Our Clinical Services Staff

blankSam Bergum, Registered Behavior Therapist

Jackson BerraJackson Berra, Registered Behavior Therapist

Jackson works as a Behavior Therapist for Franklin Therapy. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Platteville with a B.A. in criminal justice. Prior to working at Franklin Therapy, Jackson worked with at-risk youth, as well as a behavioral specialist for children with ASD, in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Michaela ParnellMichaela Bohmert, Registered Behavior Therapist

Michaela works as a Registered Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development & Family Studies. Out of college, Michaela worked with individuals with mental health diagnoses in their own homes. In 2019, she started working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in their home as well as in a center.

 

blankKayla Brinkman, Registered Behavior Therapist

Kayla graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a Master of Science degree. While completing her studies, she began working with students in various capacities. Kayla found her calling when she was working with clients on the spectrum in a clinical setting.  This experience led her to the Franklin Center. She continues to pursue her passion for education and is currently working towards her Master of Arts in special education with a concentration in applied behavior analysis.

 

blankMichayla DeSoto, Treatment Lead

Michayla graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in child psychology and a minor in speech-language-hearing science. In 2015, she began working as a therapeutic recreation support staff with children and young adults. She then decided she wanted to pursue a career working with children in a school setting and became a special education paraprofessional. After working with students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Michayla’s passion for working with individuals with ASD continued to grow. In 2018, she began her career in behavior therapy and has worked as an in-home and center-based behavior therapist and senior therapist working with children with ASD.

blankMelissa Eickhoff, Mental Health Intern

Melissa is a Mental Health Intern in our clinic. She has her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Music from the University of Minnesota, Morris, and is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Counseling and Psychological Services through Saint Mary’s University, Twin Cities. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, she was a behavior therapist within Franklin Academy’s high school. Melissa has experience working with teens and young adults experiencing homeless and other disparities. In her work at Franklin Therapy, Melissa focuses on a cognitive behavioral and person-centered approach. 

Lizzy FreeseLizzy Freese, BCBA, IBI Program Manager

Lizzy serves as a BCBA at Franklin Therapy. She graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with a triple concentration in psychology, human development, and Business administration. Lizzy obtained her Master’s of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Prior to Franklin Therapy, Lizzy worked with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in-home and clinic-based ABA therapy programs.

Wyatt FreieWyatt Freie, Registered Behavioral Therapist

Wyatt serves as a Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. He graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a BA in Psychology. Prior to working at Franklin Therapy, Wyatt worked as a Behavioral Therapist performing ABA therapy for kids with ASD in-home and in-center.

Juliana FullerJuliana Fuller, Registered Behavioral Therapist

Juliana serves as a Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. She graduated from University of Minnesota with her BA in Child Psychology. Juliana was a gymnastics coach for 5 years and taught preschool, boys team and girls competitive team. Prior to working at Franklin Therapy, she worked with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder doing in-home and clinic-based ABA therapy.

 

blankRuth Gaie, Registered Behavioral Therapist

Ruth works as a Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. She graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Rehabilitation. Before joining Franklin Therapy, Ruth worked at Caravel Autism Health right after completing her bachelor’s. Ruth is currently working on her Master’s in ABA and hopes to take her BCBA exam after graduation. Ruth’s background includes working as a Personal Care Assistant and a Direct Support Professional for adults and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. .

blankAbby Hallstrom, Clinic Intake and Operations Coordinator

Abby graduated in 2020 from Minnesota State University, Mankato with her Bachelors of Science in Marketing and HR Management. Before coming to the Franklin Center she worked with the Mankato Clinic in revenue management. Outside of work she enjoys going on hikes with her family dogs, golfing, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Emily HassEmily Hass, Senior Registered Behavioral Therapist

Emily works as a Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. While getting her degree, she also worked as an assistant preschool teacher in Duluth. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, she spent two years working at an autism therapy center providing ABA therapy to children on the autism spectrum.

blankKristin Hinke, Family Consultation Therapist

Kristin serves as a Family Consultation Therapist at Franklin Center. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It was during her undergraduate studies that she discovered a love for the field of ABA. Kristin has been working in the field since 2012. She has provided 1:1 skills training, family skills training and behavior management in homes, community and clinic settings with children from 2-13 years old. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis with an emphasis in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Lea IchimuraLea Ichimura, Treatment Lead

Lea received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, she provided behavioral therapy services to clients ranging in age from 2 to 12 years old, where she worked in the clinic, residential, and in the community. Lea has also provided cognitive behavioral therapy and applied behavioral analysis for children with behavioral, emotional, and learning disabilities, as well as children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and co-occurring disorders. She also conducted diagnostic assessments and taught American Sign Language for 3 years to students ranging in age from 5 to 12 years old.

blankAshlea Jenkins, Registered Behavior Therapist

Ashlea graduated from Waldorf University in forest city Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts in theater design with a focus on costume design. Ashlea has worked in the human services field for about five years. Their skills involve working with elderly individuals and adults with special needs. For two years, Ashlea worked with children and teens with autism at Balance Autism in Iowa. They are working on returning to school to get their Masters in play therapy. In their free time they enjoy going to anime conventions and sewing and hiking and reading and watching anime.

