Dr. Robin Pearson
Executive Director
Dr. Pearson comes to the Shorkey Center with a myriad of experiences. She brings leadership and programming through management of multi-facility gymnastics program in Austin which provided preschool and afterschool learning opportunities in addition to gymnastics. She is a Special Education teach with over 10 years of experience working in El Paso, Lubbock and California. Most recently, she was the Intake Director at a pediatric therapy clinic in California working with an interdisciplinary team of therapists. Robin completed her Doctorate from Creighton University. Her dissertation project investigated understanding and facilitation of social emotional development at a diverse socio-economic status preschool. She is a 2020 Fellow Graduate in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and Related Disabilities Interdisciplinary Training Program from University of Southern California, LA Children’s Hospital. Collaborative interdisciplinary training focused on improving the health of children through the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Policy Project: Access to evidence-based mental health treatment for infant and toddlers.
Front Office
Caitlyn Clubb
Financial Administrator
Clarissa Medina, BS
Business Office Manager/
Insurance Billing Administrator
Karla Rios
Scheduling Coordinator/Bilingual
Katheryn Littles
Receptionist
Laura Mireles
Patient Service Representative
/ Bilingual
Physical Therapy
Dr. Christie O'Neal - PT, DPT, ATRIC
Physical Therapist, Therapy Manager
Dr. O’Neal has worked for the Shorkey Center since 2019. She graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology in 2003 before attending Western University of Health Science’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Pomona, CA. She moved to Texas in 2007, in her last year of graduate school after meeting the love of her life, a born and raised Southeast Texan. She brings over 13 years of experience in a multitude of therapy settings in the Southeast Texas area, including hospital acute care, outpatient, and home health. She has spent the past 11 years working as a pediatric physical therapist in early intervention, school systems, and outpatient settings. In 2019, just prior to accepting her position at Shorkey, Christie traveled to Sanibel, FL to become aquatic therapy certified by the ATRI group. She believes that by combining both land and water approaches it will help her client’s achieve greater therapeutic benefits and clinical outcomes than land techniques alone.
Jessica Salgado, DPT
Physical Therapist
Mallory Haynes – PTA, ATRIC
Physical Therapy Assistant
Misti Carpenter – PTA
Physical Therapy Assistant
Sam’Marie Williams – PTA
Physical Therapy Assistant
Damaris Thrash – Tech
Therapy Tech
Rosemary Anfonso
Therapy Tech
Jiorel Buendia – PTA
Physical Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapy
Chelsea Landry – MOT, OTR
Occupational Therapist
Tyler Wesson – MOT, OTR
Occupational Therapist
Shinette Appling – MOT, OTR
Occupational Therapist
Shinette Appling – MOT, OTR
Occupational Therapist
Aeris Broussard – MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Tyler Wesson – MOT, OTR
Occupational Therapist
Ashley Hester – COTA
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Breanna Richards – BS, COTA
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Madison Mueller, COTA/L
Val-Monique Flournoy – COTA/L
Speech Therapy
Tricia Costouros – M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Therapist
Susan Thomas – M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Therapist
Alex Henry- M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Therapist
Therapeutic Recreation
Raquel Emery, BS, CTRS
Raquel graduated from the University of Toledo with her Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation in 2021 where she played Division 1 softball throughout her time in Toledo. Upon graduation, she completed her clinical internship at a Veterans Hospital in Augusta, GA where she led sports therapy, tai chi, mixed martial arts as well as created and implemented Beekeeping Therapy Recreation Program for PTSD and stress symptoms. Shortly after completing her clinical internship, she sat for the national exam to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Coming from a military family, Raquel has lived in a multitude of states but is a former Texas resident as she lived in Austin, TX in her youth. She is excited to be back in Texas and introduce Recreation Therapy to Southeast Texas.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Kaitlyn Joines, MA, BCBA, LBA
ABA Supervisor
Kaitlyn Joines joined Shorkey in October of 2021. She graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Development in 2019 before attending University of North Texas for her Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis. She graduated in August 2022 and obtained her BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) certification in February 2023. Kaitlyn has about four years of experience working as a Registered Behavior Technician and has worked with a variety of children aged a year and half to fourteen years old. Kaitlyn is a SETX native and currently resides in Beaumont with her pug and two cats. Outside of work, Kaitlyn is the special needs coordinator for Praise Church and works with special needs children every Sunday while their parents attend church service. She also leads the Family Support Group for the Shorkey Center where they meet at the beginning of each month to share similar life experiences and encourage one another. Kaitlyn has a huge heart for children with special needs and is dedicated to making a difference in her community.
Aleida Duenas, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA
ABA Supervisor
Aleida joined Shorkey in July 2022. She is a California native, with 12 years’ experience in ABA, with ages ranging 2-21. Aleida originally started as a behavior technician and loved it so much she worked her way up to become a BCBA. She graduated from California State University-CI with a Bachelors in Psychology, and went on to receive her Masters in Special Education/ Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. Aleida is passionate about providing children with an inclusive and holistic approach to learning. In her spare time, Aleida loves to travel to different countries (her goal is 50!) and spend time with her dogs Maggie and Lulu.
Kennedy Rivera, BA
ABA Operations Manager
Aleida Duenas, M.Ed, BCBA, LBA
Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Timmie (Erin) Vardell – BAS, MA
Kristina Conley – BS
ABA Intern
Cristina Nix
Tricia Higgins
Haley Boyd
Chaley Cleckley
RBT
Gwenda Thomas
Benjamin Wayumba – MA
Behavior Technician
Mary (Weezie) Bibbs
Halle Heufelder – BS
Nethme Wickramarathne – MA
Jenny Green – MA
ABA Intern
Instruction Junction
Inclusive Preschool
Christin Hilton, BA
Preschool Director
Christin Hilton joined Shorkey in May of 2022. She graduated from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences. She brings over 13 years of childcare experience. Christin lives in Mid-County with the love of her life and their dog. Outside of work Christin is an auxiliary member with the Jefferson County Water District #10 Volunteer Fire Department.Â
Preschool
Samantha Barry, BS
Toddler Teacher
Valerie Cane
Kitchen – Cook
Shyanne Nelson
Pre-K Teacher
Jadyn Gilbert, AA
Asst. Teacher
Elizabeth Lopez
Childcare
Afterschool
Dani Riddle
Teacher
Dan Durie
RBT, Pathways
Lexi Fair, AA
Teacher
Breanna Hawk
Maintenance
Willie Williams
Maintenance
Kathleen Burro
Cleaning and Disinfecting
