Contact Us
Child Language CenterVisit Us
202 E Speedway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85705
We are located on the Southeast corner of 6th Avenue and Speedway Boulevard.
The map to the left is fully interactive.
Mail Us
Child Language Center
P. O. Box 43123
Tucson, AZ 85733-3123
Phone / Fax Us
(520) 628-1659 – voice
(520) 624-2947 – fax
Send Us A Message!
ADMINISTRATION:
Carole Wymer Jensen, M.S., CCC-SLP
Carole is the Director of the Child Language Center and on the clinical faculty in the Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences at The University of Arizona, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and her Master’s Degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She has served as a Clinical Educator in speech pathology at the UA for 10 years. As a certified and licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Carole’s work has focused on children with a variety of speech and language impairments. She served as the Special Needs Coordinator for Talking Matters, a 4-year Language Consultation Strategy funded by First Things First of Arizona, and prior to her work at the UA, Carole worked in both public school and outpatient pediatric settings. She is a member of American Speech Language and Hearing Association, and is a volunteer and Board Member for Tucson Cancer Conquerors and a volunteer for the Tucson Festival of Books. She loves spending time with her two adult children, and her Collie/Lab, and enjoys books, music and exercise.
Karen Rost Zakerwski, M.A.
Karen is the Director of the Wings on Words Preschool and Toddler program. She was born and raised in the beautiful farm country of western New York where she completed her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood. Upon moving to Tucson, she taught at Head Start and completed her Masters of Education degree in Preschool Special Education at the University of Arizona. Prior to working at WOW Karen directed the preschool special education program in the Marana school district. She has served on the board of the Southern Arizona Association for the Education Young Children (SAzAEYC) and is involved in many community events supporting families and children. She feels fortunate to direct the Wings on Words program and to be working with so many talented and passionate educators. Her hobbies include gardening, reading, hiking, knitting, yoga, going to the movies and spending time with her 2 young grandsons.
SPEECH THERAPY:
Lea Cuzner, M.S., CCC-SLP
Lea is a University of Arizona Clinical Assistant Professor, and Bilingual 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, and her Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences from the University of Arizona. She has experience working in Early Intervention (birth to three years of age) with children with hearing-impairment through the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, with preschool students at Wings on Words and in the Marana Unified School District’s Special Needs Preschool Program. Lea has also worked with school-age students in the Sunnyside Unified School District and with the outpatient pediatric population at Tucson Medical Center. She has been a member of several Bilingual Diagnostic Teams providing evaluation services for Spanish-speaking children. She has traveled and provided speech and language therapy to children in Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay and Mali. She taught courses at the Universidad Estatal de Guayaquil and the Universidad Laica and worked as a trainer of Speech Language Pathologists and Deaf Educators in Ecuador. Lea has also mentored graduate students training to become Speech-Language Pathologists.
Teachers:
Adriana Dominguez
Adriana is an Instructional Aide at Wings on Words in the Dove room. Prior to working at Wings on Words, she worked at Child Parent Centers, Head Start. Adriana is currently in the process of earning a BA in Early Childhood Education at The University of Arizona and is a member of both the Southern Arizona and National Associations for the Education of Young Children (SAzAEYC) (NAEYC). Adriana is also an active member of the local Early Childhood Community of Practice, Las Familias, and actively pursues on-going professional development.
Amy Greif
Amy, an Instructional Specialist at Wings on Words since 2010, is currently the Lead Teacher in the Toddler classroom. She is completing an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education. Her experience includes work in the public school special education classrooms and as a volunteer in the TUSD Project Able program. Amy has also worked for Educational Solutions for the 21st Century Learner as a mentor for charter school teachers Pre-K through 2nd grade.
Naomi Drew
Naomi has been an Instructional Aide with Wings on Words since 2011. She is a born and raised Tucson native dedicated to instilling a Love for learning through environmental and explorative play for each and every child at Wings on Words. She plans to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Early Child Education with a minor in Nutritional Science through the University of Arizona. She is an active member of Basis Tucson and North Parent Booster club, and University High School Parent Board. Prior to Wings on Words she was a mother of our program. All three of her children attended Wings on Words and continue to thrive and soar in great schools thanks to a wonderful foundation of language based and literacy learning!
Camille Miskin
Cami has been an instructional aide for the toddler classroom as well as the aftercare program at Wings on Words since 2017. She is a senior at the University of Arizona, completing a BS in Sociology with a minor in Counseling and Communications. As the youngest child of a family of 8, she has been involved with childcare since she was young herself and has always enjoyed spending time with her nieces and nephews. She is active in her church and has often held positions teaching and managing child activities. She is passionate about the humanities and travel. She studied abroad in Germany and has been employed as a full-time nanny in the east coast. No matter where she is, she is always drawn to working with children and the joy that it brings her. Cami and her husband enjoy traveling, mountain biking, and trying new foods. In her free time, she enjoys exploring art, dancing, and spending time with her animals.
Candy Kennelly
Candy earned a B.A. in Early Childhood from Northern Arizona University. She has served on numerous Boards related to the Early Childhood profession including the Governing Board for the Southern Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (SAzAEYC,) where, as a Student Representative, she organized the first Early Childhood Education Club, and as a member of the Scottish Rite Governing Board for Wings On Words, she chaired and co-chaired annual fundraiser events. Her professional awards and recognition include the University of AZ College of Science Staff Excellence award (March 2003), Outstanding Volunteerism and Dedicated Commitment as a Distinguished member of the Southern Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children Executive Board (July 2006), and a Service Award (Jan 2011), in recognition and appreciation of ten years of dedicated service to the Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona. She is a member of SAzAEYC and is an advocate for health and wellness in her classroom, in our school and our community through participation in Tia Chi and yoga through the Capacitar Training program.
Marina McCormick
Marina has been employed with Wings on Words since 2001, and has worked in Early Childhood programs for 24 years. She believes that some of the most important skills she seeks to demonstrate through her teaching, and nurture in young children, are flexibility, patience and love. Marina earned an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and regularly participates in continuing education opportunities. She was born and raised in Nogales, Mexico, and developed her interest in the Early Childhood profession while her own children were in preschool.
Michele Piihl
Michele is an Instructional Specialist at Wings On Words and is the Lead Teacher in the Owl room. Prior to working at Wings On Words, she worked in an exceptional education classroom, which gave her great experience facilitating communication skills and behavior strategies with children. Michele has been a part of the WOW team for 16 years in various roles and has worked with all the age groups in the preschool building. In her spare time, Michele enjoys spending time with her grand-kids, participating in outdoor activities and taking care of her numerous animals which currently include a dog, horse, goats and chickens.