Utah Regional LEND - Urlend

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Utah Regional LEND - Urlend

LEND is a collaborative & interdisciplinary training program dedicated to improving the care of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

The Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other Related Disabilities (URLEND) is a training program that covers five states: Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota. Our program uses state-of-the-art technology to connect groups of trainees across our partner states. Professionals are trained to move beyond discipline boundaries to provide optimal services to child and adolescents with special health care needs. Because families are essential to well-being, this program emphasizes the role of family-centered care in all we do. URLEND is funded with a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents of this page are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Health Resources and Services Administration or the U.S.

01/12/2026

Posted for a partner: Idaho Pediatric Audiology Conference on Feb 20-21

Registration open

01/12/2026

Meet a trainee at www.urlend.org

Isabella Bass, Audiology

Isabella Bass is a second year Doctorate of Audiology Student at the University of Utah. She graduated from Idaho State University in Pre-Audiology with a minor in Sign Language Studies. Her passion is to provide accessibility and services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in schools. She currently works at the University of Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic as the Audiology Referral Specialist. She has a pet corgi named Norman and hopes to continue to practice her Spanish and American Sign Language for her future patients.

01/12/2026

Meet a trainee at www.urlend.org

Bradlynn Andrus, Audiology

Bradlynn is currently an Audiology student at the University of Utah! She has always loved working with children and hopes to pursue a career in pediatric audiology. She grew up in a small town in Idaho but has lived in Utah the past several years for college. Bradlynn loves hiking, pickleball, and spending time with friends and family! She can’t wait to learn and grow during the URLEND program and further develop her skills to help every child in her path.

01/08/2026

Meet our faculty at www.urlend.org

Erik Luvaas
Idaho Coordinator

Erik Luvaas, Ph.D., CTRS, CFTG is the Director of the Interdisciplinary Training Program at the Idaho Center on Disabilities and Human Development and Clinical Assistant Professor in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. Luvaas has a long history of working with and advocating for people of all abilities. He joins University of Idaho after 4.5 years as Assistant Professor of Recreational Therapy in the Department of Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration at California State University, Sacramento. Prior to entering academia, he was the Recreational Therapist and Program Director for the Recreation Therapy & Movement Arts Program at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Portland, Oregon, and the Youth Sports Program Manager for the nonprofit Paralympic Sports Club, Adaptive Sports Northwest. He has also worked in psychiatric rehabilitation as a Rehabilitation Therapist at Oregon State Hospital and as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) for the Telecare Crisis and Treatment Center in Portland. Luvaas is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and enjoys facilitating nature experiences for clients and students. Erik Luvaas
Idaho Coordinator

01/08/2026

Meet our faculty at www.urlend.org

Hilory Liccini, MS
North Dakota Coordinator / Speech Language Pathology

Hilory Liccini is the Assistant Director for Program Management at the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities and an adjunct professor for the Minot State University’s Department of Special Education, where she teaches courses on Autism. She has done extensive work and trainings with medical professionals and early childcare providers on the early warning signs of Autism, as well as how to use the appropriate screening tools. She has been a contributor to the North Dakota state Autism Task Force, which has allowed her to build relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders in her state.

Ms. Liccini is a current member of the North Dakota state Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) committee and works collaboratively with state agencies such as Children’s Specials Health Services, Department of Public Instruction, and Family Voices of North Dakota.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Nazareth College of Rochester in Communication Science Disorders and a master’s degree in Education from the University of West Florida. She is also a past Utah Regional LEND trainee and a graduate of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental disabilities. Ms. Liccini has presented at numerous local, state, national, and international conferences on disabilities, with a focus on Early Childhood development and early intervention services and is trained on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS-2).

01/05/2026

Partner Training:
Utah's Multicultural Disability Network & Training Project presents our January 2026 Community of Practice Meeting. "Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion in Rural Communities" will be presented by Dr. Trent Landon.

