NM LEND Staff & Faculty

Sandra Heimerl, PT, DPT, MS
Director
sheimerl@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-0096

Alyx Medlock, M.S., CCC-SLP
Training Director
almedlock@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-8285

Nellee Thompson, MBA
Program Coordinator
nthompson@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-3025

Sandra Heimerl, PT, DPT, MS
Director
LEND Faculty
Physical Therapy
sheimerl@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-0096

Sandy Heimerl’s career in physical therapy (PT) has spanned over 40 years with a focus on pediatrics and neurodevelopmental disabilities. She has seen the evolution of care from a medical, disciplinary model of practice to a family-centered, inter-professional model of care for children with disabilities.  Her passion in working in the PT field has been to provide leadership and training in an academic setting both practicing at the University of Wisconsin Waisman Center and for the past 22 years, at the University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability (CDD).  At UNM, with her colleagues, she initiated telehealth practices at the CDD and conducted and published research on the motor delays in young children with autism.  Sandy has been part of the graduate interdisciplinary training program, NM LEND, since 2003, as the PT faculty member, training director and as the principle investigator for the past 8 years. She provides clinical evaluation and training as the physical therapist for the CDD Early Childhood Evaluation Program and for the UNM NICU follow-up Special Baby Clinic. Sandy collaborates with the UNM PT and OT programs to provide a yearly continuing education series to pediatric therapists and she has assisted in research on intervention for children with autism who toe walk.  Sandy co-leads the New Mexico Early Cerebral Palsy Detection and Intervention Task Force that provides advocacy and education to address early detection of infants at risk for cerebral palsy in New Mexico.

Alyx Medlock, M.S., CCC-SLP
Training Director
LEND Faculty
almedlock@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-8285

Alyx is a speech-language pathologist who has worked with interdisciplinary, family-centered teams throughout her career. She is a life-long New Mexican with deep family and cultural ties to the state. She was the Director of the Early Childhood Evaluation Program (ECEP) and continues to work clinically, providing interdisciplinary, developmental and diagnostic evaluations to children under three. Her previous experience, in running a private practice, fostered varied professional and personal experiences throughout the state and across the lifespan. She has experience working with families of children with prenatal drug and alcohol exposure, individuals with ASD, children and adults with feeding and swallowing difficulties, and many other populations.

Osana Abich Oliva, MD
LEND Faculty
Medicine
oabicholiva@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-3000

Osana Abich Oliva, MD completed medical school and pediatric residency in Cuba, and pediatric residency training at the University of New Mexico Hospital. She is a Board Certified Pediatrician and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UNMH, where she joined the faculty in 2021. She works at the Center for Development and Disability with the interdisciplinary teams of the Early Childhood Evaluation Program and the Support and Assessment for Feeding and Eating Clinic. Dr. Abich Oliva is bilingual (Spanish-speaking). She started as a member of the LEND faculty in 2022. Her particular interests include impact of housing insecurity in child development, early diagnosis of developmental disabilities, and medical and developmental comorbidities in children presenting with feeding disorders.

Sylvia Acosta, Ph.D.
LEND Faculty
Psychology
syacosta@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-4725

Sylvia J. Acosta, Ph. D. is a licensed psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UNM. She is a graduate of the USC UCEDD LEND Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (2007-2010). She has been the psychology discipline faculty lead for NM LEND since 2016. Her clinical work has focused on serving children and families with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), particularly those families who are culturally and linguistically diverse and those with comorbid behavioral health disorders. Dr. Acosta is bilingual (Spanish-speaking). Her research interests include assessment and health disparities in ASD and multicultural issues related to behavioral health and developmental disabilities. She is the director of the CDD’s Postdoctoral Psychology Training program and manages the Parent Home Training program for parents of children with ASD.

Tony Cahill, Ph.D.
LEND Faculty
Public Administration
acahill@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-2990

Dr. Cahill is the Center's Evaluation Director and Director of the Division of Disability and Health Policy. He is nationally recognized for his work in the areas of evaluation and research methodology; outcomes and performance-based research; the design, implementation and analysis of large-scale mail and telephone surveys; and applied statistical analysis. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Disability Section of the American Public Health Association, and with his colleagues at the University of Kansas, he was the recipient of the National Research Award from the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association for the article The Psychosocial Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Persons with Disabilities and Independent Living Center Staff Living on the American Gulf Coast in Rehabilitation Psychology. He is the Past Section Chair of the Disability Section and Past Program Chair of the American Public Health Association, past Program Chair of the New Mexico Evaluator’s Society, Past Chair of the New Mexico Governor’s Commission on Disability, and a member of the Professional Advisory Group of the American Association on Health and Disability and the New Mexico Disability and Health Advisory Council.

