Axis - Ames | Axis Therapy Centers

Axis – AMES

Phone: (515) 337-0343

info@myaxistherapy.com

1315 S Bell Ave.

Suite 108

Ames, Iowa 50010

Services Available

ABA Therapy

Speech Therapy

Feeding Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Parent & Caregiver Training

Social Skills Groups

Our online Intake Form is created to help our team understand your interest in services. Submitting the form creates a profile for your child and adds them to the waitlist based off of the services that you have indicated an interest in. Availability for services is always changing as we rapidly work to meet the needs of the communities that we serve. We look forward to meeting your family and contacting you with availability as it may arise. Please note that wait times depend on many factors and we may not be able to provide estimates for wait times at all locations. If you have any questions, we are happy to assist

Online Intake Form

Clinical Director

Kristin Hanson

M.A., BCBA, LBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Axis Clinical Director

Kristin’s Bio

Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA)

Kylie Wheeler

M.Ed., BCBA, LBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Ames Clinic Supervisor

Kylie’s Bio

Jordan Lillard

M.S., BCBA, LBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Jordan’s Bio

Dakotah Overton

M.S., BCBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Dakotah’s Bio

Mariah H.

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Mariah’s Bio

Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA)

Sydney Adkins

B.S., BCaBA, LBA

Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst

Sydney’s Bio

Occupational Therapists

Kelsie Leshen

MSOT, OTR/L

Certified Occupational Therapist / OT Supervisor

Kelsie’s Bio

Haley Austin

OTD, OTR/L

Certified Occupational Therapist

Haley’s Bio

Speech Therapists

Casey Smith

M.A., CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

SLP Supervisor

Casey’s Bio

Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)

Tatum L.

Registered Behavior Technician

Tatum’s Bio

Meggie D.

Registered Behavior Technician

Meggie’s Bio

Bennett S.

Registered Behavior Technician

Bennett’s Bio

Katie K.

Registered Behavior Technician

Katie’s Bio

Sara N.

Registered Behavior Technician

Sara’s Bio

Erin M..

Registered Behavior Technician

Erin’s Bio

Alli F.

Registered Behavior Technician

Alli’s Bio

Kelli D.

Registered Behavior Technician

Kelli’s Bio

JJ Williamson

Registered Behavior Technician

JJ’s Bio

Abby K.

Registered Behavior Technician

Abby’s Bio

Sam B.

Behavior Technician

Sam’s Bio

Morgan G.

Registered Behavior Technician

Morgan’s Bio

Tehra B.

Behavior Technician

Tehra’s Bio

Ames Clinic coordination Team

Candy Gaedke

Ames Clinic Coordinator

Candy’s Bio

Genna Bertram

Clinical Scheduler

Genna’s Bio

RCM / Billing Team

Christine Villalobos

Lead Billing Specialist

Chirstine’s Bio

Tamira Fitzjohn

Billing Specialist

Tamira’s Bio

Kayla Cornelius

Benefits & Authorization Coordinator

Kayla’s Bio

Charlise Williams

Billing Specialist

Charlise’s Bio

Join Our Team

Axis is always looking for highly-motivated, passionate, and energetic individuals to join our team!

Apply Today

Kristin is the CEO, Founder, and Clinical Director of Axis. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and a Licensed Behavior Analyst under the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Grand View University, and her Master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Psychology with a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Most of Kristin's clinical experience has been focused on the early detection and intervention of autism spectrum disorder and specializing in early intervention. She has completed advanced training in the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and has experience testing toddlers and children for autism spectrum disorder. She is on the Board of Directors for the Autism Society of Iowa, on the Autism Expert Panel for the Iowa Regional Autism Assistance Program, and is an active member of the Iowa Association for Behavior Analysis and Autism Speaks Iowa.

Kristin founded Axis in 2017 on her passion for serving children and families living with autism and special needs. Since building Axis side-by-side with her family from the ground up in 2017, Kristin couldn’t be prouder of the team, culture, and organization that it has become. As a family helping families, Axis looks for opportunities that will make the largest impact and create significant and life-changing outcomes for clients, families, and her staff. Kristin is dedicated to the mission of Axis and is committed to her own leadership development and actively participates in advanced training, mentoring, and deep self-exploration on how to live out her purpose to love and support her family and help others reach their full potential.

In her free time, she enjoys going to major league baseball games (Go Cubs and Go Braves!), watching Iowa Hawkeyes football, attending concerts, playing slow pitch softball, volleyball, coaching her children’s sports teams, listening to true crime and leadership podcasts, and spending time with her husband and their three children.

Kylie is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and a Licensed Behavior Analyst under the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science. Kylie is the Clinic Supervisor of our Ames location. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology through Iowa State University, and her Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis through Saint Joseph’s University. Prior to joining the Axis team, Kylie had experience working with children in the field of mental health, ages 10 to 17; and experience in the school setting working with elementary to middle school aged students. After having several years of experience working with children, Kylie got to know more about Applied Behavior Analysis and saw the positive changes in behavior ABA services provide. Kylie enjoys biking, running, and being outdoors in the summer time. She loves to visit new places and spend time with family and friends.

