COREXCELLENT - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Reading Specialist
• Certified Academic Language Therapist

Amy Cox is a Reading Specialist with over fifteen years of teaching experience and ten years specializing in literacy remediation. In 1992, she graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Passionate about supporting all types of learners, she received her Master of Arts in Reading and Literacy from Lewis University in 2000 and her English as a Second Language endorsement from the University of St. Francis in 2018. In the summer of 2018, she was accepted into the McKinney Christian Academy Multisensory Teacher Training Program and began a two year methodology and was trained to deliver a structured language curriculum called Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia, a curriculum written by the staff at the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC). Take Flight builds on the success of the three previous dyslexia intervention programs developed by the staff at Scottish Rite: Alphabetic Phonics, the Dyslexia Training Program, and TSRH Literacy Program. In addition to completing the graduate level instruction, Amy also provided 700 clinical teaching hours. In October of 2020, Amy sat for the Alliance National Registration Exam administered by the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) and became a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). This credential confirms that Amy completed a Comprehensive Therapist Level Multisensory Structured Language training course that is Orton-Gillingham based and accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council IMSLEC). Mrs. Cox provides an intensive approach to remedial instruction and incorporates multisensory teaching techniques to support all learners. Amy is passionate about increasing reading skills among struggling readers and advocating for students with learning differences. She strives to help all students reach their reading potential, and nothing makes her more happy or proud than hearing a student say, "Don't help me with this word. I can do it myself."

Job Titles:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Angela Fedinec is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over twenty years of experience working with children, adolescents and families. She earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago Jane Addams School of Social Work in 1999. She has served as a school social worker in the Chicago suburbs for 21 years, and has been providing outpatient therapy in the private practice setting for the past six years.

Job Titles:

• Bilingual School Psychologist
• Bilingual School Psychologist Ms. Mayra Torres, Licensed Social Worker

Belén is a bilingual and bicultural therapist who was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has completed her graduate studies at Loyola University Chicago where she pursued a masters and specialist degree in School Psychology. She is nationally certified as a school psychologist and she holds a bilingual special education approval that allows her to assess students who are English Language Learners by applying a multicultural focus. Belén enjoys working with children, teens and families. A major focus in her work has been anxiety management, executive functioning, learning difficulties, transitions/adjustments, autism, and overall development of healthy coping skills. She works from a biopsychosocial ecological model lens, developmentally appropriate psychoeducation, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. She is fluent in Spanish and English.

Dr. Carla Ordonez is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist and School Psychologist. She moved to the Chicago area after completing her Psychology Licensure (1994) in Caracas, Venezuela, at the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello. Continuing her education, she earned her first Master's (1998) in Marital and Family Therapy from The Family Institute at Northwestern University. Dr. Ordonez earned her second Master's (2006) and Specialist Certificate (2008) in School Psychology from Capella University, with an additional bilingual endorsement from Dominican University. Recently, she completed her Doctorate (2019) in General Psychology with Emphasis on Cognition and Instruction from Grand Canyon University. She has over 20 years of experience working with individuals, couples and families, in community settings as well as in residential facilities and private practice settings. Additionally, as a school psychologist, she has worked in the high school setting for the past 10 years, as well as completing psychoeducational evaluations for all grade levels. Dr. Ordonez works with individuals, couples and families to better understand the systemic variables impacting their lives. With her knowledge of cognitive skills, executive functioning skills and emotional regulation, Dr. Ordonez applies cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavioral approaches in a safe, compassionate environment to help her clients learn the strategies they need for reaching excellent results in life. She specializes in working with mood and anxiety disorders, attention/hyperactivity symptoms, learning difficulties, executive functioning skills deficits, multi-cultural adjustment issues, parenting difficulties, and marital/relationship difficulties. She is fluent in Spanish and English. Dr. Ordonez is part of United Health Care, Blue Shield Blue Cross, and Aetna networks.

Job Titles:

• Special Education Teacher
• Transition Specialist
• Vocational and Transition Specialist

Jennifer is a Special Education teacher and Transition Specialist. She earned her teaching degree from Benedictine University and a Master's Degree from University of Illinois as a Transition Specialist. Jennifer has over 25 years of experience working with families both in the private setting and within public schools, including over 11 years focused on helping adolescents transition to adult life. Jennifer collaborates with clients to identify and establish attainable objectives for their vocational and transition services. To achieve these goals, she provides support and guidance, helping clients make informed decisions and take actionable steps in the employment and college planning processes. Each individual's interests and values are used to create personalized plans that include a step-by-step strategy to facilitate the transition, by providing resources and support that aligns with each client's academic, social, and independent living goals. Additionally, Jennifer collaborates directly with individuals and families to ensure that everyone is informed and working towards the same goals.

Job Titles:

• Licensed Social Worker

Ms. Mayra Torres is a Licensed Social Worker who works with individuals and families ranging from kids to young adults. Mayra attended Aurora University where she received both her Bachelors and Masters of Social Work. Mayra has a specialization in School Social Work. She particularly enjoys working with kids, adolescents, and young adults as they work through anxiety, depression, life transitions, self-esteem or other related issues. Mayra's therapeutic approach is warm, compassionate, engaging, and collaborative. She values trust and strives to reach therapeutic rapport with each client she works with using, acceptance, validation and empathy. When working with clients Mayra's focus is to help clients identify their own therapeutic goals and provide personalized strategies to help them work through them. 
Outside of therapy, Mayra works at Bolingbrook High School. She has experience working with a wide range of diagnoses and disabilities including anxiety, depression, autism, bipolar disorder, and mood disorders. Mayra likes to work collaboratively with her clients using a variety of techniques including, CBT, mindfulness, and SFT therapy.
In her free time, she enjoys going on walks, planning activities for her pre-school aged children, crafting, and baking.