Meet Our Team
EASTERN WASHINGTON I PROGRAM DIRECTOR
BRITTNEY CORNWELL
Brittney Cornwell has been enriching the lives of developmentally disabled individuals since 2009. She made her cross over to the children's world in 2012 when she moved to Spokane, WA and began her journey at SL Start. Brittney was hired as a Direct Care Professional and over the course of 2 years, quickly climbed her way to Program Director. She was named Program Director of the Year by DDA in 2016 and has worked with her team to double the size of the children's program in Spokane in the last two years. Brittney has always had a passion for helping people in her community, she is a part of several community fundraising programs and has helped raise thousands of dollars for the Autism Society of Washington Spokane Chapter. In her free time, she enjoys life with her family and dog, singing, and music festivals.
CLINICAL PROGRAM MANAGER
KENNETH WEED
Ken is a member of the WA clinical team working in Spokane with the SL Start children’s program. He is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with 15 years of experience working with both adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ken currently supports the SL Start Licensed Staffed Residential program (LSR) through conducting functional behavior assessments, and the formation of behavior support plans that provide instruction to direct support staff and families. Additionally, Ken provides behavior skills training to staff while in the residential homes and during initial staff training. He currently teaches a person-centered autism class, Therapeutic Options and various continuing education training for behavior support.
Ken has worked in many different settings during his career serving individuals with disabilities, including special education in two charter schools and mental health services in a residential treatment center in New Mexico. He began working with people with disabilities early on while in Kansas where he worked in adult and children’s residential supported-living homes, and also as a community inclusion specialist with teenagers in group family homes. As of fall 2019, Ken works exclusively as the program clinician for SL Start’s LSR program.
EASTERN WASHINGTON I HR GENERALIST
BRITTANY SWAILS
Brittany is a member of the WA HR Team working in Spokane with the SL Start children’s program. She has over 15 years of experience working with both adults and children within the healthcare field. Brittany currently supports the SL Start Licensed Staffed Residential program (LSR), by hiring compassionate individuals. Additionally, Brittany helps oversee that the company’s compliance is met. She takes pride in her work, and is always offering a helping hand.
Brittany has worked in many different settings during her career serving her community, including volunteer work at Deaconess Hospital and helping the homeless gain shelter and food. As of December 2019, Brittany has been with Embassy and is looking forward to her future within the company.
WESTERN WASHINGTON I HR GENERALIST/ RECRUITING COORDINATOR
ZEHN ZEBELL
Zehn Zebell has worked with SL Start for over three years. She started as the HR Assistant and was promoted to HR Generalist after 1.5 years in that role. Zehn now oversees HR and Recruiting for the greater Seattle area. Zehn truly enjoys getting to know our DSP’s and supported individuals over her time with SL Start and hopes to continue to support the company’s growth for years to come.
WASHINGTON STATE CLINICAL DIRECTOR
VICKI ROZELL, BCBA, LBA
Vicki started as a Direct Support Professional with Aacres Spokane in 2007. She has remained within the Embassy family of companies for the remaining 11 years. During that time Vicki obtained a Master's Degree in Special Education from Gonzaga University and in 2014 was granted a Board Certification in Behavior Analysis. In 2017, Vicki began working towards her Doctorate in Educational and Organizational Leadership at Seattle University.
Vicki entered into the role of Assistant Clinical Director of Washington State in June 2017. Since then she has assisted in growing the clinical team statewide including the addition of licensed professionals. She has led the team in assessing risk for those we serve in Washington and assessing for compatibility in roommate matching. Additionally, she has increased collaboration with DDA on clinical supports for referrals, restrictive procedures, and hospitalizations.
Vicki has experience working with individuals of all ages on the Autism Spectrum and remains passionate about bringing evidence-based behavioral supports to residential care. In addition, Vicki is focused on providing supports that increase the quality of life in the least restrictive manner. She remains dedicated to community integration for individuals with developmental disabilities and is thrilled to continue this work within the Embassy family.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
KENDRA ELLIS
Kendra Ellis is a professional leader with over ten years of experience serving as a member of executive leadership teams. Kendra is known for being accomplishment driven with a proven history of working with teams to align systems and achieve integration. Kendra operates with a focus on organic growth and has partnered with stakeholders to develop policies and design innovative services.
In her current role as Executive Director for Washington and Oregon Kendra oversees operations for a variety of service lines including Residential Services for adults, Licensed Residential homes for children,
In-Home Intensive Services for children and adults. Kendra entered the human service field with a passion for advocating for adults and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She fulfills this mission through her leadership and legislative advocacy on a local, state and national platform. Throughout her career, she has remained focused on the service needs of each person as a unique individual. Kendra was nominated for the American Health Care Association ID/DD Residential Services Committee in 2016 and is currently serving her second term. Kendra is a native to the Pacific Northwest, currently calling Seattle, Washington home.