Our Practitioners
Dr. Julien Smith
Originally from the San Francisco area, Dr. Julien Smith received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Washington State University in 1993. She completed an internship in Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology at the University of Miami School of Medicine/Mailman Child Development Center. Dr. Smith then pursued a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology at Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, followed by a second fellowship in Pediatric Neuropsychology through Neuropsychology Consulting Services in Salt Lake City.
Dr. Smith was employed at Primary Children’s Hospital for 15 years, serving as Director of the Department of Neuropsychology before establishing Wasatch Pediatric Neuropsychology as a private practice in 2010. She remains on staff at Primary Children’s Hospital and has been a Clinical Associate Professor in clinical psychology at the University of Utah since 1995. In her spare time, Dr. Smith enjoys spending time outdoors with her family skiing or mountain biking, as well as gardening, which her family prefers she does on her own.
Dr. Kandice Benallie
Dr. Kandice Benallie is a licensed psychologist specializing in comprehensive neurodevelopmental and psychological evaluations for children and adolescents, from infancy and toddlerhood through adolescence. She has particular expertise in assessing autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD, and evaluates a broad range of pediatric areas of functioning, such as cognitive abilities, academic skills, and social-emotional development.
Dr. Benallie earned her PhD from Utah State University in 2023. She completed her predoctoral internship in Pediatric Psychology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, where her training emphasized autism and neurodevelopmental assessment, inpatient consultation, and early childhood intervention.
She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Utah Center for Evidence-Based Treatment (UCEBT) in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she provided therapy to children and adolescents and conducted psychological assessment across the lifespan, from young children through adulthood.
She takes a whole-child, strength-based, and neurodiversity-affirming approach to evaluation, seeking to understand the full picture of a child’s development rather than focusing on a single presenting concern. Families can expect a thorough, developmentally appropriate, and supportive evaluation process, with clear feedback and practical, targeted recommendations that can be used across home, school, and clinical settings.
Outside of her professional work, Kandice enjoys running, corralling her young children, and spending time outdoors with her family.
Dr. Lara Leishman
Dr. Leishman, a native of Salt Lake City, received her Ph.D. from The University of Utah in 2007 from the Department of Educational Psychology. Her training specialized in children and adolescents with a variety of disorders, but specifically school-based learning and behavior disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD, autism spectrum disorders and traumatic brain injury. Before entering clinical practice, Dr. Leishman worked four years as school psychologist in Davis County School District.
Dr. Leishman completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship at Primary Children’s Hospital in 2007, receiving specialized training in more severe psychopathology, and working with children and adolescents across the continuum of mental health care. Dr. Leishman then completed a two-year post-doctoral residency in neuropsychology with Dr. Julien Smith at Primary Children’s Hospital. Dr. Leishman remained at Primary Children’s Hospital as a staff psychologist with the residential and day treatment program for adolescents. She was then employed through Matt’s Place as the Clinical Director through 2022. She is now employed full time through Wasatch Pediatric Neuropsychology.
Dr. Anne Lemons
Dr. Anne Lemons earned her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Utah in Summer 2026. Her doctoral training specialized in children and adolescents, with a particular focus on behavioral and learning disorders, including learning disabilities, ADHD, OCD, and autism spectrum disorders.
She has a specific interest in how these conditions present in females and in early childhood, as well as in strengthening family school partnerships. Throughout her graduate training, Dr. Lemons provided behavioral and mental health services to children, adolescents, and families, with an emphasis on culturally responsive and collaborative interventions that help families gain meaningful insight into individual strengths and areas of support.
Dr. Lemons completed her APPIC-accredited doctoral internship through Jordan School District, where her work focused on evaluating homicidal and safety risk in students, providing neuroaffirming assessments and interventions for school aged children, and delivering play based and cognitive therapies for neurodivergent youth.
She has worked in a variety of educational and clinical settings, including Canyons School District, where she was a member of the autism evaluation team. She also trained at the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic, gaining experience in best practices for autism evaluations.
Additionally, Dr. Lemons served as the Assistant Director of the University of Utah’s Educational Assessment and Student Support Clinic, where she specialized in neurodevelopmental assessments and supporting family school collaboration. Dr. Lemons is passionate about providing thorough, thoughtful evaluations that support students, families, and schools, with an emphasis on holistic and developmentally responsive care.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs.
Dr. Sara Mathis
Dr. Sara Mathis brings both professional expertise and personal insight to her work, having gained real‑world experience while raising a child with autism and navigating the educational system firsthand.
This journey inspired her to pursue and obtain a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the University of Utah, where she developed specialized skills in supporting children and adolescents with a broad range of learning, behavioral, and emotional needs.
Her training emphasized the impact of learning and behavior disorders on education, including learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders, and traumatic brain injury.
At Wasatch Pediatric Psychology, Dr. Mathis finds great fulfillment in helping families better understand their children’s needs and access meaningful guidance. She conducts targeted psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for concerns such as learning disabilities, ADHD, and emotional or behavioral challenges that may affect development and education.
Dr. Mathis also works part‑time in the Davis School District, where she supports junior high students, serves on the autism team, and helps supervise new school psychology interns. She also teaches a graduate‑level course in psychology as an adjunct faculty at the University of Utah.
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Mathis enjoys spending time with her family and dogs and is an avid long‑distance runner.
Dr. Heidi Mucha
Dr. Heidi Mucha, a Utah native, received her Ph.D. from The University of Utah in 2009 from the Department of Educational Psychology. Her training specialized in children and adolescents with a variety of disorders, but specifically school-based learning and behavior disorders such as learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders and behavior disorders.
Dr. Mucha worked as a school psychologist for Davis School District for four years before she started working with the State Board of Education on Mental Health Integration, Positive Behavior Support, Response to Intervention and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. Dr. Mucha taught at the University of Utah, Utah State University and Brigham Young University as an adjunct instructor in Educational Psychology and Special Education.
Dr. Mucha joined Wasatch Pediatric Neuropsychology in 2016. She conducts psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children with questionable Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, as well as those who might have psychological concerns impacting their development and education. These evaluations are more targeted than the other comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations completed in the office, allowing for a shorter assessment.
Dr. Mucha’s free time is happily spent with her husband, three kids and English Bulldog.
Karly Laursen – Office Manager
With over 15 years of experience in healthcare administration, I am committed to creating a welcoming environment and ensuring smooth operations for both patients and staff.
At Wasatch Pediatric Neuropsychology, I focus on clear communication, organization, and compassionate care, ensuring a positive experience for every patient that comes through our door.
In addition to my role as office manager, I bring a unique perspective as a certified peer support specialist and an end-of-life doula, offering empathy and guidance during life’s most challenging moments. I’m passionate about supporting families with dignity and respect.