Our Team

Administration

Chris Truelove
Executive Director

Leadership Rutherford Graduate
B.S. from University of North Alabama
M.S. from Middle Tennessee State University
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“I am extremely blessed. My walk with Christ has deepened tremendously since joining the staff in 2000. I have witnessed God's hand move through compassion, protection, and deliverance so many times at Special Kids. Christ's love for children has impacted my walk as well. I can not imagine serving anywhere else. With God's grace, maybe I will be able to spend my entire career with Him at Special Kids."

B.S. in Music Business and Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University
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"I am so blessed to have the opportunity to work at Special Kids. You can see God working in the lives of the children, the families and in anyone that is involved wtih Special Kids. I love working with people so dedicated to the same mission...'serving Jesus Christ by caring for His children.'"

Family Services Coordinators     

Sheri Weber
Family Services Coordinator

B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University
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Development Team 

Sharon Jones
Director of Development

B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Tennessee
M.B.A. from Belmont University
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“Being a part of the team at Special Kids is a blessing.  I enjoy seeing the Lord work through this ministry and serving the children and families of our community.”

Stephanie Folkmann
Director of Marketing

B.S. in Mass Communication from Middle Tennessee State University
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“I love being at Special Kids. It is amazing to know that my work is serving God by caring for his children.”

Jan Parker
Director of Foundational Investments

B.S. in Business with emphasis in Accounting from University of Tennessee.
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"It is a true blessing to be part of the Special Kids team where serving Jesus Christ through ministering to these precious children and families is our focus. Seeing the children and knowing that I play a small part in helping make a difference in their lives is a very rewarding feeling. I am honored to be a part of this team."

Noel Deal
Director of Major Investors

B.A. in Communications and Media Studies from Georgetown College
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"Special Kids is a wonderful and exciting place to be! The staff is a great group of loving, caring people and I look forward to work every day knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of these children."

Toni Laubacher
Development Assistant, Volunteer Coordinator

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"I am very blessed to be a part of a wonderful group of people doing amazing things for so many children in our community."

Ginger Warf
Marketing Specialist

B.S. in Mass Communication and Foreign Languages and Literatures from Middle Tennessee State University
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"I love knowing that God placed me at Special Kids for His purposes and glory. It is a blessing to be part of this ministry and to serve Jesus Christ by caring for His children."

Sharon Perry
Director of Team A.S.K.

B.S. in Management and Human Relations from Trevecca University
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"I fell so fortunate to see the Lord's work to care for His precious children lived out in this ministry. My motivation comes from knowing there are so many more families seeking the care and support that Special Kids can offer. Only God could forsee the win/win senario of pairing an athlete with a child partner and bless them both as they push through their own physical challenges for this season on His wonderful earth." 

Kristen Jackson
Team A.S.K. Specialist

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"I am so blessed to be a part of this ministry at Special Kids. I love to watch the Lord work with these precious children and families in our community."

Billing Department

Sandy Harris
Billing Specialist

Karen Osborne
Billing Specialist

Speech Language Pathology

Susan Spires
Director of Rehabilitation

M.S. from Vanderbilt University
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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”I feel very fortunate to be a part of an organization where service to children and families is truly the mission – not
an advertising campaign. The administrators, support staff, therapists, and nurses are the most dedicated people I have known and are an inspiration to work with.”

Andrea Cooper Terry
Speech-Language Pathologist

M.S., CCC-SLP
Certified Therapy Provider for SpeechEasy devices.
M.S. in Communication Disorders from Western Kentucky University
American Speech-Language Hearing Association

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”Special Kids has a strong family-oriented atmosphere that makes working here fun. As a professional, it’s great to have other disciplines in-house, allowing us to truly treat the whole child. God has certainly blessed me by leading me to work at Special Kids."

Michelle McGaughy
Speech-Language Pathologist

M.A., CCC-SLP
B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University
M.A in Speech Pathology from University of Tennessee at Knoxville

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"It’s wonderful to work in a facility that places so much emphasis on treating a child’s needs physically, emotionally, and most importantly, spiritually. I love seeing the children progress and reach their potential."

Eva Wojcik   
Speech-Language Pathologist

M.S., CCC-SLP
M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from University of Central Arkansas
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“I believe in the mission of Special Kids and feel blessed to have the opportunity to serve the Lord by teaching others to communicate.”