Jordan is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and a Licensed Behavior Analyst under the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Genetics from Iowa State University and her Master of Science degree in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis through Eastern Kentucky University. Jordan loves working with children and looks forward to spending time with them and celebrating their successes. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and hanging out with her puppy, Nellie.

Dakotah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services and Psychology from William Penn University and her Master of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis through The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. When she is not working, she loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and two dogs (Mable and Oaklie). She enjoys being outside, going on walks, watching movies and spending time with family and friends.

Mariah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentialed through the BACB. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology through Buena Vista University and her Masters of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis through Ball State University. Outside of work, Mariah loves to go the movies, read books, play with her cats, and catch an NBA game with fiancé.

Sydney is a a Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Child, Adult, and Family Services at Iowa State University. Sydney values every relationship she has with the children she works with and loves watching them grow as an individual. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling, and doing DIY projects.

Kelsie is an Occupational Therapist certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and licensed in the state of Iowa. Kelsie graduated from Allen College with her Masters Degree in Science of Occupational Therapy. She graduated from Grand View University with a Fine Arts degree, majoring in psychology. She has always has had a passion for helping others, especially children.

Kelsie has been working with kids since she was 16 years old including working at daycares and before and after school programs and grew to love working with children with disabilities. Kelsie enjoys spending time with her family, especially her nieces. She also has a Great Dane puppy named Gemma and two cats named Margo and Milo. She also enjoys all things true crime and country music. Kelsie is excited to work with the children and families we serve in order to support them in successful achievement of goals to become as independent as possible in all aspects of life.

Haley is an occupational therapist certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. She graduated from Drake University with her occupational therapy doctorate degree (OTD). Haley also graduated from Grand View University with her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology and was a member of the GVU competitive dance team (Go Vikings!). Haley's passion for working with kids started through working as a rehabilitation technician and interning for an adaptive sports organization while she was in college. Outside of work, Haley enjoys coaching dance team, going to concerts, traveling, hiking, going on walks, baking, and puzzles! Haley also enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Archie, and two cats, Maeve and Nova, as well as her family and friends. Haley is thrilled to be part of the therapy team at Axis Therapy Centers and aims to make a positive impact on the Ames community by helping local children and their families reach their full potential and meet their goals.

Casey is a Speech-Language Pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and licensed by the state of Iowa. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Northern Iowa. From her time as a student clinician until now, Casey has had experience working with a wide range of clients, including children of all ages in both educational and clinical settings. However, her passion is serving children with autism and their families. Casey’s voice has always been important to her; and now, it is her ambition to “give a voice” to kids that need one, whether that be through expanding their verbal communication or through the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Outside of work, Casey loves spending as much time as possible with her husband, family, and friends. She enjoys exercising, singing, watching movies, eating good food, and participating in her local church.

Tatum is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She’s currently a student at Iowa State University currently majoring in Human Development and Family Studies. She has a passion for working with children and adults with disabilities on everyday needs. She loves helping children of all ages to make progress in achieving meaningful life goals and helping them to learn and grow. In Tatum’s spare time you can find her actively involved with her church, listening to music, hanging out with friends, and going to the beach.

Meggie is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Special Education from Mount Mercy University. She has previously taught as a Special Education teacher for Kindergarten and First grade as well as a General Education teacher for First grade. Meggie lives in Ames with her husband and two little boys. She enjoys working with kids, and getting to help them learn and grow.

Bennett is currently a senior at Iowa State University studying Psychology. He hopes to become a Clinical Psychologist to work on research to better understand ASD and ADHD, along with improved ways of treating them. Bennett has been working with children for the past 8 years and has learned more and more from them at each position he has held. He is very excited to work with Axis and be a part of the team that works so hard to help change the kiddos' lives for the better. When he is not working, he really enjoys going to the gym, doing any outdoor activities, and spending time with friends.

Katie recently graduated from Liberty University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She has worked with children in various roles and has loved getting to witness their growth and development in all areas of life. In Katie's free time, you can usually find her hanging out with family and friends, volunteering at her church, baking a new recipe she found, or dancing around her home. She is excited about the opportunity to serve the children and families at Axis Therapy Center.

Sara graduated from Iowa State University. She lives in Ames with her 4 animals. She has worked with children for many years. She enjoys working with kids of all ages and backgrounds. Sara has a passion to help kids grow and learn. She is excited for the opportunity at Axis and what it has in store for her.

Erin has a passion for helping others, which is especially true when it comes to assisting in kids' development and growth. Her young nephews are two of the most important people in her life. Erin is a big fan of nature and anything relating to the arts.

Alli has experience working with school-aged kids after heading up programming for a local after-school program for many years. She has a passion for working with children with disabilities and is inspired by her younger sister with special needs. In her free time, Alli likes to read, get outdoors, and spend time with her husband and daughter.

