Team
Downie Mathis is the owner of A Therapy Connection. She earned her B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of Texas at Austin (Hook 'em horns!), a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology from Texas Woman's University, and a Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis from University of North Texas. Downie wanted to practice everything she had learned in school, so she began her career working in public schools in the morning and hospitals and nursing homes in the evening, weekends and summers breaks. After gaining extensive experience in various settings working with patients across the life span, she accepted a job at an Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility where she served as Lead SLP and eventually Director of Clinical Services. Downie really enjoyed the outpatient setting and the valuable progress that can be made when seeing patients one-on-one in a controlled environment. In 2000, when she was working as a clinical director, she had a 3 year old patient with Autism at the clinic. His therapy team decided that he was too severe for therapy due to his aggressive behavior and wanted to discharge. When she received his paperwork, Downie was not comfortable with the idea of giving up on a three year old, so she put him on her own caseload so she could see for herself if there was anything at all that could be done. With the help of an outstanding OT (who is now our billing specialist!) they worked with him and his family until he was able to attend public school with inclusion and pull out support. This experience really spurred Downie to pursue opening a practice of her own where she could personally decide if a child was able to benefit from therapy and she could ensure that we do not give up on children and we do not leave their parents with nowhere to turn. If we can't serve your needs, we will lead you to someone who can. A year ago, Downie was having her house painted and that three year old, now a high school graduate, was working as an assistant to the painter and was a valued part of his team. He actually remembered Downie and it was one of her proudest moments as a speech pathologist. Downie tells her kids all the time, "My job is to make you a happy adult, not to make you a happy child right this minute!" I think this is so true in therapy, too. The hard work the patient and the care giver put in to therapy now- whether its rehab for a broken ankle, articulation therapy for a lisp, or intensive feeding therapy- will enhance their lives forever. At ATC our mission absolutely is "helping you provide the best possible future for your child!" In addition to managing ATC, Downie is a mom of two, a travel nut and a Musical Theater junkie!
Maria has been the official Manager at ATC since March 2011. In that time, she has gained the love and respect of our patients and most importantly their parents! Maria works with families to find therapists who will be the best fit at the best time for your schedule. She works to maximize insurance coverage for your services and she juggles all the complicated regulations and requirements to ensure our therapists know exactly what each payor needs in their reports to get the coverage you need. In short, she and her team make sure our therapist can do what they do best to give our patients what they need most; a comfortable and effective therapy experience. Maria and her husband have three girls and one boy who are her pride and joy. In her free time, Maria enjoys taking pictures, dancing, spending time with her family and volunteering at her church. Maria loves being able to help provide services to the community and those in need both at work and after hours.
Sherrie is the office assistant who is the credentialing specialist as well as Human Resources. She is our patient advocate and care coordinator. She assists patients in finding external resources in the community. She has a background in education but has a huge respect for the therapy community because of her personal connection due to her son that has special needs. She is an active volunteer with Miracle League of Frisco who serves children with disabilities. She loves to travel and see new places, eat new foods, and experience new things!
Brittney is our Director of Therapy. She is a speech pathologist with specialized training in pediatric feeding disorders and behavior modification therapy. Brittney earned her BS in Communication Disorders from The University of Houston where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and danced for the Cougar Dolls. Her Masters degree in Speech Pathology was earned at The University of Texas at Dallas. Upon graduation, Brittney began her career at Children’s Medical Center where she divided her time between the NICU and outpatient clinic. She joined ATC in 2011. Brittney has a special passion for working with children with feeding disorders and children who display difficult behaviors. Brittney spends lots of her free time shopping for fun Therapy materials on Amazon or Zulily. A new box of goodies arrives at the clinic at least once a week! When she isn’t at work, Brittney loves to travel. Be sure to ask her about her latest exotic vacation!
Traci is a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). She graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master’s degree from Texas Woman's University in Speech Pathology. Traci loves working with all of her patients and especially enjoys working with the pediatric population. She has a passion for working with children who have articulation, fluency, and picky eating issues. She has advanced training in the Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S) Approach to feeding and loves being able to help families enjoy mealtime. When she isn’t serving her patients, Traci loves spending time with her husband and two children watching Texas Tech football.
