Meet the Team

Hannah Werner, M.A., CCC-SLP Speech & Language Pathology

Lead SLP

Hannah Werner, Lead Speech-Language Pathologist for Global Teletherapy, received her undergraduate education at Illinois State University and earned her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from St. Louis University. Hannah has been working in the field in schools and home-health since 2012. Her passion as an SLP is to enhance the clinical sessions with children by collaborating and coaching parents and teachers to maximize therapy’s effectiveness. In her capacity as Lead SLP, Hannah has enjoyed scaling this passion to new heights by coaching and guiding SLPs around the country to do the same.

Jessica Huffty CCC-SLP

Lead SLP

Jessica Huffty received her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and has been a speech-language pathologist for over 10 years. She has an extensive background in providing pediatric speech-language pathology services in the outpatient clinical setting, as well as to Pre-K-12th grade students in her local school district. Jessica had experience treating a gamut of speech-language disorders before expanding her clinical service delivery experience and becoming a teletherapist with Global Teletherapy in 2017. In transitioning from a clinical role to her role as a Lead Therapist, Jessica aims to be an expert resource and a trusted source of support and guidance for the growing cadre of therapists she leads.

Erika Ayanaw, PhD., NCSP

Lead School Psychologist

Erika Ayanaw received her MA in Professional Counseling from Lindenwood University, and her Education Specialist in School Psychology and Ph.D. in Education/Teaching and Learning Processes from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her presentations and publications include The Flipside of Disproportionality: Remedying Under-Identification of African-American Students with Autism and An Examination of Educational Evaluation Practices for Black American Students with Autism. Aside from her clinical work, Erika taught at The University of Phoenix College of Social Science 2008-2019 and has been teaching in the College of Education; School Psychology Program at The University of Missouri-St. Louis since 2017, lecturing on psychology and education. Before becoming a Global Teletherapy teletherapist in 2019, Erika was a School Psychologist in St. Louis Public Schools since 2011.

Erika Soto, Psy.D., PPSC, LMFT

Lead Mental Health Therapist

Dr. Erika Soto, the Lead Mental Health Therapist for Global Teletherapy, holds an M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino and a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) from California Southern University, Costa Mesa where she was Summa Cum Laude. She is a compassionate and effective therapist with vast clinical experience treating children, teenagers, and families over the past 8 years. Erika is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has a Pupil Personnel Servicing (PPS) credential in School Counseling, is certified in EMDR therapy and specializes in treating Childhood Trauma, Depression, and Anxiety. In addition to her clinical work, she teaches various psychology courses at California State University, San Bernardino, and California Baptist University. Erika’s passion for her work, love for helping people, sensitivity to their pain, and well-honed clinical skills, combined with her administrative experience within Global Teletherapy, position her well to guide the growing cadre of mental health therapists that she will supervise.

Devorah Van Gelder</font color>

IT Projects Coordinator

After starting her career with GT as Office Manager, Devorah is currently the go-to person for a range of technology tasks. Her role includes creating, implementing and supervising workflow processes for the test runs department for new students; supporting client schools, therapists and students on tech issues, including hardware, and providing technical support for staff. She is taking charge of researching, setting up and managing software solutions for multiple departments. She is also overseeing the build and transfer of GT’s current systems into Salesforce. Devorah enjoys the challenge of figuring out how to customize software to fit GT’s custom needs. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Thomas Edison State College.

Brooke Rich

Recruiting Manager

Brooke Rich is Global Teletherapy’s Recruiting Manager. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Excelsior College and Occupational Therapy Assistant degree from Community College of Baltimore County. After 2 ½ years as an OTA, Brooke came to Global Teletherapy as a School Liaison and Frontend Recruiter. Her excellent communication and problem-solving skills, strong leadership qualities, and experience gained from managing caseloads and therapy services in her previous OTA position give Brooke a unique perspective on applicants, as she stewards Global Teletherapy’s expanding recruitment efforts in meeting the ever-increasing demand for therapists.

Rafi Cohn

Director of Customer Success

Rafi Cohn, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts, brings a contagious enthusiasm to his new role as Global Teletherapy’s Account Manager. Over the past six years, Rafi delivered superb customer service as COO of Rentals of Distinction, where he was instrumental in over 7800 people enjoying great travel experiences. He facilitated a 25% increase in sales with white-glove contract negotiations in a long sale cycle and created a win-win sales process that created a loyal customer base. Rafi’s approach to sales begins with understanding the clients’ needs as completely as possible, exceeding their expectations, and continuing to attend to the client even after the contract has been signed. We are happy that he is giving the same service to the schools in our portfolio.

Sophie Krim

Systems Administrator

Joining GT with an Emory University undergraduate degree and a Hebrew University graduate degree, Sophie is the brains behind internal processes and workflows. She analyzes the company’s needs, researches and configures solutions and trains staff to use the new systems. In addition, Sophie built the Discrepancies Department, responsible for running calculations to ensure the therapy sessions are in compliance with student IEPs. Sophie enjoys the challenges of finding solutions to problems and increasing efficiency within systems and processes.

