Meet the Team

Taylor joins the Wonderland team with experience and knowledge in early childhood development and is passionate in her desire to support children and their families. As a person with profound hearing loss, Taylor relates to children who need access resources and services due to a disability or delay. With her previous experience in the childcare and foster care services realm, she brings a thoughtful and intentional approach to this role. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Taylor has been in Seattle for the past ten years and enjoys spending her time outdoors on hikes, road trips, and paddle boards, and is always looking for a new brewery or coffee shop to try.

Hannah was born in Ohio, but has lived in various places across the country, including Michigan, Massachusetts, Florida, and most recently Washington. She received her Master’s of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan, and her Bachelor of Arts in developmental psychology from Emmanuel College. Hannah focused her education on childhood trauma and has dedicated much of her life to helping youth overcome adversity. Her adopted 10-year-old brother and his own therapeutic history was her inspiration to become a child and family therapist. When she is not working, Hannah enjoys fostering kittens, baking, and exploring her new home.

Jessi grew up in the Pacific Northwest and received a master's degree in counseling from Northwestern University. She has worked with children in many different capacities - as a camp counselor, a toddler group leader, a wilderness therapy staff, and most recently, a therapist. Jessi enjoys working with kids because of their resilience and their joy and wants to help them feel supported in their developmental journey. When not working, Jessi enjoys playing and coaching Ultimate Frisbee and soaking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest outdoors!

Branik grew up in the Seattle area, but loves to travel and experience new places. She is passionate about social justice and the foster care system, earning her Master’s degree in social work to continue being a voice for vulnerable populations. Branik has worked in crisis settings for children and is passionate about what Wonderland stands for. She truly cares about the families and children she works with, and always gives her best to those around her. In her free time, Branik enjoys cooking, swimming, being with friends, and spending time with her niece.

Lori grew up on the east coast. She moved to the Seattle area in 2013 with her husband of 30 years and two, now grown, children. After working in retail for almost 20 years, she happily made a career change three years ago to office administration. In her free time, she likes outdoor activities such as walking and hiking, or hanging out at the gym if the weather is bad. She also enjoys reading and (euro) board gaming.

Caitlin grew up in Washington and has a bachelor's degree from Western Washington University in Kinesiology and Psychology. She has previously worked as an ABA behavior technician and as a Parent Educator. She loves work that supports families to meet their goals and connect them to their community. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys rock climbing, hiking with her dog and skiing.

Hannah has a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Puget Sound. She was born in Washington, studied psychology at the University of Washington, and worked as an ABA behavior technician. Hannah has experience with hippotherapy, sensory, and feeding interventions. She values play-based and family-centered therapy and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, reading, and playing soccer.

Debra grew up in Kentucky, later relocating to Washington state. She has been supporting children and families experiencing housing instability, trauma, substance use, recovery, divorce, CPS involvement, and foster care since 1999. Debra's strategy is to partner with families, helping them know that whatever they are working through, they will get to the other side together. She believes that children have the potential to become the best versions of themselves and feels privileged and honored to be a part of that journey. When Debra is not working, she enjoys being with family, being outdoors in nature, and teaching her grandson how to play basketball.

Gabrielle loves the work that supports families, strengthens their bonds, and connects us all in our common challenges. As a parent of a child who has been helped by therapies to reach his development goals and as a child of aging parents, she has appreciated the moments where people come together in shared understanding and/or support of one another. She is passionate about working with families to connect with the supports they need to do the difficult, yet beautiful work of caregiving. She grew up in Northern California and has lived along the stretch of land from Southern California to the Seattle area. She enjoys adventuring with her kids, hiking and running in the woods near her home, reading and watching movies, and singing frequently, but poorly.

Kestrel has a passion for nonprofit work and helping clients and staff. She has a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and Spanish from California State University, Long Beach. While in school, Kestrel volunteered as a research assistant at the Culture and Social Identity Development Lab and studied abroad for a year in Valparaíso, Chile. After graduating, she worked in Esteiro, Spain as an English language assistant at a rural elementary school. She moved back to California to work at Sacramento County’s first mental health urgent care clinic. While at the clinic, Kestrel realized she enjoyed vital behind-the-scenes administrative work. She is excited to bring her technical office skills to the Wonderland team. In her free time, Kestrel enjoys trying new recipes, taking advantage of Washington’s spectacular hiking and biking trails, and painting.

Stephanie grew up in Maine before moving to Boston. She graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in inclusive education. She was especially interested in language and the cognitive aspects of communication, so she decided to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Emerson College. Stephanie strongly believes in supporting the whole family and enjoys collaborating with caregivers. Stephanie is looking forward to exploring the Pacific Northwest. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, reading, and trying new restaurants.

