Specialized Staff for Special ChildrenSpecial Children Center offers you a highly trained staff of occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech and language pathologists. Each staff member has the certification or licensure required by state and national regulations. All specialists work together to provide an individualized program for your child to meet his/her needs. Please contact us at: occupationalscc@sbcglobal.net; physicalscc@sbcglobal.net; speechscc@sbcglobal.net
OT Staff
Emily Hanson, OTR
Sandy Ball, OTR
Colleen Boissonneault, OTA
Sarah Greene, OTR
Kathy Johnson, OTA
Maria Moran, OTA
Vicki Olson, OTA
Trisha Stork, OTA
Terry Strodthoff, OTA
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PT Staff
Deanna Wanzek, PT
Kathleen (Kiki) Dickinson, PT
Jill Gruber-Downing, PT
Ed Leitze, PTA
Rachel Van Heel, PT
Margaret Zignego, PT
Speech and Language Pathology Staff
Andrea Kane, CCC-SLP
Jinger Brulz, CCC-SLP
Katherine Chamberlain, CCC-SLP
Sally Peterson, CCC-SLP
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Occupational Therapy Staff
Sandy Ball, OTR
Sandy worked in an Early Childhood program as an aide for 12 years. She went back to school after working with OTs in the program. She graduated from the College of St. Catherine and started with Special Children Center in September 1992. Sandy works in the Birth to Three Program and sees clients in the clinic. She has had extensive training in many therapy techniques. She loves to garden.
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Sarah Greene, OTR
Sarah graduated from the College of St. Catherine with a BA in Occupational Therapy and Psychology in 2001. Since that time, she has worked in schools, skilled nursing, acute rehab, pediatrics and as a traveling therapist prior to starting at Special Children Center in June 2004. Sarah enjoys working with the diverse population of kids at SCC and feels that she learns something new every day.
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Emily Hanson, OTR
Emily is a 2008 graduate of UW La Crosse where she received her bachelor's degree in psychology and her master's degree in occupational therapy. Emily completed one of her clinical rotations at Special Children Center in the summer of 2008 and she is glad to be back. She loves a good laugh and thinks even adults need to find time to play! Emily likes the variety of children and their families, and understand how the whole family can be impacted by a child with special needs. Emily has training in Beckman Oral Motor, Kinesio tape and Craniosacral Therapy. She enjoys witnessing the progress that kids make every day. She feels so fortunate to be here and loves telling people how much she loves her job!
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Kathy Johnson, OTA
Kathy started her OTA career working in sheltered workshop settings and as an itinerant therapist in the St. Paul Public Schools. She attended UW-RF and received a BA degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in Early Childhood. Her enjoyment of young children drew her to teaching preschool and kindergarten for 11 years. She began working at Special Children Center in 2007, where she has felt fortunate to attend workshops in Sensory Integration, Kinesio taping, craniosacral and AIT.
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Maria Moran, OTA
Maria graduated from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at the College of St. Catherine and she is currently a student in the Occupational Therapy Masters Program at St. Kate's. Maria did her last fieldwork placement at Special Children Center and began working here in 2008. Maria's interests include AIT, the Interactive Metronome, and Kinesio tape. She lives in Cottage Grove, Minnesota with her three children.
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Vicki Olson, OTA
Vicki's interest in OT began in 1967 when she worked as an OT aide at St. John’s Hospital. She graduated from Anoka in 1969. She worked at the Rehab Institute in Missouri, with a primary focus working with adults. Vicki returned to the University of Minnesota in Peds Rehab and found making adaptive equipment and splints, as well as working with Sensory Integration therapy, to be very rewarding. In 1976, Vicki started employment with the St. Paul Public Schools where she continues to work in six different schools ranging from preschool through high school. She has worked at Special Children Center since 1989. Vicki’s outside interests include gardening, cooking, reading, and spending time with her four grandchildren.
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Terry Strodthoff, OTA
Terry worked for ten years in schools in northern Wisconsin through CESA 12 before starting at Special Children Center in July 2003. Terry thoroughly enjoys every child she has the privilege of working with, but seems to have a special connection with children with autism. She is trained in the use of Kinesio tape, craniosacral therapy, metronome, AIT, Listening with the Whole Body, and aspects of vision therapy. Terry loves her job at SCC, and feels blessed to work with a team that is so caring and dedicated to our clients and their families.
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Physical Therapy Staff
Kathleen (Kiki) Dickinson, PT
Kiki has worked as a Pediatric Physical Therapist since 1995. Kiki works at Special Children Center in Hudson, Wisconsin and has 15 years of experience developing and implementing therapy programs for a diverse pedicatric population which includes working with children of all ages including the birth-to-three population. Kiki is certified in the Universal Exercise Unit/Therasuit Method and Craniosacral Therapy. Kiki has been an adjunct professor at St. Catherine's University for over ten years and teaches the course Introductory Concepts in Pediatrics for the Physical Therapy Assistant Program. Kiki is also an instructor for Aquatic Therapy University (www.aquaticnet.com) teaching courses including those for the medically fragile child.
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Jill Gruber-Downing, PT
Jill holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Cloud State University and a BS in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation from the University of Minnesota. Prior to starting at Special Children Center in September 2001, Jill worked at the Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette, Wisconsin, where she provided Birth to Three services through a contract with Marinette County, Wisconsin, and Menominee County, Michigan. She also worked in an Early Childhood preschool environment in Menominee County. Jill has special training in NDT for pediatrics populations and craniosacral. She is also a certified Spencer Pilates instructor.
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Ed Leitze, PTA
Ed started working at Special Children Center the summer of 1990 after graduating from the Physical Therapist Assistant program at the College of St. Catherine. Ed’s areas of expertise include hydrotherapy, craniosacral therapy, Kinesio taping, and use of respiration techniques. He is a Certified Pool Operator and maintains the pool at SCC.
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Deanna Wanzek, PT, PCS
Deanna received her Certificate in Physical Therapy from the Mayo Foundation School of Physical Therapy in Rochester, MN in 1974. Since 1980, she has specialized in Pediatrics. She incorporates myofascial release, craniosacral, muscle energy and other complementary skills. She teaches Pediatrics and Movement Skill Development at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN. She speaks nationally on the integration of Kinesio tape in the pediatric population. She is a recognized instructor by the Kinesio Taping Association and was named 2007 Instructor of the Year by the Kinesio Taping Association. She is also certified in lymphatic massage.
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Speech and Language Pathology Staff
Jinger Brulz, CCC-SLP
Jinger completed her graduate program at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2008, and completed her clinical fellowship placement at Special Children Center. Her internship experience includes working primarily with adults at Courage Center, and focusing on early childhood education as well as kindergarten through second grade speech difficulties in the St. Croix Central School District . Jinger also has special training in craniosacral therapy.
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Katherine Chamberlain, CCC-SLP
Katie went to undergraduate and graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She graduated from graduate school in 2003 and came to work at Special Children Center. Katie has professional experience with children with motor speech disorders, cleft palate, apraxia, language disorders and Autism among other speech and language disorders. She has training in the SOS feeding method and the PROMPT method. She enjoys working at Special Children Center, as the environment and resources available make it an ideal setting to help children reach their full potential. She has led feeding and social groups at Special Children Center.
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Andrea "Dre" Kane, CCC-SLP
Dre graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2003 with a Masters in Communication Disorders. Following graduation, Dre worked with adults in a work rehabilitation setting in Eagan, Minnesota. She began working at Special Children Center in February 2007. Dre has training in feeding issues (specifically the SOS approach to feeding) and PROMPT.
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