Our Staff

Barbara Kiernan, PhD

Barbara is the Director of the Center and Lecturer in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at The University of Arizona. She was awarded the PhD from The University of Arizona in 1993 and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship during 1993-1994. Dr. Kiernan has extensive experience with children learning first and second languages, in both the United States and in Venezuela. Her area of research and teaching focuses on language learning and development of children with impaired language skills.

Karen Rost Zakerwski

Karen is the Program Director at Wings On Words Program. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development and a Master’s in Preschool Special Education. Prior to working at Wings on Words, she worked for eleven years as a teacher for the Head Start program and ten years as the director of preschool special education programs for the Marana School District. She has been at Wings On Words since l998 and worked for three years as a summer camp teacher for the Child Language Center prior to that. Karen is a member of the Tucson Association for the Education of Young Children, the local chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Lea Cuzner

Lea is a Clinical Instructor and Speech Language Pathologist at Wings on Words. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Communication Disorders and Speech Sciences. She then went on to receiver her Master’s degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Arizona. Lea speaks French and Spanish as well as English. She has traveled and worked as a trainer of Speech Language Pathologists and Deaf Educators in Ecuador and also as a Speech Language Pathologist in Mali. Lea’s experience in speech therapy continued in the Sunnyside School District, at University Medical Center and in a special needs preschool in Marana.

Tracy Kaplan  

Tracy is a Clinical Instructor and Speech Language Pathologist at Wings on Words. She has a Master of Science degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders from New Mexico State University. She is certified as a Speech-Language Pathologist through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the State of Arizona.

Although Tracy’s clinical training and experience spans people of all ages with a variety of conditions, her passion lies within early intervention. She specializes in helping infants and children with communication disorders and feeding/swallowing difficulties. Tracy has been with Wings on Words since January 2010, and she thoroughly enjoys being part of an interdisciplinary team serving the Greater Tucson community.

Among her other involvements, Tracy provides private pediatric speech-language therapy services through Mealtime Connections, LLC.  She also plans to integrate her clinical experience with public health training through the Family and Child Health program within the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. Tracy hopes to one day effect policy changes at the local, state and national levels to improve quality and access to care for children and families whom require developmental support.

Candy Kennelly

Candy is an Instructional Specialist at Wings on Words and is the lead teacher in the Hummingbird room. She is currently working to receive her Child Development Associate degree. Prior to working at Wings on Words, she worked in the Navajo schools and A.C.E.S. preschool. Candy has also been very involved in boy and girl scouting and youth groups in the community.

Jocabed Frausto

Jocabed joined the Wings on Words staff as an Instructional Specialist in 2007 and is the lead teacher in the Quail room. She has worked with children for the past 20 years, and started teaching professionally in 1993. Prior to coming to Wings on Words she worked for TUSD, Head Start, and in private preschool settings as a teacher, instructional specialist, and assistant director. She is currently attending Northern Arizona University and plans to get a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Jocabed is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Franny Furrier

Franny Furrier joined the WOW team in 2004 as an Instructional Specialist in the afterschool Roadrunner program but currently works in the Doves (toddler) classroom. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a BA in Education and a MA in Rehabilitation. Prior to coming to WOW, Franny was a community volunteer and a stay-at-hom mom who raised five wonderful children. Now her wonderful children attend WOW!

Jamara Knight

Jamara Knight grew up in Washington State, but received her B.A. in Spanish and Art from Guilford College in North Carolina.  Later she earned a certificate in documentary studies from Duke University. Jamara first came to early childhood education as an AmeriCorps VISTA member training childcare providers in a reading program to foster emergent literacy skills and social-emotional development. She then worked for three years in Montessori classrooms. Jamara has been excited to help start the new toddler program at WOW and looks forward to growing with the school and children.

Magda Reyna

Magda is the Office Assistant at Wings On Words. Prior to coming to Wings on Words she worked in the Sunnyside School District, with Family Literacy and TUSD.