Katie grew up in southwest Michigan. She developed a passion for helping children at a young age, leading her to obtain her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Michigan. Following her passions, Katie moved to Washington to finish her clinical rotations, gaining experience in pediatric clinic, family collaboration, and family education. She values the use of play and family connection to help children thrive. In her spare time, Katie enjoys hiking, skiing, camping, and spending time with family and friends.

Helena believes that a family-centered, collaborative approach is the key to supporting successful, fulfilling participation in the home, school, and community environments. Her whole-child approach to skill development, self-reflection, and lifelong learning centers each individual child's strengths and interests as well as the family's values, roles, and routines at home. Helena's sessions prioritize play-based therapeutic activity, collaborative goal setting, caregiver support and coaching, and implementing modifications to routines that can help make everyday life easier. Helena received a BA in Anthropology from the University of Cincinnati in 2012. She worked as a nanny and Licensed Massage Therapist before discovering her love for Occupational Therapy. Helena takes a holistic, affirming, and trauma-informed approach to every interaction. When not advocating for children and families, Helena enjoys reading nonfiction, lifting weights, and cooking delicious food.

Born and raised in Colorado, Marissa moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2014 and is new to the Seattle area. She has many years of experience working in libraries in various roles, though her favorite was providing children's programming for ages 0-12. Through that work, she discovered a passion for working with children and families (and a love for Pete the Cat picture books). That passion led her to a Bachelor's degree in Human Services from Southern Oregon University, where she completed her undergraduate practicum with a local community crisis line. When not at work, Marissa enjoys visiting local plant shops, falling for all the Seattle tourist traps, kayaking with her husband, or reading a good book.

Callie is from Atlanta, GA. From the age of 16, she knew that she wanted to be a speech pathologist and work with children and families to improve their quality of life and access to communication. She attended the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ’em!) for her undergraduate degree and received a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Washington. While having a wide range of interests within speech pathology, Callie found her passion in helping children and their families. She has worked with children with autism, selective mutism, speech and language delays, oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, and many more populations. Callie loves living in Seattle and spends her weekends trying new restaurants, hiking, skiing, and hanging out with her wonderful friends.

Kat comes from a diverse background and considers adaptability one of her many strengths. After graduating as a Doctor of Medicine and Master in Business Administration, she served as a primary care physician in a rural community in the Philippines. In 2021, shortly after she moved to Washington, she found herself managing two outpatient behavioral health clinics in the Pioneer Square area, both catering to individuals experiencing homelessness and chemical dependency. Kat’s extensive experience in the clinical field solidified her desire to provide quality healthcare services to those who need it the most. During her free time, she enjoys yoga, cooking, reading, hiking with her husband and pup, and eating her way through Seattle.

Gen was born and raised in California and moved to Washington a decade ago. She has ten years of experience working in the education field and recently worked at a school-based health center in Seattle. Gen is passionate about helping children reach their fullest potential. When she isn’t working, she enjoys hanging out with her family, fishing, crocheting, or reading. She is thrilled to be joining the Wonderland team.

Jessica enjoys helping children meet their full potential! She was introduced to occupational therapy while teaching dance and yoga to people of all ages and abilities and received her doctorate in occupational therapy from Creighton University. She is passionate about understanding how neurology, sensory systems, and connection impact identity, safety, and function, especially as a foster/adoptive mother and an adoptee. When not working, Jessica is busy with her family, which includes her husband, three kids, six alpacas, four goats, two dogs, and one llama.

Wen-Chi grew up in Taiwan, which instilled a love of adventure and diversity from an early age. After completing a Bachelors of Occupational Therapy and working in a variety of pediatric settings in Taiwan, Wen-Chi continued her studies at The University of Pittsburgh, where she completed her master’s in Occupational Therapy. She has always had a passion for helping kids with special needs live in this world comfortably and independently, as who they are. When she is not busy working, she is busy playing with her 3-year-old and 1-year-old sons, and enjoys contemporary dance, theatre, movies and exploring new restaurants.

Katherine is passionate about helping people reach their fullest potential and helping parents better understand their children. Katherine brings knowledge and skill to supporting children and families at the clinic from her experience as an in-home support specialist, residential treatment staff member, support staff in an alternative school, and therapy aide in a pediatric occupational therapy clinic. She grew up in a small town in Wisconsin and moved to the Pacific Northwest as a young adult. She finds enjoyment in having coffee on her front porch, hiking and backpacking, cooking with her husband, and laughing with her son.