Meredith received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Minor in General Communication Studies at the University of Kansas. She attended The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, where she completed her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. During her time there, Meredith served as the President for the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. Meredith’s practicum experiences in graduate school included acute care, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, and home health. She gained valuable experiences across the lifespan in assessment and treatment in various communication disorders.
Callie is a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She then earned her Masters degree in Speech Pathology at The University of Texas at Dallas. Callie has experience working in inpatient, outpatient, and home health settings working with a wide variety of speech, language, and feeding/swallowing disorders in the pediatric population. Callie strives to improve the overall quality of life for her patients and their families by providing individualized treatment based on the specific needs of each child.
Yasi received her undergrad in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from University of Texas at Dallas and her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology at Texas Women’s University. She participated in a clinical rotation with us in 2021 and returned in early 2023 to complete her Clinical Fellowship with ATC. She has a special interest in feeding therapy and working with picky eaters. She also enjoys helping children get their message across in the way that best works for them. She is originally from Houston, TX and loves to travel, read, cook, and be a couch potato with her two cats. Yasi says her favorite thing about working at ATC is, “getting to be part of a multidisciplinary team and learning from each other to help the kids excel!”
Elyse found her passion for speech pathology after spending nine months living and volunteering in Greece at a speech therapy clinic. After that, she pursued her MS from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, in addition to her BA in Psychology from the University of Utah. Elyse enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling, as well as outdoor activities such as nature walks, going to the Arboretum, and learning about plants and gardening. She also has plans to write a children’s book series! Elyse is a fantastic addition to our team at ATC!
Jennifer is another born and raised Dallas Texan who received her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Texas Woman's University. While obtaining her degree, she took additional coursework in bilingual treatment and assessment, learning how different languages can be structurally influential on each other. She found this study of speech fascinating! She is completing her Clinical Fellowship with us and she says she loves working alongside her bilingual patients during her CF. She has a passion for working with Voice and AAC patients. Outside of ATC, Jennifer enjoys reading and learning how to knit and cross-stitch. She has been a valuable addition to our bilingual speech team!
Sarah joined the ATC team after completing her last clinical rotation here before graduating from The University of Texas at Dallas with her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology. Prior to this, she obtained her Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Texas at Austin, with a minor in Health Communications. Sarah wishes to continue as a lifelong learner alongside her patients. She has a special interest in feeding and swallowing disorders and is looking forward to gaining more experience in these fields at ATC. She is a Dallas native and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. To relax, she enjoys working on crossword puzzles, playing the guitar and piano, home workouts, and movie nights with her cat. Sarah loves the supportive environment that ATC provides with the opportunity to love and care for our patients and families each and every day.
Maddy received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Minor in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 2022. She earned her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2024 from the University of Texas at Dallas. Maddy’s practicum experiences during graduate school gave her a passion for working with children of all ages. She has a special interest in early childhood and school-age language development, as well as feeding and swallowing disorders. Additionally, through her experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder, Maddy feels strongly about integrating neurodiversity-affirming practices into her therapy. During her free time, Maddy loves to read, go to workout classes, and try new restaurants around Dallas!
Grace was born in our neighboring town of Rowlett, TX and since joining ATC, she has seen how our team is involved in each child’s individual care, where each discipline can collaborate to provide the best possible treatment plan. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of North Texas, then her Master's in Speech-Language Pathology from Abilene Christian University (Dallas). One of her clinical placements took place in Uganda, where she volunteered her time with the organization Hope Speaks. Her hobbies include baking, watching TV, and hanging out with her friends. Grace says she loves having the opportunity to learn from everyone at ATC and she has been a shining star here with us!
Canda earned her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Texas Woman’s University and began her career in speech therapy as a school-based SLP. She has a diverse background and brings many skills to our team! She has had the chance to work as an interpreter for the deaf, dabbled in project management, edited for a newspaper, and is a certified Texas teacher. Her experience in early childhood education has fostered her passion for supporting children's growth and learning as they develop their speech and language skills. Drawing on her background as an English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) teacher, she strives to integrate narrative skills into her therapy sessions to shape childrens’ literacy development. In her personal life, she and her husband share a love for travel, trying new restaurants, enjoying quality time with family and friends, and spoiling their nephew. Canda is enthusiastic about the opportunity to join A Therapy Connection, where she can contribute to the speech and language growth and development of your child!
