Our Board of Advisors
We are thrilled to have so many passionate, enthusiastic, and experienced individuals who are committed to the success of the school. Please read on to learn more about the dedicated professionals and leaders who comprise our Board of Advisors.Professional Advisory Board
Lexis Preparatory School has engaged the assistance and support of several key community professionals. Our Professional Advisory Board assists the development team and school leaders, and provides guidance on key issues. Advisory Board members are not compensated for their time and contributions. They are not responsible for the day-to-day operations of the school and are not asked to endorse any part of the program or the entire program. On behalf of the entire Lexis Prep community, we sincerely thank the Professional Advisory Board for their generous donation of time and knowledge.
Stacy L. Fretheim, MS, CCC-SLP
Assistant Center Director of Wellington Alexander Center
Stacy is an ASHA (American Speech-Language and Hearing Association) certified speech-language pathologist licensed with the Arizona State Department of Health Services. In 1995, Stacy completed her undergraduate work in speech-language pathology and audiology at Northern Arizona University. She attended graduate school at The Callier Center for Communication Disorders at the University of Texas at Dallas. While at Callier Center, she had the opportunity to work on the Closed Head Injury Child Recovery Project where she analyzed the relationship of neurological deficits to cognitive and language functioning of children with traumatic brain injury. Stacy completed her graduate work in 1997 and has worked as a pediatric speech-language pathologist for the past eleven years during which time she has worked extensively with oral and written language impairments. Currently, Stacy is the Assistant Center Director and the Director of Speech-Language Services at The Wellington-Alexander Center, a neurodevelopmental assessment and treatment center. Stacy is also an active presenter, contributor to publications, and Board Member of the International Dyslexia Association – Arizona.
Dr. Valerie Hoffman is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Arizona. Early in her career, Dr. Hoffman received training from the state of California to deliver early intervention services for children with developmental disorders, including diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders and developmental delays. Dr. Hoffman also enjoys working with families, and she has been successful in coaching parents of children with behavioral problems. As a former preschool teacher, she also enjoys collaborating with teachers to help facilitate improved classroom behaviors. Dr. Hoffman also counsels adolescents, and as a former counselor for children in the juvenile detention center, she has experience working with challenging teens. Dr. Hoffman has a special interest in working with families with foster and adopted children, and completed her doctoral dissertation researching successful characteristics of families with children adopted post-infancy. Dr. Hoffman specializes in evaluating toddlers, children, and adolescents with educational, developmental, behavioral, and social-emotional needs.
As the director of The Wellington-Alexander Center, Jane Lawyer oversees all aspects of the Center. Jane received her B.Sc. degree in education from East Carolina University in 1969. She worked as a classroom teacher for 24 years and as a reading specialist for 6 years. Since 1989, Jane has been fully trained in the LiPS program (Lindamood Phonetic Sequencing) as well as the V/V program (Visualizing and Verbalizing). Jane received her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University in 1997. In 1998, she joined the ranks of the private sector when she came to work at the Morris Center in Gainesville, Florida, an affiliate of The Wellington-Alexander Center. Jane worked initially as the grant coordinator for an NICHD grant and later as the clinic coordinator. In 2003, Jane took on the task of heading up The Wellington-Alexander Center. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Branch of the IDA. Jane has presented widely on the importance of a strong phonological awareness system in the dyslexic population. In addition, Jane understands the struggles of dyslexia through her role as a parent of a child with dyslexia.
Dr. Raun Melmed, medical director of the Melmed Center and a developmental and behavioral pediatrician, founded the Melmed Center in 1989. He is a co-founder and the medical director of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center. A native of South Africa, he completed his postgraduate studies in Israel, New York City and Boston. He was a fellow with Dr. Mel Levine at the Children's Hospital in Boston where he was an Instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Melmed is an Adjunct Senior Researcher at the Translational Genomics Institute in Phoenix. He is a member of the Society for Behavioral Pediatrics and the Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, the Ambulatory Pediatric Association and he is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Melmed is principal investigator in numerous studies including the use of novel therapeutic agents in the treatment of ADHD and autism. He is a co-principal investigator in studies involving family linkage, proteomics and gene expression in autism.