Julia Bledsoe, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician at the Pediatric Care Center at UWMC-Roosevelt and the Center on Human Development and Disability at UWMC and a UW professor of General Pediatrics. She also works as a faculty pediatrician at the UW FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) Clinic, the longest standing FAS center in the US. Dr. Bledsoe co-directs the Center for Adoption Medicine and specializes in adoption medicine: the care of children and families touched by adoption. She strives to create active partnerships with her patients to achieve the best possible outcomes. Dr. Bledsoe earned her M.D. at the UW. She lectures and teaches on topics related to international and domestic adoption, especially as these overlap with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Julian Davies, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, where he co-directs the Center for Adoption Medicine and works at the longest-running FAS clinic in the country. His interest in adoption, foster care, and FASD began in Russia, where he started a summer arts and clown camp for Russian orphans. He now has a pediatric practice where 2/3 of his patients were fostered or adopted. Dr. Davies created an online resource for pediatrics and adoption (www.adoptmed.org) and presents on a variety of topics at regional and national conferences. He lives in Seattle with his wife and four bold-flavored children.

Julie Gelo is the legal mother to 13 children ranging in age from 14 to 52. Julie and her husband are licensed foster parents with Ina Maka, a private foster care agency with United Indians of All Tribes. Eight of Julie’s children have been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Related conditions. Julie has been the Family Advocate for the Washington State Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network core team at the University of Washington for 23 years. She is also a foster parent co-trainer with the Resource Family Training Institute with the Department of Social and Health Services. She is the Executive Director for the Washington State affiliate to the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS Washington State) and the co-founder of the FASt Friends FASD Community Support Network.

Erin Olson. Ph.D. has a doctoral degree from the University of Washington. She has completed supervised training experiences with UW Center for Human Development and Disability, UW Parenting Clinic, UW Autism Center, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Professionally, Erin provides educator and parent trainings, consults with local schools, conducts research regarding evidence-based practices, and co-created the Boyden Autism Center at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. In addition to her private practice, she currently teaches assessment and diagnostic coursework in the UW School Psychology Department and is an interdisciplinary diagnostic team member at the UW Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network (FAS- DPN).

Michelle has been a “helper” since very early on and has vivid memories of helping her mom, a physical therapist, every Friday at the senior center where she worked. At age 15, one of Michelle’s closest friends was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and she had the honor to being part of his journey for the next nine years before he lost his battle to the disease. He inspired Michelle with his grace and joy, despite the challenges faced, which reinforced her passion for helping others. These life experiences, among others, led to getting a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Master of Arts in Counseling. She’s worked in the social service field for over 20 years as a therapist, case manager, investigator, child interviewer, victim advocate, preschool teacher, and non-profit manager, while raising two lovely girls she’s proud to call her daughters.

Liz Flores-Marcus is a passionate advocate for increasing opportunities and resources for underserved youth. She grew up in the Bay Area and spent many afternoons at her mom’s occupational therapy clinic. Liz worked at a summer camp in Minnesota serving individuals with disabilities as a teenager. In her first nonprofit job, she assisted undocumented students seeking legal status. Since moving to Seattle in 2014, Liz has worked on behalf of organizations with missions ranging from increasing college access to international development. Liz takes a community-centric approach to fundraising and is excited to apply her skills and experience at Wonderland. Liz enjoys volunteering in her community, serving as board secretary for the South Seattle College Foundation and mentor for LGBT+ youth. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful hiking trails.

Shandi grew up in British Columbia and has lived in Washington for the past fourteen years. She has previously worked as a clinical operations coordinator for a busy medical practice. After having her son, she developed an interest in child development and decided to switch careers. She is excited to join the Wonderland team. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Wentina had her first lesson in budgeting in third grade during a family trip to Disneyland — perhaps that’s why working with numbers takes her to a happy place. Since those elementary days, she has gained more than 20 years of financial and management experience in the non-profit sector with leadership roles at King’s Schools, Grist, and Clark Nuber, to name a few. It brought her great joy when she could help foster the crucial strategies, dynamics, and collaboration within an organization to reach mission goals and make an impact. Outside of the office, Wentina serves various small institutions consulting on accounting and management matters and working with children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and her church. A few other things in Wentina’s happy place are her wonderful husband, two goofy sons, puzzles, Frisbee, sleep, cooking, eating, parades, power ballads, and making lists… ahh, that felt good.

Sarah has been working in the field of human resources for over 17 years. Her experience includes benefits administration, annual enrollment processes, compensation, recruiting, HR systems, and work with diverse employee populations. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a concentration in leadership from the University of Puget Sound. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, including several recent adventurous trips in their motorhome.

