Meet our Team
Beth Manzanares, Founder & Executive Director
Beth Manzanares, M.S., CCC-SLP (she/her) is the Executive Director of Gather and Grow Therapy Services. She also runs our sister organization and nonprofit, Inclusion on Purpose. Beth has been working with neurodivergent folx since 2009. As a neurodivergent therapist and sibling to an autistic brother, Beth has intentionally cultivated expertise in autism, ADHD, trauma-assumed practice, and self-determination. Her passion is teaming with and empowering people with all brains.
As a speech-language pathologist, Beth understands the intricately woven relationship that binds communication, emotional regulation, sensory processing, and human behavior. She uses systematic analysis and continuous assessment to uncover unique learning style and meet people where they're at.
Beth founded Gather and Grow Therapy Services as a passion project stemming from a gap in high-quality service delivery across the age span. Beth currently spends most of her time in operations, but most enjoys program development, adventure-based therapy, and providing education on topics of neurodivergence and the intersection of language processing and emotional regulation.
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As an avid outdoors enthusiast, Beth and her husband, Dillon, spend as much time in the mountains as possible. Beth finds that nature and movement are some of the best teachers and particularly enjoys the challenge and lessons taught by rock climbing and yoga. She also loves relaxing with her family, snuggling her pup, Winnie, and carving out time for play and laughter.
Experience and Training
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Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, RYT-200
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Training in methodologies including holistic ASD support model SCERTS, PROMPT for CAS and complex articulation disorders, & Visualizing/Verbalizing for language comprehension
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Expertise in unique adolescent through adult issues with experience in middle, high school, and transition programs​​
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Specialized AAC training through the Children's Hospital of Colorado'sTalking with Technology program
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JFK Partners/LEND Postgraduate Fellowship with training and implementation of Facing Your Fears, ASD diagnostic team experience, and administration of the ADOS & ADI-R​ for SEED
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Presentation of peer-mediated intervention research for children with ASD at 2013 national ASHA convention
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Project ASSET federal grant recipient with training in FGRBI
Jonna Arp, Clinical Operations Manager
Jonna (she/her) was born and raised on Maui, Hawai'i, then moved to California where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical Theatre from the University of Redlands. While working professionally as a singer with a renowned Convention Band across Hawai’i, she also began working in and learning the ins and outs of the medical and behavioral health industry.
Jonna has worked in multiple specialty practices including Podiatry, Audiology and Balance, and Applied Behavior Analysis. Her passion has always been in supporting people with unique learning styles and found her home working in the ASD and Neurodiversity space.
Jonna provides much of the "behind the scenes" support that keeps Gather+Grow running on a day-to-day basis. You may hear from Jonna when working with insurance or funding, to clarify or implement important policies and procedures, and to check in regarding your experience working with us.
As a mother of a 5- and 7-year-old she keeps very busy, but in her “spare” time, she enjoys singing, dancing, roller skating, hiking, and exploring. She also loves to surf, but since moving to Colorado, has traded in her surfboard for a snowboard!
Molly Forney, Therapy Manager
Molly Forney, M.S., OTR/L (she/her) started working with Gather and Grow as an Occupational Therapist through Adventure Camp in summer of 2021. This is where she fell in love with Gather and Grow’s innovative ways to serve individuals with an emphasis in self determination, advocacy, and collaboration.
Molly moved to working full time as an Occupational Therapist in October 2021 and now serves as the Therapy Manager, maintaining a small caseload, through which she specializes in working with neurodivergent teens and young adults. She is passionate about assisting individuals during transition stages of life, especially post secondary transition. She supports personal choice, self-determination, advocacy.
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Molly also works with her clients on executive functioning skills, education & exploration of identity, and regulation. She has additional experience in assessment, picky eating, and life skills. Molly takes a collaborative and client-centered approach to ensure that therapeutic goals that are motivating and meaningful to each of her clients.
Molly received her Master's of Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri, where she was a graduate assistant at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She currently serves as a member of IN!’s Young Professional Board where she assists with increasing awareness and options for inclusive higher education in Colorado. The Young Professionals Board also works alongside alumni on transition after college to assist with community management, networking, and maintaining connections.
In her free time, you can find Molly spending as much time as possible outside with her husband and dog whether that’s skiing, hiking, camping, or taking pictures. Molly also loves to travel by immersing herself in different communities and cultures to hear and see others’ perspectives in order to continue to learn and grow herself.
Jessie Gortsema, M.S., CCC-SLP
Jessie (she/her) specializes in supporting clients from late elementary through adulthood. She currently teaches our Dating and Sexuality program and supports adolescents and adults with goal setting, career exploration, and communication in complex social situations, like school and work. She enjoys incorporating dialectal behavior therapy and polyvagal concepts to best support her clients' emotional regulation within the context of communication. Jessie is also a clinical supervisor.
Before becoming an SLP, Jessie worked at a group home for neurodiverse adults with complex communication needs. It was there that she developed a passion for supporting individuals in becoming more independent by being able to advocate for themselves, express their needs, and actively participate in their community.
At Florida State University, Jessie studied under a federal grant geared toward research and training in autism and related diagnoses. Her experience there led her to work with children and families in the community, volunteering at local transition programs, and working alongside job coaches to promote language and regulation skills in workplace settings.
