Meet Our Staff

Holland Connections Staff

Jennifer Larson
Owner, CEO

Jennifer Larson is the mother of a young man with regressive autism. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with degrees in marketing, psychology and speech communication and a graduate of the OPM program of Harvard Business School. Jennifer is the owner and CEO of Vibrant Technologies, incorporated 1998. She is also the owner, founder and CEO of the Holland Autism Center and Clinic, the Founding Board Chair of the non-profit Children with Autism Deserve Education (CADE), and Director and founder of the non-profit Health Choice. Jennifer has been honored with several business and media awards during her career including the Minneapolis Business Journal’s 2007, Forty under Forty award and 2008 Women to Watch award. She has been interviewed by Brent Bowers of the New York Times (“Out of Adversity an Opportunity“, “Entrepreneurs Press On, and Obstacles Fall“), and wrote “Is He High Functioning” on the Age of Autism.

BIO

Mark Blaxill
CFO

Mark Blaxill is the CFO of Vibrant Technologies Inc and the Holland Center. In addition, he is co-founder and Executive Director of XLP Capital, a firm founded in 2015 and focused on technology strategy development, advanced data analytics and technology-based investments. Before starting XLP, Mr. Blaxill was a co-Founder and Managing Partner of 3LP Advisors, a firm focused on IP strategy development, patent transactions and IP-based investments. Previous to the launch of 3LP in 2008, he was a 25-year veteran of The Boston Consulting Group, where as senior vice president and partner, he headed the firm’s Strategy Practice. He is the co-author of The Invisible Edge: Taking Your Strategy to the Next Level Using Intellectual Property (Portfolio, 2009), which was named Best Strategy Book in 2009 by a leading business journal. He has been named one of “The World’s Leading IP Strategists” by IAM Magazine.

Mark is also the father of a daughter diagnosed with autism. He has published numerous scientific articles and co-authored three books on autism with Dan Olmsted: The Age of Autism (Thomas Dunne, September 2010), and Vaccines 2.0 (Skyhorse Publishing, February 2015) and most recently Denial: How Refusing to Face the Facts About Our Autism Epidemic Hurts Children, Families—and our Future (Skyhorse, 2017).

Mr. Blaxill earned an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School and an A.B. from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

BIO

Brittany Fink, MOT, OTR/L
Holland Connections Division Director
Occupational Therapist
Minnetonka/Mendota Heights/Holland Life/Outpatient

Brittany Fink
MOT, OTR/L

Brittany attended the University of Minnesota, where she received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy and a Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education. She has provided Occupational Therapy services for children who have a diagnosis of Autism for seven years. Brittany’s areas of special interest include Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI), sensory integration, and feeding therapy. Brittany is passionate about helping her clients to achieve their highest level of functional independence while having fun along the way.

BIO

Sophie Wilmshurst, COTA/L
Team Lead – Mendota Heights
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Sophie Wilmshurst
COTA/L

Sophie attended the Health Science Institute in Kansas City, where she received her Associate’s degree to become a COTA. Before that, she attended the University of Kansas, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Community Health. Sophie has 4 years of experience working with the pediatric special needs population, with diagnoses including Traumatic Brain Injuries, Strokes, and Autism. She started at Holland Center as a student during one of her clinical rotations and continued on to become an employee. Sophie loves being creative to find a fun way for client’s to learn and participate in meaningful activities.

BIO

Marina Underberg, COTA/L
Team Lead – Minnetonka
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Marina Underberg
COTA/L

Marina has been working as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for 2 years after earning an Associates degree from St. Catherine’s University. Her areas of special interests are cognitive and visual impairments. Marina is passionate about discovering her clients personalities and watching them gain confidence through their independence.

BIO

Abby Ihli, MOT, OTR/L
Team Lead – Holland Life
Occupational Therapist

Abby Ihli
MOT, OTR/L

Abby attended the College of St. Scholastica where she received a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Before that, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology and a minor in neuroscience from the University of Minnesota. Abby has had 8 years of experience working with children with special needs of all ages in outpatient, home and school settings. She loves to encourage clients and help them achieve their goals using play.

