primary psychologist in clinics serving former premature babies, infants and young children, and children with cochlear implants. Dr. Batey Lee organizes and leads training workshops on new tests and test re-standardizations, and consults on a broad range of psychological and behavioral measures.

Cynthia Chambers, PhD

VCL Associate Director

Professor of Special Education and Associate Dean of Teacher Preparation

ETSU

Dr. Chambers graduated from the University of Kansas in Special Education. Her research and service interests are family-professional partnerships and community-based, inclusive programming.

Rachel Goode, MD

VCL Associate Director

Faculty, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics

Vanderbilt

Dr. Goode completed medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She then went to the University of Arkansas to complete her pediatric residency training and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics fellowship. Her interest is in prematurity sequelae and young children with developmental disabilities and research in developmental disabilities education within the medical field for students, residents, and fellows.

Julie Sears, PhD

Johnson City VCL Program Coordinator

ETSU

Julie serves as the East Tennessee contact for recruitment, orientation, all in-person sessions, and individual and group projects. She is a member of the VCL Leadership Team.

Trainees

The VCL selects trainees through a competitive application process to participate in the intensive 300-hour program that begins each fall and continues through the spring semester. Each trainee brings to the cohort a high level of knowledge in his or her particular area of study. Trainees collaborate with their peers from other professions to develop strong interprofessional skills as they gain knowledge with the goal of becoming leaders in the field of NDRD (neurodevelopmental disabilities and related disabilities). For information on how to apply for a LEND traineeship, contact Julie Sears, searsja@etsu.edu.

2023-24 Trainees

Divya Agarwal, Medicine

Fourth-year medical student, Divya desires to one day pursue a pediatric specialty fellowship after her residency training. No matter her chosen specialty, she feels LEND will better prepare her to work with children with disabilities and their families. Her past experiences range from working with children in NICU, inpatient pediatrics, and outpatient services for children. Additionally, she has volunteered with ACEing Autism to teach tennis to children with autism and raise awareness.

Lauren Arney, Public Health

With a background in psychology and working toward a master’s in public health with a concentration in community and behavioral health, Lauren wants to research resources for people with disabilities and substance use disorder. She has over ten years of experience serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at a residential facility through volunteering and employment.

Trieste Bianchi, Family Advocate

Through her experience living with a disabled mother and sibling, Trieste is motivated to help uplift vulnerable populations, mainly through program development and policy analysis. She is a graduate of ETSU in the undergraduate public health program with a concentration in health administration and four minors. Trieste has volunteered with Huschka House, the Special Olympics, and POP Arts, an inclusive improvisational group.

Megan Burns, Occupational Therapist

As a child, Megan had an occupational therapist who positively impacted her health and learning needs. Megan hopes one day to have this impact on others, with a focus on individuals with sensory-motor differences. Both her education at ETSU in the doctoral program of Occupational Therapy, along with her experiences as a camp counselor and mentor for students with disabilities, she has strengthened her skills to serve these children and youth.

Kayla Chambers, Clinical Nutrition

Kayla found a love for children with and without disabilities by being a peer tutor and a nanny. She is a master’s student in the Clinical Nutrition program to become a registered dietitian. She hopes to work in a pediatric gastroenterology office. After completing the required work hours, she plans to become board-certified in pediatric nutrition. Her other interests include healing gut microbiome, introducing foods to infants, and learning to create health relationships with food for adolescents.

Carter Cook, Counseling

Carter is studying in the master’s program for Clinical Mental Health (CMH) Counseling at ETSU. In addition, he assists with Access ETSU students, a two-year inclusive college experience for students with disabilities. His future goal is to become a Licensed Professional Counselor focused on working with minority groups such as LBGTQIA+ and people with disabilities to promote their welfare through research and advocacy. Carter's research interests include the sociopolitical impacts on identity development for LGBTQIA+ individuals and best counseling practices for those with neurodivergent differences and disabilities.

Bayleigh Davis, Speech-Language Pathology

Bayleigh’s professional goal is to go beyond being a speech-language pathologist (SLP) by advocating for inclusive rights. She believes that LEND will help her advance the skills to complete this goal by learning about evidence-based practices and practicing interprofessional interactions. She is completing her Master’s in SLP and has clinical experience with Baby Steps, the High-Risk Clinic, and the Positive Eating Clinic.

Sidney Dennis, Physical Therapy

Currently, a doctoral student in ETSU’s Physical Therapy department, Sidney is working to become a pediatric physical therapist. Sidney’s work experiences include five years as a preschool teacher and a special projects manager for a special education investment project. She also has volunteered as a mentor with an after-school middle and high school program and at another lunchtime program where she taught students about college applications and scholarships.

Rachel Dove, Audiology

Rachel is fulfilling her dreams to be a pediatric audiologist who practices through a child- and family-centered lens that helps all involved to manage the child’s hearing loss as best as possible. As a doctoral student in ETSU’s Audiology program, Rachel has observed these practices through the Nave Center’s audiology and Positive Eating Program. Her other experiences in working with children with disabilities include an internship at the Associates in Pediatric Therapy and as a camp counselor.

Brenda Greer, Family Advocate

As a family advocate, Brenda carries the experience as an adoptive parent of child with autism, who is now an adult. Her 30-year career has focused on serving children and families by teaching, counseling at Families First, being a case worker at the Department of Children Services and now, serving as a service coordinator for Tennessee Early Intervention Services.

