DFX's Mission
Our mission is to prepare children with developmental differences for a bright future of engaged belonging by equipping them, their families, therapists, and teachers via innovative programming in Colorado and around the world.
As a nonprofit organization, our mission guides every aspect of our work to provide transformative care, to create & innovate, and to extend our reach to more children in need of Therapy that fits. We depend upon generous support from foundations, government grants, and individual donations to fund this innovation and outreach. If you'd like to help us, check out the many ways you can support DFX.
The DFX Difference
We are leaders in providing pediatric occupational and speech therapy and mental health support for children who have a range of learning and developmental disabilities and mental health challenges. Our clinicians work with each child and family to discover the child’s strengths and offer an individualized therapy plan that will support the child in reaching their full potential. We go beyond the clinic to offer capacity-building to all those in the child’s ecosystem – parents, families, caregivers, educators, and other providers – so that every child can thrive. Through our research and signature therapy that fits approach, we are expanding our impact, sharing our knowledge, and changing the landscape of what transformative care looks like for children and families – locally, nationally, and globally.
Join us to celebrate "DFX: A Bright Future" at our 3rd Annual Soiree on Thursday, August 28 . Learn more here
About DFX
Learn about our mission, what sets us apart, and the people who make it all happen.
Our Board of Directors
We're grateful for the time and expertise each board member dedicates to support our work and mission-driven growth. The DFX board includes members from businesses, nonprofit organizations, healthcare, and education.
The DFX Team
Our dedicated team members are passionate about providing transformative, individualized care to every child we serve.
Our Founders
Developmental FX was started in 2003 by Tracy Stackhouse and Mouse Scharfenaker. Prior to founding DFX, Tracy and Mouse were part of multidisciplinary teams at Children's Hospital Colorado and the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute at the University of California-Davis. Since our small but mighty beginning, we have grown to a team of 29 in 2025.
Co-Founder
Tracy Stackhouse
Tracy Murnan Stackhouse, MA, OTR, (she/her) co-founder and current executive director of DFX, is a leading pediatric occupational therapist (OT) involved in clinical treatment, research, mentoring, and training regarding OT intervention for persons with neurodevelopmental differences, especially Fragile X syndrome and autism. Tracy is known worldwide as a thought-leader, mentor, educator, and podcaster.
Co-Founder
Sarah K. Scharfenaker
Sarah (she/her), fondly known as “Mouse,” co-founded Developmental FX with Tracy Stackhouse. She has a Master’s Degree from the University of Montana in Speech Pathology. She worked in the fields of Fragile X Syndrome and neurodevelopmental disorders for more than 30 years. Mouse retired in December 2018, but her spirit and energy remain an important part of everyday life at DFX.
Founding Member Emeritus
Jennifer Vermeyen
Jennifer (she/her) joined Developmental FX at a pivotal moment in 2006, and quickly became an indispensable member of the leadership team. As Director of Finance & Administration and member of the executive committee, Jen oversaw the financial and daily business functions, always aligning the organization’s growth with our mission driven goals. Jen retired at the end of June 2022 but remains connected to DFX as founding, and grounding, member of the leadership team.
I am driven by a passionate commitment to revolutionize the landscape of care provision, ensuring that every child receives the tailored support they deserve. My aim is to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice, empowering clinicians with the tools and models necessary to deliver therapy that truly fits. By championing this cause, I aspire to transform not only individual lives but also entire systems, creating a future where every child's potential is nurtured and celebrated.”
Tracy Stackhouse, MA, OTR/L, DFX Executive Director
Funders
DFX is able to engage in these services, programs, and research because we receive generous support from individuals, foundations, and corporate supporters who invest in our work, thereby joining hands with us to create a more inclusive framework for society in which people of all abilities can live to their fullest.
We are grateful for the generous support we receive from foundations, corporations, and individual donors. These funders truly are champions of our work and we invite you to learn more about them.
We invite you to join our list of Champions as a foundation partner, corporate sponsor, or in-kind contributor. To learn how you can help us make a difference in the lives of children who have developmental differences, please contact Susan Kramer, director of development and communications at susan@developmentalfx.org
DFX is grateful for the grant support we have received from the following organizations:
Transforming Care
We are committed to dismantling barriers and transforming the landscape of support for people with developmental differences.
Meeting Each Child
We embrace each child, discover their strengths and uncover their challenges, then work with their caregivers to set goals and create an individualized plan of care. We then extend this therapy that fits across the child’s entire ecosystem: in their home, school, childcare settings, and later in the workplace to build a culture of understanding and inclusion is critical for all children and families to thrive.
Sharing our Knowledge
We share our models of care on a broader stage through Learning Journeys - in-person and virtual mentoring, consulting, and training for clinicians, educators, and caregivers across the US and around the world.
We're Not Stopping
Our team is engaged in research, writing, and program development to develop innovative models of clinical reasoning and integrated multidisciplinary care.
What We've Heard
"I have never worked with a more knowledgeable and effective clinician, researcher, or executive director as DFX co-founder Tracy Stackhouse. She is a pioneer in OT and has helped mentor clinicians who have founded similar clinics in dozens of countries around the world. Her clinical acumen in her field is unsurpassed."
- Dr. Michael Frank, 2024 - 2025 board chair