Meet the Staff at Strides Pediatric Therapy
Learn More About our Pediatric Therapy Team
Elizabeth Lebrecht, MA-Leadership Studies
Co-Founder -- President
Elizabeth graduated with a bachelor’s in Biology and Marine Science and a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies degree from the University of San Diego. She has experience in education and human resources departments, in assisting with starting and operating a small business, and in running a very busy family of six.
Elizabeth’s passion lies in being a mother and raising her children. A few years ago, Elizabeth’s oldest daughter fought and won a tough battle with stage four lymphoma. Through that experience, she learned just how difficult it is to watch your child struggle, but she also learned just how comforting it is to find a facility and a team that can help. This experience, as well as her passion for being a parent, led Elizabeth to start Strides, as she wanted to offer an organization that gives parents confidence and comfort that their child is receiving the best care available to them.
Elizabeth has ridden horses since she was a child and watched three of her children enjoy a passion for horses and the benefits that brought. She still enjoys riding to this day, and in her free time she is either watching one of her children’s sporting events or spending time outside.
Marley Juarez, CMHC, CTRI
Co-Founder -- Director of Operations
Marley has years of experience working in the mental health field in a residential treatment setting. She graduated with a double bachelors degree from the University of Utah, and graduated with her Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling Degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston after completing her internship at Strides Pediatric Therapy. She is also a PATH certified therapeutic riding instructor.
She has ridden horses since she was five, has competed in the sport, and has taught riding lessons. She has seen the benefits that a relationship with horses had on both her own life, and the lives of her riding students and residential patients. She brings her passion for mental health and horses into her role at Strides, and is excited to see the joy the kids have as they build their independence and accomplish new things. Marley specializes in working with children under the age of six as well as kids with disabilities. She works with behavioral challenges, OCD, severe anxieties and phobias, parenting coaching, and more. Outside of work, Marley enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and toy Australian Shepherds, Nelson and Benson.
Kacie Preysz, MOT, OTR/L
Co-Founder -- Director of Clinical Services
Kacie is passionate about occupational therapy and has centered her life around it. She graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2009 with a Masters in Occupational Therapy and has continued to expand her skill sets since. She has worked in a variety of settings, including inpatient rehab – adult and pediatric, and long term care, but her heart belongs to outpatient pediatric rehab. She has been working in pediatrics since 2010 with years of experience incorporating equine movement as a treatment tool. She has taken many courses through the American Hippotherapy Association to grow her skill set and has served as a mentor for therapists in a variety of practice areas with an emphasis on sensory processing and hippotherapy. In 2019, she became an AHCB board certified therapist with the American Hippotherapy Certification board as well as a Registered Therapist with PATH, Intl. Her passion for horses started later in life but grew exponentially when she saw the power of incorporating equine movement into therapy sessions while living in Georgia. The benefit of the child/horse relationship is extraordinary and is what has driven Kacie’s ongoing passion to make this intervention more readily available. Kacie’s areas of expertise and interest are sensory processing, behavior management and coordination disorders.
Grace Lebrecht, ACMHC, TRS, CTRS
Co-Founder -- Mental Health Therapist
Grace graduated from the University of Utah with her bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy. She is a state licensed and nationally certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. She completed her Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She specializes in working with elementary and pre-teen aged children with emotional regulation challenges, executive functioning goals, self-esteem issues, social challenges, and more. She has years of experience working with horses, riding competitively since the age of 10 and teaching riding lessons for several years. Her passion for horses and a love for working with children drive her role at Strides. She is excited to see the changes and progress the kids make as they develop new skills and meet their goals. In her free time, Grace enjoys riding her horses, playing with her dog and being outside with friends and family.
Melissa Garrity, CCC-SLP
Speech Therapist
Melissa is a nationally certified and state licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. She obtained her master's degree from the University of South Florida. Melissa has years of experience working with pediatrics. Melissa has a focus on Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) device evaluation and implementation, as well as training in treating speech, language, and feeding disorders for children with a wide variety of disorders and challenges. Melissa completed her Level I hippotherapy training through the American Hippotherapy Association. Melissa’s admiration for hippotherapy stems from seeing it as a more comprehensive treatment than conventional therapy approaches. Melissa appreciates how incorporating hippotherapy supports sensory integration, attention, and cognition as well as targets traditional speech, language, and feeding goals. Melissa understands the positive impact that a horse can have on the child’s confidence, communication, and motivation. Melissa’s passion for speech and language therapy comes from her belief that everyone deserves to have a voice. On the weekends, Melissa enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her animals, and eating ice cream.
