Speech-Language Pathology

Meet Our Team

Melethia Barnes has been a speech-language pathologist since 1991 and began working at Rady Children's the same year. Melethia specializes in early childhood language and bilingual communication services in Spanish. She has also been active in interagency collaboration and parent education. Melethia received her master's degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Kansas. She is licensed in California, she is a certified speech-language pathologist, and she is a current member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is also a Hanen-certified speech-language pathologist. Melethia's goal in working at Rady Children's is to provide speech-language services in a medically oriented facility for a diverse group of patients with communication disorders. This goal is achieved by working closely with parents and their children in individual and group-treatment settings, where she can provide meaningful suggestions that help improve their communicative exchanges.

Kelly Bondesson has been a speech-language pathologist since 1986 and has been working at Rady Children's since 2001. Kelly received her Bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Iowa and a Master's degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Northern Iowa. She is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist and a current member of ASHA. Kelly's goal in working at Rady Children's is to continue working closely with children of all ages and their families to improve communication skills.

Joy Brewster has been a speech pathologist since 1989, and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital for a total of 14 years. Her special interests include early intervention, preschool fluency and childhood speech and language. Joy received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Virginia.. She is licensed by the state of California. Joy is nationally certified and is a current member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA).

Beth Brown began working as a speech-language pathologist in 1983 and has worked at Rady Children's since 1987. She specializes in the areas of diagnostics, early intervention, oral motor dyspraxia and tongue thrust. She received her Master's degree in Communication Disorders at College of Saint Rose. She is a speech and language pathologist, certified in California, and is a current member of ASHA. Beth's ongoing goal has been to provide the best level of care to her patients at the Hospital and in the community through her work at several private schools in San Diego.

Stephanie Burgener-Vader has been a speech-language pathologist since 2009 and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since August 2012. She has special talents in the areas of early intervention, autism, articulation/phonological impairments, specific language impairment, developmental delays, and apraxia of speech. She has experience providing services in private practice, public school, and hospital settings. Stephanie is certified by The Hanen Centre in the It Takes Two to Talk and More Than Words programs for parents. She is trained in SCERTS, a specialized approach to address the needs of children with autism.  Stephanie received her bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara and her master’s degree at San Diego State University. She is licensed by the State of California and has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). She is an ASHA member. Stephanie’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to provide evidence-based treatment and caring support to children and their families.

Amy Capra has been a speech-language pathologist since 2002 and began working at Rady Children's in 2003. Amy has special talent in the areas of early intervention, early childhood language, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Amy received her Bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Texas. She received her Master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of the Pacific. She is certified by ASHA and is a current member. Amy's goal in working at Rady Children's is to make a difference in the lives of her patients and their families.

Molly Carrera has been a speech-language pathologist since 2006 and began working at Rady Children's in 2007. Molly received her Bachelor's degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and Master's degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Redlands. Prior to working at Rady Children's, Molly worked as a speech therapist in San Bernardino City School District. Molly's special interests include early intervention, childhood speech and language, and autism spectrum disorders. Molly is bilingual in Spanish and is a current member of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

Daniela Cherbowsky has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Rady Children’s Hospital since beginning her career in 2012. She has experience working with bilingual English-Spanish speakers, children with speech impairments, phonological impairments, autism, fluency, expressive and receptive language impairments, apraxia and cleft palate. Daniela received her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Speech, Language and Hearing Science with a specialization in Bilingualism at San Diego State University. Currently, she is a Clinical Fellow of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) and is a member of ASHA and the California Speech-Language and Hearing Association (CSHA).  Daniela’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to help improve the quality of each patient’s life with the power of communication. 

Gina Concepcion-Suggett has been a Speech-Language Pathologist since 1997 and began working at Rady Children's in 1999.  Gina has served children and families throughout San Diego County in outpatient clinics, Rady Children's inpatient Hospital, educational settings, and in patient's homes (HomeCare).  Gina has a variety of experiences including working with children with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing dysfunction, vocal nodules, speech-language impairments, articulation disorders, phonological disorders, cleft palate and dysfluency.  Gina has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of California at San Diego and a Master's degree in Communication Disorders from San Diego State University.  She is a nationally certified Speech-Language Pathologist licensed to practice in California.  She is a current member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Gina's goal while working at Rady Children's is to serve the children of San Diego and their families by providing educational speech-language information and parent training that is individualized to each family's needs, supporting families as they help their children reach their highest communicative potential.

Catherine Dabasinskas has been a speech-language pathologist and has worked at Rady Children's since 2001.  She specializes in working with children with hearing loss, Cochlear Implants, articulation difficulties, multiple disabilities, Autism and Dyspraxia.  Catherine uses American Sign Language and augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) with many different children to enhance their communication skills.  She runs the Tongue Thrust group, and co-facilitates Pathways, an inclusive group for preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Catherine received her Master's degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder.  She is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist and is a current member ASHA.  Catherine's goal in working at Rady Children's is to improve the speech, language and listening skills of children to maximize their learning and communication across environments, and to support families in this process.

