First Step Staff

Dena Bensing, M.S., CCC-SLP  
Director of First Step Early Intervention Program
Speech and Language Pathologist

Courtney Rood, M.A., CFY-SLP 
Speech and Language Pathologist

Damaris Llamas  
Administrative Assistant
Bilingual-Spanish

Desiree Q. Luong, B.A.  
Early Childhood Educator
Bilingual-Vietnamese

Elise Neudeck, M.A., ECSE  
Early Childhood Special Educator

Emily Braun, M.A., CCC-SLP  
Speech and Language Pathologist

Karen Hom, M.A., CCC-SLP  
Speech and Language Pathologist

Maggie Newman, M.A., OTR/L, BCP
Occupational Therapist

Maya Arango, B.A.  
Early Childhood Educator
Bilingual-Spanish

Nikki Franco, M.S., OTR/L  
Occupational Therapist

Rosalie Melgarejo, B.A.  
Early Childhood Educator
Bilingual-Spanish

Veronica Gonzalez-Beineke, M.S., CCC-SLP  
Speech and Language Pathologist
Bilingual-Spanish

Yvonne Carter  
Administrative Assistant