Kelli currently attends Iowa State University and is majoring in Linguistics/Communication Disorders, as well as minoring in Psychology. Her plan after graduation is to pursue a master's degree in Speech Language Pathology. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends or dabbling in photography. A little fun fact about Kelli is that she writes left-handed, but plays most sports right handed, not including the few sports she is ambidextrous in!

Destiny Y West Des Moines Behavior TEchnician

JJ is currently a Behavior Technician Intern and student at Iowa State University, majoring in Human Development and Family Studies, after first receiving her associate degree in psychology from Des Moines Area Community College. Prior to joining the Axis team, JJ worked as a Direct Support Professional at a nonprofit that served adults with disabilities with their everyday tasks in their homes, and then as the Program Coordinator of an organization dedicated to helping and supporting individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities to work, learn, play, and grow in the community. She now has the experience, passion, and drive to continue being a supporter of positive changes and outcomes for people with disabilities. When JJ is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, along with traveling, watching old movies, and going to concerts.

Abby currently attends Iowa State and is majoring in Communications and minoring in Linguistics. After graduation, she will be working towards a master's degree in Elementary Education. She also owns her own cupcake business, so she spends much of her free time baking, but also enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her dog. She hopes to eventually work as a Kindergarten teacher and get her dog therapy animal certified and believes her experience as a Behavior technician will help her understand students in her future classroom that are often misunderstood or left behind!

Sam has developed a great love and passion for serving the children in her community. She has been working with children full-time as a Lead Preschool teacher for the last year, as well as part-time in other areas for several years. Sam is currently studying Psychology online at Southern New Hampshire University with high hopes of really being able to make a change in the mental health world. When she isn’t working or studying, you can find Sam roller skating, spending time with friends, or playing with her cat.

Morgan has experience with ages infant to adulthood. She has a passion for working with children both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. She has five siblings and loves to be involved with their activities and loves watching them grow as individuals. Her favorite part of working with children is to see their growth and to provide the best care she can. Some hobbies of hers are swimming, fishing, renovating, and taking her dogs to the lake.

Tehra received her Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Upper Iowa University. She has worked with children most of her adult life, and is passionate about helping them be the best they can be in all environments. When not working, Tehra likes to go on motorcycle rides with her husband, spend time with their kids and grandkids, paint, draw, watch "Grey's Anatomy" and "Friends", and spend time with our two dogs.

Candy is our Ames Clinic Coordinator. She has her Associate of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked in the Early Childcare field for 30 years. The past 25 years has been in administration in childcare. Candy’s passion and focus has been coaching and educating teachers on Positive Behavior Interventions and quality care. It has also been very important to her that children and families feel valued and heard. She believes that collaboration and clear communication between families and providers is key to helping children succeed. Candy enjoys living in her small town of Colo, having get-togethers with her extended family, spending lots of time with her 3 grandchildren and binge-watching shows with her husband and dog.

Genna is the Axis Clinical Scheduler who handles scheduling for all three of our Axis locations. Genna started her career at Axis as one of our technicians and recently shifted her passion towards the administrative side of things. In her free time, Genna enjoys playing with her kitties Pepperjack and Chicken Sandwich, drinking coffee or listening to true crime podcasts. Genna loves seeing the kiddos come through the door everyday and saying hi to them in the hallways!

Christine has her Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Iowa. She has many years of client relations experience starting in retail management and most recently in administration for an outpatient mental health office. Christine is passionate about being part of a team that supports providers so providers can offer the best care to their clients. When she’s not cheering on the Hawkeyes with her husband Chris, she enjoys trying out new food venues.

Tamira is a part of the Axis RCM/Billing team. She resides in Atlanta, GA, and has had a successful 20-year career in the Medical Billing/Healthcare Administration industry. She completed her comprehensive Medical Billing and Healthcare administration certification in 2006, and then became a member of the (AAPC) The American Academy of Professional Coders and AMBA American Medical Billing Association. Tamira enjoys helping others map out financial responsibility during unfortunate circumstances. She makes it her priority to help families establish payment plans and understand health insurance benefits as it pertains to each individual situation. In her free time, she loves traveling to different beaches, being activate and spending quality time with her two daughters.

Kayla is the Insurance Specialist for Axis and she handles insurance benefit verifications, treatment authorizations, and anything else related to insurance. She came to us with several years of insurance and customer services experience. Kayla decided she wanted to be in a field where she could work with children after working in her small-town public library as their director where she planned all the activities for toddler time and their summer reading program. Kayla lives in Maxwell, IA with her significant other Chris and their 7 children. When not at work Kayla enjoys her time at the kids’ activities or home on the farm with a good book and country music.

Charlise is a part of the Axis RCM/Billing team. She resides in Detroit, MI, and is currently working toward her associate degree in Registered Health Information Technology. She has been working in the healthcare field for 23 years. Charlise is very passionate about healthcare and goes above and beyond to assist her clients. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching television, traveling, and family game nights.