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Linda Barr, M.Ed.
Executive Director

Linda holds a Bachelor of Science degree and Master’s Degree in Education. She taught in public school for eighteen years as a classroom teacher, special education teacher and reading specialist. Frustrated by the lack of scientific information in reading instruction making its way to the classroom, Linda connected with ALLC to learn more. She was so impressed by the quality and dedication of educators involved with ALLC that she opened the East Valley office in 2007. Shortly after, Linda became Program Director for both offices. In 2010 she became Executive Director for ALLC. Linda believes strongly that teaching is both an art and a science and that the science part is often missed for struggling readers. There is now over thirty years of solid science that directs our instruction to allow children to become successful readers and writers. Linda also serves as President of the International Dyslexia Association AZ, as a consultant to the Children’s Center for Neuropsychological Rehabilitation at St. Joseph’s Hospital, with ASU and T-Gen on a dyslexia genome project and as an adjunct professor for Arizona State University and Rio Salado College. Linda presents at national and state conferences on varied topics relating to language based learning difficulties.

Jamie Dana, M.C.

Assessment Team

Jamie is a trained mental health counselor and psycho-educational evaluator. She has a B.S. degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University. She obtained her M.C. in Counseling from ASU while working as an intern at ALLC. Jamie has a passion for assessment and diagnosis of learning disabilities, with emphasis in written language and reading. Jamie provides intake services to all of our Phoenix clients, and meets with families after evaluations are completed to explain the results and ensure they understand what educational interventions and accommodations ALLC has recommended.

Julie Lukas, M.C.D., CCC-A, F-AAA
Assessment & Therapy Teams

Julie is a state licensed and certified clinical audiologist, an American Academy of Audiology Fellow and a member of the Educational Audiology Association. She joined ALLC in 1988 as an early childhood screener, and was director of the early childhood program from 2002-2006. Julie earned her Master’s in Communication Disorders from San Francisco State University. She was awarded a traineeship at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Hospital prior to her graduation. She was also awarded the Graduate Student Award for her research in auditory processing assessment, which resulted in a published chapter in Central Auditory Assessment: The SSW Test (D. Arnst and J. Katz, editors). Julie has more than 30 years of diagnostic audiology experience. She has been a clinical supervisor and academic instructor for the Arizona State University Speech and Hearing Department. Julie is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Educational Audiology Association. She is also a fellow in the American Academy of Audiology. She specializes in Auditory Processing Assessment and Treatment. As a member of our clinical team Julie provides our hearing and vision screenings and auditory processing evaluations and therapy.

Danielle Craaybeek, Ed.S.
Assessment Team

Danielle has a B.S. in Psychology, an M.A. in School Psychology, and an Ed.S. in School Psychology from James Madison University in Virginia. She has worked as a school psychologist since 2003. Danielle conducts educational assessments of our children in the East Valley office. Parents appreciate her expertise with evaluation and her knowledge of school systems. Danielle has attended professional workshops on dyslexia, brain development, phonemic awareness and multi-sensory reading programs. Danielle’s primary interests include dyslexia, early literacy and brain imaging.

Christine Zahn
Intake Specialist

Christine developed her passion for helping those who struggle with the negative impact of dyslexia after having to do the research for her own child. As a parent of a child with dyslexia, Christine had to learn what to do to help her child find success in school. Christine frequently co-presents at universities on the need for educators to look for causes for student’s struggles and offer support and effective instruction. Christine’s personal story has touched many educators and led them to seek answers for those with brain based learning differences. Christine serves on the board for the International Dyslexia Association, AZ. In her position as an Intake Specialist with Arizona Literacy & Learning Center she continues to offer help and hope to parents of children with dyslexia.

Nicole Engel
Client Services

Nicole Engel is the friendly person on the other end of the phone as she fields questions for the correct specialist. She assists staff with special projects, front desk duties, and other related functions in the office. Nicole enjoys the opportunity to help callers and visitors get answers to their questions. Nicole has been with Arizona Literacy and Learning Center since Nov. 2004. She moved to Phoenix from Prescott, AZ to work with us.

Phoenix Therapy Team

Cheryl Morgan Craig, M.A.

Cheryl has her Bachelor’s degree in Global Business from ASU. After working many years in management she realized her true calling was to teach children. She earned her M.A.E.D. from University of Phoenix and later earned her Structured English Immersion Endorsement and Reading Endorsement (NAU). She has taught both third and fourth grades. Her passion is reading and her goal is for every child she works with to be able to read proficiently as well as passionately. She currently provides reading therapy to children with dyslexia at the Phoenix location. She enjoys traveling, reading, and running.