Krissy Andrus, CCC-SLP, CMT
Speech Therapist
Krissy obtained her master's of science degree in Speech Language Pathology from Brigham Young University in Provo and completed her Clinical Fellowship here at Strides. She is thrilled to be carrying out her lifelong dream of helping families and individuals communicate and connect in meaningful ways. Krissy is also a certified myofunctional therapist, and specializes in feeding and swallowing challenges. Krissy works with kids of all ages, from newborn to adolescent, and has helped many kids make changes and progress they didn’t even know was possible. Krissy grew up on a small farm in Idaho and has a great appreciation for the country and the great outdoors. She has seen the positive impact of hippotherapy first hand as her little brother's language, mobility, and confidence has grown exponentially through his participation in it the past 10 years. In her spare time, Krissy loves spending time in the mountains, reading, tinkering, and having dance parties with her husband and children.
Stacie Bryant, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Stacie was born and raised in Salt Lake City, and has had many adventures living outside of Utah before returning back “home”. She graduated from BYU-Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science, and from the University of Utah with a Master of Occupational Therapy. She moved to Arizona after graduation and worked in home health and outpatient pediatrics, where she discovered her passion for working with children with autism and sensory processing disorders. Stacie enjoys working with children and families in order to increase independence and quality of life. Stacie’s specialties include sensory integration, feeding, emotional regulation, and vision therapy. Stacie loves animals and nature, and has always searched for ways to integrate these passions into helping children. She is excited to begin the process of completing the level I hippotherapy training through the American Hippotherapy Association. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, running, being at the beach, and spending time with her family.
Brooke Hartman, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Brooke recently graduated with her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Columbia University in New York City. She completed her Level II Fieldwork experience at Strides and joined the team as soon as she graduated! She is originally from Nebraska but has settled long term in Utah after her graduate school adventure in the big apple. Brooke is passionate about about working with children on a variety of goals and needs, and specializes in sensory integration, executive functioning, feeding, and emotional regulation. Brooke has a special talent for working with teenagers and making them feel valued and independent during treatment. She is excited to begin the process of completing the level I training through the American Hippotherapy Association.In her spare time, she enjoys baking, rock climbing, and running, as well as being a dog mom to her boy Harry.
Kaela Fischer, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Kaela is originally from Colorado and grew up loving the outdoors, especially from the back of a horse. She received her bachelors in Kinesiology from the University of Wyoming where she was part of the equestrian team. She then went on a cross-country adventure to the University of New England in Maine to get her doctorate of physical therapy. While there she was able to complete a LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) program. This program provided interdisciplinary training to enhance the clinical expertise and leadership skills of professionals dedicated to caring for children with neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities including autism. This program taught her how essential interprofessional family centered care is to helping children reach their full potential. Kaela has worked in pediatrics since 2013 in a variety of settings and loves the zeal that children have for life. She is in the process of completing the level I hippotherapy training through the American Hippotherapy Association. In her spare time she loves exploring the mountains of Utah with her dog, reading, baking and of course riding horses.
Dawn Armstrong, CMHC
Mental Health Therapist
Dawn grew up in Montana and came to Salt Lake to attend the University of Utah. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and later attended Walden University for her Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is now a Nationally Board-Certified Counselor. A lot of her experience is working directly with children with autism and co-occurring disorders and their families. Dawn has had experience providing direct ABA treatment, individual therapy, developing and monitoring treatment plans, and providing parent education. Dawn conducts thorough biopsychosocial evaluations to aide in diagnostic formulation as a springboard for treatment. She has several years in program management in both Salt Lake and Utah counties. Dawn is passionate about providing comprehensive and collaborative services with parents and providers in order to maximize the abilities for all children and their families. Dawn is excited to incorporate equine facilitated psychotherapy as an integrative treatment modality alongside the Strides team. Dawn enjoys being outdoors, camping, and hiking with her family and four dogs!
Sara Jones, PMHNP-BC, BSN, RN
Mental Health Therapist
Sara Jones graduated from the University of Louisville with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While working as a pediatric ICU nurse, she saw a great need for holistic mental health care. She later went on to achieve her master’s degree as a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner from Northern Kentucky University.
Sara has experience providing mental health care on the Inpatient Adolescent Units at Huntsman Mental Health Institute and outpatient care to people of all ages. Sara has been working with horses her whole life and firsthand felt their healing power. She is passionate about facilitating equine assisted psychotherapy to help clients form a deeper connection with themselves and others. Sara is level 1 trained with Natural Lifemanship and is currently working on her level 2 training, furthering her education in equine assisted psychotherapy. Sara specializes in providing trauma informed care. Sara EMDR to help clients work through traumatic events life has thrown their way, as well as other applications that research is showing EMDR is beneficial for.