Thea Winston

Sr. Manager, Liaison Department

Thea Winston’s assumption as Senior Liaison Manager is an organic development resulting from her top-notch performance and extensive experience over the past two years as a Liaison Manager for Global Teletherapy. In that capacity, Thea managed 4 full-time liaisons that provided oversight for the delivery of therapy services to thousands of students attending 80 schools across 37 states. She gained expertise in training, stewarding, and helping therapists troubleshoot problems day in and day out. Drawing upon her well-honed interpersonal and management skills, abundant creativity and resourcefulness, and wealth of experience, Thea will provide the leadership that will ensure the therapists’ smooth daily functioning, the satisfaction of client schools, and the Liaison Department’s renowned success.

Naomi Zelefsky</font color>

Director of Therapist and School Relations

Naomi started at Global Teletherapy in 2016. She works closely with client schools, and leads our team of School Liaisons. Naomi is responsible for workflow processes for the Liaison Department, in addition to training and supporting all Liaisons. Naomi coordinates the Liaisons’ assignments to client schools, and monitors school/therapist relationships to assure a smooth service delivery and satisfied clients. Naomi is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Loyola University.

Mark Goldman

COO

Mark Goldman fulfills his crucial role as Operations Manager at Global Teletherapy with both dedication and enthusiasm. Aside from holding a Bachelor’s degree, Mark gained years of invaluable experience by managing and ensuring that every facet of an annual convention involving over a hundred people proceeded without a hitch. Mark is a very organized, detail-oriented, a quiet but powerful leader, and very much a team player. His primary ambition is to guarantee the smooth and effective daily functioning of the company and does a great job doing it.

Lindsey Kucich, Ed.S School Psychology</font color>

Lead Therapist – Mental Health

Lindsey has been with Global Teletherapy since 2018, and is currently the host of Lindsey Live,the weekly podcast on The Therapist Hub. Prior to joining Global Teletherapy, she worked as a school psychologist in the public school systems in CA and MI. She also worked as an IEP Coordinator with a nonpublic agency and as a Behavior Specialist with at risk youth. Based in California, Lindsey manages Mental Health Therapists, Social Workers, and School Psychologists. With a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Western Michigan University, a Masters in Counseling and an Education Specialists degree in School Psychology from La Sierra University, Lindsey is knowledgeable and passionate about the mental health field. She is completely dedicated to helping students and their therapists feel successful. Lindsey enjoys integrating technology in the mental health field and is currently developing telepractice psycho-educational assessments. She enjoys her teletherapy lifestyle and looks forward to meeting and talking shop with like-minded therapists at NASP events.

Natalie Goode

Tech Manager

Natalie Goode, Tech Manager for Global Teletherapy, holds a Bachelor of Science and Liberal Arts. She is the go-to person for a range of technological tasks. Her role includes creating, implementing, and supervising workflow processes for the test runs department for new students, supporting client schools, therapists, and students on tech issues, and providing technical support for staff. Natalie’s success is grounded in her superb troubleshooting abilities, resourcefulness, and keen aptitude for solving problems. She derives great satisfaction from being such a pivotal figure in the smooth functioning of Global Teletherapy’s expanding operation.

Traci Gerner

Lead Occupational Therapist

Traci Gerner, Lead Occupational Therapist for Global Teletherapy, holds a Masters of Science, Occupational Therapy from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee. She is a dynamic Occupational Therapist with over 23 years of experience in a variety of settings serving populations from toddlers through late maturity. Aside from her vast clinical expertise, Traci has been teaching Occupational Therapy to college students for years. Her students have consistently praised her as an “enthusiastic, passionate, and engaging instructor.” Traci’s current role affords her that perfect venue to both guide therapists with her clinical know-how as well as educate them for the benefit of the many children and families she impacts.

Elana Shinkle

Clinical Resource Coordinator

Elana Shinkle, Clinical Resource Coordinator for Global Teletherapy, holds a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of Iowa. She has been working in the field in a variety of settings since 1991. Her compassion, coupled with her vast experience in the field, is a powerful combination both in her clinical sessions and in her critical role of helping new clinicians to become acclimated to teletherapy. Elana is the go-to person for the entire company for clinical and procedural questions, and you may even be chatting with her on the LiveChat someday. She is passionate about teaching people with disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum, to communicate more functionally and effectively. She loves to see the smiling faces of her students as they accomplish a new communication task!

Alan Goode</font color>

CEO and Co-Founder

Alan’s business experience, vision, and passion for life come together in the creation of Global Teletherapy. With an accounting background and previous experience in the not-for-profit sector, Alan has a keen understanding of educational values as well as the monetary and staffing constraints that schools face. His alacrity and responsiveness are valued by the schools, therapists, and staff that he works with.

Rina Goode, M.S., CCC-SLP

Clinical Director and Co-Founder

Rina combines her years of school based experience with her teletherapy expertise to manage the clinical department of Global Teletherapy. As an on-site provider, Rina worked in Chicago Public Schools and in Baltimore County Public Schools, serving students with a wide range of disabilities. She enjoys helping students reach their potential so that they can be successful in the education setting and in life. Rina graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Masters in Speech Language Pathology. She is ASHA certified and holds licenses in Maryland, Illinois, and Pennsylvania as well as Certification with the Illinois State Board of Education.

