Axis – Ankeny
Phone: (515) 261-2402
info@axisaba.com
200 W 1st Street
Suite 100
Ankeny, Iowa 50023
Services Available
Social Skills Groups
Speech Therapy
Feeding Therapy
ABA Therapy
Parent Training
Occupational Therapy
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
Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA)
Kristin Hanson
M.A., BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Licensed Behavior Analyst
Axis Clinical Director
Kristin is the Founder, Owner, and Clinical Director of Axis. Kristin is also the head of the Ethics Committee at 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.
Kristin has spent most of her career focusing on the early detection and intervention of autism spectrum disorder and specializing in early intervention. She is an active member of the Iowa Association for Behavior Analysis and participant with the Autism Society of Iowa and Autism Speaks Iowa. Kristin founded Axis on her passion for serving children and families living with autism and special needs. Kristin lives in Maxwell with her husband and three children. In her free time, she enjoys playing slow pitch softball, volleyball, coaching her childrens’ sports, and teaching Sunday school.
Kallie Shear
M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Licensed Behavior Analyst
Ankeny Clinic Supervisor
Kallie 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. Kallie is the Site Supervisor of our Ankeny location, and is a part of Axis’ Ethics Committee. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa State University, majoring in Criminal Justice and Sociology, and received her Master of Education degree in the Foundations of Behavior Analysis through the University of Cincinnati.
Kallie has experience working with challenging behaviors in a residential setting with youth ages 0 to 17, and also experience working with students in the Intensive Behavior Support classroom in a school setting. Through the many kids she has gotten the privilege of knowing over the years, Kallie has found her passion for working with children with different needs, and helping them become successful at home, school, and in the community. In her free time, Kallie enjoys biking, running, trying new restaurants, and traveling.
Courtney Schilling
M.A., BCBA, LBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst Licensed Behavior Analyst
Occupational Therapists
Whitney Peters,
OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Whitney is an Occupational Therapist certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and licensed in the state of Iowa. Whitney has always been interested in working with children with disabilities, especially after growing up with an older brother and younger sister who are both on the Autism Spectrum. Whitney also gained a passion for working with individuals with disabilities through volunteer coaching for the Arc of Story County. Whitney has Certifications in SOS Feeding Therapy, MNRI Reflex Integration, and is a Certified Autism Specialist (CAS).
Whitney lives in Huxley with her husband and their many animals. Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband, going to zoos, and playing slow pitch softball. Whitney hopes that she can help the children and families we serve get the most out of every single day and that she can advocate for and support our clients to reach their goals and become as independent as possible.
Breanna McClintock
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Bre is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, and is certified in SOS Feeding Therapy. She attended the Occupational Therapy Assisting program at Neosho County Community College in Ottawa, KS. Bre first became interested in Occupational Therapy and working with children with special needs while volunteering for a therapeutic horse ranch in high school.
One of Bre’s clinical rotations was in a school district where she learned how to provide therapy for students both in the classroom with their peers, and in one-on-one therapy sessions. After she graduated from OTA school, she spent time as a Paraeducator for the school district working with students who had a variety of diagnoses and needs. She really learned a lot about how to structure her students’ day based on their strengths so they could maintain independence, as well as interacting with same age peers. Bre has a certification in Astronaut Training!
Speech Therapists
Lexi Myli
M.A., CF-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Lexi is a Speech-Language Pathologist licensed in the state of Iowa. She received her bachelor’s degree in Linguistics from Iowa State University and her master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Northern Iowa.
Lexi has experience with children of all ages and various diagnoses. She has experience in a variety of settings including clinic, school, hospital, and private practice. Lexi lives in Des Moines with her roommate and during her free time, she likes to read, workout, and visit with friends and family. Lexi is excited to be a part of the Axis team!
Amy Dannenfeldt
M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathogogist
Amy is a speech-language pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the state of Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology and her Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders from the University of Northern Iowa. Go Panthers! Amy has always loved working with children and has a vast background working with kids in the schools, clinical settings, and private practice. She lives in Urbandale with her husband, Steve, and loves visiting her three grown children in Florida and Iowa City. During her free time, Amy enjoys playing pickleball, playing the piano, reading, and going to movies. She is excited to be a member of the Axis team!
Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)
Tatiana LeClair
Registered Behavior Technician
Certified Professional Crisis Management Instructor
Tatiana is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She is also a certified instructor for the Professional Crisis Management Association. She has her Associate of Arts Degree from Des Moines Area Community College, and looks forward to continuing her education in Child and Adolescent Psychology. Tatiana has always been very passionate about working with children. She enjoys watching her Los Angeles Dodgers and Las Vegas Raiders, and once in a while, to keep her husband happy, the Red Sox and Patriots. She also loves spending time with her husband and baby boy. She has a love for the outdoors and likes to play disc golf and various sports. She also coaches youth soccer. She has a passion for art and loves to paint. Tatiana looks forward to making a difference and creating a positive change for children and families.
Cheyenne Tyler
Registered Behavior Technician
Cheyenne is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She has her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She has 10 years’ experience working with children in both the preschool setting as well as in residential settings. She has always had a passion to work with children ever since she would visit her mother’s classroom when she was younger. Her future plans include continuing her education and working toward a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis . In her free time, Cheyenne enjoys powerlifting, trying new foods, going to farmers markets and festivals, and hiking.