Madilyn Guerard, Occupational Therapy

Wanting children and young adults to live the best life possible, Madilyn felt she could help promote a higher quality of life for those with disabilities by becoming a pediatric occupational therapist. During Madilyn’s time at ETSU, she has worked with children and young adults in school and outpatient settings assisting with coordination, handwriting, fine motor, sensory processing, and self-regulation skills. Currently, she is enrolled in the occupational therapy doctorate program.

Madison Ross, Speech-Language Pathology

As a master’s level student in Speech-Language Pathology, Madison’s future goal is to interprofessionally serve the patient and the family to meet their holistic needs. Madison has a variety of experiences in settings for children’s health and development. She also has served as a mentor to college students with intellectual disabilities through Access ETSU.

Rachel Smith, Physical Therapy

Her many opportunities to engage with students with disabilities have given her a heart to serve them and their families. Her past experiences include working at a camp for children with disabilities, volunteering at a hospital, and completing observations at a home for children and outpatient services. Rachel is currently enrolled as a doctoral student in physical therapy at ETSU.

JP White, Self-Advocate

At 19 years old, JP acquired a traumatic brain injury. In his role as the self-advocate, he provides the other trainees with insights as to how a person with disabilities can achieve so much, just as he has as a person with a neurological disability. JP is currently enrolled as a bachelor’s student in Social Work and is eager to learn new skills to help others with disabilities. His long-term goal is to help people who are experiencing homelessness to help support them with their daily life challenges.
2022-23 Trainees

2022-23 Trainees

Kylee Bundy, Clinical Nutrition

Kylee is working towards becoming a registered dietitian by completing the master’s clinical nutrition program at ETSU. Her focus is working in pediatrics because she enjoys volunteering at schools and the local hospital by preparing food, running after-school program activities, and helping families make meal choices.

Stephanie Castlewhite, Medicine/Public Health

With a long-term plan to become a child psychiatrist, Stephanie is finishing up dual degrees in public health and medical school at ETSU/Quillen Medical Center. Her recent experiences include traveling to Ecuador to complete a water, sanitation, and hygiene project. She also recently worked with the Tennessee Department of Health to develop a health care professional course denoting agencies' impact on community health.

Joanna Cimilluca, Public Health

As a student attending both ETSU for a master’s in public health and Lincoln Memorial for dentistry. She wants to research dental health systems operations and performance improvements to better support the youth population for health, personal health, and dental care services. Her past experiences from her undergraduate days include working as a YMCA counselor and helping rehabilitate children with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in a hospital setting.

Sierra Eicher, Audiology

Coming from a rural community where her family had to drive nearly two hours to see a specialist, Sierra desires to bring accessible interprofessional health care services to rural areas by running her own practice. Sierra is currently studying audiology at ETSU, intending to become a specialist in the field.

Hannah English, Social Work

Hannah’s work experiences at Head Start and as a former early childhood coordinator gave her a passion for working with mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and mothers in recovery. Additionally, Hannah is working towards her goal of becoming a Licensed Master's Social Worker by attending ETSU’s social work program.

Maddy Greenman, Clinical Nutrition

While working on her master’s degree in clinical nutrition at ETSU, she also serves as a leader in her church by being a spiritual leader and mentor to people with disabilities. After completing her degree, Maddy would like to become a registered dietitian focusing on children or low-income families with diabetes.

Lenzie Jenkins, Speech-Language Pathology

Lenzie’s undergraduate experiences provided her with a wide range of caring and advocating for children from all backgrounds and abilities. As she started her master’s in speech-language pathology, she has set a goal to be a life-long learner to improve intervention strategies for her clients. Eventually, she would like to gain her Ph.D.

Dale Ledford, Self-Advocate

Dale currently serves as a full-time Biology faculty member at Northeast State Community College. Through his time at the community college, Dale has been known to be an advocate for others with disabilities. His hope is that being the self-advocate for LEND will help him to increase his understanding of neurodevelopmental disabilities to help future students on his campus.

Natalie Lester, Speech-Language Pathology

Throughout her educational career, Natalie has had in-depth experiences with child development with hearing, speech, and language. After completing her master’s level student in the speech-language pathology program, she desires to continue her learning in best practices and treatment and to be a support and advocate for those who do not have that support.

Sadie McAbee, Special Education

During her college career, Sadie has worked with two higher education programs for people with intellectual disabilities. After completing her master’s in special education at ETSU, Sadie plans to utilize both her graduate and undergraduate (SLP) degrees to create innovative programming for children with learning disorders in a rural elementary school.

Dana Roach, Self-Advocate

As the self-advocate trainee, Dana has experienced life with a learning disability. Although she may have to utilize learning supports, she is nearly finished with her undergraduate degree in early childhood with a minor in psychology. After learning about therapy, Dana decided that she wants to be a therapist who helps children who are challenged both mentally and emotionally.

Evelyn Roach, Family Advocate

Acting as this year’s family advocate, Evelyn brings her life experiences of raising three children served under special education services. As her children become older, she hopes that she will continue to learn more ways to help support them to navigate life effectively and efficiently with a disability. As an employee of ETSU, her professional goal is to assist in developing a new curriculum.

Jennifer Salazar Sanchez, Public Health

As a master’s level student in public health at ETSU, Jennifer plans to support underserved communities to help identify needs and create resources for all ages within the community. The past few years have provided her with experiences to better understand the learning needs of children by working with a local Head Start and volunteering as a camp counselor.

Konner Street, Physical Therapy

Konner is working towards her doctorate in physical therapy at ETSU, where she has recently completed her coursework and an internship focusing on children with special needs. To help continue preparing her to be a pediatric physical therapist, she will complete an internship at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital before graduating.