Stephanie Scrouse

HR- Business Partner

Stephanie Scrouse is elated to be serving Global Teletherapy in her pivotal role as HR Business Partner. After earning her Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Morgan State University, she felt the pull to invest her knowledge and talent to build organizations from within by creating and executing systems that would simultaneously reflect the vision of the Executive Staff and the needs of the employees. Stephanie brings over 20 years of diversified experience in both the private and government sectors in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Recruitment and Selection, Marketing, Research Development, Operations Management, and Employee Relations. She has strong information technology skills, abundant experience in strategic planning, and wide-ranging knowledge of how to implement organizational strategies to meet corporate objectives.

Shelly Morris, M.S. CCC-SLP

Lead Speech Therapist

With 25 years of experience in educational settings, Shelly has significant experience as a speech language pathologist for both brick and mortar, as well as online schools. Among her many responsibilities as Lead Speech Therapist, she interviews and trains potential GT therapists and provides clinical support to therapists on assessments and therapy. She also observes clinicians and provides feedback to help them improve their skills. Her care and professionalism are clearly heard. Her favorite part of the job is interacting with the creative, caring and professional GT therapists on a daily basis, without a day going by that she doesn’t learn something new from them. Shelly holds a Masters degree from Towson University, has ASHA certification, and is licensed to practice in numerous states.

Lynne Inabnitt, M.A. CCC-SLP

Managing Lead Therapist

Lynne has worked as a speech language pathologist since 2008. As Lead Therapist, she works closely with a group of therapy providers, from helping to recruit them to training, supervising, providing clinical support and evaluating them to facilitating team huddles and workshops to providing direct service to students. Rounding out her experience, Lynne has also taught, conducted research and made professional presentations within the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Lynne’s expertise in the field, as well as her excellent communication and organizational skills, lend themselves well in supporting our therapists and maintaining quality assurance with our therapists. Lynne has a Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology, ASHA certification, and she is licensed to practice in numerous states across the U.S.

Baila Merling, MS, OTR/L

Lead Occupational Therapist

As GT’s Lead Occupational Therapist, Baila oversees a growing team of Occupational Therapists while also maintaining her own caseload. Her principal responsibilities include interviewing prospective therapists, assisting new therapists with the onboarding process (training and post training), supervising therapists, providing clinical support, providing therapy to assigned students, and planning and facilitating therapist huddles and workshops (inservice training). With close to a decade of experience as an OT, Baila considers herself fortunate to be working in a profession where she can bring her clinical skills along with her passion for helping others to the job each day. Prior to joining the ranks of teletherapy, Ms. Merling practiced as an OT with both the pediatric and geriatric populations. She received her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy from Towson University and licensed to practice in numerous states.

Ella Wealcatch

Recruitment Manager

Ella supervises the Recruitment Department and skillfully manages the hiring process. Along with her staff, she assesses new client therapist needs, assists in the application process, welcomes therapists to our team, and provides training for effective onboarding. With a Bachelors of Arts from Thomas Edison University, Ella has years of experience in a variety of settings. Her passion for education and meeting the needs of individual students is the driving force that ensures that we meet the staffing needs of our schools. Ella excels in multitasking in the fast paced environment and is a key player in moving the hiring process in an efficient manner.

Rachel Stewart

Billing Manager

With an impressive history of administrative positions, Rachel is the perfect person to manage the myriad of billing and payroll details for all of GT’s client schools as well as several hundred employees + independent therapists. She supervises the Billing Department, including creating department policies and procedures, and she oversees monthly billing, accounts receivable and database functionality.

Chana Stern

Project Manager

Chana Stern brings 15+ years of broad experience in operations and project management working for non-profit and private industry to her new role as Project Manager at Global Teletherapy. Most recently, Chana worked for a leading regional healthcare organization as a Human Resources Specialist, building out their staffing and retention procedures, and playing an integral role in the rollout of critical IT systems. Prior to that, she led the growth of an online educational startup into the leading player in its sector worldwide. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Towson University and is working towards an MBA. Chana’s outstanding critical thinking, organizational management, and hands-on people skills make her a growing and invaluable asset to Global Teletherapy’s business and management infrastructure.

Alan Goode

Rina Goode, M.S., CCC-SLP

Mark Goldman

Stephanie Scrouse

Lynne Inabnitt, M.A. CCC-SLP

Shelly Morris, M.S. CCC-SLP

Baila Merling, MS, OTR/L

Traci Gerner MS OTR/L

Lindsey Kucich, Ed.S School Psychology

Naomi Zelefsky

Thea Winston

Brooke Rich

Rafi Cohn

ֵElana Shinkle MA, CCC-SLP

Chana Stern

Sophie Krim

Devorah Van Gelder

Rachel Stewart

Erika Soto, Psy.D., PPSC, LMFT

Hannah Werner, M.A., CCC-SLP

Jessica Huffty CCC-SLP

Erika Ayanaw, PhD., NCSP

Sign up for our Newsletter

Schools

Clinicians

Download our FREE E-BOOK

Let’s Connect

Download our
FREE E-BOOK