Meet Our Staff
Gwen Hetrick, Lead Teacher, Site Director
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Gwen is Lead Teacher/Site Director with more than 20 years of experience in education, dedicated to creating warm, welcoming spaces where children and families feel truly at home. Since beginning her child caregiving work in 2004, Gwen has been passionate about building nurturing environments that support the whole child — socially, emotionally, and academically. Her approach is grounded in trauma-informed practices and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), helping children feel safe, understood, and confident as they grow and learn. Gwen believes that strong relationships are at the heart of a thriving program. She values connection, kindness, collaboration, and work to create a sense of community where children support one another every day. Outside of work, Gwen enjoys spending quality time with her small family — husband Jake and daughter Maxine. She also loves crocheting, reading, and find joy in life’s simple, cozy moments.
Karla Flores Hernandez, Therapist
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Karla has a Bachelor's in Psychology from Universidad Centro Americana Jose Simeon Canas-UCA (El Salvador). She attended and then received her Master's in Clinical Psychology from Universidad Dr. Jose Matias Delgado (El Salvador). While developing her private practice, she began her career with Salvadoran community residents (children and adolescents) at her college Psychological Assistance Clinic. She enhanced the skill of treating various clinical issues, focusing on behavioral and emotional problems. She currently holds a temporary licensure in the State of Kansas as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC-T) and works under the supervision of Marci Ramsay, who is an LSCSW (#4179)and Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor (#S1960).
Karla has been working in the mental health field for over 17 years. Although she is originally from El Salvador, and her native language is Spanish, she is fluently bilingual.
Karla likes to help families implement interventions with compassion and efficacy. Families, especially parents, must have adequate and suitable techniques to work with their children to help create a healthy emotional environment.
Karla treats children through play therapy and other psychodynamic techniques and interventions to help them express their feelings, solve problems, and build skills. That way, they can bring to light negative communication patterns in their families. Moreover, this will guide her to discover problem-solving techniques and strategies to meet their psychological needs.
Kristi McAlister, Bookkeeper
kristi@positivebrightstart.org
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Kristi began her journey with Positive Bright Start in 2014 as a Service Coordinator for the single classroom of PBS’s Early Childhood Education program. Over the years, her roles grew and changed alongside PBS. She served as Program Administrator for the schools, and as an administrative assistant to the classrooms. Kristi now keeps the books for all our programs.
Kristi is a self-proclaimed “jill of all trades” and has an AGS with an emphasis in business as well as a background in Publishing, as a CNA, and licensed home daycare. She also has training in Trauma-Informed Care, A.C.E.’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences), Anti-Bias Education, the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Pyramid Model, and Early Childhood Leadership.
Kristi is a mom of three and a metastatic breast cancer warrior. In her free time, she loves to cook, travel, and spend time with her family, preferably near water, whether it be a pool, a lake, or an ocean.
Lane Eisenbart, Communications and Operations
Lane wears many hats for Positive Bright Start. She’s the face you’ll likely see first as you walk in the door and the voice on the phone. Lane is onsite tech support and website manager as well as classroom lunch cook and substitute teacher. Lane tries to make sure everyone at Positive Bright Start has the support they need to do their jobs.
Lane has a degree in English and Secondary Education from KU, has lived in Lawrence since 2003, is active and involved in her community, and believes that all children deserve love and safety and the opportunity to learn and grow.
Lisa Zwiener, CMP, CCNP, CACFP Administrator
Lisa has an Associates Degree in Science from JCCC and 9 hours of Early Childhood Development training from Emporia State University. Lisa was a home daycare provider for 5 years. She has been at Positive Bright Start since 2004, training home daycare providers in CACFP guidelines for nutrition and activity. She has trained at the state level and several other counties in Kansas. To express how she feels about the importance of early childhood, Lisa shares this quote: “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” Lisa strives to make positive deposits daily with adults and children.
Marci Ramsay, LSCSW, RPT-S, Therapy Services, Therapist, PBS Consultant
Marci’s advanced degree is a Master of Social Work degree earned in 2006 from The University of Kansas. She holds licensure in the state of Kansas as a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker. In addition, she is a Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor and is currently pursuing certification in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics through the Child Trauma Academy.
Marci has been employed at Positive Bright Start as an Early Childhood Mental Health Clinician and Positive Behavior Support Administrator since 2007. Marci’s primary practice is the assessment and treatment of children, birth through age 6, with social and emotional difficulties, specializing in treating children with trauma-related conditions, including child maltreatment, posttraumatic stress disorder, and attachment or adjustment disorders. Marci is trained to use a variety of developmentally-based, play therapies to assist children with self-expression and problem resolution including child-centered play therapy, directive play therapy, Theraplay®, and EMDR.
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Marci is passionate about building solid relationships with her clients and approaches each unique situation using a child-centered, attachment based framework. It is through a solid foundation of strong relational connections that Marci believes children can thrive.
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Marie Taylor, Executive Director
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Marie Taylor is the new Executive Director of Positive Bright Start! Previously leading early childhood education in the Lawrence Public Schools and in Kansas City, Marie is a licensed early childhood teacher and school administrator. In addition to being an experienced instructional coach, Marie is a certified Trauma Smart facilitator with extensive collaborative experience in racial equity efforts and indigenous shared-learning initiatives. She holds master’s degrees in educational administration and early childhood special education, as well as a bachelor’s degree in human development from the University of Kansas.
For the last decade, Marie has collaborated with Positive Bright Start on task forces as well as referring young children and their families to the many resources available at Positive Bright Start. The retiring executive director, Anna Jenny, has been a trusted colleague and Marie feels honored to be carrying out the legacy that Anna has created. Positive Bright Start has created a niche in the Lawrence community and Marie is excited to lead the organization into the next phase of its journey.
Marie spends her spare time in the Rockies and Captiva Island with her family.