Sara is passionate about helping clients make healthy lifestyle choices, pursue physical health, community connection, resiliency, and self-esteem. Sara spends her free time in the mountains with her horse, two dogs, and partner. She loves to trail run, ski, trail ride, climb and hike.
Lexi Boyd, CSW
Mental Health Therapist
Originally from Las Vegas, Lexi made the move to Utah in 2019 to embark on her academic journey at Utah Valley University. She proudly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and recently completed her Master’s degree in Social Work in May. Lexi's dedication to the mental health field began early in her career, where she worked as a caregiver, recreation technician, and behavior technician. These experiences deepened her compassion for individuals from diverse backgrounds and solidified her desire to connect with them on a more meaningful level.
Lexi is skilled in various therapeutic approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and solutions-focused therapy. With a heart for children, she thrives in helping them embrace their individuality by exploring their values and self-worth. Lexi takes pride in building strong relationships with her young clients to develop personalized treatment plans that cater to their unique needs. She believes that children are not problems to be fixed but individuals to be understood and supported.
In her free time, Lexi enjoys baking, hiking, reading, playing pickleball, and snowboarding. However, she finds the most joy when surrounded by her loved ones. Her motto is, "I could be doing anything as long as I'm with a good group of people," reflecting her belief in the power of connection and community.
Mackenzie Hymas, CCC-SLP
Speech Therapist
Mackenzie is extremely passionate about speech and language pathology as she feels her entire life has prepared her for what has become a deep love and passion for the field. She has personally seen the impact that a speech pathologist can have on someone’s life as her mother is profoundly deaf. Due to the hard work of dedicated professionals, Mackenzie is able to communicate comfortably with her mom and she, with others. Mackenzie cherishes the ability to serve and work with families to help bring about the joy and gift of communication. She likes to joke that she “cannot turn off her speech brain” and often finds herself doing language intervention with all children, including children standing in lines at Disneyland. Mackenzie grew up in a small town in Northern Wyoming and feels right at home at Strides. She is a proud Aggie, graduating with both her undergraduate and Master’s Degree from Utah State University. Mackenzie loves spending time with her husband, singing, and playing pickleball, and volleyball.
Allyson Bennett, CCC-SLP
Speech Therapist
Allyson grew up in Idaho and Texas and has been in Utah since she moved here to attend BYU, where she received her Master's of Science in Communication Disorders. Allyson is passionate about communication and was drawn to the field of speech therapy out of her desire to help every child reach their full potential and engage with the people around them. She has experience working with children of various ages and abilities. Through her thesis research, she developed a special interest in social communication and language impairment in school aged children. Allyson serves as a supervisor and teacher for other speech therapists here at Strides, lending her years of experience and passion for language to the learning experience. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and watching her daughters try new things.
Rachel Callihan, TRS, CTRS
Office Administrator, Recreational Therapist
Rachel is passionate about bringing hope, meaning, happiness, and fun to the lives of others through recreation. She received her bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation with an emphasis on At-Risk Youth from BYU-I. Originally from Indiana, she grew up attending her local 4-H club, playing soccer, and participating in a drama troupe. Rachel started riding horses at a young age and learned firsthand how empowering horses can be. She enjoys working with kids of all ages teaching things like confidence, self-esteem, emotional regulation, social skills, and how to find leisure in life. When she isn't riding horses, she enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, hiking, and painting!
Kaydee Arnold, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Kaydee was born and raised in northern Louisiana, where her family has a small cattle farm. After college, Kaydee received her Master’s of Occupational Therapy from Louisiana State University- New Orleans. She then moved to Dallas, Texas and practiced Occupational Therapy with a focus in pediatrics, specifically working with children with autism. Here she developed a passion for sensory integration, aiding older clients with transitioning to adulthood, and the functional impacts of retained primitive reflexes.
She then began to pursue travel therapy where she has fulfilled pediatric contracts in Idaho and Massachusetts. After traveling in the west, Kaydee gained a newfound appreciation for the outdoors and decided to make a home in Utah, where she can combine her passion for nature, animals, and pediatric therapy. Kaydee is excited to join the Strides team and incorporate her passions into therapy. In her spare time you can find her drawing, painting, hiking, and traveling.
