Our Team

Shyll Bowen is the director of Hopelight Behavioral Health.  She holds a master’s degree in special education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Shyll has worked with children, both typically developing and with special developmental needs, for over 30 years. She has taught and served as a behavioral specialist for children in preschool through high school in both private and public settings in the various locations in the United States and abroad. Shyll provides professional development for teachers and parent training courses. She is also the coordinator of behavioral support groups, and health coaching for Hopelight Medical Clinic.

Kendra Billen is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and has worked in the public school system for the past 10 years, specifically working with students with behavior challenges in the school setting. She was a self-contained teacher for for six years, followed by a district-wide Behavior Specialist for two years prior to moving to Colorado. Kendra has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a master's degree in Special Education from Texas Christian University; a master's degree in Educational Administration from Dallas Baptist University. She believes that, as educators and analysts, we possess great power when it comes to creating behavioral changes in our clients, large and small. With those changes, clients are able to more successfully and more appropriately navigate ever-changing situations in ways that prepare them for their future as adults in our community.

Sarah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and was Hopelight's very first Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) when Hopelight Behavioral Health was first founded.  Sarah completed her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on education, psychology and Bible with a minor in International Studies and also completed her Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis.  Sarah is a native of Colorado and has found her calling in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis.  She loves her work with children who experience behavioral challenges and their families.

Jessica is a Colorado Native who grew up in multiple areas of the West Coast including Nevada, Idaho and Montana before settling back down in Colorado to begin her career in education. Jessica received her Bachelor’s degree from Western Governor’s University online while working full time as a paraprofessional and behavior technician in Colorado Springs. After graduating, she began her teaching career as a center-based Autism teacher for 3 1/2 years in St. Vrain Valley Schools. During that time, Jessica completed her Master of Arts degree in English Language Learning to better serve the dually identified population of students in her class. Currently, Jessica is completing her second Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis through Arizona State University Online.  In her spare time Jessica enjoys reading, and baking and going on adventures with her dog and family.

Heather Hensley moved to Longmont from Fort Worth, Texas in 2018. She graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has taught elementary school for the past 13 years. Heather is currently working on her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is excited to work with Hopelight. When Heather is not working, she loves to read, bake, and spend time with her family.

Sydney just recently moved to Longmont from Los Angeles, California. She graduated with a Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis and has been in the field for over 5 years. Sydney is now working toward her supervision hours to sit for the board certification exam. She is very excited to learn and grown within the Hopelight Behavioral Health team.

Debby is a Licensed Professional Counselor who enjoys working with children, teens, and adults.  Debby has worked with children and families her entire professional life, first as a Registered Nurse and now as a Counselor.  Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, CBT, Solution Focused Counseling, and EMDR are some of the methods Debby uses with individuals to help resolve issues such as anxiety, depression, behavior problems, inattention, grief, or anger management.  Debby's philosophy is that "We all have bumps in the road and need another caring individual to give us support and she feels honored to be invited into her clients' life to walk along beside them for a time."

Michelle is a pediatric occupational therapist with 20 years of experience working with children and their families. She has a passion for working with kids and enjoys building relationships with the families she works with and supporting the child’s development. She has a special interest and expertise in the areas of ADHD, sensory integration, handwriting, coordination difficulties, fine motor skills and social skills. Michelle is a Colorado native and lives in Lyons with her husband and two daughters. 

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Monica received her bachelor's degree from Montana State University.  She then moved back home to California to work in Special Education. As a paraprofessional and substitute teacher, Monica was introduced to the world of speech-language pathology and began her journey into the field. She moved to Denver in 2017 to start prerequisite classes for graduate school, and recently gained her certification to become a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant. In her free time, she loves to cook, read, travel, and go on adventures with her boyfriend and her miniature dachshund Penny.

Originally from San Jose, CA, Trevor moved to Longmont in 2005. He graduated from Longmont Christian and continued his education at Central Christian College of KS. He was a resident adviser for 3 years while in college and during that time, created a fund-raiser to help raise money for adoptive parents. Prior to coming to work at Hopelight, he spent a year as a Christian camp intern, learning about the outdoors, education and ministry.

Spenser received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology before becoming a Behavior Technician. The focus of his studies were primarily centered around youth counseling and working with at-risk youth. Spenser has also devoted many hours to studies and research at the University of Colorado in Boulder and various types of volunteer work both local and abroad. He has also spent multiple years working with both children and adults with developmental disabilities. Spenser makes it his goal to practice compassion and empathy in all things, while maintaining a passion for travel and keeping an open mind. He is hoping to broaden his horizons and make a difference at Hopelight Behavioral Health.

