Instructors

Julie was born and raised in Hawaii, but she got her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Dakota. She has been a Speech-Language Pathologist for four years, and she especially loves working with augmentative, alternative communication.

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Arts in English, Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, Certificate of Clinical Competence, Speech-Language Pathologist

Holly is an Occupational Therapist and Assistive Technology Specialist who holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from UW-Milwaukee and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from Northwestern. She has 21 years of dedicated experience in school settings, she specializes in assistive technology and autism, and brings a wealth of expertise to enhance the learning experiences of students. Outside of her professional pursuits, Holly is a devoted parent to four children and an avid traveler.

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, Master's in Educational Leadership, OTR/L M.Ed., Occupational Therapist, Assistive Technology Specialist

Derek is the CEO of Chileda, Inc in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he first began serving as a board member in 2013. He has served in his current role as CEO since 2017. Prior to Chileda, Derek served as Division Chair and Assistant Professor in the Dahl School of Business at Viterbo University. He taught management and business communication courses. Derek also taught at Texas A&M in Corpus Christi, Texas prior to coming to Viterbo. Derek earned his Ph.D. in Communication Studies from The University of Texas, Austin. His primary area of research was employee commitment, specifically the intersection of communication as it relates to employee commitment. He also has a Master of Science degree in Management Communication from the University of Portland.

Education/credentials: Ph.D. in Communication Studies with a primary area of research in the intersection of communication as it relates to employee commitment, Master of Science in Management Communication

Dr. DeBoer taught School Psychology in the Psychology Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for 23 years before she retired in May of 2020. During her tenure, Dr. DeBoer trained, consulted and collaborated with Chileda, La Crosse Schools, La Crescent Schools, Onalaska Schools, the Department of Public Institute, Wisconsin administrators and many others. Dr. DeBoer was recently awarded the Wisconsin School Psychologists' Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions.

Education/credentials: Ph.D. in Psychology from UW-Madison, completed Fellowships at the Waisman Center at UW-Madison, the Neuropsychology Clinic at Johns Hopkins Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, and the Psychiatry Department at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Terri Gowey is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Licensed Behavior Analyst, and Chief Operating Officer at Chileda Institute, Inc. Terri has been with Chileda for 23 years in many roles from Direct Support Professional, House Director, Director of Behavior Services, to her current role as Chief Operating Officer. She has many years of experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and challenging behaviors using trauma-informed behavioral interventions.

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master of Science in Psychology, Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA)

Kate has worked at Chileda for 11 years starting out as a Direct Support Professional and then advancing her way up to Leadership staff and then entered the Behavior department as a Behavior Specialist in 2015. The work she has done at Chileda led her into her Master's degree in Behavior Analysis and she has since worked as the Director of Behavior Services since 2018. She received her Board Certification in Behavior Analysis in 2022.

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology, Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis, Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA)

Melissa is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the manager of Chileda Shine's Behavior Solutions program providing behavior analytic services to individuals and their families in the home and community. Her passion lies in collaborating with families, staff, and other professionals to develop individualized strategies to create the best possible outcomes for all involved.

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Science in Psychology - Applied Behavior Analysis, Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA)

Sharon has been working as a school Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) for almost 30 years and has experiences working with those all along the spectrum across academic and social settings for about 45 years. She attended UWL in the mid-1980's and spent 3+ years working at the "old Chileda" as a caregiver and is now back as a SLP!

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Science in Education-Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Speech-Language Pathologist, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - Lifetime License - 1820 Speech and Language Pathology (PK–12th Grades)

Valerie has 12 years of experience working with children and young adults with Autism. She graduated in 2016 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and graduated just this year with her Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis from Purdue University Global. She is currently the Advanced Behavior Specialist for a pilot program at Chileda aimed at providing a short-term placement and long-term results for children with high acuity needs. Along with her passion for Applied Behavior Analysis, she enjoys hiking and being outdoors with her family.

Education/credentials: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis