The Wellington-Alexander Center
Diagnosis, Prevention & Treatment of Language and Sensorimotor Difficulties
9821 East Bell Road Suite 100
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
(480) 629-4461
Meet the Team
Ann Alexander, M.D., FAAP
Founder and Owner
Consultant, Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics
Dr. Alexander opened the Wellington-Alexander Center in 2003 after having founded its sister center, the Morris Center, in Gainesville, Florida in 1986. The goal of the interdisciplinary team at the Wellington-Alexander Center is to carry out the mission of the Morris Center and continue helping children and adults to end their learning struggles, to work with schools and to pursue work on prevention of the school struggles and loss of self-esteem. Dr. Alexander received her bachelor's degree from Dickinson college in Pennsylvania, and earned her M.D. from Duke University. She has worked in the field of developmental pediatrics for 40 years.
Click here to read Dr. Alexander's complete biography
Click here to view Dr. Alexander's Curriculum Vitae
Founder and Owner
Consultant, Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics
Dr. Alexander opened the Wellington-Alexander Center in 2003 after having founded its sister center, the Morris Center, in Gainesville, Florida in 1986. The goal of the interdisciplinary team at the Wellington-Alexander Center is to carry out the mission of the Morris Center and continue helping children and adults to end their learning struggles, to work with schools and to pursue work on prevention of the school struggles and loss of self-esteem. Dr. Alexander received her bachelor's degree from Dickinson college in Pennsylvania, and earned her M.D. from Duke University. She has worked in the field of developmental pediatrics for 40 years.
Click here to read Dr. Alexander's complete biography
Click here to view Dr. Alexander's Curriculum Vitae
Jane Lawyer, M.Ed.
Director
Jane oversees all aspects of the Center. She received her B.Sc. degree in Education from East Carolina University and her Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Jane worked as a classroom teacher for 24 years and then as a reading specialist for 6 years. Since 1989, she has been fully trained in the LiPS® and VV® programs. In 1998, she began working for the Morris Center, the Wellington-Alexander Center's sister center in Gainesville, Florida. While at the Morris Center, she worked initially as the grant coordinator for an NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) grant and later as the clinic coordinator. In 2003, Jane took on the task of heading up the Wellington-Alexander Center. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Branch of the IDA.
Stacy Fretheim, M.S., CCC-SLP
Director of Speech-Language Services/Assistant Director
Stacy is an ASHA (American Speech-Language and Hearing Association) certified speech-language pathologist licensed with the Arizona State Department of Health Services. In 1995, Stacy completed her undergraduate work in speech-language pathology and audiology at Northern Arizona University. She attended graduate school at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders at the University of Texas at Dallas. While at the Callier Center, she had the opportunity to work on the Closed Head Injury Child Recovery Project where she analyzed the relationship of neurological deficits to cognitive and language functioning of children with traumatic brain injury. Stacy completed her graduate work in 1997 and began working as a pediatric speech-language pathologist, specializing in oral and written language impairments. She became the Assistant Director and Director of Speech-Lanugage Services at the Wellington-Alexander Center in 2003. Stacy is the treasurer and a board member of the Arizona Branch IDA, as well as an active presenter and contributor to its publications.
Karen Backstrom, B. Sc.
Director of Educational Services/Assistant Director
Karen has been with the Wellington-Alexander Center since its opening in the summer of 2003. Before coming to the Wellington-Alexander Center, she spent 5 summers training and working at the Morris Center. She received her B. Sc. in Education and Special Education in 1993 from Northern Arizona University. Prior to helping open the Wellington-Alexander Center, Karen taught special education for more than 10 years. As a resource teacher in the public school system, she worked primarily with children with learning disabilities, including dyslexia. In addition to being an Assistant Director, Karen is a Language Clinician fully trained in the LiPS®, VV®, VKSS and Morphology programs. She enjoys witnessing the positive changes children undergo upon completion of therapy at the Wellington-Alexander Center, including increased confidence and self-esteem.
