Administrative Team
Mary Kirchoff
Executive Director
Mary Kirchoff
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.
Michelle Stiller Bradley
Program Director
Michelle Stiller Bradley
Michelle has lived in and traveled to many places around the world, including: Malaysia, Guatemala, Israel, Thailand, and Costa Rica, and hopes to experience many more. Born in Berkeley, California, she has found her forever home here in Seattle. She 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.
Rosie Cobos
Development Manager
Rosie Cobos
Rosie cultivated the desire to help the underdog while growing up in Edmonds, Washington. Her passion propelled her to work after high school with impoverished groups in Europe, Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and the United States for nonprofits. While her most meaningful overseas experience involved helping families in Rwanda rebuild lives after the 1994 genocide, Rosie’s most favorite memory involves meeting her husband while teaching English in Peru. An avid traveler, she always makes her way back home to the Pacific Northwest. Rosie earned an MBA to supplement her business skills in order to provide a greater level of support to worthy nonprofits. When not working, Rosie can be found dining at local restaurants or chasing her two young daughters around at a park.
Courtney Teno
Business Manager
Courtney Teno
Courtney originally hails from the faraway land of Portland, OR. With a heart for children and a desire to learn she trekked all the way to Seattle for college and never left after graduation. Courtney has worked with children as an educator in various capacities: preschool teacher, nanny and as an educator at the Seattle Children’s Museum. It was as a nanny that she met her husband (family uncle) and her charges soon became her nieces. Throughout her career Courtney has also become proficient in bookkeeping and HR practices and is using these skills in her position as Wonderland’s business manager. In her free time Courtney enjoys spending time with her husband and their two chocolate labs, Bear and Andi. In spring/summer months you’ll often find her fishing or touring Washington wine country.
Kristi Johnson
Medical Billing Specialist
Kristi Johnson
Kristi hales from the Pacific Northwest and is happy to be raising a family here with her husband Clayton. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, she is proud to assist families with financial concerns so that children with special needs can be supported in reaching their full potential. Drawn to technical fields, she has been working with nonprofits in medical billing for ten years. She enjoys coding JavaScript and Python and doing web development in her spare time.
Hannah Hathaway
Development Assistant
Hannah Hathaway
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 on a political campaign and then for an environmental/political organization. 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 has spent a summer interning in rural Italy, run a successful farmers market, and worked on food access issues.
Hannah spent her childhood in Alaska, where long days of roaming wild and free inspired her love of the outdoors and propensity to flee the cityscape whenever possible. When not in the office, you can find her gardening, cooking, canning, foraging, fishing, hunting, or tending to a beehive.
Rebecca Stratton
Program Assistant
Rebecca Stratton
Rebecca was raised in a small town on Whidbey Island, where she grew up exploring the beaches, playing softball for many years, and volunteering in her local community. Wanting to pursue a career in social service and community involvement, she received her BA in Psychology from Central Washington University, and wishes to soon continue her education to get her Master’s degree in Social Work/ or related field. Rebecca is excited to have joined the Wonderland team and hopes to grow in her knowledge of early childhood education and therapy. Currently, she lives in Mukilteo and enjoys hiking, fishing, photography, gardening and spending time with family.
Solé Weber
Administrative Assistant
Solé Weber
A native Seattleite, Solé has always had a passion for working with children and families. She spent a great deal of time in her youth babysitting and caring for her mammoth-sized extended family, as well as families in her neighborhood. She attended Bellevue College with plans of becoming a pediatric nurse but decided to explore different avenues. During this time of exploration she held a front desk position with a popular hotel chain and discovered an interest in providing administrative support. Solé is excited to combine her passion for helping children with her administrative skills on the Wonderland team. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, yoga, gardening, local music, a great read and, most of all, spending time with her seven-year old Siberian husky, Jenna.
Amy Whiteside
Office Assistant
Amy Whiteside
Amy grew up on beautiful Green Mountain above the hills of Bremerton in Kitsap County. While in high school she enjoyed working with young children at a blended developmental preschool. Her interests includes cultural studies, geography, and music (she played the clarinet and loves the 1000+ songs on her Ipod). Amy recently earned her associate degree from Bellevue College with the goal of working in the clerical field. Volunteering for Wonderland’s Auction and JVH Memorial Golf Tournament led to a part-time job doing clerical work. She is so thankful for the opportunity to grow in her chosen field and learn new skills.
