“I love being a preschool teacher and special educator in the Monkey Room at CDC! Three-year-olds are my favorite people on the planet because they make every day a new adventure. In my second year here at CDC, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching a group of children with hearing impairments and we have learned so much together, including self-advocacy skills, some sign language, listening and communication skills, and social play skills. We work on these skills by providing hands-on learning opportunities, visual aids and sign language to accompany new vocabulary and concepts, and themed, guided play opportunities. It’s so rewarding to watch children’s abilities and confidence grow as we play, sing, and create together!”

-Kelsy Wooldridge

“I have been working at CDC for 7 years and I often tell people that I have the best job in the center. I get to spend my day working with kids on crawling, running, jumping, pedaling a bike and climbing on playground equipment. At CDC, I get to work with a variety of ages of kids and have a unique schedule every day. I especially enjoy working with kids who have more severe mobility issues. I like problem solving the best solutions for equipment needs and I think these kids challenge me the most. I also enjoy getting to know the families of our kids we serve. There are so many great families who are willing to follow through with the recommendations we give them and we all see the benefit of working together as a team.”

-Gina Ruiz

“I have been working as an Early Childhood Special Educator at CDC for 12 years. I can honestly say that I enjoy what I do more and more every year. I have met so many wonderful families and children throughout my years and I hold all of them close to my heart. During my years at CDC I have worked with every age group and have found something to enjoy with each age. I especially love to see the growth that children make throughout a school year and the joy a child has when they master a skill they have worked so hard on. I truly believe in the benefits of early intervention and enjoy seeing past students in the community and the success they are having because of the services they received at CDC. I am thankful for getting to do what I love everyday and look forward to the years to come.”

-Michole Murray
Early Childhood Special Educator, 13 years of service

“I am a Casper native and actually was evaluated by CDC as a baby and attended the CDC daycare! I guess I have always been a part of CDC My most favorite hobby now is facetiming my grandson, Jack. Jack lives with his mom (my oldest) and his dad in Idaho (too far away for this grandma’s heart to handle). He was born with a congenital defect and has received early intervention services and has a vision specialist in Idaho. I treasure the opportunity I have had to be a part of CDC and be surrounded by exceptional therapists to know the benefits of early intervention so I could help my daughter navigate getting services for Jack. Plus, I love being able to play with Jack and sneaking in all those developmental strategies I have had the privilege of watching and learning all these years! I am completing my 14th year here at CDC as a family service coordinator. I am a people person and have always enjoyed that my job allows me to get to know so many people/families. I think it’s important we relate to people wherever they are on their journey in this life. Although I have seen heartache and there are some sad and hard days here at the CDC, I am so glad I witness miracles alongside all that”

-Molly Laidlaw

“I’ve been an occupational therapist working in early intervention for almost 27 years now (going on 15 years here at this CDC). I’m so fortunate to be able to work with little ones and their families–literally helping the child and family develop across all these little baby steps is so rewarding for me! I love getting photos or videos from families when their child meets a new milestone (even if I’m no longer working with them); that just makes my day. One of the hardest parts when working with children this young is that most of the them don’t remember me, but I know I’ve done a good job when one of their parents comes up to me years later and reflects back on all the progress their child made and how they are currently doing; that’s when I know I’ve made a small impact for them. I appreciate the opportunity CDC has given me to work with young children; it helps to keep me young at heart. I’m grateful to be doing a job I love and learn something new at every twist and turn the job throws at me.”

-Beckie McOmie

“The impact that I have made in the lives of some of the children at CDC, and the joy in my heart that it has given me.”

-Rachel Robinson
39 years of service

“Hi my name is Jenifer Blatter. I am a speech-language pathologist. I work with children who have delays with their communication skills. This is my 19th year working at CDC. I enjoy working with children and their families. I feel fortunate to have a job where I get to laugh and play everyday. I also have coworkers who are amazing and continuously inspire me!”

-Jen Blatter
Speech Language Pathologist, 16 years of service

“I’ve been at CDC for a little over 20 years and have been able to gain a wealth of experience and knowledge from so many others in the field of Early Intervention. I began in a classroom of 2 year olds when I first started working at CDC and planned to just stay for a year until another position I wanted opened up. However, the children, staff and CDC’s philosophy worked their magic and I’ve been here ever since! CDC is such a great resource for Casper and I’m so glad I get to be a part of it!”

-Erin Castle
Teacher, 22 years of service

“Hi, my name is Jim and I work at The Child Development Center in a dual role. I help with transportation, driving one of the buses and working with parents, teachers, and Family Service Coordinators to accommodate transportation requests and set up bus routes. I also am part of the maintenance team and we take care of the facility, including cleaning, repairs and preventative maintenance. I love working with the preschoolers even in a supporting role. They are so much fun and make my day go by so fast. I still remember so many of the children over the years that filled up my heart. I first started here in 2005, and can honestly say that the working conditions, team members, and generous schedule have really given me a great quality of life.”

-Jim Vifquain