 

blankAmy Lincoln, Training Manager

Amy received her Bachelor’s degree from The University of Minnesota and her Master’s degree in Public Health from London Metropolitan University in London, England. Amy has been working in the autism field since 2012 and has experience working as a behavior therapist, a lead behavior therapist and a treatment supervisor. Prior to that, Amy worked in Shanghai, China as a classroom teacher. She has provided 1:1 skills training, family skills training and behavior management in homes, schools and in a clinic setting with children from 2-18 years old.

blankHadiya Martin, Behavior Therapist

Hadiya has over 4.5 years of experience working with children with disabilities. She has also served as a mental health coordinator at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. In her free time, she is a skilled Nail Technician who thoroughly enjoys exercising her creativity through freestyle nail art.

Ayan MursalAyan Mursal, Senior Registered Behavior Therapist

Ayan works as a Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. She is currently working on obtaining her registered behavior technician certification. Ayan’s background includes working as a PCA and DSP for children and adults with autism and traumatic brain injuries. She also has experience working with other diagnoses such as learning disabilities, schizophrenia, etc. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, Ayan worked at Minnesota Autism Center.

Sunni MyersSunni Myers, LPCC, LADC, Mental Health Therapist

Sunni received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She earned her Master of Science Degree in Child Development and Family Relations from East Carolina University as well as her Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, Sunni has provided services to address mood disorders, trauma, social skills, co-occurring chemical dependency/mental illness, and school-based services. Sunni focuses on cognitive behavioral, systemic and strength-based views.

Grace OlsonGrace Olson, Registered Behavior Therapist

Grace works as a Registered Behavior Therapist at Franklin Therapy. She graduated from the University of Minnesota – Duluth with a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Psychology. Grace’s background includes working as a Personal Care Assistant and a Direct Support Professional for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, she provided in-home ABA therapy to children diagnosed with ASD.

 

blankHeather Parsons Scott, Registered Behavior Therapist

Heather graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a BA in psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology. Prior to working at Franklin Center, Heather was a preschool teacher where she worked closely with a variety of kids with various intellectual disabilities. 

blankLouie Peralta, Registered Behavior Therapist

Louie received her Bachelor’s of Psychology from North Park University in Chicago. She is currently enrolled at University of St. Thomas and will be working on her Master’s in Clinical Psychology starting Fall of 2022. Prior to working at the Franklin Center, Louie worked within the ABA community providing support for children all over the spectrum. Some of her favorite things to do are be outside by any body of water, play volleyball/workout, and read.

blankBrooke Picray, Registered Behavior Therapist

Brooke works as a Behavioral Therapist at The Franklin Center. Brooke graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Brooke has been working as a Behavior Therapist for the last several years and is excited to continue her career in this field at The Franklin Center.

 

blankChakiira Price, Registered Behavior Therapist

 

Kim RaesKim Raes, Billing Specialist

Kim works as the Therapy Services Billing Specialist. She has over 15 years of experience billing mental health service. Prior to that, she was a legal assistant for a large law firm in Minneapolis.

 

 

blankAllie Reid, Mental Health Professional

Allie is a mental health professional at Franklin Center. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Child Psychology at the University of Minnesota, and her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of St. Thomas. Prior to joining Franklin Center, Allie provided mental health therapy to children and teens and behavioral parent training to families, as well as managed and led social skills group programs at a private clinic in Washington. Her specialties include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Anxiety, Depression, behavioral and emotional regulation concerns, and social skills development. Allie utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other theoretical models, guiding children and teens to learn about themselves and their capabilities.

Claire RobertsClaire Roberts, Registered Behavior Therapist

Claire works as a registered behavior therapist at Franklin Therapy. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Deaf Studies/American Sign Language. She has previous experience working as a PCA for children with various physical, cognitive and emotional needs. Additionally, she has practiced ABA for a year.

blankMabel Sanchez, Registered Behavior Therapist

Mable works as a registered behavioral therapist at Franklin Therapy. She is currently working towards her nursing degree, along with minoring in child and adolescent psychology. She has nine years of experience working with children and young adults, specializing in abnormal studies.

Keiora SmithKeiora Smith, Senior Registered Behavioral Therapist

Keiora works as a behavior therapist at Franklin Therapy. She will be obtaining her registered behavior therapist certificate soon. Her background includes working as a PCA for the elderly and working with kids and teenagers ages 2-15 years old. Prior to coming on board with Franklin Therapy, she was employed at Minnesota Autism Center for three years.

Katie ThormodsgaardKatie Thormodsgaard, MSW, LICSW, Director of Therapy Services

Katie serves as the Director of Therapy Services at Franklin Therapy. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, WI and her graduate degree in Social Work from the University of St. Thomas/St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN. Prior to joining Franklin Therapy, Katie provided (ABA) therapy. She also has been a behavior therapist, a lead behavior therapist and a supervisor providing 1:1 skills training, family skills training, implementation of skills programming and managing behaviors in children ages 2 to 19 years old at home and in a clinic setting. Katie was instrumental in the development of clinical services for Franklin Therapy focusing on providing a holistic approach so students and families feel supported in all areas.