Ricardo Vallejo, Audiology

Since becoming a student in the Au.D. program at ETSU, Ricardo has been given opportunities to learn about the critical role of the audiologist during the child’s early health and development. Additionally, his personal and educational experiences have created a passion for his future work to provide holistic and family-centered healthcare, while promoting cultural sensitivity.

Allison Watson, Social Work

Before entering ETSU’s masters-level social work program, Allison knew she wanted to be a child advocate. Her life experience of having to advocate for herself at a young age due to a medical condition gave her a firm desire to reach individuals who need extra support. Allison plans to gain her LCSW and work in areas where resources for those with varying disabilities are lacking.
2021-22 Trainees

Nic Alexander

Milligan University, Occupational Therapy

Currently enrolled in the occupational therapy master’s program at Milligan University, Nic is meeting his goal to gain experiences in the field of pediatrics by building experiences through continued education and interprofessional experiences. Nic has also gained hands-on experience working at a local outpatient facility and a private school for kids with disabilities.

Casey Bonner

ETSU, Clinical Nutrition

Casey has focused her education on nutrition and dietetics. She first graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and is working towards her master’s in clinical nutrition at East Tennessee State University. Her volunteer experiences include being a nutrition team member, a fueling station support in a sports nutrition department, and a student dietetic at the AU campus kitchen. Her long-term goal is to become a registered dietician specializing in pediatrics and work in a hospital setting.

Carly Burnett

ETSU, Physical Therapy

After completing her doctorate in physical therapy from East Tennessee State University, Carly hopes to return to her hometown of Pikeville, TN, to help improve access to pediatric services. Carly graduated with a bachelor’s from Tennessee Technology University with a degree in exercise science, physical education and wellness, with a concentration in pre-physical therapy.

Karee Diem

ETSU, Audiology

Karee’s desire to love and accept others lead her to take service-learning courses in her undergraduate audiology coursework at Marshall University in West Virginia. As an audiology doctoral student at East Tennessee State University, her capstone research project focuses on assessing self-efficacy in families of children with hearing concerns. Her long-term goals include working in a rural area, empowering parents of children with hearing concerns, and advocating for those who do not have a voice.

Andersen Estes

Quillen College of Medicine, Pediatrics

Making pediatric health and well-being the focus of her academic career, Andersen is achieving her goal to work closely with children and their families as a general pediatrician or a pediatric cardiologist. Andersen holds an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University with an honors bachelor’s degree in biology with three minors in chemistry, French studies, and psychology.

Melissa LeViner

Milligan University, Occupational Therapy

Melissa graduated from Young Harris College with a degree in Outdoor Leadership. She has supported people with varying abilities to participate in whitewater rafting, skiing, snowboarding, cycling, and rock climbing through the years. Today, Melissa is a master’s level occupational therapy student at Milligan University. Melissa would like to serve early intervention-aged children and their families to help identify and alleviate developmental challenges. Her second career goal is to promote research.

Jae Maeng

Quillen College of Medicine, Pediatrics

As an undergraduate in biology sciences at Vanderbilt, Jae volunteered with a program that taught children with special needs to swim. Through this experience, Jae realized that he wanted to expand his abilities to work closely with children and parents with special needs. Currently, Jae is completing his medical degree at the Quillen College of Medicine, intending to be a general pediatrician who can serve the needs of a diverse patient population.

Kendra Middlebrook

ETSU, Public Health

Kendra is working towards her career goal to be an epidemiologist who studies systematic discrepancies between minority and disability groups within the US health system. She is achieving this goal through her education. First, Kendra gained her bachelor’s in Chemistry from the University of Memphis. She is finishing her last semester in public health at East Tennessee State University.

Melissa Miller

ETSU, Social Work

Melissa graduated from East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. Her work experiences include working at a residential facility for people with intellectual disabilities. She is currently a master’s student in the social work program at ETSU because she loves the diversity and inclusiveness of this program.

Kaitlyn Neill

ETSU, Speech-Language Pathology

While gaining her bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology at Middle Tennessee State University, Kaitlyn felt fortunate to have multiple experiences working with children. Her experiences include serving children with multiple disabilities through programs such as Best Buddies, Special Kids Camp Ability, and events at the Special Kids Therapy Center. Today, Kaitlyn continues towards her career goal to work in a pediatric or school-based clinic to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities by pursuing her master’s in SLP at East Tennessee State University.

Tatiana Ransom

Family Advocate

As this year’s family advocate, Tatiana has had good and bad experiences with the education and health system for her twin brother, who has apraxia and autism. As Tatiana finishes her bachelor’s degree in special education with a minor in communicative disorders at East Tennessee State University, she is applying for master’s programs in speech-language pathology with an additional plan to gain a bilingual certification. While she is open to a variety of careers, she plans to help people with disabilities and their families by providing quality service and resources.

Gabriella Romanoski

ETSU, Speech-Language Pathology

During her bachelor’s degree at the University of Tennessee’s Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), Gabriella volunteered as a student mentor for the post-secondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities and was a research intern and assistant in the augmentative and alternative communications lab. Gabriella is a master’s level SLP student at East Tennessee State University. Gabriella feels that her most important career goal is to make a difference in the lives of all of her clients and their families.

Alaina Satterly

Self Advocate

Acting as the self-advocate, Alaina was born with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Although she has special education services at Unicoi High School, she graduated with a regular education diploma and is now a first-year undergraduate student at ETSU. After Alaina graduates, she hopes to continue her education by getting a master’s degree in nursing to work in the field of pediatric oncology.

