WELCOME TO ST. DOMINIC SAVIO ACADEMY

We are committed to educating children with autism spectrum and related disorders utilizing the research-based methodology of applied behavior analysis. St. Dominic Savio Academy believes that every child, regardless of ability, has the right to an individualized and effective education in a setting where their dignity is upheld, and their unique strengths and interests are encouraged. SDSA is committed to honoring the dignity and particular strengths of each child while teaching skills that promote meaningful and lasting change for children and their families. Want to find out if St. Dominic Savio Academy is a good fit for your family? Please contact us we’d love to hear from you. You can also learn more from our Resource pages. St. Dominic Savio Academy will bring about meaningful and lasting change which will transform lives, families, and communities. Together with families and community, we aim for each student to reach their full potential. This will be accomplished through academic education, vocation training, and the development of life skills.

St. Dominic Savio Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions, policies, scholarship and loan programs. The director of SDSA reserves the right to limit admission to students in a certain age group, and to students with autism spectrum and related disorders.

Meet the team.

WE’RE SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU HERE. LET US INTRODUCE OURSELVES.

“SDSA has a culture of love and dignity, so people who are capable of that kind of love are drawn there.”

– former staff member

OUR STAFF

CORINNA NDOLO M.ED, BCBA-LBA

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND FOUNDER

Corinna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and a Master’s degree in Low Incidence Special Education from Northern Arizona University, where she also completed her post-graduate ABA coursework. She has a graduate certificate in Positive Behavior Support and has worked with children with autism since 2001. After several years of teaching children with autism, Corinna decided to pursue her dream of opening a non-profit day school. For years, Corinna saw a need in the community for a program that would meet the complex needs of students with autism, while giving them the skills they need to be independent, in a traditional school environment. Three years later, St. Dominic Savio Academy was born. When not at school, she enjoys travel, reading, and spending time with her husband and children.

ETHAN SIEGLER, MA, BCBA-LBA

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

In 2009, Ethan assisted Corinna Ndolo in opening St. Dominic Savio Academy. For the first eight years, Ethan spent extensive time as a lead therapist and behavior coach in the classrooms of SDSA. He then moved into a role as Managing Director of Operations in order to oversee the daily operations of the school and assist Corinna with organizational growth and development. Ethan holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Organizational Leadership from Arizona State University and is pursuing his Master’s Degree with intentions of becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

SARAH BOYD, M.S., BCBA-LBA

DIRECTOR OF NEXT STEP SOUTHWEST

Sarah is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arizona State University. She started at Next Step in 2019 as a therapist, fell in love with this work and the children we serve, and returned to school to become a BCBA.

Sarah has embodied our organization’s core values since day one. After graduating from ASU’s Special Education master’s program, she served as our Clinical Coordinator before being promoted to Clinical Director. Sarah is honored to serve the families in Next Step and is passionate about loving and leading each child to a happy and fulfilling life.

ROSE VETSCH ODHIAMBO, MA, BCBA-LBA

DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIOR SERVICES

Hello! My name is Rose. I am the Director of Behavior Services – I oversee a caseload of kids in our Academy program, as well as other behavior analysts and therapists, and all staff training. I have recently been diving into some oversight in our Next Step Program. I also lead the parent breakfasts that we host on campus. I have been in the field for 20 years. I started years back as a habitation/respite provider doing in-home therapy. Then I worked in another non-profit school for children with autism here in AZ. I moved to Iowa and worked both in-home and helped start an intensive clinical ABA program in Des Moines where I also became board certified as an assistant behavior analyst. After 4 years in Iowa, I took a giant leap and moved to East Africa in 2012. We returned to the US in 2015 and I joined the team here at SDSA. In 2018 I returned to school and completed my Master’s degree in Special Education and ABA, finishing my BCBA credential at that time. I have two children who are the absolute joys of my life! I absolutely love the work we do here and count it a privilege to love and lead our learners (the staff and kids alike).

HEATHER SNOOP, M.ED.

DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Heather was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from Greenway High School in 2007. After high school she attended Arizona State University, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2011. A couple of short years later she received her Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. She has now been with St. Dominic’s for over nine years. Outside of SDSA her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family and friends.

JULIA KING KOHN, BCBA-LBA

UPPER SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

Julia graduated from Dobson High School in 2011. This is where she got her first experience working with individuals with special needs, first in the school’s version of Best Buddies when she was still a student, and then as a paraprofessional in the autism classrooms immediately upon graduating. She has pursued a variety of educational and career interests including dog mushing and foreign languages, resulting in a Bachelor’s degree in French from ASU and a deep love for the Iditarod and all things pertaining to sled dogs. Shortly after starting as a therapist at St. Dominic Savio Academy in 2017, she began pursuing a graduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and holds a Master’s degree in the subject. Outside of working at SDSA, Julia loves spending time with her three young children and husband, who are her biggest supporters.

