Speech Therapy in Eagle River and Anchorage, AK
Clinical Faculty and Administrative Staff
Meet the team that is responsible for making Reading Write Alaska the premier facility dedicated to helping your child to reach their reading potential
CLINICAL STAFF
Heather Walton
Owner / Founder
heather@readingwritealaska.com
Heather is the owner and founder of Reading Write Alaska. She spends time in all of the RWA locations but primarily serves as a Clinical Supervisor in the Anchorage office. Heather is from Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Ashly Beckes
Director of Operations
Ashly is the Director of Operations for Reading Write Alaska, and has been with us since 2012! Ashly was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated with a degree in Secondary Education specializing in Social Studies…
Maggie Voinot-Baron
Speech-Language Pathologist / Clinical Supervisor
Maggie is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinical Supervisor in our Anchorage location. Maggie graduated from Portland State University with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2011.
Robin Ruzic
Speech-Language Pathologist / Clinical Director – Eagle River
Robin was born and raised in New Iberia Louisiana, the heart of Cajun country. She finished high school in Crystal Lake Illinois and shortly after moved back south. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist…
Kristin Wetzel
Speech-Language Pathologist / Clinical Director – Wasilla
kristin@readingwritealaska.com
Kristin is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinic Director in our Wasilla location. Kristin grew up in a small town in Northern Nevada and attended the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).
Kayla Head
Speech-Language Pathologist / Clinical Director – Wasilla
Kayla is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinic Director in our Wasilla location. Kayla was born in the Midwest and grew up in Southwest Washington. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington…
Michelle Kobsik
Teacher and Behavioral Specialist
michelle@readingwritealaska.com
Michelle relocated to Alaska from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
Becky George
Dyslexia Therapist
Becky relocated to Anchorage in 2018 after spending 8 years in Fairbanks. Prior to Fairbanks, Colorado was her home. She has over 13 years in private practice as a Dyslexia Therapist.
Wendy Baker
Teacher / Language Specialist
Wendy has lived in Anchorage since 1986; however, she grew up in Fairbanks. She is a certified teacher who taught for 20 years at Bartlett High School where she taught Russian, world history, and Latin.
Tyler Beckes
Math Instructor
Tyler is a Math Tutor for Reading Write Alaska and began working part time in 2018. Tyler grew up in Minnesota and spent 10 years in the United States Air Force, first as a Chinese-Mandarin language analyst, and then as a command post controller.
Ross Clifford
Writing Specialist / Teacher
Ross discovered his love of teaching while in the Master of Fine Arts program at Portland State University. As a graduate student, he had the opportunity to teach composition to incoming students…
April Kuiper
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist
April is a bilingual, certified speech-language pathologist who earned her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish language & literature in Michigan, where she was born and raised.
Lindsey Cady
Speech-Language Pathologist
lindsey@readingwritealaska.com
Lindsey Cady is a Speech-Language Pathologist who received her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Northeastern State University in Talequah, OK, after completing her undergraduate career with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education…
Nichole Chilson
Speech-Language Pathologist
nichole@readingwritealaska.com
Nichole Lachance Chilson has been practicing Speech-Language Pathology for over 18 years here in the land of the midnight sun. She worked in private practice for ten of those years…
Megan Neill
Speech-Language Pathologist
Despite her childhood dream of becoming a librarian, Megan eventually discovered the world of speech and language in college and ultimately graduated with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2018…
Amanda Hall
Speech-Language Pathologist
Amanda returned to Alaska after pursuing her undergraduate degree in Child Development, followed by 3 years of working as a preschool teacher with Childtime Learning Center in Phoenix, AZ.
Kelsey Coffern
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kelsey graduated from Texas Tech University with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology 2018. Trying to escape the Texas heat, she booked a one-way flight to Anchorage, Alaska!
Laura Tillman
Speech-Language Pathologist
Laura is a Speech-Language Pathologist who received her Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois. She completed her undergraduate career at Northwestern University…
Eli Skelton
Speech-Language Pathologist
Eli earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He then earned his master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Arkansas…
Julie Swaner
Speech-Language Pathologist
julie.swaner@readingwritealaska.com
Julie graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, with her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a focus in Speech-Language Pathology
Uriah Mitchell
Speech-Language Pathologist
Uriah joined the Reading Write Alaska team in 2018, assisting in diagnosing and treating individuals with communication difficulties. Uriah has had experience working in schools, skilled nursing facilities…
Lynice Firey
Speech-Language Pathologist
Lynice grew up in Canada and earned a Masters Degree in Communication Disorders from Minot State University. She moved to Alaska with her husband, who is originally from the state.
Mary Mitchell
Speech-Language Pathologist
Mary is a Speech-Language Pathologist. Mary graduated from James Madison University with her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorder in 2012 and taught a Kindergarten program…
Alysia Damin
Speech-Language Pathologist
Alysia is a Speech-Language Pathologist and lead teletherapist. Alysia grew up in a small town located in central New York. As a child, she was surrounded with educators and professionals in the field of speech pathology…
Jennifer Carlson
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
jennifer@readingwritealaska.com
Jennifer is a licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistant with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and a minor in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Eastern Michigan University.
Kari Meyer
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
Kari grew up in a small town in Southern Illinois. After growing up in the Midwest she longed for different scenery. She packed two suitcases and boarded a one-way flight to Alaska to experience the great “Last Frontier”.
Selina Gutierrez
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
Selina is a licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistant with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin. Throughout her career, she has provided individualized and group therapy to children…
Grant Tatge
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
Grant earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Dakota. For five years, he worked for Denali Borough School District serving pre-K through 12th-grade students…
Julie Johnson
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
Julie is a retired school teacher with the Anchorage School District. She has an undergraduate degree is in elementary education and a masters degree in special education. She taught in Anchorage for a total of 22 years…
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Cheryl Carter
Human Resources
Cheryl was raised in West Virginia. Her husband made a career in the Air Force, which ultimately led them to Fort Walton Beach Florida where they made their home for 35 years.
Marissa Pedersen
Front Desk Administration
marissa@readingwritealaska.com
Marissa grew up in Lisle, Illinois, a busy suburb of Chicago. After graduating high school, she moved to Grand Junction, CO where she attended Colorado Mesa University.
Kristie Koffard
Front Desk Administration
kristie@readingwritealaska.com
Kristie is the front desk administrator for the Reading Write Alaska team in Wasilla. She was born in Palmer, Alaska and has lived in Wasilla ever since. Although an Alaskan at heart Kristie is an avid traveler.
Kelly Farmer
Billing Manager
Kelly is the billing manager for Reading Write Alaska. Kelly grew up as a military “brat” whose family settled in Alaska in 1983. In 1998 Kelly moved to Surprise, AZ., where she started her career as a Medicare biller…
Kimberly Westervelt
Billing Specialist
Kimberly was born in Ohio, grew up in Anchorage, and calls Alaska her home. She graduated high school early and attended UAA. Kimberly married her high school sweetheart and has two children, Colin and Brinley.
Reading Write Alaska is also an approved vendor for all local homeschool programs
TESTIMONIALS
"The scores on our daughter’s most recent re-evaluation are jawdropping. She has gone from reading 13 words on a word identification subtest to 113 words in a year!! Her score went from 67 to 107! Her spelling score went from a 77 to a 99! She was at an early first grade reading level last year and is now testing at mid third grade! We are so thankful for sweet Miss Lori and all she’s done for us!"
~ CARY