Thai Williams

ETSU, Special Education

After teaching in special education for 30 years, Thai decided to get a master’s in special education at East Tennessee State University. Her passions lie in curriculum research and development, especially with using story-based lessons to teach academic content and writing, along with utilizing culturally-response practices. After completing her master’s, Thai plans to work towards a doctorate and continue to work with people with disabilities.
2020-21 Trainees

LeaAnna Baker,

ETSU- Audiology

Currently, Ms. Baker is collaboratively developing an Auditory Processing Protocol for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in High School Athletes. She also has prior experience in working with athletes by starting a chapter and being president of the Special Olympics at her alma mater, Northern Arizona University. After graduating with her Doctorate in Audiology, Ms. Baker hopes to work in a non-profit clinic to provide audiological care to low income and underprivileged clients.

Julia Barroso,

ETSU-Nutrition

Ms. Barroso will be working towards obtaining her registered dietitian license and work for a hospital or big company after completing her masters in clinical nutrition. She has already had a positive influence on many people’s lives by developing individualized patient education materials and helping teach young people with disabilities about making healthier life choices through hands-on activities such as grocery shopping, exercising, and cooking.

Ashley Bridgman,

ETSU- Public Health

Working in multiple public health educator positions for the state of Kentucky, Ms. Bridgman gained a variety of experiences in developing, implementing, and evaluating community health programs for all ages. Currently, she is a master’s level student in public health and works as the program director for the Tennessee Department of Health Traumatic Brain Injury. Her long term goals are to gain multiple certifications as Certified Public Health Administrator (CPHA), Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) and a Certified Heath Education Specialist (CHES) with the goal to become an expert in the field of brain injuries.

Jacqueline Butch,

ETSU- Physical Therapy

As a doctoral student in the physical therapy program, Ms. Butch has a future desire to work in pediatrics, especially with patients who require the use of adaptive equipment, such as prosthetics and orthotics, assistive devices, and augmented communication devices. Also, her goal is to continue to be involved in promoting community wellness. She has past experiences of working in the medical field as an emergency medical technician and an emergency room technician.

Tatum Gross-

Family Advocate

As an older sibling to her sister Asher, who has disabilities and complex medical needs, Ms. Gross comes to LEND with a myriad of experiences ranging from volunteering at rallies and educating families to help the Katie Beckett Waiver passed through legislation. She also founded a chapter of CURE which is an organization that opens hospitals in underserved areas of the world. She is currently an undergraduate pre-med student at ETSU with plans to become an emergency room physician and own her own dance studio where all children can come to learn to dance.

Kelsie Gustason,

Milligan University- Occupational Therapy

Currently, Ms. Gustason is gaining her masters in occupational therapy. Even as a child, Ms. Gustason enjoyed being around children with disabilities. This began when her father volunteered the both of them to help at an annual fishing derby for students enrolled in special education. She also has volunteered with her church and at church camp, which has given her many meaningful experiences. She has a passion for pediatrics, but feels that no matter where she ends up working that she will be happy to serve her clients and be a source of encouragement.

Anna Higginbotham,

ETSU-Speech-Language Pathology

Ms. Higginbotham’s experiences during her time as a graduate student in the speech-language program have given her the desire to work in higher education. She believes that her rich learning clinical experiences at the Jeremiah School, the Nave Center, and the ETSU Speech and Hearing Clinic have not only enriched her educational experiences but also has inspired her to build upon evidence based practices and encourage life-long learning in others.

Makenzie Holtermann,

Milligan University-Occupational Therapy

As a Master’s student in the Occupational Therapy program at Milligan University, Ms. Holtermann is building towards her long-term goal of working in a pediatric setting. During high school and in college, she volunteered at the school and in church to work with children. She feels that her undergraduate degree from Lipscomb has provided her with a strong foundation for understanding child development and their health needs. One of her dreams after graduating is to work outside of the U.S. to share her knowledge and to learn more about other cultures.

Geordyn Houston,

ETSU- Social Work

Currently, Ms. Houston is working on her Master's in Social Work. Her past experiences, in working with children who are at-risk, include volunteer work at the Children's Advocacy Center and her past work with Coalition for Kids. She would like to work with at-risk children who have been impacted and diagnosed with Neurodevelopmental Disorders because of issues such as growing up in poverty or experiencing trauma. After graduating, she hopes to help children and their parents to see past the child’s situation and disability to be able to flourish in life.

Madison Hutchins,

ETSU- Special Education

Ms. Hutchins is obtaining a Master’s from ETSU with the desire to be an elementary level special education teacher. This desire came about after working as a paraprofessional in a CDC classroom. After becoming a teacher, she hopes to actively seek and create more opportunities to for her students to inclusively participate with their non-disabled peers. Ms. Hutchins believes that her education will allow her to be more skilled in shaping her classroom and the community to benefit her students.

Jennifer Lowe,

ETSU- Audiology

After working in the field of education, Ms. Lowe came to ETSU to gain her Doctorate in audiology. She has served the community through a variety of volunteer positions such as organizing a 5K for classroom supplies for those with autism, assisted with workshops for Waiting to Hear, and helped with the Special Olympics Healthy Hearing. While she has many goals after graduating, a primary goal is to continue to serve Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia by serving children with hearing and vestibular disabilities.