Michelle Fein, Special Education Teacher

MICHELLE FEIN, BA

LOWER SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

I grew up just a few miles from SDSA and graduated from Corona Del Sol High School. After graduation, I moved to Flagstaff to attend NAU, where I received a BA in music and a double minor in psychology and studio art. While going to school, I got a job grooming dogs and did that for six years until my husband Travis and I decided to move back to the valley so our kids could be closer to family. I started working at SDSA as a therapist and very quickly fell in love with the school. After being a therapist and lead therapist in the classroom for two years, I started training to transition to teacher. I always find so much joy in singing with the kids and doing art projects because of my background in music. Outside of school, I love to spend time with my husband and three children.

SAMANTHA WREN, BCaBA

ASSISTANT BEHAVIOR ANALYST

MYCHELLE GRESHAM

ASSISTANT TEACHER

STEPHANIE BUTRUM

ASSISTANT TEACHER

MICHELLE HILL

DIRECTOR OF CHILDCARE AND PRESCHOOL

SARAH SIEGLER, BS

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

KELLY RICHARDSON, AS

OFFICE MANAGER

BOARD OF Directors

CORINNA NDOLO M.ED, BCBA-LBA

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

HELEN HAYES

VICE PRESIDENT OF HEADMASTER DEVELOPMENT- GREAT HEARTS AMERICA

THOMAS DOEBLER

SENIOR NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT SERVICES- GREAT HEARTS ACADEMIES

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Tom came to the Valley of the Sun by way of the Rio Grande Valley, Texas where he was initiated into the world of education through Teach for America. After three years as a special education teacher in south Texas, he was lured to Phoenix by a then-small network of charter schools called Great Hearts Academies. Over the course of his 17 years in Phoenix, Tom’s work and passion for education and leadership has connected him with the Valley’s autism community in multiple ways, and he is enthusiastic about continuing that connection through board service to St. Dominic Savio Academy. In the 17 years since he came to Phoenix, Tom has also become a husband, and a father of two children. When he is not traveling with his family, exploring wilderness wherever he is, or working on his house, Tom serves as the Senior National Director of Exceptional Student Services for Great Hearts Academies.

ANGELIKA DOEBLER

ATTORNEY- DAVIS MILES MCGUIRE GARDNER

Angelika is excited to serve the SDSA community as a board member. Her roots in education were formed while teaching Economics and Algebra at Chandler Preparatory Academy, a Great Hearts Academy. After six fulfilling years of teaching, she decided to change career paths and attended ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Her passion for education followed her through law school and she has been published regarding her legal analysis of Arizona’s statutory scheme for special education funding in public schools.

In her current role as a real estate litigation attorney at Davis Miles, Angelika navigates the intricacies of property law, contractual disputes, and regulatory matters. Her background in education provides her with a holistic approach to legal problem-solving, considering both the legal intricacies and human elements in each case.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Angelika finds solace in the Arizona desert, where she enjoys hiking with her family. When not exploring the outdoors, she channels her creativity into cooking—be sure to ask her about her barbeque bean recipe. Additionally, she indulges her strategic side through tabletop games, with Star Realms currently holding the top spot as her favorite.

JULIA GILLINGHAM

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT- GREAT HEARTS ACADEMIES

Julia Gillingham is the Arizona Director of Human Resources at Great Hearts. She joined Great Hearts Academies in 2008. Before her work in HR, she began her career in special education supporting students 6th through 12th grade. After teaching for 5 years she moved into a campus Director of Operations role and then to Assistant Headmaster. For 6 years, she has served as the Headmaster for Arete Preparatory Academy in Gilbert.

WILLARD E. WHITE, PhD

OF COUNSEL- MARTS&LUNDY

Willard joined Marts&Lundy in 2004, bringing with him more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector as college teacher, fundraiser, senior manager, and fundraising consultant. Following service at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, Willard served as Executive Director of Development for Illinois Institute of Technology, Vice President for Development at The Newberry Library, and Vice President for Institutional Advancement at The Field Museum of Chicago. As a nonprofit consultant, Willard specializes in large museums, gardens, environmental causes, and other free-standing institutions. Willard is the co-founder of the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies in Sana’a, Yemen, and the Founder & CEO of the Phoenix Friends School, a private Quaker middle school.

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Contact info

St. Dominic Savio Academy

550 W Warner Rd, Chandler, AZ 85225

480.659.5456
480.838.1828 [Fax]

www.stdomsavio.com

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