Dámaris Donado
LEND Faculty
Social Work
ddonado@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-250-8881

Dámaris Donado is the Program Operations Director for UNM Center for Development and Disability’s Early Childhood Prevention and Home Visiting Services. She has 19 years of demonstrated work experience in prevention services, partnering with state funders, and leading teams delivering early childhood services. Dámaris is bilingual with a multicultural background who holds two master’s degrees, one in social science with an emphasis in multiculturalism and the second in social work. She is licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in the State of New Mexico. Dámaris is also a national trainer for the Erikson Institute teaching the Facilitated Attuned Interactions approach to practitioners and is a certified trainer for the Children's Trust Fund Alliance teaching the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework. Lastly, Dámaris is proudly a LEND fellow having completed her training in 2017.

Daniel Ekman, MA
LEND Faculty
Disability Advocacy

Daniel Ekman works at the New Mexico Developmental Disabilities Council’s Center for Self Advocacy Program. He graduated with Honors with an MA Special Education from the University of New Mexico and won the 2013 Outstanding Student with a Disability Award from the Southwest Conference on Disability. He also received the 2011 Bob Thomas Award for Disability Advocacy from The Arc of New Mexico, the 2023 Robert LeCompt Jr. Leadership Award and received the Liz Thomson Award from Partners in Policymaking. He served as a Diversity Fellow with the University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (NMLEND) Program. He has collaborated and volunteered with many organizations including the Jemez Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Council, the New Mexico Autism Society, People First of New Mexico, New Mexico Young Disability Leaders, Elevate the Spectrum, and New Mexico Allies for Advocacy among others.

Shannon Gregg, MS, RD, LD
LEND Faculty
Nutrition
sgregg@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-1131

Shannon Gregg, MS, RD, LD is a registered dietitian in the UNM Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonology. She is a graduate of the NM LEND Program (2011) and the UNM Pediatric Pulmonary Center (UNM PPC) (2012). She served as Nutrition Faculty for the UNM PPC from 2016-2020, and joined NM LEND in 2020. Her clinical work includes providing nutritional care for children and youth with special healthcare needs in an outpatient setting, currently specializing in pulmonary conditions. She serves as the dietitian for the UNM Cystic Fibrosis Center, which is the state's only facility accredited by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Her clinical interests include infant and pediatric feeding, cystic fibrosis, and developmental disabilities. Her professional memberships include the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the NM Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Heidi Sanders, MA, OTR/L
LEND Faculty
Occupational Therapy & Special Education

Heidi Sanders, MA, OTR/L, holds degrees in both Occupational Therapy and Special Education. She has been a faculty member of the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program at the University of New Mexico since 2004. Her clinical work includes both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation with children with multiple disabilities at Carrie Tingley Hospital. Heidi also served as the primary therapist for the FOCUS Program, an early intervention program for children with prenatal substance exposure and their families. Heidi currently provides consultation services for the Developmental Care Program at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, following children after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. She has developed school-wide programs for children with motor, social and self-regulation challenges, as well as providing consultation, assessment, and training to improve services and supports for children in foster care and post-adoption throughout the state of New Mexico. Heidi has worked internationally to assist families, teachers, and medical professional to improve the quality of life for children with a range of disabilities in Russia, Nicaragua and Mexico.

Angela Sosa, MPA, Health Education
LEND Faculty
Family and Community
asosa02@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-3024

Angela draws on her experience in New Mexico as a family member, advocating for her brother with Down syndrome. She has worked in an administrative support capacity at the UNM Center for Development and Disability LEND, ECEP, and Resident Development programs. She is a graduate of UNM with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, with focus areas in communications and journalism and German language arts and a master’s degree in public administration.

Vail Woodard, RN, MSN
LEND Faculty
Nursing
VWoodard@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-228-7413

Vail currently works as a nurse case manager for the Medically Fragile Case Management Program at the UNM Center for Development and Disability. She completed her Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration from UNM. Professional interests include providing support for children with special health care needs and their families, providing education and outreach throughout the state of New Mexico so all children receive the services they need to meet their potential.

The purpose of the NM LEND Family and Community as Faculty project is for trainees to gain experience and understanding of the rewards and challenges facing persons with disabilities and their families. If you have questions regarding the role of families and self-advocates within the NM LEND program, or the Family and Community as Faculty project, please contact:

Angela Sosa
Health Educator
asosa02@salud.unm.edu
Phone: 505-272-3024