Laura McKinney,

ETSU-Special Education

Over the past 20 years, Ms. McKinney has worked with children as a case manager, volunteer, coach, and special education assistant. Through her work experience, she learned the importance of understanding the child both in and out of the education setting. Ms. McKinney is seeking her Master’s in special education and hopes to work at the elementary school level. Through her coursework, she is developing her advocacy and instruction skills to provide the best opportunities for her future students.

Courtney Naylor,

ETSU- Social Work

Ms. Naylor has a heart for working with young people who are marginalized due to trauma and other neurological disabilities. After volunteering at the Special Olympics, she gained her undergraduate degree in psychology. She also worked at a residential treatment facility for young females. After she completes her degree, Ms. Naylor plans to gain her Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) and work towards a PhD in Psychology.

Sierra Owens,

ETSU, Physical Therapy

Through her work at a daycare and as a nanny, along with her volunteer work, Ms. Owens has found her calling to work with children. Her classroom and her practicums allowed her to have a firsthand experience to see how physical therapy helps improve the lives of children with disabilities. These experiences have inspired her to become a pediatric physical therapist, once she graduates with her doctorate.

Rebecca Roberts,

ETSU-Quillen College of Medicine

Prior to attending medical school, Ms. Roberts worked with the Knox County Health Department to teach elementary students the importance of nutrition. She has continued to educate children on a variety of health topics as a volunteer at Niswonger Children’s hospital. Through her experiences in medical school, Ms. Roberts has learned that she enjoys the intricacies of inpatient medicine and is hoping to gain acceptance into a pediatric residency program.

Steven Stewart,

ETSU- Public Health

During Mr. Stewart’s undergraduate coursework, he learned about various aspects of early childhood, child development, and special education. He also held several positions at a local group home center ran by the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. As he gains his Master’s in Public Health, he aspires to work for a non-profit or health department to advocate and reform the services for people with disabilities.
2019-20 Trainees

Shayna Cole,

ETSU - Audiology

As an ETSU doctoral student in audiology, Shayna recently discovered that her passions lie with audiological pediatric research. She has had a variety of experiences in working with children with disabilities that include working at the YMCA summer camp and performing hearing screenings at the Special Olympic events.

Jo Cullen

Family Advocate

Jo was a teacher and principal in England before coming to the U.S. in 2008. Today, she is the principal of Jeremiah School, which serves children with autism ages 10-18. As a parent of a child diagnosed with autism and as a principal, Jo desires to be a community leader in holistic approaches to supporting children.

Kacie Denton,

ETSU-Quillen College of Medicine - Medicine

Through her multiple experiences in medical settings, Kacie found her desire to serve and provide medical care in the rural areas of Northeast Tennessee as well as underserved countries. Kacie earned her MPH in May 2019, and, currently, as a fourth-year medical student at Quillen, Kacie's next step is to pursue a pediatric residency.

Heather Scalf,

ETSU -Nutrition

Heather's most rewarding job was becoming a soccer referee, as it allowed her to be a positive influence on young children. Currently, she is attending ETSU's Clinical Nutrition Master's Program in order to continue making an impact on children in the field of clinical nutrition and dietetics.

Makayla Lynch,

ETSU - Nutrition

Currently gaining her Master’s in Clinical Nutrition at ETSU, Makayla is working towards her professional goal of becoming a licenses registered dietitian nutritionist and a certified diabetes educator. She is looking forward to educating her patients, whether age five or 80, to assist them in making optimal lifestyle changes.

Harley Blevins,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

Harley’s desire is to have a global impact by using what she learns at Milligan in her Master’s in Occupational Therapy towards a profession that will allow her to collaborate with international organizations and missionary programs. This past year, Harley completed fieldwork to learn sensory integration therapy at the Pediatric Therapy Network in California.

Yasenia Edwards,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

After her schooling, Yasenia hopes to return to her hometown in rural Southwest Virginia and someday start a clinic for children so they do not have to travel hours to get services. To achieve her goals, Yasenia is working towards her Master’s of Occupational Therapy at Milligan College.

Whitney Gambrell,

ETSU - Physical Therapy

Whitney has enjoyed her last seven years working with children in an elementary after-school program. However, after volunteering at the neonatal intensive care unit, she realized her dream was to become a physical therapist who specializes in working with 0-3 year olds. She is currently working towards this by gaining a Doctorate in Physical Therapy at ETSU.

Kelly Webb,

ETSU - Physical Therapy

After two semesters of working in a buddy program for students with special needs, Kelly found her passion. She is now enrolled in the Doctoral Physical Therapy program at East Tennessee State University. Her professional goal is to specialize in pediatrics.

Seth Manning,

ETSU - Public Health

Seth is gaining a Master’s in Public Health at East Tennessee State University. His passion for people with disabilities grew from having a sibling with cerebral palsy, which led him into the legislative and political arena. Seth’s ultimate goal is to become an administrator.

Kyle Wolske,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

Diana learned the importance of interprofessional teaming for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities after working at Camp Lee Mar. After completing her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology at ETSU, Diana hopes to collaborate with other professionals around the world to broaden her understanding to develop clinical approaches that offer the best services for children.

Diana Janus,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

Diana learned the importance of interprofessional teaming for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities after working at Camp Lee Mar. After completing her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology at ETSU, Diana hopes to collaborate with other professionals around the world to broaden her understanding to develop clinical approaches that offer the best services for children.