Maithili received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from University of Mumbai, India. She specialized in developmental disabilities, and studied the effectiveness of tactile-auditory stimulation vs. kinesthetic-auditory stimulation in low birthweight preterm infants. She worked exclusively with kids having a wide range of disabilities including Autism, Cerebral palsy, ADHD, Genetic disorders and developmental delays. After moving to Dallas, Texas with her husband, she worked with older adults (she likes to call them "Older Kids") in skilled nursing, assisted living, and independent living facilities. She later took a course in Neurodevelopmental Treatment Techniques. Her passion to work with kids brought her to ATC and she is loving every minute of it!
Megan has always known that she wanted to work with children and make a difference in their lives. She grew up in southwest Missouri. She discovered occupational therapy while taking a health occupations class in high school and fell in love! She could not think of a better career than to work/play all day as an OT. She started her journey attending Ozarks Technical Community College and received her degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in 2017. She worked in several skilled nursing homes right after graduation, but she knew her heart was elsewhere. She decided to move to Dallas, Texas to expand her opportunities to work with children. She started working at A Therapy Connection in 2018 and continued to work as a COTA at ATC for 2 years before deciding to go back to school for her Master’s degree! She attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and graduated with her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege to work with children and adults of all ages and a wide variety of diagnoses. She loves working with children of all abilities and collaborating with families and other professionals to find creative and fun techniques to help children meet their goals and reach their fullest potential. She loves that she can continue to pursue her love for occupational therapy at A Therapy Connection!
Chantale is another Wyoming native who moved to Texas with her husband in 2019. Before her move, she worked in an outpatient day habitation where she fell in love with pediatrics and learned a lot about occupational therapy. She also provided case management for children and adults. After arriving in Texas, she specialized in pediatrics with a main focus on Autism Spectrum Disorders. She worked for local charter schools providing OT and later worked in home health for several years. She joined the ATC team in 2023 and loves being part of a multidisciplinary team and helping children meet their developmental milestones. She would like to certify in sensory and feeding techniques and continue learning from other OT’s and therapy disciplines. Chantale enjoys volunteering, crocheting and embroidery, baking, drawing and painting, and spending time with her three cats and husband.
Jessica obtained her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Texas Tech University, followed by her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Abilene Christian University. She was born in Singapore but spent most of her life in San Antonio. Before joining the ATC team, she gained experience in inpatient/outpatient rehab, Early Childhood Intervention, and outpatient pediatrics (which was her favorite!). She is an active person who enjoys going to the gym, watching sports, being outside, and hanging out with her family and friends. Jessica is most excited about working with the kiddos here at ATC and to join a team that feels like a family who all together helps kiddos be the best version of themselves! We are excited to have Jessica join our team!
Michaela graduated from Texas Christian University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Child Development, and later earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in Dallas in 2024. During her graduate studies, she gained valuable clinical experience in both inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient pediatrics. Her dedication to working with children was further solidified during her time as an outpatient pediatric rehab technician. Outside of work, Michaela enjoys traveling, cooking, and staying active. She is enthusiastic about empowering children to overcome challenges and reach their fullest potential.
Krystal is a North Texas native from Denton. She received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science at Oklahoma Baptist University. Following that, she attended Brightwood College in their Physical Therapist Assistant program where she graduated in 2018. She later took a course in Neurodevelopmental Treatment Techniques. Krystal always known she wanted to be in the physical therapy field from playing sports herself and enjoyed helping others return to activities they love. Krystal is an important member of the A Therapy Connection team and we are happy to have her as a part of Physical Therapy.
