Meet Our Team
Get to know the people behind our work. Our team is made up of passionate, skilled professionals dedicated to delivering great results and making a difference.
Interested in joining our team? Contact us and look for current openings on Indeed
Owners
Rod & Clarissa Stratton (He/Him & She/Her)
-
The Vibe: We are a neurodivergent family dedicated to creating a space where beautiful minds are celebrated, not "fixed." We believe that true affirming care allows identity and individuality to flourish alongside the right supports.
-
What Our Leadership Looks Like: Since purchasing Gather & Grow in 2025, our goal has been to steward a practice where everyone belongs exactly as they are. We focus on empowering our team to provide evidence-based, strength-based care that allows our clients to live life fully, joyfully, and on their own terms.
-
Why Gather & Grow Matters to Us : Growing up in a neurodivergent family and now raising one of my own, I have spent my life loving people with beautiful ways of being. I believe affirming care empowers people to live authentically." Rod: "Receiving my own neurodivergent diagnosis as a parent made me wonder what it would have meant to have this support earlier. I want Gather & Grow to be a place where people find the clarity and connection I once went without."
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark" Our Family: We spend our time navigating the joys and adventures of raising our own neurodivergent family. We love hiking, dirt biking, traveling, airplanes, and connecting with families in our community.
Director of Operations
Jonna Arp (She/Her)
-
The Vibe: I am the heartbeat of our daily operations—the person ensuring that behind every clinical session, there is a stable, organized, and neuro-affirming foundation. I believe that for our families and therapists to thrive, the systems supporting them must be built with both precision and heart.
-
What My Role Looks Like: I direct the entire lifecycle of our office. While I’m not in the therapy room, I am the one architecting the environment where that therapy happens. From leading our multidisciplinary team, to managing funding and billing, to refining our internal processes, I ensure that Gather & Grow runs smoothly so that our clinicians can focus entirely on you. If you have a question about how we work, I’m your person.
-
Professional Expertise: I hold a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Redlands and bring over 15 years of healthcare leadership. My specialized background in music and professional performance gives me a unique lens for creative problem-solving and innovative communication. I am dedicated to building evidence-based systems that don't just "handle" logistics but actively champion the needs of our neurodivergent community.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark": I love singing, dancing, roller skating, and catching as many live concerts as I can. Adventure: I’m a former surfer who traded the waves for a snowboard! Most of my time away from the office is spent with my 7 and 9-year-old, paddle boarding, or exploring Colorado’s trails.
Creative Programs Director & Lead Occupational Therapist
Molly Forney, M.S., OTR/L (She/Her)
-
The Vibe: I am an OT passionate about empowering teens and adults to navigate life transitions and explore tools and strategies to assist with engaging in desired everyday activities
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: I provide a low-pressure space where individual’s goals lead the way. Whether we’re exploring community engagement, executive functioning, regulation tools, setting up your work schedule, completing forms, or completing laundry laundry our work is grounded in what matters to you. I focus on working with you to identify what works for your brain and how to implement those strategies into real life situations.
-
Professional Expertise: I earned my Master’s in OT from the University of Missouri and gained deep experience at the Thompson Center for Autism. There I was a graduate assistant on their autism diagnostic team and provided support guided by my mentor for 1:1 OT sessions. I am passionate about post secondary transition—focusing on exploring options around employment, college, independent living, and identity. As an IN! Young Professionals Board member, I’m also a dedicated advocate for inclusive higher education across Colorado and supporting alumni from these programs to transition into life after school. I am also a founding member of the Front Range Adapted Triathlon which is dedicated to creating a fun, safe, and inclusive community for kids and teens with disabilities to engage in sports.
-
Personal Neuro-Spark: I love mountain adventures with my husband and dog, traveling, and photography. If I’m not at work you can find me outside hiking, climbing, skiing, camping, or playing sports. I’m always up for discussing strategies for board games or why Chicago has the best pizza.
Lead Speech Language Pathologist
Jessie Gortsema, M.S., CCC-SLP (She/Her)
-
The Vibe: I am an ADHD SLP, passionate about helping to better understand your communication profile, improve communication in your relationships, and build self-advocacy skills from later adolescence through adulthood.
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: I focus on making therapy functional and meaningful for your real life. We might work on understanding your communication profile, navigating differences in how you and your loved ones communicate, building confidence in advocating for your desires within relationships, or learning about your nervous system’s connection to communication. My goal is to help you advocate for your needs and connect to others in a way that feels authentic to you.
-
Professional Expertise: I earned my Master’s from Florida State University, specializing in autism research and transition programs. I am a Certified Neurodiversity Sexuality Professional and lead our Relationships and Sexuality program, where I support clients in achieving safe, healthy relationship goals. My background also includes extensive work with Assistive Technology (AAC) and career exploration.
-
Personal Neuro-Spark: I love getting lost in a good book, watching scary movies, and hiking or camping across Colorado with my dog. I’m always up for learning about your latest passions and sharing recommendations!
Mental Health Therapist
Rhyan Furbish, MSW, LCSW (They/Them)
-
The Vibe: I am an autistic therapist dedicated to helping neurodivergent teens and adults explore their identity, recover from burnout, and build self-acceptance through a liberation-health lens.
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: Therapy is tailored to your connection style—whether that’s traditional talk, playing games, info-dumping about special interests, or taking walks outside. For OCD, ARFID, and anxiety work (ERP), we move at your pace with full informed consent; exposures will not be used to encourage sensory desensitization, suppress stimming, or for any form of masking neurodivergent traits.