Amy loves walking and training dogs with her mother and her “diva” cat. She also enjoys qigong, making photo collages, and visiting family and friends on Whidbey Island and Indianola.
Family Resources Coordinators
Haley Baker
Family Resources Coordinator
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Haley Baker
Born and raised in western Washington, Haley’s passion for helping people with developmental disabilities was broadened in academic and experiential ways. A Western Washington University Human Services graduate, she has worked in early learning centers and volunteered for the Special Olympics. Haley’s interests include exploring the outdoors from coastal beaches to hiking trails in the foothills of the Cascades. She is a Seattle sports fan and avidly attends Seahawks and Sounders games whenever possible. Haley also enjoys cooking, baking, reading, and spending time with her family and dogs.
Julia Dorman
Family Resources Coordinator
Julie Dorman
Julia’s robust sense of community and eagerness to help others grew out of her small town upbringing in Northern California. Yearning to explore, she moved to the Bay Area to study history, where she first began working with adults and teenagers with special needs and delays. Julia has assisted families with children of various abilities to recognize and work toward their full potential in both the Bahamas and India. Now on her current adventure in Seattle, Julia enjoys hiking, learning new languages, and trying unfamiliar foods.
Sarah Hoff
Family Resources Coordinator
Sarah Hoff
Sarah has been interested in early intervention since her brother received EI services as a client in Bellingham 18 years ago. After studying psychology at Washington State University, she moved to the Seattle area to pursue her passion for working with individuals with disabilities, first working as an ABA therapist for children with autism, then settling into work at Wonderland as a Family Resources Coordinator
As Sarah serves families at Wonderland, she continues her work with children with autism as she also earns her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. Sarah is enjoying the journey of work and school, and in her spare time she cooks, bakes, and gardens.
Mandy Schlegel
Family Support Manager & Lead Family Resources Coordinator
Mandy Schlegel
A native Washingtonian, Mandy began her career working with the elderly as a medical aid for five memorable years. After she and her husband had their own daughter she developed a deep interest in childhood development and became drawn to work with children and families. She jumped at the chance to join the Wonderland team and truly loves coming to work every day to provide support to Wonderland’s caregivers and children. Mandy also brings a decade of customer-service experience in the hospitality and property management industries. She enjoys getting outside as much as possible, where her family snowboards, camps, hikes, rock climbs, and most of all, surfs. Yes, surfing in our local frigid waters!
Katie Wachholz
Family Resources & Intake Coordinator
Katie Wachholz
A Puget Sound native, Katie’s love of working with children started at a young age when she babysat children in her Shoreline neighborhood. Katie began her career at Wonderland as an intern during her senior year as an undergraduate, which happily led to a position as the funding and outreach coordinator at the agency. Her passion for and experience working with children and families as a nanny and preschool teacher inspired the addition of Family Resources Coordinator to her title. In her free time Katie enjoys taking her Husky, Kahlua, to the dog park and chipping away at her goal of visiting all 50 states (only 11 to go)! Katie recently graduated from UW-Bothell with a degree in Sociology and Human Rights.
Sarah Zanders
Family Resource Coordinator
Sarah Zanders
A Puget Sound native, Sarah’s love for working with children started at a young age as a babysitter and nanny in her hometown of Sammamish, Washington. In high school she participated in the Running Start program at Bellevue College and worked at the preschool on campus. Sarah went on to get her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Washington State University and taught 1st grade in Lacey, Washington and preschool in Bellevue, Washington. Sarah later earned her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University. She has worked with children and families for over 20 years in many different capacities, from early childhood education to trauma-focused counseling and social work. Sarah has spent the past six years dedicated to working with children, adolescents, and families who are systems involved. Sarah lives in Bothell with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, painting, baking, reading, and spending time with her family.
