Lottie Olver, PGDip. CCC-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist and Early Intervention Manager
Rebecca Smith, OTR/L – Occupational Therapist and Early Intervention Manager
Julia Bentley, M.A. – Family Resources Coordinator and Family Support Specialist
Shannon Clark, B.S. – Special Educator
Greg Dole – Early Intervention Office Manager
Asra Ghori, M.S., CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist
Jonelle Held – Family Resources Coordinator
K. Alison Lombardi, M.S. CCC-SLP – Speech-Language Pathologist
Betty Lucas, MPH, RD, CD – Nutrition Consultant
Elizabeth McKee, MSS, LSWAIC – Family Resources Coordinator
Joah McPherson, M.S., CCC-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist
Diana Rende, OTR/L – Occupational Therapist
Ashley Sharer, M.A., CF-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist
Meghan M. Trigg, MSPT – Physical Therapist
Laura Worthen, CF-SLP - Speech Language Pathologist
Corinna Wright, B.A. – Special Educator
Lottie Olver, PGDip. CCC-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist and Early Intervention Manager
Lottie moved from England to work at Northwest Center in February 2005. After graduating, she worked for two years in London with adolescents and adults with developmental delays. At Northwest Center she is committed to empowering families to support their children and divides her time between seeing children in their natural environment and co-managing the intervention department. Her training includes Beckman Oral motor, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Hanen It Takes Two to Talk® caregiver training, TEACCH, sensory integration and Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT).
Lottie lives in Seattle with her husband and daughter and they love the mountains, hiking, sailing and skiing.
Rebecca Smith, OTR/L – Occupational Therapist and Early Intervention Manager
Becky joined the Northwest Center Child Development Program’s early intervention team in July 2004 after graduating from the University of Washington with a Master’s in Occupational Therapy. She gained pediatric experience in the Seattle Public Schools and in private pediatric clinics. Becky came to the Northwest Center’s EI team because she was craving time with children after working with adults as an occupational therapist at Harborview Medical Center. She fell for the mission of the Northwest Center and the philosophy of the early intervention team!
Becky’s training includes intermediate Neurodevelopmental Treatment training, Aquatic therapy training, using yoga with special populations, various trainings on feeding and weaning from a feeding tube, many sensory processing trainings and training in the Alert ® program.
Becky enjoys being outside hiking, walking and swimming. She practices yoga on a regular basis. Becky tries to incorporate these activities into her occupational therapy practice, as well as increasing knowledge and awareness of sensory processing and typical movement and development in children.
Becky’s life was changed for the better with the arrival of her son in April 2008. She has much respect for the absolute delights and challenges that parenting brings.
Julia Bentley, M.A. – Family Resources Coordinator and Family Support Specialist
Julia graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from West Virginia University in 1984 and worked as a preschool teacher for the next 6 years. In 1993, she received her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch New England Graduate School and established a private practice in Maine. After relocating to Seattle, Julia worked as a family therapist with clients receiving services through the Department of Social and Health Services and later as a Case Manager with Childhaven.
Julia joined the staff of Northwest Center in 2002, first working for adult services and then moving to the children’s program. Julia runs the monthly parent support group and looks forward to the continued development of family enrichment services at the Child Development Program.
Shannon Clark, B.S. – Special Educator
Shannon Clark is a Washington state certified special education teacher. She has served children in a variety of settings throughout her career. Most recently she has been a classroom teacher for pre-kindergarten children in a private school. Previous to this position she served for many years as a special educator in an early intervention program that served children with a variety of developmental delays. During her career she also has worked as a program planner for a non-profit social service agency serving children and adults with autism. She began her career as a classroom special education teacher for children with emotional difficulties in southern Indiana. Shannon received her education degree from Indiana University. Shannon enjoys figure skating and chasing her two children around in her spare time.
Greg Dole – Early Intervention Office Manager
Greg graduated from Louisiana State University in 1990 with a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture.
With a background in garden design, historic preservation, non-profit administration and arts administration, Greg joined Northwest Center in September of 2007.
Asra Ghori, M.S., CCC-SLP - Speech Language Pathologist
Asra earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley in 1998. She received a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from San Francisco State University in 2005. After graduating she worked in the Bay Area, California working at a birth-3 center and working part-time with adults at a rehabilitative hospital. She moved to the Seattle area in 2006 and worked at a birth-3 center in Bellevue, and has recently started working at the Northwest Center Child Development Program as of January 2009.
Her training and continuing education includes Picture Exchange Communication (PECS), PROMPT (Level 1) certification, Hanen- “It Takes Two To Talk” and Hanen- “More Than Words” training, Introduction to Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT), along with special interest trainings in cultural dialectal differentiation versus disorders and autism spectrum disorders. Asra also enjoys working with the Spanish-speaking population along with other culturally diverse backgrounds.
When not working, Asra enjoys running, exploring the Northwest, traveling, and visiting her family in the Bay Area, California.
Jonelle Held - Family Resources Coordinator
Jonelle graduated from the Western Washington University in 2007 with a General Studies degree with a minor in Communication Sciences and Disorders. As part of her studies at WWU, she took classes in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Audiology. Throughout college, she worked in a variety of childcare settings (home-based and center-based), here in Seattle and in Bellingham. In 2007, she came to Northwest Center Child Development Program as a toddler teacher, and loved every minute getting to know all the wonderful families. In May 2010, Jonelle joined the Early Intervention Team as a Family Resources Coordinator, to continue her passion for helping and connecting with families.
Jonelle enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors, and doing a little shopping here and there.
K. Alison Lombardi, M.S. CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist
Alison received a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 1999. After moving to Seattle in 2000, she worked with young children in a variety of settings including the Lake Washington School District, a private practice, and Childhaven. Alison joined the Northwest Center Early Intervention Team in June of 2010 and believes strongly in the mission and philosophy of care where families and therapists work together to help children grow and learn. She is excited to continue working closely with children in their natural environments with the collaboration of a wonderful therapeutic team.