Kayla-Rayne Withrow,

ETSU - Social Work

After being a lifelong advocate for her younger sibling, Kayla-Rayne wants to continue to pursue the advocacy of people with dual diagnoses of mental health and neurodevelopmental disabilities. To achieve her goals, she is working towards her Master’s in Social Work. She is also working at a local mental health program that provides short term respite for child dual diagnoses.

Catie Dean,

ETSU - Special Education

After working as a camp counselor at a specialized camp for people with disabilities, Catie gained a K-12 teaching license to teach in special education. Today she has returned to the classroom as a student to get an add-on licensure in early childhood special education. She plans to continue her education and become either district coordinator or a professor.

Caitlin Paolucci,

ETSU - Special Education

Caitlin decided to pursue a Master’s in Special Education after working with children with special needs. Her ultimate goal is to get a doctorate and develop teaching assistive technology to support children with mild and moderate disabilities. This year Caitlin is a research assistant with ETSU Access, which provides the college experience to students with intellectual disabilities and developmental delays.
2018-19 Trainees

Malikai Bass,

ETSU - Self-Advocate

As an undergraduate student, Malikai is working towards his Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at ETSU. His long-term professional goal is to become a children’s museum director for science programming. In this position, Malikai sees himself as providing inclusion and accessibility to all students to bolster science achievement, especially for those who struggle in traditional educational settings.

Joy Blair,

ETSU - Special Education

Joy’s love of playing music has been integral in her working with children with special needs through various community organizations. Currently, she is working towards her Master’s in Special Education with a dual concentration in both low and high incidence disabilities. She intends to create opportunities for learners of exceptionality to access and participate in music-making activities both inside and outside of her classroom.

Abigail Booher,

ETSU - Special Education

Starting her first year as a self-contained classroom teacher, Abigail is continuing her educational career at ETSU to gain her Master’s in Special Education with a focus on low incidence disabilities. She also holds a general education degree in English. Abigail’s goal is to teach for a few years, and later move into an educational leadership role where she hopes to become a Director of Special Education.

Cassie Boyd,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

After Cassie graduated from Shenandoah University, she worked at a community-based group home. She also spent two summers working as a theater program counselor for young people with medical conditions and disabilities, which gave her invaluable experiences in working with diverse families. When she finishes her Master’s in Occupational Therapy at Milligan College, she expects to begin working as a pediatric occupational therapist.

Ashley Brown,

ETSU - Audiology

Ashley has a strong desire to working in an interdisciplinary pediatric hospital setting after she gains her Doctorate in Audiology from ETSU. She has seen many benefits to this type of collaboration due to her experiences as a mentor and a co-founder of a social group with the Office of Disability Services at ETSU. Her ultimate career goal is to open a training and teaching center concerning hearing screenings.

Shawna Burrow,

ETSU - Social Work

After seeing the positive results of utilizing research, intervention, and support for children with disabilities in both her home and within the school setting, Shawna decided to return to school to gain her Master’s in Social Work. Her dream career is to work at the micro level with people with disabilities and their families by providing advocacy and helping them to better access healthcare and education.

Hannah Byrge,

ETSU - Physical Therapy

Currently Hannah is pursuing her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and has later plans to work at a children’s hospital. Her ultimate goal is to return to her hometown in rural Tennessee to give back to her community as a pediatric physical therapist. Her experiences include instructing gymnastics for children of all ages. She also worked as a physical therapy assistant for both aquatic and land-based therapies.

Emily Castro,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

Believing research is an integral component in advancing the field of speech-language pathology, Emily set out to gain her Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology. Her passion for providing holistic treatment to a diverse group of patients has given her the drive to work on an interprofessional team with a population with varied needs.

Trav
is Coombs,

Parent - Johnson City

Travis is the mother of a 17-year-old who has autism and is cognitively impaired, which inspired her to work with children who are “differently-abled”. She felt that her personal experiences gave her a unique perspective for working with this population. Previously a hair stylist for 18 years, she is working towards her Doctorate in Physical Therapy, and plans on completing a residency in pediatrics after graduation.

Catie Cox,

ETSU-Physical Therapy

Catie’s past experiences include working with children and youth with Down syndrome and Autism, and coaching young cheerleaders with Cerebral Palsy. After gaining her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from ETSU, she plans to work in an outpatient setting as a physical therapist.

Shannon Jacobs,

ETSU - Clinical Nutrition

With plans to open her own interprofessional clinic to treat the patient’s health needs holistically, Shannon is working towards her dream by gaining a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition at ETSU. Her professional interest includes gut microbiome research. She also wishes to be an active participant in community gardening to be able to help provide access to healthy foods for everyone.

Bethany Johnson,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

After graduating from ETSU with a major in English and a minor in Communicative Disorders, Bethany decided to continue her academic career. She currently is enrolled in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s program at ETSU. After she graduates, she plans to continue to work as an SLP in pediatrics and utilize her leadership skills by serving others.

Chelsea Miller,

ETSU-Quillen College of Medicine - Medicin

Chelsea is currently studying at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine to become a pediatrician. She imagines there is nothing more rewarding than utilizing the knowledge that she has gained in medical school to allow her to think through complex conditions for children and wants to do this through applying a holistic approach by working with an array of professionals.

Katie Robinson,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

Now attending Occupational Therapy Master’s program at Milligan College, Katie is looking forward to someday working as a pediatric occupational therapist. Not only does she want to help children but she also wants to educate and support their parents, run social skills groups, and provide Sensory Integration Therapy.