Therapists and Educators
Theresa Bettale
Special Educator
Theresa Bettale
A lifelong Washington and Oregon stater, Theresa’s response to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” was, “A grandma, a clown, then a mom.” As a SpEd teacher she would say she was part grandma/part clown because she borrowed kids for a few hours then returned them to their parents, and it required some clowning around to teach preschoolers. She completed her original career list when she became a mom to two children!
After her son qualified for services from Wonderland, Theresa realized early intervention would be a great career fit because she adores babies and toddlers, as well as working as a team member with families and other therapists. She is continually astounded by how all the domains of development weave together and influence the others.
Francesca Blasen, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Francesca Blasen
Francesca is a Pacific Northwest native, having spent her early years on Vashon Island and then in Shoreline. She worked as a nursing assistant and traveled to Europe to live and work as an au pair for a family with three young children, deciding after on a career in speech-language pathology. To her, speech-languages pathology perfectly combines her interests in science and the medical field with her love for working with people. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and her graduate degree from Eastern Washington University, where she developed a passion for early intervention, especially related to language acquisition and feeding skills.
Francesca most enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, as well as reading, baking sweet treats, knitting, walking/hiking with her black lab, and traveling.
Carolyn Coghlan, DPT
Physical Therapist
Carolyn Coghlan
Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Carolyn left briefly to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. During her graduate coursework she developed a passion for helping families from diverse cultural backgrounds promote health and wellness in their local communities. Carolyn loves using her creativity, especially when it involves developing fun, innovative ideas with families to encourage their children in their natural environments. She is inspired by the stunning landscape which is our backyard and is honored to help families and children engage in the beauty around them.
Hannah Currie, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Hannah Currie
Hannah’s passion for working with infants and toddlers stems from the pleasure she experiences watching them develop their own personalities and gain developmental skills. She is excited to be dedicated to helping families grow together by delighting in the little things that reveal their child is learning. She was raised in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys preserving fresh local produce, as well as hiking, gardening, cooking, and sewing.
Kalayla Hough, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kalayla Hough
Kalayla has always been drawn to the “helping” professions. She began working with children with disabilities while a first grader, when she would go to the Special Education room and spend time playing games and interacting with kids. During graduate school, she worked as a behavior technician with children with autism and volunteered as a peer in an adult autism program. As an SLP, Kalayla is passionate about being able to help anyone and everyone communicate and interact with their environment. Her focus as a therapist is understanding the hopes and dreams each family has for their child and supporting them in their journey. Kalayla has lived all over the country, including Wyoming, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and Washington. Her favorite summer pastimes include hiking and spending time on the water. During the fall she spends her weekends watching football. Winter finds her out in the snow trying new activities.
Carley Kromann,
M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Carley Kromann
A Washington native, Carley grew up in Mukilteo. She has worked with kids from a young age, starting as a nanny throughout high school and college, and later as a childcare provider and supervisor with the YMCA. Carley especially enjoyed working in a developmental preschool as a para educator before earning a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Eastern Washington University. Carley has also worked for the Stanwood-Camano and Edmonds School Districts. She is the mother of three wonderful children and enjoys Husky football, reading children’s books, camping alongside her parents’ “fifth wheel,” and spending lots of time with family and friends laughing and having a good time.
Jane Lindsay, MSSE
Special Educator
Jane Lindsay
Jane grew up on the East Coast and has lived in the Pacific Northwest for the past eight years. She has worked in a variety of settings including developmental preschool, public schools, and early intervention, which is where she is able to see the most impact for children and families. She enjoys being able to share in their progress. Jane has been an integral part of Wonderland for over five years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education.
Kris Marion,
M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kris Marion
A native of Florida, Kris finds great reward in seeing positive changes occur in families. She loves supporting caregivers and children in their daily lives to help them communicate more fully with one another. She is grateful for the opportunity to know, teach, learn from, and collaborate with Wonderland families and has found her niche in co-facilitating parent education classes using The Hanen Program curriculum. Kris brought almost 15 years of speech pathology experience to the field of early intervention to Wonderland after working in both public school and private-practice sectors. She stays busy raising a toddler and school-aged twins, practicing photography, enjoying her backyard garden, planning new adventures, and exploring hobbies involving the arts (dancing, writing, music).