Her continuing education includes PROMPT Level 1, and a special interest in infant mental health including trainings from Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics at the Child Trauma Academy, an introduction to Promoting First Relationships® and cultural competency.
Alison enjoys spending time with her husband and two young daughters, cooking, and traveling.
Betty Lucas, MPH, RD, CD – Nutrition Consultant
Betty has worked with children with special health care needs and their families for many years at the Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD), University of Washington. Her job has included clinics, working with nutrition trainees, and supporting nutrition and feeding team services in Washington State.
Betty began as the nutrition consultant for the Northwest Center Child Development’s early intervention program in the summer of 2007. She enjoys working with such a great team, and gets professional and personal satisfaction from helping families with their children’s nutrition and feeding challenges.
In her free time, Betty likes to garden (she has a P-Patch in the Seattle program), travel, and go kayaking and biking with her husband.
Elizabeth McKee, MSS, LSWAIC – Family Resources Coordinator
Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Portland in 2007. After working as an administrator at a non-profit inclusive childcare program for two years, Elizabeth ventured to Philadelphia to earn her Master of Social Service degree from Bryn Mawr College. Elizabeth has extensive experience working with children and families of all abilities, including those with special needs, behavior issues, and mental health diagnoses. In August of 2010, Elizabeth joined the Northwest Center and feels her position in the Early Intervention Team is a great way to combine her interests in social work and education. Elizabeth is a Licensed Social Worker Associate and is working toward her full clinical license.
Elizabeth is a Seattle native and in her free time enjoys baking, crafting, exercising, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Joah McPherson, M.S., CCC-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist
Joah received a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington in 1998. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Washington in 2000, participating in internships at a private practice clinic and at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
After graduation, Joah worked both in a private practice clinic and in the Mukilteo School District. She enjoyed working with the team of educators and therapists in the school district. She also valued the close communication with families and the one-on-one therapy model of the clinic. Northwest Center combines the best of both of her previous work settings. She joined the NWC Early Intervention Team in September, 2009. She is thrilled to be working with young children and their families in natural settings, with the support and camaraderie of the therapeutic team.
Joah grew up in Seattle and she and her husband enjoy taking their two young boys to the beach, mountains, museums and all the other places where she played as a child.
Diana Rende, OTR/L – Occupational Therapist
Diana earned her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University of Washington in 2006. She spent her first year after college in a private pediatric clinic with clients ranging from infants to adolescents. She first joined the Northwest Center Child Development early intervention team as an intern in October 2006. After a year in pediatrics, she found her passion to be in early intervention and was happy to join the team as a colleague in March 2008.
In her free-time, Diana enjoys cooking, baking and hosting game nights at her house. Like many of the kiddos she’s treated, she also loves to play outside. If the opportunity arises, she loves to travel (especially to warm places).
Ashley Sharer, M.A., CF-SLP – Speech Language Pathologist
Ashley earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2007. She worked as a teacher at Early Learning in Champaign, IL for a year before returning to the University of Illinois to earn a Master's of Arts in Speech and Hearing Science in 2010. While working on her M.A., she participated in the Preparing Relationship-based Early Intervention Personnel (PREP) Project Traineeship with the Department of Special Education. This provided her with specialized training in Early Intervention services.
Ashley moved to Seattle from central Illinois to join the Early Intervention team at Northwest Center in August 2010. She enjoys exploring the city, as well as its parks and surrounding neighborhoods.
Meghan M. Trigg, MSPT – Physical Therapist
Meghan graduated from the Medical College of Virginia with her Master's of Science Degree and Physical Therapy degree in 1995. She worked with adults for 9 years focusing on neurological disorders and deficits. She transitioned to a pediatric focus in her practice to challenge herself and fulfill her initial purpose of becoming a physical therapist.
She has had a career focus on education as well. She has taught in the physical therapy assistant program at Whatcom Community College and has provided clinical education to students from all over the state, as well as being an item writer for the National Physical Therapy Examination.
Meghan’s treatment philosophies focus on neurodevelopmental treatment and she has always been interested in working on not just getting the task done, but HOW the task is done—and individualizing this for every client.
Laura Worthen, CF-SLP - Speech Language Pathologist
Laura joined the Northwest Center Early Intervention Team as a Clinical Fellow following completion of her Master of Science degree at the University of Washington. During her training, Laura had clinical placements at Seattle Children’s Hospital, the Otolaryngology Department at UW Medical Center, Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic and Pediatric Speech and Language Associates. Beyond early intervention, Laura has interest in syndromes of the head and neck, voice disorders, dysfluency and rehabilitation following craniofacial surgeries.
Prior to returning to school as an SLP, Laura had a fulfilling career as an actress and theater director. She earned her BA from Brown University and holds advanced performance degrees from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Laura performed throughout the US, taught in many of the leading training programs for actors and served as Artistic Director of the Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Laura lives in Seattle with her husband and 2 children.
Corinna Wright, B.A. – Special Educator
Corinna Wright is a Washington state certified special education teacher. She graduated from Western Washington University, earning her degree in Early Childhood Special Education in 2001. Since then she has worked in the Seattle and Bellevue School Districts. Most recently she has been a kindergarten classroom teacher, teaching at Olympic View Elementary for three years. Previous to this position, she taught for several years as a special educator in a resource room model. She served children with a variety of developmental delays and specific learning disabilities. During her career, she also has worked as a private tutor/therapist for children with autism in a home intervention program. Corinna has lived in the Seattle area for about 10 years with her daughter and husband. Corinna enjoys spending time skiing, camping, surfing, and just about anything outdoors!