Christiana David has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Rady Children’s Hospital since beginning her career in 2011. She has experience working with children with multiple disabilities, speech disorders, expressive and receptive language disorders, autism and hearing loss. She uses many techniques with children, including Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) and American Sign Language, to facilitate the development of speech, language and communication. Christiana received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. Currently, she is a Clinical Fellow of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) and is a current member of ASHA and the California Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Christiana’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to help children maximize their communicative abilities to improve the quality of their lives.

Laura Dimond has been a Speech Language Pathologist since 2003, and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since 2007. Laura has a special interest in the areas of acquired brain injury, AAC and early childhood language. Laura is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist and works on the inpatient rehabilitation team. Prior to joining the Rady Children’s speech team, Laura worked as a speech pathologist for the Lafayette and Oakley school districts as well as in-home early intervention programs in the bay area. Laura received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders at California State University, Chico. She is licensed by the state of California and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech Language Pathology by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Valerie Dorfman joined Rady Children's in 2008 from North Shore Children's Hospital in Salem, Mass. and has been a speech-language pathologist since 2005. Valerie has experience working with children with a variety of communication impairments, including those with speech and language delays, hearing loss, cochlear implants, cleft lip and palate, autism spectrum disorders, apraxia of speech, traumatic brain injuries, and Down syndrome. Valerie received her Master's degree in Speech Language Pathology from Boston University. Prior to working at Rady Children's, she worked in the several Massachusetts public schools, Massachusetts General Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Valerie is a California- and nationally licensed speech-language pathologist and a current member of ASHA. She is also a Hanen-certified speech-language pathologist for "It Takes Two to Talk." Originally from Peru, Valerie is a native Spanish speaker who specializes in working with bilingual/bicultural populations. Valerie's goal in working at Rady Children's is to ensure that every child learns to improve their communication skills to maximize their potential, and provide education and support to families in order to enhance their relationships with their children.

Ashley Farwick has been working as a speech-language pathologist since 2009, and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego since 2012. Ashley is trained in SCERTS (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, Transactional Support) and PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). She is also certified by The Hanen Program® to teach the It Takes Two To Talk course for parents. Ashley received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Miami University and her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Cincinnati. Ashley is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist in the state of California and a current member of ASHA. Ashley’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to enrich family relationships by educating and empowering parents to help their children meet their full developmental and communicative potentials. She is committed to a multidisciplinary treatment approach and continuing education in evidence-based practice.

Analicia Fernandez has been a speech-language pathologist since 2012 and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since then. She has special talent in the areas of aural rehabilitation for cochlear implants and hearing aids, use of American Sign Language, therapy with Spanish-speaking and bilingual children, and work with acquired and developmental speech and language disorders. She received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Gallaudet University. Analicia’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to provide excellent support to families of children with special needs and to help every child reach his/her full potential.

Jennifer Foss has worked as a speech-language pathologist at Rady Children's since 2006 after receiving her Master's degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from the University of Colorado,  Boulder. Previously, she worked in various schools, outpatient clinics and hospital settings. Jennifer is licensed through the California Speech Pathology and Audiology board and holds her Certification of Clinical Competency and current membership with ASHA.  She is LSVT, LMRVT and LANGUAGE! certified and trained in PROMPT.  Jennifer has experience working with a variety of children and adults with communication disorder, including those with speech and language delays, Apraxia of Speech, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cleft Palate, Cochlear Implants, acquired traumatic brain injuries, voice, and stuttering. She is on RCHSD's Cleft Palate team and provides joint nasoendoscopies with the ENT department and leads "First Step", a play-based intervention group.  Through her work at Rady Children's Hosptial, she hopesto support children and their families reach new developmental milesones.

Shari Garrett has been a speech-language pathologist since 1983 and began working at Rady Children's in 1985. Shari is the manager of the Speech Department. She specializes in the areas of voice, autism, vocal cord dysfunction, oral motor and phonology. Shari received her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She is a certified speech-language pathologist and is a current member of ASHA and the California Speech Language and Hearing Association (CSHA). Shari's goal in working at Rady Children's is to continue to implement and create innovative therapy to help children and families communicate to their highest potential.

