Staff – Mansfield

Mahlon became a certified occupational therapy assistant in 2015, graduating from Navarro College with Cum Laude honors, where he received his Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational therapy. In 2021 Mahlon completed his Masters program bridging from an assistant to a Certified Occupational Therapist. He has worked in a skilled nursing facility and a sensory-based pediatric outpatient clinic. Mahlon is certified in Interactive Metronome and is in the process of completing his certification in Handwriting Without Tears. His many years of experience as an  occupational therapy assistant gives him a unique perspective and level of excellence going into his time with us as an Occupational Therapist.

Mahlon’s Certifications and Specialties include Masgutova NeuroSensory Reflex Integration, Handwriting Without Tears, CranioSacral Therapy, Sensory Integration, Interactive Metronome and The Listening Program.

McKenzie graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology. She then graduated from Parker University in 2020 with an Associate’s of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant. She completed her Level II fieldwork rotation at Cutting Edge in 2020. Throughout her clinical experience, McKenzie has gained knowledge with a variety of diagnoses including Autism, Downs Syndrome, and multiple other syndromes and diagnoses. She has always had a passion for pediatrics after working with students in the special education program at her middle school. McKenzie enjoys learning how to better serve her patients by taking continuing education courses in her free time. When she is not at CEPT, McKenzie enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors.

McKenzie’s Certifications and Specialties include Safety Care.

Shalee graduated from Navarro college’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program in 2022 with an Associate degree in applied science. As a student, she completed her level 2 fieldwork rotation at Cutting Edge. Shalee loves working with pediatrics and partnering with families to provide tools for success in their child’s daily life.

Shalee is a long-term resident of Mansfield where she lives with her Husband, Son, Golden/Pyrenees, and a leopard gecko. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, photography, art, and music.

Stephanie graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in Neuroscience and Business. After graduating, she worked as a registered behavioral therapist (RBT) for one year while completing post-baccalaureate classes at the University of North Texas to transition into the field of Speech-Language Pathology. She then began graduate school at the University of North Texas and completed her final practicum placement at Cutting Edge! Stephanie earned her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2021 and also holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Stephanie has worked with pediatrics and adults of all ages in a variety of settings and has experience evaluating and treating language, articulation, phonology, fluency, feeding, and social communication disorders. Stephanie has experience providing speech therapy to children diagnosed with various syndromes, developmental disorders, and Autism Spectrum Disorder in which she enjoys incorporating behavior principles and sensory rich environments to help her patients succeed and thrive in all environments. Stephanie is trained and educated in Gestalt Language Processing and the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) Framework; she is listed as an NLA Trained Clinician through the Meaningful Speech website. Stephanie also has advanced clinical training in the PROMPT approach for treatment of childhood apraxia of speech. She has experience working with various AAC systems.

Her favorite part about being an SLP is seeing her patients reach their full potential and building relationships with her patients and their families throughout the course of therapy. Stephanie’s approach to therapy is child-led in order to develop strong trusting relationships between herself and her patients.

Stephanie’s Certifications and Specialties include Certified Autism Specialist (CAS), Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPTS), Gestalt Language Processing/Natural Language Acquisition, Safety Care (Specialist and Trainer), and Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning (LAMP) Words for Life.

Wendy Sharp received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders from Abilene Christian University, a Master of Science in Special Education from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Tennessee State University.  She has held her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) since 2004. Wendy has always had a passion for helping children reach their full potential and has been able to do that through her work as a Speech Language Pathologist in the public school system as well as pediatric in-home therapy. She has experience providing therapy with a focus on language, social skills, articulation, fluency, and a variety of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (from low-tech to high tech). Wendy loves to travel and was fortunate to combine her love of travel and her career while working as a travel SLP over the last several years. As a travel therapist, she was able to work/live in a variety of states including Tennessee, Maryland, California, and even Alaska before returning back to where it all began in Texas in 2019. Wendy is excited to be a part of the Cutting Edge team and looks forward to helping your child achieve their goals!

Faith Hawkins received her Master of Science in Speech-Language-Pathology from Baylor University in 2022. She began her career as a Speech Pathologist by joining the Cutting Edge team in 2022 as a Clinical Fellow and now holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Faith has always enjoyed working with children and loves building rapport with her clients. Faith has experience in multiple settings evaluating and treating both pediatric and adult populations. Specifically, she has experience providing treatment to individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), expressive/receptive language disorders, speech sound disorders, feeding disorders, and stuttering disorders.

She enjoys working in a collaborative setting and work with Occupational and Physical therapy to maximize the child’s treatment experience. She is delighted to work with children and have a positive impact on them and their families’ lives.

Faith also holds certifications in QBS Safety Care and the SOS Approach to Feeding.

Tianna Stephenson is a Speech-Language Pathology graduate from Milton Massachusetts. She was born in the Caribbean and moved to Massachusetts with her family at a young age. She attended Temple University and received her B.A. in Communications Sciences and Disorders. Post undergrad, she worked as an SLPA for 2 years before deciding to make the move to Texas for grad school at Hardin-Simmons University. Tianna has experience working with pediatric and adult clients across settings and is passionate about pediatric feeding therapy and AAC. In her free time Tianna enjoys cooking, running, and expanding her plant collection!

Kylie Bena graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 2021 with her Bachelor of Behavioral Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, then graduated from Abilene Christian University-Dallas in 2023 with her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. Kylie is starting off her career as a Clinical Fellow (CF) at Cutting Edge, on the way to earning her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). During undergraduate and graduate school, she gained experience working with individuals across the lifespan, however, she has always had a heart for the pediatric population. Kylie has experience working with receptive/expressive disorders, speech sound disorders, autism, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), fluency, and more! She has a passion for helping individuals and cannot wait to meet all the kids at Cutting Edge! Kylie is looking forward to gaining more certifications and experience working in this setting with the pediatric population. She is excited to meet everyone and begin treatment!

