Dan Soliday

In December 2022, Kansas native Dan Soliday began his tenure as president and chief executive officer of Heartspring. Throughout Dan’s 30-year career, he’s had a focus on youth development, global poverty, HIV/AIDS prevention, youth mentoring, and providing services and independence for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dan has a passion for bringing children with neurodevelopmental challenges together to learn and grow.

Previously, Dan was the CEO of the Woodhaven Learning Center in Missouri. Before that, he was the CEO of Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters from 2010 to 2020 where he served on the national federation as a member of its governing body and the National Leadership Council as chair of the Organizational Sustainability Committee. He was also elected as the chair of BBBS’s Large Agency Alliance.

Dan is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Kansas and served as the program chair in 2015. He’s been a mentor, a member of the downtown Rotary Club, and on Team Justice—Sedgwick County’s Department of Corrections Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board.

Dan obtained his bachelor’s degree and a master’s of divinity from MidAmerica Nazarene University and an MBA from the University of Missouri Kansas City.

Heather Hogan

Heather Hogan is Chief Advancement & Strategy Officer; President, Legacy Foundation, bringing more than 25 years’ experience in operational leadership, strategy, legislative policy advocacy, and fund development in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. She oversees development, fundraising and strategic initiatives as Heartspring accelerates its growth with the addition of two new buildings in downtown Wichita’s biomedical corridor.

Heather has a strong track record of success in her previous work at Envision and more recently in her private consulting business where she worked with one of the top capital campaign consultancies in the country.

Her most significant professional achievements include founding the Envision Research Institute in 2016 to advance low-vision research and professional development, establishing the Kansas Vision Coalition in 2017 to drive legislative reforms in low-vision care, and co-founding the BVI Workforce Innovation Center in 2018 to provide education and employment opportunities for the blind and visually impaired. Through these initiatives, she implemented state-wide vision screening guidelines, proposed mandatory vision screening legislation for school children, and developed strategic collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and educational institutions.

Heather has been widely recognized for her contributions to business leadership, philanthropy, and public service, receiving honors including 40 Under 40 and Women in Business awards. She holds a BA in Communications from Wichita State University.

Moniqueka Holloway

Moniqueka Holloway serves as Heartspring’s Chief Program Officer, unifying and integrating our education, clinical, and community services by strengthening cross-functional coordination, reducing silos, and enhancing our ability to deliver high-quality, consistent care across every setting in which we serve children and families.

Since joining the organization in July 2021, she has provided strategic leadership across compliance, quality, and education — spearheading Heartspring’s successful effort to earn a three-year accreditation from CARF International for our Residential program and Pediatric Outpatient Clinic and overseeing the full continuum of care provided through the Therapeutic School.

Moniqueka brings more than 15 years of leadership experience spanning regulatory compliance, quality assurance, risk assessment, and program development. Prior to joining Heartspring, she held roles at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wichita State University and a Master of Business Administration from Southwestern College.

She serves as the governor’s appointee for the Kansas Development and Finance Authority and Kansas Housing Resources Corporation board and serves on the Boys and Girls Club Impact Board.

Dr. Cassie Karlsson

Dr. Cassie Karlsson serves as Heartspring’s Chief Medical Officer, providing clinical leadership and direct psychiatric care for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. A board-certified psychiatrist in Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry, Dr. Karlsson plays a central role in advancing medical excellence across Heartspring’s continuum of care, strengthening the integration of clinical, therapeutic, and educational services, reflecting her expertise in caring for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan.

Dr. Karlsson stepped into the Chief Medical Officer role after several years of serving as Heartspring’s consulting psychiatrist, during which time she worked closely with multidisciplinary teams to guide individualized, evidence-based treatment for children with complex neurodevelopmental needs. Her leadership strengthens clinical decision-making, supports data-informed care, and ensures consistent medical oversight across residential, outpatient, and educational settings.

In addition to her role at Heartspring, Dr. Karlsson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, where she serves as Program Director for the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship. In this role, she leads the training and development of future child psychiatrists, helping address the significant shortage of pediatric mental health providers across Kansas and the region. Through Heartspring’s partnership with KU School of Medicine-Wichita, fellows gain hands-on experience caring for children with complex neurodevelopmental profiles.