Miranda Sadar is a Colorado native. She is married with two young boys. Miranda obtained her undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts at Regis University in 2015.  In 2016 she began her Masters in Special Education and will graduate in May of 2020. Miranda has a passion for working with children and the community. Her career goals are to take more extensive course work for Applied Behavior Analysis, and to give back to the surrounding communities.

Samantha Bucki is originally from Milwaukee and moved to Colorado in March of 2018 and really loves it here! She is a Psychology student at UNC in Greeley and plans on starting the School Psychologist program there after graduating. In her free time, she love exploring and hiking with her daughter and friends. Samantha also loves to travel and hopes to make it all around the world in her lifetime.

Jon originally grew up down in Florida and got his bachelor’s degree in Criminal justice from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2017. After college he moved out to Colorado and spent the last two years working for a non-profit helping rehabilitate felons back into society, but his true passion has always been working with children. Which is one reason Jon is excited to be coming aboard the Hopelight Behavioral health team as a Behavioral Technician.  When he’s not working, Jon likes to spend his free time up in the mountains with his dog Darla hiking and camping, and if he’s not in the mountains he’s at church where he enjoys teaching in the children and student ministries.

Arielle is currently studying Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where she has spent time pursuing research involving childhood behavior and the basis for motivation. Her passion has always been working with children and she has spent time both at home and abroad teaching, as well as founded her own music/art-oriented program for children. Arielle hopes to complete her degree and pursue further studies in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Natalie is a Colorado Native attending Metropolitan University to obtain her degree in Social Work with a minor in Spanish language. Her main goal as a Behavior Technician is to provide support and care to all clients and their families by implementing creative and therapeutic activities. Natalie discovered her passion to help all different kinds of groups of people when she volunteered with the Special Olympics at Skyline High School in 2017. With Social Work, Natalie plans to work with at risk youth, foster care systems, and mental health departments on college campuses to assist students with healthy lifestyles. In her free time, she loves reading, exercise, spending time her family, and volunteering with the undocumented youth in the community to raise money for their future college success. Natalie is so excited to be part of the Hopelight family!

Keigan is a Pacific Northwest Native, originally from Washington State. She moved to Northern Colorado in 2018 with her husband who is attending graduate school at UNC and is so happy to call Colorado home! Keigan graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with a minor in Religion. She worked as a Preschool Teacher for just over three years before delving into the field of ABA Therapy. Her passion has always been Psychology and Education, as well as serving children and families, and she's so excited to work for such an incredible organization such as Hopelight! When she's not at work Keigan loves to hike, do hot yoga, cook and bake vegan food, explore new places, and spend time with her husband and cat. She feels so blessed to be here at Hopelight!

Kimberly is a Colorado Native who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Northern Colorado. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, playing acoustic guitar, spending time with family and traveling. She is excited to join the team at Hopelight and work with the children and families within the community.

Abigail was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in nonprofit management at Ohio State University. During her time there, she worked alongside a clinical sports psychologist, mentored transfer students, was a children’s dive coach, and became an advocate for sexual assault victims. Her true passion is teaching others, specifically children, how to help themselves and empower them to live the quality of life they deserve. This is a huge reason why she is so excited to work with the amazing clients and staff at Hopelight. In her free time, Abigail enjoys being in the mountains, painting, and traveling.

Jaryd received his Bachelor of Science in Counseling and Clinical Psychology from Colorado State University. In college, he volunteered with after school programs for children, and he currently works as a Youth Development Specialist for the Boys and Girls Club. In his spare time, he enjoys being outside, reading, and music. He is very excited to join Hopelight to continue to make a positive impact in the lives of youth!

Maiga received her Bachelor's in Human Development and Family Studies with a pre-health concentration from Colorado State University. She loves to travel, hike in the mountains, and spend time with family and friends. She is excited to be a part of the Hopelight team and make a difference for clients and their families!

Chloe recently graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Special Education. She has taught in the preschool setting for 6 years. Outside of work she enjoys hiking, painting, and spending time with her friends and family.  She is excited to be a part of the Hopelight team!

Virginia is a Colorado native and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Leadership Studies. She was also a part of the President's Leadership Program during her time at UNC. Virginia plans on continuing her education in a Master’s program for Social Work. During her free time, Virginia likes to read books and spend time with her family and friends. She is very excited to join the Hopelight team.