Julie Nagel,
LICSW, MHP
Infant Mental Health Specialist
Julie Nagel
Julie’s interest in early intervention goes back to her days growing up in Michigan, where she first taught special education. She came to Washington via Madison, Wisconsin where she attended grad school in mental health. Julie first worked with Wonderland 11 years ago when she came to train staff in a project called “Promoting First Relationships,” which focuses on meeting the social and emotional needs of infants and toddlers, after which she happily accepted an offer to join the team. Julie concurrently continues her training work at the University of Washington. As much of her free time as possible is spent in the great outdoors exploring nature and the world, traveling by foot, kayak, and bike. Indoors she loves cooking, reading, reading, more reading, and movies.
Rachel Newton,
M.S., OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Rachel Newton
Rachel believes wholeheartedly in families and the power of home-based early-invention services. Raised on the East Coast, she earned her Master’s in Occupational Therapy there but has called Seattle home for the last ten years. She enjoys the culture of the Pacific Northwest and all the activities it offers, from skiing to mountain climbing, although recently has been sticking close to home, enjoying the little things with her husband and baby daughter.
Kristen Shaw,
M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kristen Shaw
Kristen studied English, Linguistics, and Speech Science, and has a Master’s in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Washington. She loves language in all its forms (she once competed in a crossword puzzle competition), and has spent most of her life working and volunteering for, or just enjoying, language causes. She has worked at a publishing house, translated Middle English poetry, taught English to adults, and helped run a reading program for teenagers. She became interested in Speech Language Pathology after reading the book The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, a memoir about finding new ways of communication after a stroke. She lives in Seattle with her husband and son and still reads Middle English for fun.
Andrea Steinmetz
Special Educator
Andrea Steinmetz
Born and raised in eastern Washington, Andrea’s internship at a preschool prompted her to realize the joy she receives from working with young children and families. She attended the University of Idaho and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and Education and is passionate about supporting individualization and development in natural environments through play. Andrea enjoys traveling, fishing, trying new restaurants, and is attempting to become a better cook. She also enjoys spending time with her family in Eastern Washington.
Katherine Wiggins, M.Ed.
Special Educator
Katherine Wiggins
Raised in a variety of California cities as well as Scottsdale, Arizona, Katherine was inspired by her speech language pathologist mother to pursue a degree in that field. She changed career direction, however, after working at a camp for teenagers and adults with a variety of developmental delays and mental illness. Katherine moved to Seattle for graduate studies in special education, where she also received training from the Experimental Education Unit affiliated with the University of Washington, and she stayed to raise her family. She loves that special education allows her to incorporate her speech background with other educational techniques. She taught at a developmental preschool after years as an instructional aide in the classroom, and was also a camp counselor for children and adults with various developmental delays. Katherine is the mother of two children and enjoys skiing, golfing, camping, and exploring the great outdoors. She has recently rediscovered tennis.
Mackenzie Wilson, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Mackenzie Wilson
Growing up in a small town in eastern Washington, Mackenzie had both a passion for helping children and a desire to live in a bigger city, so she moved to Seattle immediately after grad school to begin her career as a birth-to-three speech-language pathologist. She enjoys what she does and doesn’t even realize she’s at work most of the time! Mackenzie feels fortunate enough to have traveled to Europe, where she enjoyed swimming in volcanic waters, biking Kilarney lakes, and soaking up the sun at the Barcelona playa (beach)! But as much as she loves the big city feel, she likes to escape back to her hometown to visit family and spend time with her nieces and nephews. In her free time she also enjoys doing anything outside – golfing, hiking, rock-climbing, you name it – as well as trying new restaurants and working on home projects.
Jane Witmer,
M.S., OT/L
Occupational Therapist
Jane Witmer
Jane originally became an occupational therapist with an early-intervention focus to combine her interests in science and art, but she was surprised to discover how much pleasure she also finds in meeting and getting to know Wonderland’s children and their families. Jane is passionate about nurturing strengths and building on positive assets. She has found this particularly challenging recently as she nudges her two sons toward adulthood. Jane and her family peacefully coexist with one dog and two cats in a much-loved and remodeled home. She finds solace in outdoor activities like biking, hiking, camping, and gardening.