Megan Ververis,

ETSU-Quillen College of Medicine - Medicine

Through her experiences in sports, doing community volunteer work, or spending time with her younger brothers, Megan knew that she loved being with children. Her experience at ETSU Quillen College of Medicine gives her the ability to combine the practice of medicine with her love for children. She knows that her future position is vital, but also believes pediatrics needs to engage with other professions for comprehensive care.
2017-18 Trainees

Erica Broyles,

ETSU -Social Work

Erica’s perspective strengthened for children with disabilities to be able to access services and have advocates after she had a child with a speech impediment. She has continued her education at East Tennessee State University by going from her Bachelor’s into the Master’s program. She also works full-time for the Tennessee Department of Health, and is active in the Master of Social Work Student Association and the Phi Alpha Nu Honor Society.

Alexis Burgess,

ETSU - Public Health

Alexis finds no greater joy than seeing her community thrive. This has led her to volunteer for various community organizations in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Ecuador, and Cuba. She graduated from the University of Scranton with a Bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education and a minor in Latin American studies. She is currently working towards her Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis in Community and Behavioral Health from East Tennessee State University.

Caitlin Burton,

ETSU - Nutrition

Caitlin graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a Bachelor’s in Human Ecology with a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics. Caitlin not only focused on excelling at her studiesby being on the Dean’s list, but also served as a Chair for the Food, Nutrition, and Dietetic Club and studied abroad in Italy and Costa Rica. Currently, she is a student in the Master’s program for clinical nutrition. Long-term, she hopes to have a private practice that specializes in pediatric care.

Lauren Fox,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

Lauren is working towards her Master’s in Occupational Therapy so she is primed to support children with disabilities to learn functional life skills and help their families to discover their child’s strengths, interests, and skills. As a graduate of Belmont University, with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, Lauren utilized her degree by giving back to the community through her leadership and volunteer work as a therapeutic activities aide, vocational rehabilitation assistant, and a peer member of Best Buddies.

Cayce Griffin,

ETSU - Audiology

As a graduate student at ETSU, Cayce is enrolled in the Audiology Doctoral program. She gained her Bachelors of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Florida State University and currently serves as the Chapter President for the Student Academy of Audiology. Her goal is to have a successful career in pediatric audiology at a children’s hospital with her focus being on pediatric amplification/cochlear implants. She also hopes to become an adjunct instructor to help inspire future students to delve deeper into the field of audiology.

Stacie Gross,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

After experiences as an elementary teacher, volunteering at a sensory integration clinic, and being a respite care worker, Stacie is happy to be working towards her goal of promoting the use of occupational therapy for all ages. Since graduating with a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, Stacie went to Colorado Christian University for organizational leadership training and currently is in the Master’s Occupational Therapy program at Milligan.

Deanna Heath,

ETSU - Social Work

Deanna graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Appalachian State University. She is continuing to work towards her desire to become a medical social worker through East Tennessee State University Master’s program in Social Work. In 2016, she was awarded the Tennessee Society of Medical Healthcare Social Workers scholarship and was recognized for her participation in Pediatric Healthcare Improvement for Tennessee program.

Joseph Jones,

ETSU - Physical Therapy

After gaining a PhD from the Pennsylvania State University in Chemical Engineering, Joe began working as a research analyst. He helped tackle complex problems in areas ranging from Navy humanitarian work in the Pacific to public education in Tennessee. Curious to apply his education and experiences in new ways, he decided to pursue a career in physical therapy. Currently, he is attending ETSU to gain his Doctorate in Physical Therapy with interests in pediatrics, neurorehabilitation, and preventative education.

Emily Knox,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, Emily continued her pursuit of speech-language pathology by enrolling in East Tennessee State University Master’s program. During her time at ETSU, Emily has gained experience as a graduate research assistant and assisting in clinical work by assessing high-risk infants after their discharge from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Being accepted into the LEND program, is another step towards Emily’s long-term goal of being a speech-language pathologist who specializes in pediatric speech and language disorders.

Katie Lee,

ETSU-Quillen College of Medicine - Medicine

Building toward her commitment to humanism and compassion in healthcare, Katie is in her fourth year as a medical student. Her long-term goals lie in serving children in underserved urban populations. She also plans to use her Bachelor’s of Arts in Medicine, Health, and Society from Vanderbilt University to become a leader in alleviating health care disparities and shaping public policy. Katie keeps engaged with the community by serving as President of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and volunteering locally with this group to promote health and well-being of her patients.

Emily LoBianco,

ETSU - Audiology

Emily’s desire to work in pediatric audiology stems from the experience of growing up with a brother with disabilities. She was always grateful for the healthcare staff who helped her family. She began working towards this goal by completing her Bachelors of Science in Education at the University of Georgia and is currently enrolled in the Audiology Doctoral program where she serves as the secretary for the Student Academy of Audiology.

Allison Mains,

Parent/Advocate - Johnson City

Seven years ago, Allison became the mother of Vadin, who has Down syndrome. Allison has grown through her discovery of inclusion, diversity, community, advocacy, and leadership. She has been happy to share her new skill set with the community through being a volunteer board member and former vice president of FRIENDS (Friends, Reaching, Inspiring, and Educating Neighbors about Down Syndrome). She recently completed grant work for the University of Tennessee Tree Improvement Program.

Becky Roland,

ETSU-Quillen College of Medicine - Medicine

Wanting to follow her desires, Becky left her job as a pharmacist, returning to medical school to become a general pediatrician. She is currently a fourth year medical student. She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, and is co-director of AΩA’s Emerging Leaders in Medicine program. In addition to being involved in several professional organizations, she has served her community by working on the production committee for educational pamphlets, was activities leader for a local children's program, has taught children of special needs in a church program, and has volunteered at several free health clinics.