Originally from the St. Louis area of Southern Illinois, Audrey recently moved to Longmont, Colorado. She graduated with her Associate’s degree in Art and transferred to the University of Colorado in Boulder to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Audrey comes from a family of special education teachers and this is where her love for psychology and working with children developed. Her future goals include attending graduate school and receiving a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology. In her free time, Audrey performs all over the country for the traveling performance troupe The Dancing Bear Tribe. She hopes to combine her love for movement and visual arts with the therapy provided to the clients to create a safe and interactive environment for the children to learn and express themselves.

Kaleigh earned her BA in Human Services from Bethel University.  She recently moved back to Colorado after too many years away! Her passion has been to have a positive impact on kids since her first babysitting job as a teenager.  Since then, she has worked with kids from a variety of backgrounds and is excited to be a part of the Hopelight team! In her time off, Kaleigh loves to bake, play the piano, and spend time with her 2 dogs, Kinzie and Emma.

Daniel Morrissey carries two bachelor's degrees from Harding University--one in English Literature and one in Vocational Ministry. He has a diverse professional background which includes 18 months of student-facing experience, including one school year as a special education para-educator. Just prior to joining Hopelight, Daniel spent five years working for OtterBox in a variety of customer service capacities. He has been married since 2013, and together, they have a young boy they adore. Daniel enjoys almost any kind of game, whether athletic, electronic, or of the tabletop variety. He also dabbles in writing and world-building--both for stories and for games, and loves finding ways to incorporate games, writing, and literature into his sessions with his clients.

Born and raised here in Colorado, Jordan attended the University of Northern Colorado and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Following graduation, Jordan spent some time working at an elementary school in the intensive autism classroom. Prior to joining Hopelight, she was the lead investigator and quality assurance manager for a community centered board here in Colorado. She has also spent a significant amount of time working with adults with disabilities in direct care where she helped with community integration and supported employment. She plans on expanding her education with graduate school eventually, but for now is very excited to be spending her time here at Hopelight and contributing to making a positive impact on our individuals!

Allison was raised in Mead, Colorado. She graduated from Colorado State University in May 2020, with a bachelor's in social work. Beginning her work with children in the summer of 2016, Allison eventually ended up being an after-school program Assistant Director. Allison has always had a passion for children and learning environments and is excited to work in the field of Behavioral Therapy. Allison is thrilled to join the Hopelight team!

Jessica moved to Colorado 4 years ago after completing her B.A. in Anthropology at Northern Arizona University and a Masters in Sustainable Solutions at Arizona State University. Upon graduation she began working as a Museum Educator for the CU South Denver Museum, where she fully realized her love for working with children. Motivated by the successful interventions her autistic brother received at a young age, she wanted to have a positive influence on children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and began working as a Behavior Technician in Glenwood Springs, CO. New to the Longmont area, she is excited to work with children and families in need in her community. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking with her dogs and getting out on the water.

Michayla graduated from Grand Canyon University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with an Emphasis in Social Work. She is a Colorado native who loves to spend her free time hiking, fishing, kayaking, and watching movies. Working with children is her passion, and she desires to make an impact in children’s lives and help them see the best in themselves. She has always wanted to work with children and has worked with an adoption agency and volunteered at with a neighborhood ministry for low-income youth while obtaining her bachelor’s degree. Some of her future goals include becoming a trauma therapist for children and becoming a foster mom. Michayla feels so blessed to be a part of the Hopelight family and serve the children and families in the community.

Kim has worked with children for the past 5 years. She earned her BA in Psychology at the University of Louisiana at Monroe where her hometown is. She moved to Colorado in 2017 with her husband. Kim is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Psychology with a concentration in Applied Behavioral Analysis. When she is not working, she loves spending time playing Ticket to Ride with her husband and two dogs. After she graduates with her Master’s degree Kim plans on continuing her work in Behavioral Analysis and becoming licensed in the field.

Maddie is currently a student at the University of Oregon majoring in Communication Disorders with a minor in Special Education. Ever since elementary school, Maddie has had a passion for working with children with disabilities. She has continued to volunteer time in special education classes, working as a tutor and as a teacher’s assistant. Originally from Maryland, Maddie moved to Longmont in 2014. Having been an active member of Best Buddies, a friendship program for students with disabilities in Maryland, Maddie founded and was the president of the Best Buddies chapter at Niwot High School. Other than spending time with family and friends, Maddie is passionate about dance and fostering rescue dogs. She is incredibly excited to work at Hopelight and create relationships with her clients and their families.