BIO

Kaitlyn Hirvela, M.S., CCC-SLP
Team Lead – Eden Prairie Outpatient
Speech-Language Pathologist

Kaitlyn Hirvela
M.S. CCC-SLP

Kaitlyn attended the University of North Dakota, where she received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She also has minors in Special Education and Psychology. Specific areas of interest include articulation and phonological disorders, as well as feeding therapy. Kaitlyn is certified in the Beckman Oral Motor assessment and intervention protocol, which focuses on mechanical muscle responses to increase oral motor function. She enjoys working with children and teaching them to communicate their wants and needs and having fun while doing so.

BIO

Keri Derauf, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathology Trainer
Speech-Language Pathologist

Keri Derauf
M.S., CCC-SLP

Keri attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she received her Master’s of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has provided Speech Therapy services to children diagnosed with Autism for seven years. Keri’s interests include Augmentative and Alternative Communication and early language development. She is certified in the Beckman Oral Motor assessment and intervention protocol, which focuses on mechanical muscle responses to increase oral motor function. She loves working with children and helping them communicate their wants and needs for everyday life.

BIO

Jenna Barbeln, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapy Trainer
Occupational Therapist

Jenna Barbeln
MOT, OTR/L

Jenna attended Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Child Development and Family Studies, with a minor in Psychology. She then attended the University of Minnesota, where she received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. Jenna’s areas of special interest include trauma informed care, emotional regulation, and feeding therapy. She has received additional training in the SOS (Sequential-Oral-Sensory) approach to feeding. Jenna enjoys working with the wonderful multidisciplinary team, clients and families at Holland Connections!

BIO

Tyler Gansen, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Minnetonka

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Tyler Gansen
MOT, OTR/L

Tyler attended Colorado State University, where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with a focus in Mind, Brain, and Behavior. He then attended Clarkson University, where he received his Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. Tyler is a Veteran of the United States Air Force and has previous experience as a Pre-school Teacher. He enjoys working with individuals of all abilities and is passionate about helping his clients to achieve their goals.

BIO

Cassandra Hagen, MOT, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Mendota Heights

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Cassandra Hagen
MOT, OTR/L

Cassie attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Nordic Studies. She then attended Allen College in Waterloo, Iowa where she received a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She enjoys identifying fun and meaningful activities individualized to each child to help them achieve their goals and increase their independence.

BIO

Kari Luedtke, COTA/L
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Minnetonka

Kari Luedtke
COTA/L

Kari attended the Anoka Technical College, where she received her Associates degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. She has been providing Occupational Therapy services for children who have a diagnosis of Autism for six months. She is excited to expand her knowledge in OT as she continues to learn new techniques and unique way to teach her clients. Kari enjoys seeings kids learn through play, and celebrating each client’s success no matter how big or small.

BIO

Kenzie Larson, COTA/L
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Minnetonka

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Kenzie Larson
COTA/L

Kenzie graduated from Western Tech located in La Crosse, WI with an Associates Degree in Applied Science. Prior to becoming a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, she worked with adults 18 and older within a group home setting. There, she focused on enhancing everyday activities of daily living to provide meaningful services and care to clients of all abilities. She looks forward to starting a new chapter in her life, working with children at Holland Connections to help them achieve their goals and increase independence within all desired activities within a fun and safe environment!

BIO

Employment Opportunities

Holland Center is expanding! We are currently seeking full-time or part-time Occupational Therapists, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, and Speech-Language Pathologists to provide services to children enrolled in our autism program as well as children of varying diagnoses enrolled in our growing outpatient program.

If you are interested in joining our team, please submit your resume to info@hollandconnections.com.

Holland Connections Staff

Jennifer Larson Owner, CEO

Mark Blaxill CFO

Employment Opportunities

Holland Connections

Jennifer Larson
Owner, CEO

Mark Blaxill
CFO