Lindsey Swank,

ETSU - Special Education

Knowing that she wanted to become a teacher, Lindsey earned her Bachelor’s in English education. After she worked in a fifth grade classroom with a variety of disabilities, however, she fell in love with Special Education. In addition, she has worked at residential treatment facilities to help adolescents learn life skills and work in community outreach. As a Master’s level student in Special Education, Lindsey is striving towards her goals of being a teacher for these populations.

Kim Wheeler,

Community Advocate - Johnson City

Kim has been an educator for 15 years and the past 5 years she has been an advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She works at The Arc of Washington County as the Family Support and Respite Manager. She also serves the community as an Outreach Coordinator for the Autism Society and is a camp counselor. In the past, she has served as a children ministries director. In the future, Kim hopes to build a program for people with disabilities to learn skills to make them employable within the community.
2016-17 Trainees

Victoria Zaleski,

ETSU - Clinical Nutrition

Update: Victoria is completing her rotations for the dietetic internships. She will graduate in May 2018.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina in Asheville, Tori began work on her Master's degree in Clinical Nutrition at East Tennessee State University. Tori has helped design whole food recipes and videos to help prevent chronic illness. She also has volunteered at the YMCA to teach children about nutrition and fun physical activities.

Matthew Tolliver, PhD,

ETSU - Clinical Psychology

Update: Dr. Tolliver is now a behavioral specialist at the Quillen ETSU Physicians in the Pediatric Department.

For the last five years, Matthew has been on a journey to complete his PhD in Clinical Psychology at ETSU. He graduated from Berea with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and went on to ETSU for his Master's in Clinical Psychology. He has a strong connection to Appalachia and desires to provide direct clinical care, supervision, teaching and research in pediatric care.

Ashley Stewart,

ETSU - Social Work

Working on her Master’s degree in Social Work at ETSU, Ashley is completing an internship to work with children with developmental delays. When Ashley graduated from ETSU with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, she knew she wanted to take her experiences from the field and teach the next generation of social workers and decided to continue on with her education.

Daniel Scherer-Emunds,

ETSU - Special Education

Update: Dan has moved to the Chicago area to be the program manager for Opportunity Knocks, a non-profit for young adults with disabilities.

Dan graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, but has worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities in school, camp, and non-profit settings. He is passionate about postsecondary transition for individuals with developmental disabilities. Dan is gaining a Master's degree in Special Education from ETSU and lives on an alpaca farm where he provides vocational training to young people with disabilities.

Jilian Pennington,

ETSU - Physical Therapy

Jilian has been engaged with children with developmental concerns since she was a small child, as her mother operated a preschool for kids with special needs. Growing up, Jilian volunteered as a counselor at a hometown recreational program and at summer camps. Her goal is to continue to work in pediatrics by completing her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Georgian Court University, after being recruited by the school to play lacrosse.

Carson Necessary,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

Update: This year, Carson finished up her field work at NHC Healthcare in Kingsport, TN. She graduated in December.

Carson hopes to work in an outpatient pediatric setting with children with developmental delays. She worked as an after-school mentor and provided over 150 hours to help raise funds for bedding for children in need. After graduating from Tusculum College with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Carson is now attending Milligan College to pursue a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy.

Anna Lucht,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

Update: Anna found her dream job as a Speech-Language Pathologist at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, MO.

Anna came to the ETSU’s Speech-Language Pathology Master’s degree program after graduating with her Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Illinois State University. Anna has not only volunteered in community outreach programs such as Best Buddies, and Special Olympics hearing test in two states; but she also volunteered at an orphanage for children with special needs in Mazatlán, Mexico.

Aimee Johnson,

ETSU - Audiology

Update: The University of Kentucky Medical Center, in Lexington, KY, accepted Aimee as a Audiologist Extern for her fourth year with ETSU's Audiology program.

Aimee graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. As a graduate student at ETSU, she is enrolled in the Audiology Doctoral program. Her goal is to impact the quality of care in areas of tele-health, rural outreach services and within school systems. She has worked in several hearing clinics, was a counselor and a program director of an outdoor adventure program and service-leadership camp.

Tanya Cable,

ETSU - Special Education

Update: Tanya is a special education teacher and oversees the behavior management team in Washington County Schools.

Tanya’s desire is to “teach to the whole student, not just their parts”. She graduated from Towson State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, and earned a Master's degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Southern Mississippi. To achieve her goal of becoming a special education teacher she is enrolled in ETSU’s Master’s in Special Education program, while raising three daughters.

Sadie Bradshaw,

Milligan College - Occupational Therapy

Update: Sadie is completed her final semester at Mount Pleasant Pediatric Therapy in Charleston, SC, and graduated in December.

Sadie’s long-term goal is to make a positive impact in the field of Occupational Therapy and she hopes to possibly work in the NICU someday. She currently is working towards her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at Milligan College. She graduated from Milligan College with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. Throughout college, Sadie coached soccer, worked as a camp counselor and helped at an orphanage in Columbia.

Stephanie Bare,

ETSU - Speech-Language Pathology

Stephanie graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Science and Disorders from the University of Cincinnati. She went on to add a Deaf Studies Certificate. She is currently enrolled in ETSU’s Speech-Language Pathology Master’s degree program. Stephanie gave back to her community by leading Girl Scouts in a low-income area, volunteered at the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk, and provided hearing tests at the Tennessee Special Olympics.