Eleanor Kalter became a speech-language pathologist in 1984 and began working at Rady Children's in 1989. Eleanor has special talents in bilingual/bicultural therapy and consultation on related issues. Her extensive background includes working in Spanish and French, as well as with other multicultural populations. Eleanor also has expertise in treating children with cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies, having served as speech pathologist on the Rady Children's Craniofacial Services team for over 10 years. She has volunteered service to traveling medical cleft palate teams, helping children across the border of Mexico. Eleanor has supervised SDSU graduate students in speech pathology for many years. Aside from providing speech-language evaluations and therapy, Eleanor has provided parent education and child enrichment classes through Children's Care Connection. She received her Bachelor's degree from Boston University in Speech Pathology and Audiology and her Master's degree from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, in Speech Pathology. Eleanor's goal in working at Rady Children's is to provide her families with the tools and skills needed to maximize their children's potential to become communicative, confident and happy adults.

Amanda Kramer has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist since 2009, and has been at Rady Children’s Hospital since beginning her career.  She is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and is a current member of ASHA. She has expertise in the areas of voice, vocal cord dysfunction, resonance, cleft palate, and craniofacial disorders.  She is trained in using PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets).   Amanda is a member of the Rady Children’s Hospital Cleft Palate Team and works in various specialty clinics including cleft palate, craniofacial, and nasoendoscopy. She also facilitates the First Step, Mommy, Daddy & Me (Spanish), Little Explorers and Hi-ways language programs.  Amanda received her Masters degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University, as well as a certificate in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology.  She is fluent in Spanish and provides services to bilingual families from around the county.

Debbie Llewellyn became a speech-language pathologist in 1981 and has worked at Rady Children's since 1986. Prior to working at Rady Children's, she worked at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where she was a member of the faculty and provided speech/language services at Oklahoma Children's Hospital, O'Donoghue Rehabilitation Hospital and Oklahoma Memorial Hospital. She received her Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in Communication Disorders in 1980 and 1981 from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. In 2000, she received a second Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Trinity College in Fullerton, California. Debbie specializes in cleft palate and craniofacial disorders, voice disorders, diagnostics, children with neurological challenges, and family relationships. She is nationally certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association and is licensed to practice in California. Debbie is dedicated to the support and development of healthy parent/child relationships across all ages, as they negotiate the challenges of communication in a complex world.

Carrie Lopez has been a speech pathologist since 2006 and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since January 2011. Carrie has special talent in the areas of working with Deaf and hard of hearing children with hearing aids and cochlear implants, voice disorders, and bilingual communication services in Spanish. She is certified in Hanen: It Takes Two to Talk, LSVT (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment), FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing), and is currently in process of being certified as an Auditory Verbal Therapist.  Carrie received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in Communication Disorders and her Master’s degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Iowa. She is a certified speech language pathologist, licensed in the state of California, and is a current member of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and the American Speech Language Hearing Association.  She has previously worked at the University of California, Irvine, and Rancho los Amigos Rehabilitation Center. 

Sarah Magnon has been a Speech-Language Pathologist at Rady Children’s since 2007. She has had experience in working with a variety of communication disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder, expressive and receptive language impairments, apraxia, speech disorders, vocal pathologies and swallowing (dysphagia). She is certified in PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), Hanen: It Takes Two To Talk, and Hanen: More Than Words, FEES (Fiberoptic Evaluation of Swallow), and MBS (Modified Barium Swallow studies). Sarah received her Bachelor's degree in communicative disorders and San Francisco State University and a Master's in Speech and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. She has previously worked with San Diego Regional Center and San Diego State University.


Natasha Maxwell has been a Speech-Language Pathologist since 1997 and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since 2000. Natasha has experience working with children in both educational and outpatient settings with various speech-language impairments, including dysfluency, articulation/phonology, developmental delays, autism, augmentative communication, and voice. She has expertise in the areas of diagnostics, early intervention, and early childhood language. Natasha received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology with a specialization in Multi-Cultural Early Childhood Intervention from San Diego State University. She is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, holding a license to practice in California and a Certificate of Clinical Competency. Natasha is a current member of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Natasha’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to provide children the means to realize their communicative potential, while providing families with education and parent training tailored to meet their specific needs.

Kathy Munroe, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS joined Rady Children’s Hospital in November of 2012. Prior to that, she worked for over 20 years as a speech-language pathologist at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana in the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, and Pediatric Physical Medical Rehabilitation Departments. Kathy has experience in diagnosing and treating disorders that interfere with a child’s ability to communicate including acquired/traumatic brain injury, aphasia, apraxia of speech, autism, cerebral palsy, cognitive-communication disorders, developmental delays, Down Syndrome, dysarthria, feeding/swallowing difficulties, fluency disorders, hearing impairment, language disorders, phonological disorders, pragmatics, Shaken Baby Syndrome, and vocal nodules. She has been a Certified Brain Injury Specialist since 2007 and obtained specialized training in the Neuro-Developmental Treatment Approach.   Kathy received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Purdue University and her Master’s in Speech Pathology from Boston University. Kathy’s goal is to bring her passion for the field of speech-language pathology and enthusiasm to collaborate with parents in the process of improving their child’s communication ability. 