-
Professional Expertise: I earned my Master of Social Work from Boston University and have completed additional training in ERP, DBT, ACT, and CBT-AR. I specialize in treating anxiety, OCD, ARFID, and depression experienced by neurodivergent folks. I adapt skilled-based and behavioral approaches for neurodivergent processing, pulling in polyvagal and somatic interventions to support nervous system regulation.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark": I’ve loved books my entire life, and spend hours reading, sorting my books, and cataloging my reading through book lists, statistics, and graphs. If I’m not reading, I’m probably role playing with my Dungeons & Dragons group or outside, hiking and climbing.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Haley Musack, COTA/L (She/Her)
-
The Vibe: I am a compassionate advocate with over eight years of experience supporting Autistic kids and teens through a lens of safety, inclusion, and empowerment.
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: I focus on creating a supportive environment where your unique strengths are the priority. Having grown within the Gather and Grow community, I prioritize building strong, trusting relationships and ensuring every session feels like a safe space to grow and be yourself.
-
Professional Expertise: I earned my Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from Oregon State University before obtaining my OTA degree from Pima Medical Institute. My background is deeply rooted in neurodivergent-affirming practices, with a specific focus on tailored volunteer work and hands-on experience supporting individuals with unique abilities.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark": I love relaxing at home with my husband, our cats, and our dog. I’m always up for a game night with friends, testing out a new Pinterest recipe, or hitting the tennis courts!
Speech-Language Pathologist
Natalie Ruiz, M.S., CCC-SLP (She/Her)
-
The Vibe: I am a person-centered therapist who thrives on adventure and collaboration. I believe in celebrating the unique qualities of every individual through meaningful and engaging therapy.
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: I prioritize strengths-based, individualized care. My approach is all about bringing a diverse range of strategies into the room to ensure therapy is both functional and personalized to your life. I love working within a multidisciplinary team to make sure we are supporting the whole person.
-
Professional Expertise: I earned my M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Texas Tech University. My clinical expertise includes articulation, pragmatic language, and executive functioning. While I began my career working with adults, I have spent the last several years specializing in supporting individuals with autism.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark": I am a dedicated dog mom to my Golden Retriever, Holly. In my free time, you’ll find me baking sourdough bread, playing pickleball, puzzling or planning my next travel getaway. I also love staying connected with my two younger sisters!
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Bonnie Smith, COTA/L (She/Her)
-
The Vibe: I am a dedicated advocate for inclusion with over 12 years of experience working with clients throughout the lifespan. I believe in building genuine, trusting relationships grounded in respect, fun, and shared goals.
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: I prioritize a strength-based approach that fosters autonomy and confidence. In our sessions, we focus on meaningful growth in areas like executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory processing, and motor development—always ensuring the work feels relevant and engaging.
-
Professional Expertise: I am a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with an extensive background in both clinical and public school-based settings. This dual experience allows me to bring a holistic, collaborative approach to support my clients and their family systems.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark": I love spending time with my family, whether we're playing pickleball, hiking, or doing family game night. When I'm not with my family, I enjoy getting lost in a good book and cuddling with my cat.
Mental Health Therapist
Ron Mitchell, MSW, LSW (He/Him)
-
The Vibe: I use a neurodiversity-affirming approach that recognizes neurological differences as a natural part of human diversity. Rather than trying to change who a child is, I help children and families understand their strengths, reduce stress, and build practical tools for everyday life. Parenting can be both rewarding and challenging, particularly when navigating autism, ADHD, anxiety, trauma, or systems that don’t always fit your family’s needs. My approach is collaborative and compassionate, grounded in the belief that parents are the experts on their children.
-
What Sessions With Me Look Like: Sessions are engaging, relationship-focused, and tailored to each child and family. I actively partner with parents and caregivers because children make the greatest progress when the important adults in their lives also feel supported and equipped. Whether we’re addressing emotional regulation, anxiety, executive functioning, trauma, behavioral concerns, or family relationships, my goal is to offer strategies that work beyond the therapy office. Families appreciate my ability to explain complex situations clearly while helping them feel hopeful and confident about moving forward.
-
Professional Expertise: I earned my Master of Social Work from Colorado State University and have more than three decades of experience serving children, adolescents, and families. My background includes child welfare, home-based services, residential treatment, administration, and statewide program leadership. Today, I direct statewide programs through the Kempe Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, focusing on strengthening systems of care for children and families affected by trauma and neurodevelopmental differences.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark": My understanding of neurodivergence is also deeply personal. Growing up with an autistic brother and later becoming the father of two autistic children gave me firsthand insight into the joys, challenges, advocacy, and uncertainty many families experience. As the proud father of a transgender son, I also understand the importance of creating spaces where young people feel safe, respected, and free to be themselves. These experiences continually remind me to approach every family with curiosity, humility, compassion, and a belief in the power of genuine connection.
Administrative Assistant
Ali Cook (They Them)
-
The Vibe: I am a community-driven advocate who believes everyone deserves access to the accommodations they need to thrive. As a neurodivergent individual myself, I’m honored to be the first person you connect with and to help make your journey into therapy as smooth as possible.
-
What My Role Looks Like: I handle the "moving parts" of your experience—from scheduling and billing to navigating insurance. I know these tasks can sometimes feel overwhelming, so I’m here to provide a low-pressure, supportive space to help you advocate for the resources you need to feel successful.
-
Professional Expertise: I hold an Associate's degree in Fine Art from Aims Community College and have a deep professional background in HR, billing, and scheduling for small therapy practices. I specialize in neuro-inclusive communication and love working in small settings where I can truly get to know the people and the community I serve.
-
Personal "Neuro-Spark" Loves: Playing guitar and baritone, metalsmithing, and hanging out with my fiancé and our two cats. Always up for: Appreciating birds and bugs on a hike, or hearing about your special interests—I love learning about the things that bring others joy, so please don't be afraid to say hi!