Beth Ward has been in clinical practice in Pediatric Physical Therapy since graduating from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois in 1970.  She worked in Home Health and in an Easter Seal out-patient clinic program in Chicago before her family relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada.  In Las Vegas she was the Owner/Manager of 3 Pediatric clinics that offered Speech, Occupational and Physical therapy to the families of children with a wide variety of special needs.  In 2013 she moved to Texas to be closer to family and continues her work in Pediatric Physical Therapy.

Beth considers herself to be a life-time learner and has taken the opportunity to develop clinical skills in diverse areas.  She has a particular interest in Cranio-sacral Therapy and has taken many other courses over the years in such areas as Yoga for the Special Needs Child and Neurobiological Approaches to treatment.  Some of the most important learning along the way has come from the children and their families with whom she has been privileged to serve.

Beth’s Certifications and Specialties include Craniosacral Therapy, MFR, Toe Walking, Yoga for Special Need, Joint & Soft Tissue Mobilization, Dynamic AFO Casting, and Measure for Orthotics.

Lezi graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. While at UTA she discovered her passion for pediatrics as she volunteered at a motor skill intervention program for children with movement and coordination difficulties. Lezi received the degree of Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2021. Her favorite part of being a PT is being able to encourage children to learn new skills that carry over into their everyday activities. She enjoys collaborating with other therapists to provide patients with the best possible care and is excited to be a part of the Cutting Edge team!

Mycah graduated from Navarro College’s Physical Therapy Assistant program in 2021 with an Associate degree in applied science. She has a passion for physical therapy rooted in personal experience from a sports injury at a young age. Mycah has experience working with children in various settings and has always taken an interest in helping them reach their full potential. Her favorite part of her job is seeing personal growth in our kids, creating a fun/safe environment for all, and collaborating with the occupational and speech therapy teams to maximize the best care possible. Mycah has continued her education to primary reflex integration and safety care training. She is also the Mansfield representative Ambassador of Fun!

Nicole is a native Texan! She has grew up in Arlington & lived in DFW all her life. She is a graduate of UTA with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. Nicole has worked with adults & children the last fourteen years, including both the mental health & medical sides. She started working with children while she was at home health organization, but finds the setting of outpatient facility more rewarding. To see the growth of a child up close reminds her as to why she choose this career path.

When not at work Nicole like to spend time with her family & friends. When the opportunity arises they like to take small trips, anything from the big city lights to the quiet country! She likes to cook, but enjoys baking the most. Nicole also enjoys crafting & DIY projects, however, sometimes it doesn’t always turn out as expected but likes the challenge.

She has really enjoyed the last few year at CEPT & cannot wait to see what the future holds. Nicole has been at the Mansfield location & has seen the growth it has had since they opened their doors. She has met many wonderful families & hopes that she has made a difference in their lives.

Bethanie has been with CEPT since 2023 starting as Office Manager. She has been dedicated to the world of physical therapy since 2020 and working with children has stolen her heart! Their resilience and endless energy inspire her every day. She has been honing her organizational skills and attention to detail in the medical office administration field since 2013. Creating order out of chaos is her specialty, and she is here to ensure that your experience with CEPT is nothing short of amazing. With a heart full of joy and a passion for making a difference, she is thrilled to be part of this amazing team. When she is not busy keeping our clinic in tip-top shape, you’ll find her conquering new hiking trails, diving into captivating books, whipping up delicious meals in the kitchen, or immersing herself in the virtual worlds of video games. So, whether it’s coordinating appointments, brightening up your day with a warm smile, or sharing her latest hiking adventure, she is here to make your journey at our clinic as smooth and delightful as can be!

Paola has been with Cutting Edge since September 2019. She has worn many hats with Cutting Edge starting as an Office Coordinator to a Client Care Services Coordinator, Senior Office Coordinator, Office Manager, and has now taken on the role as Senior Administrative Assistant. Paola is also currently pursuing her bachelor’s in healthcare management and is expected to graduate in 2024. Although she is a part of our administrative team, Paola loves interacting with patients and building relationships with our families. If she has not already, Paola is looking forward to meeting your family!

Zita is proud to have been born and raised in New Orleans. After moving to the DFW, she began gaining medical office experience while working towards her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, which she earned in 2018. Through her studies, she gained experience in an internship doing research on pediatric motor development. As a result, along with several volunteer experiences, Zita has found a passion for serving the pediatric community and working in the therapy world. She recently graduated with a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree in 2022 and is preparing to become a licensed therapist as she continues to serve the families of Cutting Edge in an administrative role. Zita looks forward to working with your family!

Jackie Kelley was born in Oklahoma but has been raised in Texas for the majority of her life. Not long after graduating high school she enrolled and graduated from the College of Health Care Professions where she studied to become a radiologic technologist. While working as an x-ray tech she learned she had a greater passion for the admissions side of the medical field and have since been growing and acquiring knowledge to be the best office coordinator she can be. Outside of work she is a mother to two beautiful babies and loves getting to watch them grow and flourish every day.

Sierra Ramirez is a spouse to an Army veteran and a mom to 3 boys and 5 dogs. Sierra has been working as medical front office professional since 2019. During her free time, she volunteers with her sons’ Boy Scout troop and helps with PTA functions with her sons’ school.

Emily received her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Texas at Arlington. She plans to go back to school to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA). She has a great passion for children and has coached competitive gymnastics for six years. In her free time, she loves to take her dachshund on walks at the park!