Brittany Hornor
Registered Behavior Technician
Brittany is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology at Iowa State University and is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in Autism through Ball State University. Brittany has experience working with individuals ages 6-20 in the school setting. She loves working with children and watching them succeed in their everyday lives. In Brittany’s free time she enjoys being with friends and family, grabbing an iced coffee, spending time with her cat, as well as helping grow and raise her family’s show pig herd.
Moira Green
Registered Behavior Technician
Moira is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She graduated in 2021 from Iowa State University with a degree in Kinesiology & Health and always knew she wanted to work with children in some capacity. Moira plans to go back to school for her Masters in Special Education to further her education in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. In her free time, she enjoys staying active, reading and spending time her cat, Theo. Moira is very happy to be part of the Axis Family and to grow along with the wonderful individuals who come through the doors of Axis!
Payton Cory
Registered Behavior Technician
Payton is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She has her certificate in Early Childhood Education from Des Moines Area Community College. She has always had a passion to work with children as she loves to see their minds grow. In the summer you can find Payton on the water kayaking or boating with friends, but in the winter, you’ll find her on the couch under a blanket. In her free time, she likes to spend time with friends and family, cook with her boyfriend, and play with her cat (Splat) and her puppy (Walter). Payton is excited to grow and learn with the Axis family and to make a difference for others.
Morgan Helmuth
Registered Behavior Technician
Morgan currently attends Iowa State University and is majoring in Psychology and minoring in both Human Development and Family Studies, and Sociology. She is also involved with many campus organizations such as Psychology club, Psi Chi Honors Society, the YWCA College Bound Program and helps at Madrid Elementary by tutoring the students. Morgan plans on attending a graduate school program in Iowa and eventually becoming a School Psychologist. She loves working with children and has worked primarily in the school setting. She loves the relationships she gets to build with all the kids she meets. Morgan spends her free time staying active, spending time with friends and family and hanging out with her cat Nemo and her dog Gordie.
Mackenzie Thompson
Registered Behavior Technician
Mackenzie is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She is currently attending Iowa State University, majoring in Kinesiology with an option in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Psychology. She loves spending time with the kiddos and watching them grow! In her free time, she is involved in campus organizations like the Pre-OT Club, College of Human Sciences Council, and many others. She also likes to travel and plans to study abroad in the Spring of 2022. Mackenzie is very excited to begin her journey at Axis and can’t wait to see where these new adventures will take her!
Sydney Carroll
Behavior Technician
Sydney graduated in 2022 from Buena Vista University with a degree in Psychology and has always loved working in the mental health field. She plans go to back to school for her Masters in Mental Health Counseling. She has always had a passion for working with children and has experience in an in-patient setting. Sydney spends her free time staying active and spending time with family, friends, and her dog Beau.
Merredith Young
Behavior Technician
Merredith Young is a Behavior Technician. She has experience working with children since she was 12 years old as a nanny, babysitter, and daycare teacher. She absolutely adores children and watching their progress. Merredith likes to be outdoors, listening to country music, going to concerts, and playing with her 2 cats, Baby and Kit. She is excited for her journey with Axis and can’t wait to help with the growth of all the children here.
Madison Nagna
Behavior Technician
Madison is currently working towards a double Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice at DMACC, and then plans to continue her education and get her Master’s degree. She has six years of experience working with children with ages ranging from newborn to 18. She loves working with kids and helping them succeed. She has always known she wanted to work with kids and help build their futures. In her free time, Madison enjoys playing rugby, doing arts and crafts, and spending time with friends and family. Madison is very excited to join the Axis family and help grow hers and others’ future.
Anna Peterzalek
Registered Behavior Technician
Anna is a Registered Behavior Technician credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2021 and is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in Autism through Ball State University. During her undergrad career she worked at a daycare where she gained experience working with kids with ASD, and Down Syndrome which led her to discover the field of ABA. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors with her fiancé and dog, Winston.
Olivia White
Behavior Technician
Olivia graduated from the University of Iowa in December of 2021 with majors in Psychology and Enterprise Leadership. She stays busy by also working for Harvard Medical School: Center for Law, Brain, and Behavior, along with professors at Des Moines University. She is a published author of an encyclopedic entry on ‘brain function’. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and boating with her family. You can always find her cheering on the Hawkeyes or the St. Louis Cardinals – win or lose. Olivia loves working with kids and finds the most fulfillment in watching them grow mentally and physically.
CLINIC COORDINATOR
Kim Ness
Ankeny Clinic Coordinator
Kim is our Ankeny Clinic Coordinator. She is a Missouri native that moved to Maxwell in May 2021, sharing life with her significant other, Dennis. She two grown sons of her own who live in the Kansas City area (yes, she is a Chiefs fan!). They have given her two lovely daughters-in-law, and 5 beloved grands (4 silly little girls and one lone prince!). Dennis has three children, 2 grown and on their own, and one teenager that lives with them and has refreshed her memory of grocery shopping for teenagers! In her free time, Kim enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren and gardening. Kim strives to become a well-functioning cog in the wheel that helps Axis continue moving forward in its journey!
Client Accounts and Billing Specialist
Christine Villalobos
Client Accounts and Billing Specialist
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. Christine recently moved from Urbandale, IA to Fort Myers, FL and is looking forward to exploring all the area has to offer.
Join Our Team
Axis is always looking for highly-motivated, passionate, and energetic individuals to join our team!