Dr. Nicholls is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in neurodevelopmental disorders. Throughout his career, he has worked with several children’s and adult hospitals and medical centers. He has worked in the areas of acute and chronic illness, neonatal intensive care, burns and trauma, general pediatrics and surgery. He has consulted with child protective service agencies, school districts, the Social Security Administration’s Disability Determination Services Administration, and has performed forensic evaluations in personal injury, competency, and educational due process arenas. Dr. Nicholls has been on the clinical faculty of several major universities and graduate programs.
Anita Werner, M.S., CCC-SLP
Director at Pediatric Speech and Language Specialists
Anita brings over twenty-four years of extensive clinical experience to the practice and is widely recognized for her work in speech and language therapy. A frequent lecturer and consultant, she has extensive experience diagnosing and providing speech therapy for children, working to better educate parents, supporting teachers and interfacing with pediatricians. Some of her other honors include: Owner and President of Pediatric Speech and Language Specialists, Master of Science, summa cum laude - Southern Methodist University, Bachelor of Science cum laude - Arizona State University, Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech Pathology, American Speech / Language / Hearing Association, Arizona State Board License for Speech Pathology, Member - American Speech / Language / Hearing Association (ASHA), Member - American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology (AAPPSPA), Member - Arizona Speech Language and Hearing Association (ArSHAA).
School Development Team
While leadership for daily operations occurs locally, the school development team of Dr. Walt Karniski, Ms. Lois Delaney, Mr. Todd Avis, and Mr. Jeff Poole provide support based on their years of experience with Tampa Day School (which Lexis Prep is modeled after) and in the field of specialized education.
Todd is an experienced educator and administrator with almost 25 years of experience in the field of education. He graduated with a BA in History/English in Secondary Education from Hillsdale College and also holds an MS in Education Administration from the State University College at Buffalo. Prior to joining AEG, Todd was Vice President for Education and Director of School Quality for National Heritage Academies. He directed an extensive education department including program development and implementation in curriculum, teacher development, federal and state grants, special education, and procurement. Before joining NHA, Todd was the Headmaster of Hillsdale Academy in Hillsdale, Michigan, the private academy under the auspices of Hillsdale College. While Headmaster of this national model school, Todd created curriculum, mentored college students, taught in the college education department and raised capital and endowment for building the permanent academy building.
Lois Delaney, M.A.
Head of School at Tampa Day School and Program and Curriculum Advisor at Lexis Preparatory
Lois has a Masters Degree in Special Education and has been actively involved in education for over 35 years. She has experience in private and public school settings (mainstream and special education), residential treatment centers, and a wide range of private practice and consulting positions. She has also taught Special Education courses at the university level. She provides local and national workshops to educators and parents on topics such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Behavior Management and Parenting. Lois has been at Tampa Day School since 1997.
Walt Karniski, M.D.
Executive Director at Tampa Day School and Lexis Preparatory School
Dr. Karniski is a board certified Developmental Pediatrician. He initially trained as a pediatrician at the University of Kansas and then as a research fellow with Dr. Mel Levine at the Children's Hospital in Boston where he was an Instructor at Harvard Medical School. He was the Director of Child Development at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg and then Director of the Division of Child Development at the University of South Florida College of Medicine until 1993. He has published articles and research papers in developmental pediatrics. He has held numerous positions to advocate for children, including the Medical Director of the Child Protection Team, the Medical Director of the Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center, a member of the Florida Infant Hearing Impairment Advisory Council and the Florida Governor’s Autism Task Force. In 1997, he established the Florida Children’s Center, a multidisciplinary program for the evaluation and treatment of children with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Behavioral Disorders. For 15 years, he has been the Executive Director of Tampa Day School, a school for children with non-traditional learning styles. He and Lois Delaney own and operate the Bowman Academy, a preschool in Tampa, with his wife, Teresa Burgess, Head of School. With Lois Delaney, he started Keystone Preparatory School, for high school students with atypical learning styles. As Executive Director with the American Education Group, he took the educational model developed at Tampa Day School to open Lexis Preparatory School in Scottsdale, Arizona and he will continue to play critical roles in the development of future Lexis Preparatory Schools.
Jeff's extensive experience includes leading service companies with multi-location operations and ten years on senior management teams. Jeff has a BS degree in Food Systems Economics and Management and a MS degree in Agriculture Economics, both from Michigan State University. Most recently, Jeff held senior management positions at National Heritage Academies (NHA), a charter school management company. As VP of Operations, he oversaw all fifty-one NHA schools in five states including school operations, facility management, and board relations. Jeff carries a passion for education and believes that all children are deserving of quality education.
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