Haven Qualman has been a speech-language pathologist since 1995 and has worked at Rady Children's for most of her career. Haven specializes in the evaluation and treatment of feeding and swallowing disorders and brain injury. Haven received her Master's degree in Communicative Disorders at San Diego State University. She is licensed and certified in speech-language pathology and is a current member of ASHA and CASHA. She received Board Recognized Specialty in the area of Swallowing in 2009. Haven's goal in working at Rady Children's is to improve diagnosis and treatment of children with feeding and swallowing disorders and brain injuries.

Heather Rose, MA, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT became a certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist in 1995. Heather has worked for Rady Children’s Hospital since March 2011, and is the Clinical Team Lead on the Cochlear Implant team. She provides direct services to children with hearing loss, has started the early intervention parent support group, the pre-teen and teen groups, and provides mentoring to the staff and community.    Before joining Rady Children’s Hospital, Heather maintained a private practice for 20 years working exclusively with children with hearing loss, providing therapy and consultation services to auditory-oral programs, implant centers, mainstreamed classrooms and tele-intervention to international families. Heather was most recently a Clinical Instructor at Utah State University providing supervision and course instruction for the Auditory Learning Program at Utah State University, in addition to providing direct services in the Sound Beginnings Preschool. Prior to joining the faculty at Utah State University, she served as a practicum supervisor for the Auditory-Verbal Program at the University of Akron, as well as a consultant in Ohio for The Auditory Options Project. She has spoken at numerous conferences including the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, The Ohio Speech and Hearing Association, and the American Speech and Hearing Association. 

Melissa Sartori has been a speech-language pathologist since 2009, and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since 2011. Melissa received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from University of the Pacific. She holds a current CA State License and is a member of both CSHA and ASHA. She has previously worked in schools, outpatient clinics and hospital settings.  Melissa’s special interests include early intervention, childhood speech and language development, articulation/phonology, social skills, augmentative-alternative communication (AAC), and autism spectrum disorders. Melissa is a member of the Rady Children’s Hospital Feeding Team. She also facilitates the Mommy, Daddy & Me (Spanish) and Gateways language programs. Melissa’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to empower families and encourage children to grow and shine as effective communicators.

Cynthia Smith has been a Speech-Language Pathologist since 2010, and has worked at Rady Children’s Hospital since 2012. She has special training in the area of autism spectrum disorders. Prior to becoming a speech therapist, she taught children with autism spectrum disorders for over ten years using applied behavioral analysis (ABA).   Other areas of interest include feeding disorders, articulation and phonological disorders, motor speech disorders such as childhood apraxia of speech, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Cynthia received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Communication Disorders from The University of Texas at Dallas. In Dallas, she worked as a speech therapist for both the public school district and a private speech clinic. She is licensed and certified in speech-language pathology and is a current member of ASHA.   Cynthia’s goal in working at Rady Children’s Hospital is to help each child improve their speech and language skills so that they can reach their highest potential.

Kallie Tettenburn began working as a speech pathology student intern here at Rady Children’s Hospital in the summer of 2008. She decided to begin her career at Rady Children’s and has been working with RCHSD since January 2009. Kallie received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with an emphasis on early childhood development from U.C. Berkeley, and her Masters in Speech and Language Pathology at C.S.U. East Bay.  Kallie also worked as a research assistant on a published research project; studying early childhood development, in her undergraduate work in the UC Berkeley psychology laboratory.  Kallie worked as a preschool teacher for six years prior to becoming a speech pathologist and has expertise in the area of early childhood development.  She has completed training and worked with children with a wide variety of disorders.  She currently works in the Children’s Care Coordination (C3) program through Healthy Development Services (HDS), providing services in Chula Vista one day per week.  She also runs Let’s Play, a therapy group for children with Down Syndrome, and their parents. Kallie’s goal here at Rady Children's Hospital is to help children and their families reach their utmost potential in their ability to communicate.

 
Crystal Wheeler has been a Speech-Language Pathologist at Rady Children’s since 2009. She has had experience in working with a variety of communication impairments in children with brain injury, multiple disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, expressive and receptive language impairments, apraxia, speech production disorders and phonological impairments. Crystal specializes in the treatment of AAC (alternative and augmentative communication), feeding and swallowing, and children with tracheostomies and speaking valves. Crystal currently works with Rady Children’s Hospital Rehab Unit, The Helen Bernardy Center for Medically Fragile Children, as well as with Rady Children’s out-patient speech therapy. She is certified in Vital Stim therapy and she completes MBS (Modified Barium Swallow) studies. Crystal received her Bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and her Master's degree in Teaching Students with Speech and Language Disabilities from Ithaca College. She is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and holds her ASHA certification.