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Previously, Jessie served on the Utah Assistive Technology Team, where she helped to support students using communication systems and a variety of assistive technology. Jessie is passionate about making therapy functional and using client strengths to help individuals reach their fullest potential.
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In her free time, she can likely be found reading a book, watching Harry Potter, or taking her dog hiking and camping with me throughout Colorado.
Julia Zielenski, M.S., CF-SLP
Julia (she/her) specializes in supporting children from early childhood through middle school in the areas of language, literacy, social communication, feeding, and articulation. She values holistic, strengths-based interventions.
During her free time, Julia enjoys spending time with her husband and son, playing with her Bernese Mountain Dog, hiking, and singing. She is a Colorado native and can be found most days enjoying all this beautiful state has to offer.
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As a former speech-language pathology assistant (SLP-A), Julia brings 7 years specialized experience in literacy-based interventions, phonological processing, and executive functioning support. As an SLP-A, Julia worked at an intensive private school for children with learning and language disabilities, where she participated in teaming with professionals in the fields of neuropsychology, pediatric behavioral neurology, occupational and recreational therapy.
Julia came to Gather+Grow in 2021 as a graduate student intern, which cultivated her passion for neurodivergent individuals. After obtaining her master’s degree in speech pathology from Emerson College, Julia returned to Gather+Grow as a graduate-level therapist. She has since completed training in SCERTS and Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing.
Katherine Wathen, M.A., CF-SLP
Before becoming a speech-language pathologist, Katherine (she/her) walked alongside a close family member in the process of understanding and celebrating his son’s neurodivergence. This experience taught her the value of neurological differences in her own family, as well as our society at large.
Katherine received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Iowa before moving to Colorado to pursue her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at CU-Boulder. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate career, she worked in a variety of settings including outpatient pediatric clinics, schools and university clinics. Her areas of interest include early intervention, fluency and counseling related to communication difficulties. Katherine also has experience implementing visual phonics, AAC, and SALT language sampling.
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As an early intervention speech-language pathologist specializing in birth through preschool, Katherine believes a child’s growth begins by empowering caregivers. She uses parent coaching strategies and routines-based intervention to build caregiver confidence so THEY can help support their child’s communication.
Katherine moved to Colorado in 2021 from Des Moines, Iowa and shortly after met her now husband. In her free time, she enjoys reading, serving at church, long walks, baking cookies, traveling and trying new restaurants with her husband!
Rhyan Furbish, MSW, LSW
Rhyan (they/them) is a social worker who specializes in supporting neurodiverse adolescents and young adults with positive identity development, navigating relationships, and managing the stressors of their unique place in life. They work with clients from late elementary through adulthood.
As both a therapist and a neurodivergent individual, Rhyan understands the value of neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based practice. Rhyan promotes their clients’ agency and self-determination throughout the therapy process. Their clinical orientation is primarily based in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, however, they believe therapy should be tailored to each individual’s unique learning and communication style.
That means for some folks, a therapy session may look like sitting face-to-face and talking, but for others it may include board games, art, worksheets, visuals, meditation, sitting on the floor, using a swing, or talking walks outside. Rhyan values all forms of communication and has experience using movement, writing, and art as tools for communicating and understanding emotions.
Rhyan got their Bachelor of Psychology and Master of Social Work degrees from Boston University. Prior to moving to Colorado, Rhyan worked as an individual and group therapist at a therapeutic school for neurodiverse teens where they also got to lead a therapeutic dungeons and dragons campaign. Rhyan has previous experience working in community-based day programs, hospitals, and neuroscience and psychology research settings. When Rhyan isn’t working they are usually outside climbing and hiking, reading, or playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Susan Navilliat, MS, OTR/L
Susan (she/her) is an Occupational Therapist who grew up in Rhode Island with a Master's Degree from the University of New Hampshire. Starting her career in San Diego, she initially worked in a nursing facility before spending five years working in elementary schools. Recently settling in Colorado, she worked in a clinic supporting Autistic children. She's thrilled to join the team at Gather and Grow and excited about the prospect of learning from the diverse experiences of the neuro-diverse individuals, like she has been for most of her life.
Her therapeutic approach centers on honoring each person's unique strengths and needs, shaped by a lifetime among neuro-diverse communities. Her aim is to cultivate an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and understood. Joining Gather and Grow signifies an important milestone for her as she continues her mission of celebrating the differences of those she works with.
Outside her work life, she finds fulfillment in volunteering with animals, hiking, and exploring her creativity through baking and cooking. These hobbies provide her with balance and a fresh perspective that she integrates into her Occupational Therapy practice.
Winnie, Professional Smile-Giver
Winnie is Beth's sweet, snuggly old pup who often accompanies her to the office.
She is a 10 years old Beagle-Whippet mix, loves pets and treats, squeaks when she has dreams, and knows a few tricks. She loves to show off! Give her a biscuit and ask her to spin. She'll be your best friend.
Hiking and hanging out at the crag while Beth and Dillon climb are her favorite activities, but she also loves anything outdoors.
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At the office, Winnie can most often be found cuddling with whoever she can!