About

We are a small team with big hearts with talented professionals of a wide range of skills and experiences. We love what we do, and we do it with passion. We look forward to working with you.

Dr. KristY Davies

Founder / Speech Language Pathologist / AAC Consultant

Kristy is a certified and licensed Speech Language Pathologist with over 10 years of experience in schools, early intervention, and assisting clients privately. She obtained a Master’s degree in Speech Language Hearing Science from LaSalle University and her doctorate in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University. She is a Masters level Signing Time instructor and has adjunct taught American Sign Language classes at Rowan College of Burlington County.

Kristy has a strong enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge with others and has presented at venues such as the ASHA 2022, Pennsylvania Speech-Language and Hearing Convention, Pittsburgh AAC Language Seminar Series 2015 & 2017, ATIA 2016 and Closing the Gap 2017. She continues to this day to present at various local and national conferences/conventions and workshops.

Kristy is also Hanen certified and a LAMP professional and continues to seek out various professional development opportunities gaining a large knowledge base in Deafness, Cortical Vision Impairment, autism, and alternative access using AAC.

In her spare time, she loves bike rides with her family of five, finding new adventures and doing yoga.

Email: kristy@speechlanguageassociates.com

RAchel Petrin

Speech Language Pathologist / AAC Consultant

Rachel earned her Bachelor’s degree in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from Bloomsburg University and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. After graduation, Rachel volunteered in Haiti where she worked with children with developmental disabilities and adults with traumatic brain injuries and strokes in an outpatient setting. She has her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association and currently holds a speech-language pathology license in New Jersey. Before joining Speech Language Associates, Rachel worked in public and private education for 3 years, specializing in children with complex communication needs. She has experience working with children and adults who have various diagnoses, including but not limited to: Autism, hearing loss, learning impairments, cognitive impairments, and neurological impairments. She eagerly keeps abreast of the latest advances in AAC and has attended numerous seminars in the areas of Augmentative and Alternative Communication and hearing loss. Additionally, she has presented on AAC parent training support for families to help implement communication devices in their homes locally and nationally at conferences such as Closing the Gap. Rachel’s education and experiences help her to deliver the most positive outcomes possible for her clients.

Outside of work, Rachel volunteers with Small Steps in Speech as a committee member. You will also find Rachel, her husband, and their children going on walks, biking, kayaking, exploring, and working out together at CrossFit.

Nicole Amisano

Speech Language Pathologist

Nicole earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Special Education, as well as her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Seton Hall University. She is an ASHA (American Speech-Language Hearing Association) certified and New Jersey licensed speech language pathologist who specializes in Augmentative Alternative Communication. Nicole has a passion for working with children and loves being able to give those in need a voice through AAC. Nicole enjoys working with children and adolescence targeting their needs in articulation, expressive language, receptive language, and overall communication skills. Nicole has been trained in Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) approach and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). She is well versed in the use of various augmentative and alternative communication devices (e.g. Saltillo NovaChat, Prentke Romich Company Accent, PRC PriO, and iPad based applications such as Proloquo2Go, GoTalkNow, LAMP Words for Life, Speak For Yourself, TouchChat WordPower.

Email: nicolea@speechlanguageassociates.com

Brie

Speech Language Pathologist

Brie earned her bachelor’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology with a minor focus in behavioral neuroscience, as well as her master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Stockton University. She is an ASHA (American Speech-Language Hearing Association) certified and New Jersey licensed speech language pathologist.

Brie has had the pleasure of working with people of all ages across multiple settings. She has enjoyed working with adults and children in both educational and medical inpatient/outpatient facilities, as well as the home setting. Brie has experience diagnosing and treating pediatric feeding aversions, receptive/expressive and pragmatic language disorders, cognitive disorders, articulation and phonological processing disorders and dysphagia (impaired swallowing) in pre-school children, school-aged children, adults and geriatrics with a variety of diagnoses and includes clients using Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC).

Brie is certified in the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) approach and has completed the Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) course as well. Brie is passionate about learning and continues to challenge herself by attending continuing education courses to remain current in the latest therapy techniques.

Brie spends most of her free time with her family and friends. She and her husband share three children and a passion for the “all or nothing.” Their weekends are usually a major production of new experiences, get-togethers and travel or simply doing nothing at home.

Erin Foley

Speech Language Pathologist

Erin earned her Bachelor’s of Art degree in Speech Correction at Kean University in New Jersey and her Master’s of Arts in Language Communication Sciences at the College of New Jersey. She has her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, and is a licensed speech language pathologist in the State of New Jersey.

Erin has a wide array of experience including working in public schools, special needs schools, early intervention, outpatient clinics and home care. In all of these settings, Erin enjoys working with children and their families to find fun yet effective ways to successfully increase communication.

When Erin is not working she loves going to the beach and spending time with her husband and four children. She leads her church’s youth group and enjoys finding ways to encourage the children to give back to the community.

danabeth

Communication Aide / ASL Tutor

DanaBeth graduated Rowan University in 2019 and now has a growing specialism in Deaf and hard of hearing education. DanaBeth became interested in specialism when she found she had a passion for both sign language and teaching and is now passionate about helping clients to achieve social, educational, and personal goals. DanaBeth is a deeply passionate and outgoing young woman who loves to help others and enjoys life to the fullest.

Makena

Occupational Therapist

Makena qualified from Salus University in 2021 and now has a growing specialism in Occupational Therapy. Makena became interested in Occupational Therapy when her grandmother underwent a double knee replacement in 2010 and is now passionate about helping clients to achieve individualized goals in order to increase their independence, confidence, and ability to navigate their every day obstacles. Makena is adventurous and loves to travel and be physically active but, loves her ice-cream and pizza. She spends most of her free time down the shore surrounded by friends and family on the beach!

Claire Berger

Speech Language Pathologist

Claire qualified from Stockton University in 2019 and now has a growing specialism in AAC.

Claire became interested in speech therapy when she worked with a student one summer who had a difficult time communicating, and saw his growth over a short amount of time and is now passionate about helping clients to achieve confidence, autonomy, and their own voice.

Claire is recently married and is a dog mom to a puppy named Cannoli. She is passionate about being with family (especially her nephews and nieces) and in her spare time, loves reading and singing.

Christina

Speech Language Pathologist

Christina graduated from Stockton University in 2019. Christina became interested in speech therapy when her brother was diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech at the age of three. She has seen the positive impact speech therapy services can have on a child’s communication skills and overall quality of life. Christina enjoys servicing children and adolescents targeting the following areas: expressive/receptive language, articulation, and fluency. Christina is recently engaged and lives with her fiancé in Mount Laurel, NJ. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going for walks, watching football, and baking.