Lind
say Krumland, B. Sc.Language Clinician
Lindsay has been working as a Language Clinician at the Wellington-Alexander Center since 2005. She earned her B. Sc. in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development from Northern Arizona University in 2002. She also has an endorsement in Early Childhood Development. Lindsay has 7 years of experience working as a kindergarten, first, second, and fifth grade teacher, including teaching for 2 years in Hawaii. She is fully trained in LiPS®, VV®, VKSS and Morphology and feels rewarded by helping individuals achieve goals they never thought were possible.
Alison Moser, B. Sc.
Language Clinician
Alison joined the Wellington-Alexander Center team as a Language Clinician in 2007. She received her B.Sc. in Elementary Education and Special Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1998. Prior to coming to the Wellington-Alexander Center, she worked as a Special Education teacher and a 2nd grade teacher for 6 years. Alison is fully trained in all of the programs the Wellington-Alexander Center uses, including LiPS®, VV®, VKSS and Morphology. She has enjoyed the transition from teacher to Language Clinician because it has allowed her to work one-on-one with children so they may reach their highest potential and discover capabilities within themselves that they may not have realized they had.
Language Clinician
Alison joined the Wellington-Alexander Center team as a Language Clinician in 2007. She received her B.Sc. in Elementary Education and Special Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1998. Prior to coming to the Wellington-Alexander Center, she worked as a Special Education teacher and a 2nd grade teacher for 6 years. Alison is fully trained in all of the programs the Wellington-Alexander Center uses, including LiPS®, VV®, VKSS and Morphology. She has enjoyed the transition from teacher to Language Clinician because it has allowed her to work one-on-one with children so they may reach their highest potential and discover capabilities within themselves that they may not have realized they had.
Olivia Waltman, B.A.
Language Clinician
Olivia has worked as a Language Clinician at the Wellington-Alexander Center since 2004. She earned her B.A. in Print Journalism in 2001 from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. While at ASU, she competed on the track & field team in the high jump, triple jump and pole vault. Olivia is fully trained in LiPS®, VV®, VKSS and Morphology, and especially utilizes her training in writing to help individuals develop strong skills and confidence in that fundamental subject. Working at the Wellington-Alexander Center has allowed Olivia to incorporate her lifelong love of reading and writing, and she strives to create that passion within each individual with whom she works.
Joann McFee, M.S., OTR-L
Coordinator of Occupational Therapy
Joann joined the Wellington-Alexander Center in 2005. She earned her B. Sc. in Biology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1995 and her Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 1997. At the Wellington-Alexander Center, Joann is responsible for the coordination, planning and implementation of our patients' personal occupational therapy plans, which are tailored to meet each individual's specific occupational therapy needs, especially as they relate to their language/learning disabilities. She is also the owner of Pediatric Therapy Solutions, LLC, through which she provides center-based occupational therapy for children with various learning and developmental disabilities, including sensory processing disorders, developmental motor delays and perceptual reasoning deficits. In addition to working with the Wellington-Alexander Center, Joann provides direct and consultative services to various public and private schools in the Valley. Her work includes implementation of IEPs, program development for both typical and special needs students, and teacher education.
Sarah Stoll, M.S., OTR-L
Occupational Therapist
Sarah came to the Wellington-Alexander Center through Pediatric Therapy Solutions in 2007. She graduated from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana with a B. Sc. in Health and Exercise Science. She then received her Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy from Arizona School of Health Sciences in Mesa, Arizona. Sarah works in a variety of settings providing occupational therapy services for people of all ages. She has experience working in acute care and rehab facilities, as well as skilled nursing facilities. She also provides home-based therapy for children in the East Valley. Sarah loves working as an occupational therapist because it is fun and rewarding; she enjoys watching individuals gain confidence and independence. Sarah feels it is exciting to see children learn new skills and apply them to their daily life.