Lauren is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin but enjoys the months away from school in Colorado with her family. She is a student at UW- Milwaukee, studying Biomedical Sciences and Healthcare Administration. Upon graduation in Spring 2021, Lauren intends to continue her education in Colorado. In her free time she enjoys anything outdoors, but tubing down the rivers here in Colorado definitely excites her most. As well as the outdoors, she loves spending time with friends, visiting new restaurants, and traveling.

Claudia was raised in Loveland, Colorado. She graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2020 with her Bachelors of Social Work. While in high school, Claudia realized she had a passion for working with children when she started to volunteer in elementary schools. In the future, Claudia's goals are to receive her Master’s degree in Criminology!. Outside of work, she likes to run, hike, paint and spend time with her family and friends. She is looking forward to adding onto her skills as a social worker and building meaningful relationships. Claudia is overjoyed to be a part of the Hopelight Team!

Betsy was adopted with her twin sister at a young age and grew up in Southern California. Betsy received a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Grand Canyon University before becoming a Behavior Technician. In addition, she has 18 credits in Early Childhood Education. Betsy has always been passionate about children and has worked for years with children of differing abilities. She has extensive nanny work with families of multiples as well as special needs children, adoptive children and has taught preschool. Betsy has also worked as a Nursery Director for her church and has also worked as a behavior technician in Southern California. She has recently moved to Colorado but is bringing her love for children and her passion for their development with her. In her spare time, Betsy enjoys making cards and designing things on her Cricut. She enjoys being able to use her creativity within her work.

Aubree is from Southern Colorado and is currently pursuing a dual degree in elementary education and special education k-12 through Western Governors University. Aubree is extremely passionate about working with kids and has been working in the significant support needs special education program as a Paraprofessional/Health Technician at Highland High School for the past three years. Aubree aspires to become a significant support needs special education teacher once she earns her degree. In her free time, she enjoys working out, reading, and spending time with her family. Aubree is excited to be a part of the Hopelight team!

Elliott Turner is an educator and musician passionate about working with children to teach themselves to be their own leaders and role models. Elliott has seen firsthand how the power of playing and composing music, alongside psychology, can help develop self-confidence and improve communication skills, particularly students with ADHD and other behavioral issues. He teaches and plays guitar, piano, and string instruments, leads the choir and plays organ at his Church, and composes for anything from jazz band to orchestra. He earned his Master's of Music at the University of Northern Colorado, and his Bachelor's in Music from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Aside from working with kids and creating music, Elliott loves reading philosophy, hiking, and spending time with his wife, Keigan, and cat, Todd.

Isaac is a Colorado native who holds a Bachelor's degree from Fort Lewis College.  He joins Hopelight after spending a year with Saint Vrain Valley School District as a special needs bus operator.  Isaac has always had a passion for developing young minds and is excited for the opportunity to work with children to help them learn and practice new skills.  In his spare time, Isaac enjoys playing flag football and practicing photography in nature.

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Megan Hawkins is from Houston, Texas, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in History and Liberal Arts Management. She is currently furthering her education by pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University through their part-time online counseling program. She has been working in the mental health/social work field for almost a year and is excited to be building onto this experience with the team at Hopelight! In her free time, Megan enjoys reading, watching true crime documentaries, volunteering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and going outdoors to enjoy the Colorado sunshine with her dog Lucky!

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Alex grew up in southeast Michigan, and then went to school at Ohio Wesleyan University, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. He has worked with kids at summer camps, libraries, and day care centers. His mission is to help kids develop skills through engaging their unique passions and learning styles. He loves to garden, cook, play guitar, and spend time outside. He is excited to get to know Colorado and the families at Hopelight!

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Anita Birt is the Hopelight Behavioral Health Business Manager.  Anita is the first person any new parent or client speaks to when they first contact Hopelight Behavioral Health.  She talks parent's through the initial intake process and answers preliminary questions as well as handles all of the billing for insurances as well as private pay.  Anita's career began as a middle/high school teacher before spending two years as a college administrator.  She worked ten years at Longmont Medical Research Network as an admin assistant.  She is excited to return to the medical field and especially to be part of Hopelight!

Steve serves as the Medical Director of Hopelight Medical Clinic.  He is a Board Certified pediatrician and family medicine provider.  Steve is also the medical director for Philmont Boy Scouts Camp.  Steve oversees a dedicated staff of providers at Hopelight that gives individualized care and takes the time to listen to their patients.  

Sanonna just graduated high school and is taking a gap year to gain work experience. She has moved around multiple times throughout her life, but Colorado is her favorite state so far! She has a passion for creativity specifically, music, writing, and photography. She hopes to pursue a degree in Communications and use her work experience to help launch her own business.