Mike Winchell
Owner & Director
My name is Mike Winchell and I am excited to have been able to bring LearningRx to Fort Collins. We have been improving the lives of children and adults in Northern Colorado for more than a decade now. Each time we improve a life more than they ever imagined possible, it still amazes me even though I’ve seen it happen hundreds of times. The programs that Dr. Gibson created are very well designed and incredibly effective. Their effectiveness is shown in the multitude of published studies and over 100,000 actual brains and lives improved by an average of 14 to 25 IQ points, depending on which study you read. Those are big, life-changing numbers. But more important than numbers are the lives we see changed every day! Chances are, you have come to the right place. I look forward to meeting you and the chance to solve your particular puzzle!
But “dream big” when you call. This is the place where the things you can only dream of anywhere else can actually come true.
Sue Ann Highland
Assessor
Dr. Sue Ann Highland serves as an advisor for the Fort Collins LearningRx team. She is excited to help schools and districts engage and prepare students for the great learning they will encounter through brain training. She has been in education for over 25 years, with over half of these in rural districts. As a growth and improvement expert and Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, she has extensive experience in developing professional development and systemic change initiatives. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education from San Diego State, an M.A. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Northern Colorado, and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University.
She has been a teacher, principal, curriculum director, federal programs director, and provides coaching and consulting for districts in the areas of systemic improvement and change, brain-focused instruction, collaborative learning, high risk group instruction, writing, and reading instruction. Because of this, she is passionate about helping people to see the strengths in brain training and the power it can bring to a person’s life! We are thrilled to have Dr. Sue Ann Highland on our Fort Collins LearningRx team!
Elysia Anderson
Certified Brain Trainer
I am a native Coloradan and adore this beautiful state! I first discovered LearningRx as a student of the program in 2009. LearningRx challenged me and increased my processing speed and reading comprehension (but that wasn’t the best part). To my amazement and delight, the program also raised my grades, boosted my self-esteem, and even erased my stutter! Since then, I have worked in a Physical Therapy clinic for some years, and it is remarkable to see how consistency, discipline, determination, and hard work reap tangible progress and rewards. The same can be said for LearningRx! Fourteen years later, I am blessed to return as a Brain Trainer and witness students achieve their goals. My husband and I enjoy outdoor adventures and making memories with our sweet children. In my spare time, I enjoy riveting books, choral performance, the classical symphony, and perfectly crafted espresso.
Sara Bennett
Certified Brain Trainer
As many can tell when talking to me, I did not grow up here but in England! I worked there as a nurse and a midwife, then after moving to the USA, I enjoyed homeschooling my children for several years and working with children with special needs in the public school system. I love being able to use all those experiences in my role at LearningRx, albeit in a different way. One of the best things about being a trainer is seeing when a student makes a leap forward in their cognitive skills and witnessing when they become aware of their own increased capabilities. It is also exciting to hear from families how things are improving at home. When I’m not working, I might be reading, volunteering with international students and homeless families, working in my yard, or riding on the back of my husband’s motorcycle!
Kristi Esslinger
Executive Assistant/Brain Trainer
I was a student several years ago. I was looking for help with memorizing lyrics since I am a lead singer in several bands. During my training, the most amazing thing happened. Not only did my memory improve, but so did my spatial relations and my ability to maintain focus. Additionally, my confidence on stage skyrocketed! In 2020 I came back to LearningRx – this time as a trainer. Observing student cognitive improvements reminds me of my own time as a student and all the successes I have had since then. It’s very rewarding for me to be a part of someone’s growth in this way. Especially when it happens in front of my eyes! I’m now primarily involved with the front office and I’m training only when asked to substitute. I enjoy traveling worldwide, hanging out with my friends (and bandmates), and most of all spending time with my three adult sons and my husband of over 33 years.
Alex Forseth
Certified Brain Trainer
I became aware of LearningRx after one of my sisters went through the program. I heard positive things from my parents and decided to investigate becoming a trainer. My background in psychology makes me fascinated with the brain and human cognition. I found that LearningRx is a great way to stay engaged with that topic while helping students achieve their goals. I love sharing the excitement with a student when they accomplish something they didn’t have before. I want training to be fun as much as it helps build those cognitive skills. Outside of LearningRx I also work as a User Experience Researcher, helping companies understand how people think. My hobbies are running 5Ks, playing video and tabletop games, reading sci/fi fantasy novels, and playing rock guitar.
Landon Jones
Certified Brain Trainer
I grew up near Tulsa, Oklahoma, and moved to Fort Collins at the start of 2023. Not long after I moved, I was hired at LearningRx as a cognitive trainer! My favorite part of this job is watching my students grow and improve throughout my time with them. Seeing them go from struggle to success, from self-doubt to self-confidence, and just being a part of their journey is incredibly fulfilling. Outside of work, you will find me enjoying my new Colorado home! I love being in the mountains hiking and rock climbing. I’m also a huge movie and TV buff and am always looking for something new to watch.
