More About Us
Program Information
History
Our Volunteers
Our Board of Directors
Our Training Faculty
Program Information
History
Our Volunteers
Our Board of Directors
Our Training Faculty
Our Staff
Lisa E. Schmitt
Executive Director
Lisa brings over 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing and advertising to New Song Center. She served on New Song Center's Board of Directors for 3 years prior to joining the staff in August of 2000. Lisa is married with a daughter in college, loves to cook and make beautiful classical ballet costumes.
Kate Kendig, BSN
Evening Coordinator
Kate began as a volunteer facilitator with New Song Center in 2001 and joined the staff in 2003. She earned her BSN from Arizona State University with a specialization in Mental Health Nursing. She has twenty years of work experience in behavioral health with children and families. She is passionate about the inner life of children and loves to do origami, pottery and poetry.
KT Thompson
Program Director
KT has a BA in Secondary Education, an MA in Clinical Counseling, and has worked with the Fire Department in Crisis Intervention for 5 years. Speaking, training, and teaching are her strong gifts, along with working with children. Originally from Southern California, she has lived in the Phoenix Valley for 20 years. She loves to be outdoors, playing or coaching softball. She is a published freelance artist, but mostly enjoys acrylic painting on large wall size canvases. KT says she missed out on her childhood, so she is having a re-do, never overlooking an opportunity to have fun.
Candy Fredericks
Administrative Assistant
Candy has lived in Arizona for 18 years, having come from Illinois. She graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in History. She has two sons, one a history teacher and coach at Desert Mountain High School and the other soon to graduate from the University of Arizona College of Medicine and then start an orthopedic residency in Portland, Oregon. Candy enjoys spending time with her two granddaughters, photography in conjunction with traveling, and obedience training with her three dogs.
Peg Borden, LSCSW
Preschool & Young Adult Coordinator
Peg is a licensed clinical social worker and licensed counselor. She works with children and adults at Valley Counseling Center and has been with New Song Center since moving to Arizona in 2005. Peg and her family moved to Arizona from Kansas City and love the community. She is passionate about her work with children because she enjoys their spontaneity and honesty.
DeeDee Kaplan
Monday Evening Coordinator
DeeDee began volunteering as an adult and teen facilitator with New Song Center in 2003. She has worked in the crisis counseling field for many years, working specifically with suicide prevention. She has a BA in Social Work and is completing a Master's in Substance Abuse Counseling. Her three children are incredibly interesting and talented and all enrolled in college at the same time. She lives with 2 large and untrained, ill-mannered dogs who help keep her sane. She loves hiking in the desert, sleeping outdoors, doing yoga, photography and traveling.