Joan has been with ATC since 2016 as a part time Physical Therapist. She graduated from the University of Texas at Galveston, School of Physical Therapy and spent 23 years working with Richardson ISD. She says she loves everything about physical therapy but specifically enjoys working with patients of all ages and stages and helping people get back on their feet and moving again. In her spare time, Joan relaxes by taking her dog on walks and visiting her 9 grandchildren. At ATC, she says she loves the comradery and the feeling of being a part of this amazing group.
Alexis received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science degree from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and then pursued her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in Austin, Texas. She was a collegiate soccer player, and she also held a Community Outreach position for the Student Physical Therapy Association at the USAHS from 2021-2022. Her clinical experience includes adult outpatient orthopedics, outpatient sports, and neurocritical care unit. She is excited to join the “friendly and supportive” ATC team so she can help the kiddos and assist them to accomplish their goals! When not working, Alexis enjoys playing soccer, going to the gym, reading, and taking care of house plants.
Kaitlyn was born and raised in Kansas. Kaitlyn attended Kansas State University where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology in 2018. She then continued onto the University of Saint Mary where she graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2021. Kaitlyn has experience working with patients with a wide range of diagnoses and ages. Kaitlyn is passionate about using her skills to make a difference in the lives of her patients and their families by helping them reach their full potential. In her free time, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, being outside, going to the gym and watching football and movies.
Alaina discovered the field of Applied Behavior Analysis in 2015 and found a passion for supporting children with autism and special needs, and their families, through working as a manager in various ABA centers over the years. She became a Registered Behavior Technician in 2021 and loves seeing children grow and learn new skills, and especially loves seeing the moment when “the lightbulb clicks”. She joined the ATC team at the start of 2023 to help open and manage the new Dallas location, as well as manage the ABA program, and she excited to help expand our service area to provide therapy to children in need!
Farmeen joined the ATC family to jump start our Applied Behavior Analysis program. She is excited to join a team of several different disciplines, allowing coordination care for the whole child. She is originally from India and has her Masters in Microbiology. She has been in the field of ABA since 2006 and obtained her BCBA certification in 2012. She specializes in teaching verbal behavior and parent training. She is a constant learner and wants to continue to gain professional knowledge in the field of ABA, as well as gain more experience working with the teenage and adult population on the Autism Spectrum. Here at ATC, she is looking forward to providing high quality ABA services to our clients, provide informative parent training, and help generalize skills of children from the clinic to a variety of settings such as at home and in the community. To relax, Farmeen enjoys going on walks with her family pet and the occasional foster dog, and volunteering in pet shelters.
Rashini graduated from University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with minors in Neuroscience and Social Justice and Social Welfare. She has always been interested in different types of therapy and ABA remains one of her favorites! Her favorite thing about ATC is being able to build community with the children she works with and their loved ones. She is a third culture kid, raised in Dubai, U.A.E. and born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Rashini has a black cat named Salem and loves to try new foods!
Heylin was born in Honduras, grew up in New Jersey, and moved to Texas at the start of 2024; which landed her here at ATC. Up north, she worked in a GYN/Family practice and then a physical therapy clinic. Being exposed to physical therapy sparked an interest in the field and Heylin attended massage therapy school. She spends most of her free time hanging out with her son, who has ADHD and has opened her mind to a “completely different world.” She’s kind, spontaneous, and loves to cook and bake new foods. Her favorite thing about ATC is that everyone is friendly and that we have a family-based environment. Plus, she loves all the kids she gets to interact with at the front desk!
Ally grew up here in Dallas but was born in Mexico City, Mexico. She has previously worked in pediatric medical offices, a behavioral hospital, private schools and daycares, and she once worked at a gourmet chocolate factory, which she says made her feel like Willy Wonka! Fitting, because she LOVES to bake! She enjoys watching hockey (Go Stars!) and she likes learning about cosmetics. She has a 5-year-old daughter, who is her everything. They love spending time together and exploring new things. Since joining the ATC team, Ally says she loves how nice and welcoming everybody is and how the team is always willing to help each other. She feels at home, and we adore having her here!
Monique is our Billing Representatives who is our behind the scenes claims navigator. She keeps her eyes on insurance claims as they come in to make sure our families get the most out of their benefits. She is originally from Philadelphia and she enjoys cross-stitching and reading in her spare time.