Judy Schoonover
Certified Brain Trainer
Having grown up in a family of teachers, it seemed natural for me to pursue a career in teaching. I loved my 25 years in Oklahoma with my Kindergarten to third-grade students, and they and their families remain very dear to me. After retirement, our hearts tugged at us until my husband, and I moved to Colorado to be near some of our grandchildren. We love Colorado and are so thankful to live close enough to enjoy these grandchildren as they grow up. Soon after moving to Colorado, I looked for a part-time job. I thought LearningRx would be perfect with my teaching background. I quickly learned that “teaching” would not be what I would be doing. It has been very interesting and rewarding to experience the difference. I’ve enjoyed training and meeting all my students and their families. I am thankful for the opportunity LearningRx has given me to continue working with people in such a positive program.
Wayne Schoonover
Certified Brain Trainer
Wow! What a wonderful life – so much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. I have been part of so many lives and so many opportunities; some were not so great but overall, very great. I’m a husband to a lovely wife for over 49 years, father to two and their spouses, grandfather to 7, and friends with so many. I began my working career at a Burger King for $1.10 an hour. I have worked in road construction, been a teacher, an assistant principal, an elementary principal, a farmer/rancher, a pastor, and now a part of the LearningRx family for the past since 2014. I have been part of mission trips to a wide variety of people groups in five different continents (with dreams of two more). I am thankful to continue to be active: with family, travel, scuba diving, hiking fourteeners, and a bucket list of several more things. Retirement? What’s that? It may be stopping a certain occupation, but it is an opportunity to serve in so many other ways!
Rebekah Tonnessen
Certified Brain Trainer
I grew up in a Norwegian-American family as the second oldest of seven kids. We were constantly on the move, but because of my passion for all things outdoors: rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and camping, I feel quite at home where I live now in Colorado. When I’m not on an adventure or doing something active, I also enjoy painting and sketching, playing the guitar, and reading. I got into brain training because I find the human mind and its ability to grow and adapt throughout a lifetime absolutely fascinating. I also really enjoy helping others reach their fullest potential, which is exactly what brain training seeks to achieve! My favorite moments during training are seeing students hit their limits and push past them, and the exhilarating feeling that brings. I also live for the playful moments in between where we learn to laugh at silly mistakes and change our mindset towards those mistakes as a natural part of the learning process.
Madison Watson
Certified Brain Trainer
Hi, there! I’m Madie. I was born and raised outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, but moved to Fort Collins to receive my Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University. I have always had two primary career passions–people and education. This makes LearningRx the perfect place for me! In fact, after starting here, I found great joy and satisfaction in providing a new option for students who struggled with traditional schooling. I have seen firsthand how we can address the root problems of learning challenges through training cognitively, making school and learning enjoyable again! When I’m not working, you will find me crocheting, cooking, and hiking. A fun fact about me is that I know American Sign Language.
Jared Wright
Certified Brain Trainer
I have been living in the Fort Collins area since 2007 and received a degree in Philosophy with a minor in Math from the University of Kansas in 2021. Aside from working with me at LearningRx, you can catch me at McMahon Training Center teaching Muay Thai or walking my pup, Ginkgo, in one of the many wonderful natural areas Fort Collins offers. I believe staying active mentally and physically is key to your mind and body working as a fluid system. This is why I was glad to find a place like LearningRx that offers proper mental training and I’m always excited to be a part of anyone’s growth through training. As I have worked at LearningRx I know I made the right decision because the Fort Collins Center is filled with genuine caring trainers and staff. It is an environment that fosters growth, including the growth of staff. Working at LearningRx I feel my expectations and performance being elevated across the board in my life. Furthermore, I have come to fully believe in the power of the programs that LearningRx offers. Since brain training targets fundamental processes in your brain, what you do with increased skills is up to you. We strive to help you achieve your personalized goals through a standardized training process backed by years of research. This is what makes LearningRx a special place for our clients of all ages.
Kim Sorrel
Certified Brain Trainer
I got into LearningRx on a whim and a prayer. I saw an ad for it in a newspaper and thought, “That sounds interesting.” I went through an interview process with about 100 other people. As the process went on and I was moved forward, I began to realize that I had fallen – somewhat accidentally – into my dream job. Every day of learning the LearningRx programs was a complete joy to me. I knew I was in the right place when I literally said to them, “This is so much fun! You’re actually going to pay me to do this?!” One of my favorite things about being a trainer is seeing the incredible amount of confidence that students gain as they go through the program. It makes my day when a student does a Happy Dance because of something they accomplished that they never thought they could do. Something unique about me is that I can read and write in UEB Braille.