Laura Nabours
Speech-Language Pathologist

Natalie George
Speech-Language Pathologist

M.S., CF-SLP
B.S. in Communication Disorders from Middle Tennessee State University
M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Email: ngeorge@specialkidstn.com 

"Special Kids is a wonderful place to work! The team at Special Kids is composed of some of the best people I have met. Everyone is focused on the child and the family and how we can best serve them. I feel blessed to be able to say that I love my job."

M.S., CCC-SLP
A.S. from Columbia State Community College
B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University
M.S. from Tennessee State University
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"Being an employee at Special Kids has been the most exciting and rewarding experience. I love working with the children and their families to improve their communication skills. Special Kids has also helped me to grow as a Christian. I feel honored to be associated with this amazing ministry!"

Emily Thomas
Speech Language Pathologist

CF-SLP
B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University
M.A. from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville
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Occupational Therapy

Stephanie Watt
Lead Occupational Therapist

OTD, OTR/L
B.S. in Social Work from Southeast Missouri State University 
Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Belmont University
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”Special Kids is more that just a place to come and work. It is a place to come and serve the Lord’s precious children in a loving environment.”    

Rebecca Sellers
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

COTA/L
Associate Degree in Occupational Therapy from Nashville State Community College
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"I feel so blessed to be part of the Special Kids team. It is the perfect blend of professionalism and family."

Physical Therapy

Julie Kniss         
Lead Physical Therapist

M.S. in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College
B.S. in Clinical Science from Ithaca College
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“Being part of the Special Kids team means being able to serve the Lord our God, doing something that I love—every day. It means a lot to me to be part of such a wonderful group of people, who make a difference in the lives of our children and their families every day.”

Stephanie Morgan
Physical Therapist Assistant

Skilled Nursing 

Alexis Ramsey
Director of Skilled Nursing

CTRS
B.S. in Leisured Recreation Services with a concentration in Recreation Therapy from Middle Tennessee State University
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"Working at Special Kids has been such a blessing in my life. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest children and staff I have every met, while doing something I truly love. Each Day has increased my faith and brought me closer to God. Who could ask for anything better than that?!"

Registered Nurse
A.D.N. from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Memphis 
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Certified
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"I love working at Special Kids. It has been a "sanctuary of sorts" especially during the past few years as the Lord has encouraged and loved me through some very difficult times. He has surrounded me with amazing co-workers and incredible children who have taught me the true meaning of grace and love. I began working at Special Kids when we opened in 1998, and it has been a blessing--- not just a job!"

Alicia Donaldson
Registered Nurse

B.S.N. from Cumberland University
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"Special Kids is the only place I've ever worked where I enjoy coming to work everyday. The Lord blesses me through the kids, their families, & through my co-workers on a daily basis. I am so thankful to Him for leading me here."

Stephanie Gannar
Nurse Technician

B.S. in Communications Disorders from Middle Tennessee State University
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Susan Bidwell
Registered Nurse

ICU/CCU experience, 6 years at Special Kids
Associates Degree Nursing, B. A.
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Hope Thomas
Nurse Technician

Currently a Student at MTSU in Nursing
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”Working at Special Kids means working for the Lord and for these children. These kids are a blessing not only to their families but to the staff as well. I am blessed to have such a great staff to work with.”

Diana Nevills
Registered Nurse

B.S.N. from Middle Tennessee State University
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"I have been a nurse at Special Kids for eight years, and these kids never cease to amaze me. Miraculous things truly happen here, from a child tolerating a feeding to one taking first steps that were not 'supposed' to ever be taken. I know that God's hands are here every day, and I am blessed to be able to be here and witness some of those miracles."

Jessica Beecham
Recreational Therapist

CTRS

Michelle Pitts
Recreational Therapist

B.A. in Social Work
M.S. in Health Physical Education & Recreation with a concentration in Recreational Therapy
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"I am encouraged everyday by somehting that is said by another staff or child, and I get to see Jesus working here on a daily basis. It is such a blessing to be able to serve Him in this place."

Laura Wade
Nurse Aide

MTSU Student
Graduating in 2010 with B.S. in Child Development and Family Studies
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"Working at Special Kids means witnessing God's amazing miracles each day in the children I work with and being around loving and supportive co-workers."