He has researched rural aspects of service delivery to people with disabilities and the professional dispositions necessary for rehabilitation counselors working in rural areas.

https://usu.zoom.us/meeting/register/lpAQ2aYxTJuuxwbb3KlUlg #/registration

01/05/2026

Partner Training Notice:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) opens the doors to participation in society by prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities and mandating accessible healthcare environments. This training explains how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to hospitals, clinics, and public health facilities.

https://usu.zoom.us/meeting/register/lWnkCdY6TbCLlf8kbTCeug #/registration

01/05/2026

Meet a trainee at www.urlend.org

Topaza Yu, Psychology

Topaza Yu (she/her/hers), originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on Treaty 6 Territory, is a doctoral trainee in Counselling Psychology with a primary focus on vocational psychology and career development. Her work explores how people navigate career choices, identity, and meaning-making in complex social and economic contexts.

Topaza’s research investigates the psychological impacts of microaggressions, career adaptability, and barriers to equitable access in the workforce. She is particularly interested in how intersecting identities shape vocational experiences and aspirations across diverse populations.

In addition to her academic work, Topaza has contributed her expertise through her past roles on Canada's Prime Minister’s Youth Council, the board of the Asian American Psychological Association, and as a current board member of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights. Her broader professional interests encompass counseling psychology, entrepreneurship, and sexual and reproductive health, all of which are integrated with a commitment to practical, evidence-based solutions that support personal and professional growth.

01/05/2026

Meet a trainee at www.urlend.org

Kari Weiss, Nursing

Kari Weiss is a newly graduated Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from the University of Utah. She also holds a master's degree in Health Promotion and Education and a bachelor's degree in nursing, family studies, and human development. She has worked in the medical field for over 15 years with experience in oncology, surgery, and mostly neurology. Her goals are to be a trauma-informed practitioner who focuses on taking care of adopted children. She also is very involved in building policy and taking down silos to work more interprofessionally. She grew up in Sandy, Utah. She loves to paddleboard, take care of a garden, and lift weights or be active in some way. She spends her time with her two girls. She is interested in URLEND because she loves taking care of differently abled children and is a forever student!

12/18/2025

Meet our faculty at www.urlend.org

Kristi Blaiser, PhD, CCC-SLP
Audiology / Infant Pediatric Audiology (IPA) Program

Dr. Kristina Blaiser is a Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at Idaho State University. Dr. Blaiser's professional and research focus is to ensure children who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing reach their full potential, specifically through support and training of the adults who interact with them.

Dr. Blaiser directs the Idaho State University HATCH (Helping Adults Talk to Children) Lab on the Meridian campus, a lab that is responsible for family-to-family support across the state of Idaho.

Dr. Blaiser directs and is the Coordinator for the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Special Interest Group, Pediatric Hearing and Hearing Disorders and Special Projects Division for Communication, Language, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

12/18/2025

Meet our faculty at www.urlend.org

Chris Sanford, PhD
Audiology / Infant Pediatric Audiology (IPA) Program

Chris Sanford’s clinical and research training background includes Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Audiology and a Master's Degree in Audiology from Brigham Young University, a PhD in Hearing Science from the University of Washington and a postdoctoral fellowship at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Chris came to Idaho State University in 2009 and has taught graduate courses in the audiology program, conducted research, mentored students in clinical and research activities, and served in administrative roles. His primary clinic and research interests include investigations of pediatric middle-ear assessment techniques with goals of improving diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders.

Chris is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development in the College of Health at Idaho State University.

12/15/2025

Meet a trainee at www.urlend.org

Libbie Warren, Occupational Therapy

Libbie Warren grew up in the southeast, moving between Virginia and North Carolina. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Appalachian State University, where she developed a strong interest in inclusive care for those with disabilities and a deep love for the outdoors. Occupational therapy school and a desire for grander mountains brought her to Salt Lake City where she is in her second year of the University of Utah's Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.

Libbie has a broad range of work experience including kayak guiding in Maine, baking, hippotherapy, forest school instructing, teaching swim lessons, and nannying kids with special needs. She is interested in working in pediatrics and integrating her interest and knowledge of outdoor recreation through areas like nature-based therapy, adaptive sports and aquatic therapy. Outside of school, Libbie enjoys backpacking, snowboarding, baking, swimming, and traveling anywhere she can spend time in nature.

Libbie is excited to be a part of URLEND to deepen her understanding of specific neurodevelopmental disabilities and gain interdisciplinary training that will help her better advocate for inclusive and quality services for her patients in the future.

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http://www.urlend.org/

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