Kyler Saunders, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Kyler grew up in a small farming town called Newton, Utah. He developed a love for animals and the outdoors with his involvement in the 4H club, boy scouts, and camping with his family. His love for Physical Therapy began at the age of three when his brother was born with severe cerebral palsy from an undiagnosed genetic condition. Kyler would tag along to physical therapy appointments where he saw therapy as a fun and exciting environment where children were able to play all day to learn new skills. As he grew up, he had a second sibling born with the same disability, which increased his time spent in physical therapy and ultimately created his dream of becoming a physical therapist. Kyler also played sports through highschool. He was a linebacker on his football team and a state level track athlete in the Javelin event. Through his experience with sports, he suffered a severe ACL injury that led him to four knee surgeries and 28 months of physical therapy. This only furthered his appreciation for this field of medicine. Kyler attended Dixie State University where he obtained his Bachelor in Exercise Science. He went on to get his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah. Kyler keeps himself busy with his wide array of hobbies including fishing, kayaking, hiking with his dog (Lilah), cooking, bread making, crafting, 3d printing, video gaming, designing exercise programs, and dog training just to name a few.
Bethany Wood, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Bethany is originally from a small rural town in Illinois. She graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, TN with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Pre-Allied Health and a minor in Psychology. Bethany recently graduated with her Master's in Occupational Therapy from the University of Utah. She completed a level I fieldwork at Strides during graduate school and was always eager about the possibility of coming back. Bethany loves building meaningful therapeutic relationshipss with children. She is passionate about the benefits of getting children outside in nature and worked with a team during graduate school to create a nature-based sensory and social skills day camp for children. Bethany found a love for using animals, particularly horses, as a therapeutic tool during a Level II fieldwork rotation in graduate school. In her free time, Bethany loves to take full advantage of Utah by hiking, camping, backpacking, and kayaking. Bethany also enjoys going to farmers markets, cooking, and puzzles.
Jim Horn, OTR/L, C-NDT, CKTP
Occupational Therapist
Jim was born and raised in California where he graduated from the University of
Southern California with a degree in Occupational Therapy. He originally got interested
in occupational therapy after babysitting a 3-year-old child with cerebral palsy. He did
her home programs with her and was hooked. After graduation, Jim got married and
then moved to New York where he opened a large pediatric practice with two friends.
After 21 years in New York, he moved to Texas to open up a pediatric OT department at
a company that was just getting up and running. He was there for 8 years. He came to
Utah in 2023 to be closer to his other adult children. He joined the team at Strides in
September of 2023. The kids call him Mr. Jim. During his career, he has had advanced
training in autism, sensory integration, neurodevelop-mental treatment-pediatric certified
(NDT), integrative listening systems (ILS), therapeutic listening, kinesiotaping (pediatric
certified), craniosacral therapy (CST), myofascial release (MFR), infant massage and
more. He will utilize whatever treatment technique possible to help your child succeed.
He has a passion for working with children and their families.
Jim has 6 biological children and 3 foster children. He has been married for 30 years
and met his wife at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. He enjoys
photography, traveling, and spending time with his children. He loves anything Disney
and loves helping the families of the kids he works with have great family trips to Disney.
Casey Henderson, COTA
Occupational Therapist
Casey was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She is the 3rd child of a large family and moved often throughout her childhood due to immigration complications. Despite living in different countries and counties around the world, Utah valley has become home. Casey can often be found spending time enjoying the outdoors with her 3 children, horse and dog. Casey owned her first horse at 8 years old and began her journey in OT to be able to utilize hippotherapy, due to the positive impact horses have had in her own life. With a passion for pediatrics and love for animals, she was ecstatic to become a member of the Strides Team. Casey enjoys building therapeutic relationships with families to increase their success in all of life’s occupations across the lifespan. She has a passion for mental health, which has led to her current endeavors towards a Psychology degree in addition to her OTA certification. She advocates for children to receive early intervention and individualized adaptations to maximize their independence in life. Casey believes in continuing education, utilizing scientifically proven modalities and supports a group approach effort. Casey’s love for OT and pediatrics has motivated her to continue her education, with the goal to continue on to a Master’s Degree and continuing at Strides.
Madi Knight, ACMHC
Mental Health Therapist
Originally from Colorado, Madi made the move to Utah in 2020, bringing with her a wealth of experience in the mental health field. She earned her master's degree in clinical mental health counseling in 2024, building on her extensive background that began in 2016.
Her early career included working alongside Temple Grandin in Denver. Additionally, she worked as a registered behavior technician in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy in early childhood education settings, honing her skills in addressing the needs of children and teens facing behavioral issues, emotional dysregulation, trauma, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.
Madi is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and approaches each therapeutic session with a focus on person-centered, solution-focused therapy, and internal family systems theory. Her compassionate and holistic approach helps clients navigate their challenges while fostering resilience and growth.
Outside of her professional life, Madi enjoys riding horses, playing with her dogs, hiking, and snowboarding, embracing the natural beauty of Utah while staying active and engaged with her passions.