Chresta’s love for this population began when she was a sophomore in high school. She participated in a program that allowed her to help young adults with disabilities with their physical therapy during her PE class. Chresta’s passion was ignited, and her career path was set. She has worked with children and their families for over 26 years in the educational field. While most of her experience has been teaching in a self-contained special education classroom, she has also worked as an Autism Consultant and an Early Childhood Intervention Specialist helping children with developmental delays. Working with families in their homes led her to understand the importance of a parent’s role as an advocate and a team leader. Though this statement is unequivocally true, there are few parents who are aware of the importance of their voice in all planning meetings involving their child’s progress. Whether it is therapy, education, or medical care, they often do not feel confident in even asking questions of those who provide services for their child. Parents are often so outnumbered by the professionals in these meetings that they feel intimidated, even when that is not the intention of anyone sitting around the table. The amount of information required to understand not only their child’s unique needs but also the laws pertaining to the rights of the families is daunting and frequently leads to being overwhelmed. This is a need that cannot continue to be ignored. It is time for change. In pursuit of further knowledge to support these families,  Chresta has a certificate in Healthcare Administration and will receive her Master's in Healthcare Administration in 2025.

Mandi has been a certified Speech-Language Pathologist for 27 years. Her interest in the field was inspired by her college friend who had a hearing impairment. Watching as he excelled in track and kept up with the rigorous academics of his courses left her in awe. After briefly considering deaf education, she decided she wanted to learn more about the medical aspects of language development. After her first class, she knew she had found her niche. Looking back, she reflected on the first child she babysat when she was 12. He had medical, physical, and cognitive needs. Even at that young age, she was right at home and intuitively formed a strong bond and meaningful relationship. Mandi has dedicated most of her career to specializing in work with children ages birth to three. Her medical knowledge and understanding of how differing abilities affect growth and development are second to none. Mandi has been a guest lecturer at West Texas A&M University and supervises Speech Therapy students yearly as they complete their practicum in the field. She specializes in receptive and expressive communication deficits, speech disorders, and pediatric oral-motor feeding issues. For some time, Mandi has been incredibly concerned about the lack of support for families after leaving early childhood programming. It has felt like a disservice to start a family on a path to understanding their child’s condition, getting parents’ feet underneath them, and then their child turns three, they are left on their own. She has seen the need for continued support in learning to meet their child’s needs and is excited to do something about it.  Mandi’s expertise in creating a plan for each child with their family as the focus makes her the perfect leader for our therapy team.

Shelley has been an educator for over 12 years. Shelley’s professional life did not begin as a teacher. She initially worked for the Amarillo Police Department as a dispatcher for Emergency Medical Services. In her 10 years at this job, there were times that were devastating, but there were times when the job was uplifting and rewarding as well. For example, during a 911 call, Shelley talked a Mom through the delivery of her baby while waiting for help to arrive. This community work, specifically law enforcement, opened Shelley’s eyes to the need for inspiring children with the love of learning, creating positive experiences that develop into a love of learning. She felt called to teaching and spent her career working in a school in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood with a student population consisting of many students to whom English is a second language. Shelley was a favorite among students, devoting her time off the clock to creating above-and-beyond immersive activities to make learning come alive. Her dream was attained. These students were excited to come to school and LEARN! Shelley has become an expert in inclusive practices, making certain her students are supported and making tremendous growth each year. Shelley shows excellent skill in discerning students’ educational abilities and designing individualized instruction to navigate them to their fullest potential. Her expansive knowledge of academic curriculum, creativity, and compassion for helping students excel are beyond reproach. Shelley has felt a call to serve students with hearing loss. Educational options for this unique population are limited in the Panhandle area. Shelley’s passion in this area led her to pursue further education. She is now certified in Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing and will complete her Master's in Special Education with a specialization in Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Spring of 2025.