Fort Dodge | Axis Therapy Centers

Axis – Fort Dodge

Phone: (515) 293-5620

[email protected]

142 N 9th St

Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501

Services Available

ABA Therapy

Preschool & School Readiness Groups

Parent & Caregiver Training

Peer Play Groups

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 (BCBAs)

Kelsey Schabold

M.S., BCBA, LBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Licensed Behavior Analyst

Fort Dodge Clinic Supervisor

Kelsey’s Bio

Shelby Moore

M.A., BCBA, LBA

Board Certified Behavior Analyst

Shelby’s Bio

Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs)

Jayci P.

Registered Behavior Technician

Clinic Assistant

Jayci’s Bio

Melissa J.

Registered Behavior Technician

Melissa’s Bio

Libby L.

Registered Behavior Technician

Libby’s Bio

paige G.

Behavior Technician

Paige’s Bio

Sandra S.

Registered Behavior Technician

Sandra’s Bio

Lauren R.

Registered Behavior Technician

Lauren’s Bio

Makayla L.

Registered Behavior Technician

Trainee

Makayla’s Bio

Ellie M.

Behavior Technician

Ellie’s Bio

Fort Dodge Clinic Coordination Team

Karla Rivera

Fort Dodge Clinic Coordinator

Karla’s Bio

Genna Bertram

Fort Dodge Scheduler

Lead Clinical Scheduler

Genna’s Bio

Candy Gaedke

Clinic Coordinator Supervisor

Candy’s Bio

Kim Slattery

Human Resources Specialist

Kim’s Bio

RCM / Billing Team

Christine Villalobos

Lead Billing Specialist

Chirstine’s Bio

Tamira Fitzjohn

Billing Specialist

Tamira’s Bio

Kayla Cornelius

Authorization Coordinator

Kayla’s Bio

Charlise Williams

Billing Specialist

Charlise’s Bio

Renea Johnson

Authorization Coordinator

Renea’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.

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As the Clinic Supervisor at Axis in West Des Moines and Fort Dodge, Kelsey leads a team of dedicated behavior analysts and therapists, ensuring high standards of clinical practice and personalized care for each client. Kelsey's leadership is characterized by a commitment to ongoing professional development and training, empowering staff to deliver effective and compassionate treatment plans. Passionate about professional development, Kelsey enjoys training and mentoring aspiring behavior analysts, fostering a culture of continuous learning within the field. Currently serving as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and the Clinic Supervisor of the West Des Moines location, Kelsey combines clinical expertise with a compassionate approach, ensuring that each client receives personalized, evidence-based treatment tailed to their unique needs.

With a passion for improving the lives of individuals through applied behavior analysis (ABA), Kelsey brings over 6 years of experience as a BCBA to Axis. Specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kelsey has dedicated her career to implementing evidence-based interventions and fostering positive behavior change.

Kelsey holds a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Drake University, is certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), and is licensed in the state of Iowa as a Licensed Behavior Analyst and maintains active involvement in professional organizations such as Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP).

Outside of work, Kelsey enjoys spending time with her husband and their two dogs, Professor and Bodhi. You can find them taking hikes, traveling, biking, or sitting around a campfire. Kelsey also enjoys participating in sports, her gym community, and playing the piano.

Shelby is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credentialed through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Psychology and Criminal Justice from Western Michigan University and her Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Ball State University. She has always found a passion working with children and cherishes the positive changes she is able to help her clients and families make in their own lives. In her free time, Shelby enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and their four cats, as well as reading and continuing to learn more about ABA every day.

Destiny Y West Des Moines Behavior TEchnician

Jayci has several years of experience working with children ages 1-12 in a variety of settings. She enjoys helping kids learn independence and autonomy while focusing on personal growth. Just recently she has moved from New Mexico to Fort Dodge and in her free time she enjoys playing video games and painting.

Melissa really enjoys helping children learn and grow into the best version of themselves. Most of her previous experience working with children was in the daycare setting. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and going fishing.

Libby has experience working with kids and adults who have disabilities in school settings and home settings. She enjoys working with kids and helping them become the best they can be. Libby enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, son, and her dog Tito. During her free time, she enjoys going on walks and reading books.

Paige has experience working with individuals with disabilities ranging from age 4-96. She loves being able to help people feel and be the best they can be. Her passion in life is to help people reach their full potential. Paige is currently enrolled in school, studying the Psychology and Human Services fields. In her free time, she can be found spending time with her family - usually out in nature exploring new places!

Lauren has experience working in ABA since 2018 and is currently in her master's program at ASU to obtain certification as a Behavior Analyst. She just moved to Iowa from Arizona and is looking forward to experiencing the seasons. She has a passion for helping individuals grow into their most authentic selves and provides the best care for not only the children but for the families as well. She is excited to take on this new journey of to positively impact more kids and their families to have the best quality of life as they grow into adults. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs, completing puzzles, building Legos, and exploring Iowa and nature with her partner. Lauren is a huge Disney fanatic and loves watching football during the season.

Makayla is originally from Iowa but lived in Arizona for three years working with children with disabilities and learning more about ABA. She has worked with children ages 2-10 for several years in multiple different environment settings. Makayla's passion is helping people learn and grow as individuals to become more independent and to strive for a higher quality of life. She enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family during her free time. Her hobbies are coloring, being outside, watching movies, and shopping.

Ellie comes to us with experience in a school setting with elementary-aged students with disabilities and challenging behaviors. She is currently a student at Buena Vista University, pursuing a degree in Elementary Education/Special Education. Ellie has a huge passion and heart for children with disabilities. She truly loves working with kids and watching them succeed. When not working or studying, Ellie enjoys spending time with her family, dog, and boyfriend. She loves to travel, shop, and be on the farm.

Karla is the Clinical Coordinator in our Fort Dodge location. Karla has over 5 years of experience in office Administration. In her spare time, she enjoys going on bike rides with her daughters, going to the gym or reading. Karla loves being able to help children and parents with her bilingual skills.

Genna is the Lead Clinical Scheduler and the Scheduler for our Ames, Fort Dodge, West Des Moines clinics. 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!

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.

Kim has been involved with helping children and adults achieve their highest potential for the past 28 years. First, as a teacher in the Des Moines metro, she was a classroom teacher with a passion to support all children in learning, growing, and developing into the best version of themselves. Now, in her second career, Kim has been successful in guiding and cultivating relationships for adults with their career journey. She believes in listening to employee concerns to make their work environment one that is conducive to safety, fairness, and culturally acceptive. When not working, Kim is passionate about reading, being outside and crafting. She is a beach lover and wants to explore as many white sandy beaches as possible. Kim’s two grown children are often a topic of conversation she is more than happy to brag to anyone about.

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 Authorization Coordinator for Axis. She now works remotely for all locations after having previously held the Clinic Coordinator role in both Ankeny and West Des Moines. 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 husband and their 7 children. In her free time, Kayla enjoys her kids’ activities or just being 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.

Renea is one of our Authorization Coordinators. She brings her background of working as a technician, and is expanding her passion and enthusiasm into a new role to serve the kids at Axis. When not working, she loves to chase her cats (Marlene and Cher) around her apartment, be outside, and travel.