Laurie Folsom, M.S. CCC-SLP

Laurie graduated from Northern Arizona University. She has been practicing Speech-Language Pathology for more than 25 years. Laurie enjoys helping children who experience speech and language disorders which involve academic as well as oral language skills development. Laurie is proficient with both speech therapy and reading therapy and is able to offer expertise in both areas to the children at the Phoenix office.

East Valley Therapy Team

Sue Noel, M.Ed.
Intervention Director

Sue earned her Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts. She has been an East Valley Reading Specialist for 12 years, since relocating from Michigan, where she taught Reading to students in 5th-8th grade. Sue is the Director of Intervention at the East Valley ALLC, and has training and/or certification in many Orton-Gillingham based Reading programs, including Wilson, Barton, Sonday, Foundations, and Lindamood-Bell. She enjoys working with students who may have not found much success in the classroom in the past, but are willing to give the Orton-Gillingham programs their best effort, because, “These students really light up when they discover what they are really capable of, when given the right instruction.”

Carey Paulo, M.Ed.

Carey taught in the Gilbert School District for 5 years. She has taken a break from teaching full time to be with her two little boys. Upon receiving her B.A., she was selected for specialized training which led to receiving her M.Ed. and Reading Endorsement. She loves being able to work with children part time to keep that connection with the teaching world. Carey’s students love her caring way of showing them their strengths and reminding them of what they already know. She also does a wonderful job of maintaining student’s attention while focusing on the lessons being learned. A mother of one of Carey’s students wrote, “I will always be grateful for having the opportunity to work with Linda, Danielle and especially Carey”. Carey is a natural teacher. She has the heart that it takes to work with students and the patience to listen to their needs.

Carol Kalember, M.A.

Carol comes to us from Chicago, IL, and is a graduate of Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and the University of Arizona with a Master of Arts degree in Language, Reading and Culture. She has taught all of the grade levels as either a classroom or resource teacher, and has been a Reading Specialist for the last 12 years, working with grades K-6. Carol also serves on several committees and has given many workshops to teachers, administrators and parents on a variety of reading programs, applications and “how-to’s”, along with the use of technology in both the classroom and at home. She enjoys staying current through membership in professional organizations and attendance at workshops within her school district and those given by membership organizations. Carol says, other than time spent with her three grandsons, her greatest joy is watching a student who is insecure and shy about their reading skills, blossom into a confident and avid reader once they learn to ‘crack the code’ in figuring out those unknown words on a page of print. She especially enjoys the one-on-one work she is doing with students and sharing those results with their parents at our East Valley office.

Kathleen Chapman, B.A., SLPA-L

Kathleen received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA. For her clinical work and Senior year, she attended the University of Virginia. She received her degree in Education, Kinder-8th grade from Arizona State University, and is a state certified teacher, as well as SEI endorsed. Kathleen taught K-2 grades in both private and public schools. While raising her 2 children, she substitute taught for 10 years in the Tempe District. She also tutored students both at home and in the classroom setting. She held a 1-year position on a curriculum committee for Gifted students. She also was an instructor for Young Rembrandts. Currently, she works as a state licensed Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant for Mesa Public schools, and will be beginning her 6th year August, 2011. She conducts speech and language therapy from preschool through high school levels. Kathleen says building a relationship of trust, success, and enjoyment of reading and writing is the driving force behind all of her one-on-one sessions. Finally, she says working for ALLC is wonderful! “Combining scientifically-based programs with my personal art of teaching from the heart provides a secure, well-balanced learning experience.”

Rebecca Hipps, B.A.

Rebecca received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Elementary Education at Arizona State University. She is currently finishing her Master’s Degree in Language and Literacy with an emphasis on Reading through ASU. She is currently a classroom teacher and is enjoying working as a therapist for ALLC during the summer and after school. Rebecca is especially interested in the unique ways in which children learn to read, and has done research on innovative methods that can be used to integrate music and literacy instruction in classroom settings. She is a passionate reader and educator, and loves to share her affinity with literature and reading with her students. She looks forward to becoming a Wilson certified reading specialist and would also like to work towards National Board Certification, in elementary education.

Early Childhood Team

Heidi Benson Rodriguez, M.S., SLP-CCC

Heidi received her B.A. in Communication Disorders and Spanish, and her M.S. in Bilingual Speech and Language Pathology. She also completed additional training at ASU in order to have her Master in Bilingual Speech and Language Pathology. She is a licensed, clinically certified Speech and Language Pathologist. Heidi works in our early childhood program providing speech screenings to children who are receiving developmental screenings.