Mary’s career supporting those in need began on the grade school playground, where she regularly challenged and deflated bullies. Thirty years of toiling for The Man helped her develop a broad range of eclectic skills, from editing and publishing, to marketing, and business management at for-profit companies such as Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, 38 Studios, and TOR Books/St. Martin’s Press. She stepped away briefly mid-career to raise two boys who are now men and author twelve novels, as well as study and practice extensively as a certified integrative life and executive coach. She is thrilled to be using the full breadth of skills she’s acquired over her career in her daily work at Wonderland. In recent years she’s turned her sights on golf, a fickle game.

Claire was born in South Korea but is native to the Pacific Northwest, dividing her time between British Columbia and Washington since she was just two years old. After earning her bachelor’s in marketing, Claire began working at a nonprofit to follow her passion for serving others, which she discovered through volunteering at a young age. She has spent the last three years fundraising and marketing for a local organization and is thrilled to now apply her knowledge and experience publicizing the important work Wonderland does for the community.
Some of Claire’s hobbies include traveling, reading, developing new skills, and working with her hands - usually on cars, crafts, or home renovations (if you want someone to build the Ikea furniture that’s been sitting in storage, she’s your gal). Most often though, you’ll find her chasing after her two mischievous pups.

Alex first became interested in speech-language pathology, while working as a behavior technician for children with autism. She found joy in discovering how to enter a child’s world and to teach communication. She pursued a master’s degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Oregon. After graduating, she worked in center-based early-intervention programs, pediatric clinics, and a school setting. She enjoys adventuring in the mountains and on the water with her very active pup.

Jennifer loves to use her talents to help others. Her experience includes positions at local nonprofits in youth development, healthcare, and the environment. Jennifer is excited to contribute her skills in tracking details, contract compliance, and database management to helping expand Wonderland’s services to more children and families. In her free time, she is a life-long learner and enjoys reading, crafting, and, most of all, spending time with friends and family.

Daisy obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, with her career focus centered around the medical field and early education. Most recently, she worked as a family service and enrollment specialist at a local non-profit. She was first introduced to Wonderland in 2018 while actively participating in Play & Learn sessions with her daughter. When her daughter started receiving early support services from Wonderland, Daisy noticed an immediate improvement in her speech. These positive experiences with Wonderland motivated Daisy to become involved in the organization that made a significant difference in her family’s life.

Hannah’s heart is truly in non-profit work. After earning a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Western Washington University, she relocated to the Bay Area where she worked for political campaigns and organizations. Realizing she wasn’t cut out for a life in politics, Hannah decided to go back to school. In 2011 she graduated from Tulane University with a Master’s of Science in International Development. Since then, she spent a summer interning in rural Italy, run a successful farmers market, and worked on food access issues before coming to Wonderland.

Hannah spent her childhood in Alaska, where long days of roaming wild and free inspired her love of the outdoors. When not in the office, you can find her gardening, cooking, canning, foraging, fishing, hunting, or tending livestock with her husband and son on their little farm.

Brigette has been involved in the fundraising world ever since she was a child volunteering at the gala auctions hosted by an organization where her aunt was the CEO. Her first paid fundraising gig was a student caller in the University of Washington’s Annual Giving office – it was falling in love with this job that made Brigette decide to pursue a career in fund development. Having worked primarily at educational institutions – elementary, high school, and college – Brigette is excited to be putting her skills to work for Wonderland and the families we serve.

When not working, you will likely find Brigette at Husky Stadium, on a beach in Hawaii, watching her sons’ flag football and soccer games, or scoping out neighborhood home sales, construction, and remodels.

Val was born in a fishing town on the East China Sea and grew up in Shanghai. Led by her curiosity and deep appreciation for different world languages and cultures, she pursued a BA in English and later an MA in International Studies from the University of Washington. She loves cultivating a culture of inclusion and respect through her work on DEI and she’s passionate about creating equitable experience for everyone. In her free time, you will find her teaching dance, doing yoga, meditating under a tree, or travelling all over the world for food and dance festivals.

Shiho was born in Gifu, Japan, and has been in the Seattle area for the last 18 years. Her childhood dream was to travel the world and live overseas. After graduating from a university in Japan, she joined the Culture Exchange Program and spent one year working with children and families in California.

Shiho loves visiting different countries to eat local foods, sightsee, and meet new people. She has lived on a farm in Canada’s Okanagan Valley and backpacked through Mexico, South Korea, Singapore, Peru, and Australia. The most frequent destination Shiho travels with her husband, daughter, and son is Japan to see her family – parents, siblings, and friends.