Dr. Karlsson’s expanded leadership comes at a pivotal time as Heartspring advances its expansion and development of a multi-clinic outpatient care and research center in downtown Wichita’s healthcare corridor. In this role, she helps bridge specialized clinical care, physician training, and collaboration, positioning Heartspring to expand access to high-quality, evidence-based pediatric neurodevelopmental services.

With more than 15 years of experience caring for children, adolescents, and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders, Dr. Karlsson is deeply committed to collaborative, patient-centered care. She believes early, individualized intervention can meaningfully improve outcomes and change the trajectory of a child’s life.

Makala Navarro

Makala Navarro serves as Chief Talent & Culture Officer at Heartspring, where she leads the full scope of people operations—including human resources, talent development, training, facilities, and organizational culture development. Since joining the organization in October 2022, she has played a key role in strengthening the employee experience and aligning people strategies with mission delivery.

Makala’s leadership has driven several transformative efforts at Heartspring, including a complete overhaul of the workers’ compensation program, implementation of a modern HRIS, market-based compensation planning, and the development of a more holistic approach to employee benefits and well-being.

Her connection to Heartspring is personal as well—her daughter received therapy services here before she joined the organization, giving her a meaningful perspective on the impact of its mission.

With more than 20 years of experience in human resources and business leadership, Makala brings a people-first mindset and a deep understanding of systems and strategy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s in human resource management, and a MiniMPA from Wichita State University. She also earned the Certified Public Manager credential through the University of Kansas and holds both PHR and SHRM-CP certifications.

Her professional contributions have been widely recognized. She was named Kansas HR Professional of the Year, honored with the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and HR Professionals awards, and recently completed her term as State Council Director for Kansas SHRM. She currently serves on the executive board for EMPAC, the board of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition and the advisory committee for Advance Kansas.

Outside of work, Makala continues to support and champion community organizations and inclusive workforce practices across the state.

Greg Unruh

Greg Unruh serves as Chief Financial Officer at Heartspring, bringing more than three decades of experience in financial leadership, capital strategy, and organizational growth across complex, highly regulated industries. He oversees finance, accounting, information systems, and organizational infrastructure, ensuring the financial strength and operational discipline needed to advance Heartspring’s mission and long-term expansion.

At Heartspring, Greg partners closely with executive leadership and the Board to support strategic planning, capital investment, and sustainable growth. His work focuses on aligning financial strategy with organizational priorities, strengthening systems and controls, and stewarding resources responsibly as Heartspring expands its capacity to serve children and families with complex neurodevelopmental needs.

Prior to joining Heartspring, Greg spent nearly eight years in senior leadership at Integra Technologies, the largest U.S.-based OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) provider. During his tenure, he led the acquisition of a Silicon Valley die preparation and assembly company, fulfilling a key strategic objective to deliver full turnkey OSAT services. Over the following years, he partnered with the CEO to drive consistent annual increases in company valuation. As part of Integra’s ESOP structure, Greg oversaw valuation and reporting requirements and ultimately led the marketing and sale of the company to a private equity firm in January 2025 — a transaction completed at a premium to the market valuation and a transformational event for employee owners.

Earlier in his career, Greg held financial leadership roles at Koch Industries, John Deere Credit, and within higher education, building deep expertise in capital planning, financial operations, and organizational scaling across multi-entity environments.

Greg is known for his ability to navigate complexity, lead through growth and transition, and bring clarity and rigor to financial decision-making. His leadership helps position Heartspring for long-term financial sustainability as it advances its strategic and expansion goals.

Greg holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kansas State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Dan Soliday

In December 2022, Kansas native Dan Soliday began his tenure as president and chief executive officer of Heartspring. Throughout Dan’s 30-year career, he’s had a focus on youth development, global poverty, HIV/AIDS prevention, youth mentoring, and providing services and independence for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dan has a passion for bringing children with neurodevelopmental challenges together to learn and grow.

Previously, Dan was the CEO of the Woodhaven Learning Center in Missouri. Before that, he was the CEO of Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters from 2010 to 2020 where he served on the national federation as a member of its governing body and the National Leadership Council as chair of the Organizational Sustainability Committee. He was also elected as the chair of BBBS’s Large Agency Alliance.

Dan is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Kansas and served as the program chair in 2015. He’s been a mentor, a member of the downtown Rotary Club, and on Team Justice—Sedgwick County’s Department of Corrections Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board.

Dan obtained his bachelor’s degree and a master’s of divinity from MidAmerica Nazarene University and an MBA from the University of Missouri Kansas City.