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Meet Our Team

Together we build meaningful relationships and connections with our clients and their families.

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Ashley R. Merichko, M.S.,CCC-SLP

Co-Founder, Speech-Language Pathologist

Ashley is a speech therapist with over a decade of experience working with children of all ages in public and private educational settings. She has had the pleasure of serving children in their homes, at their preschools, and within specialized schools or classrooms. 

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Ashley earned her master’s degree in Communication Disorders from the California University of Pennsylvania. Her clinical interests lie in supporting language development (especially for autistic children), children with Down syndrome, childhood apraxia of speech, cleft palate, traumatic brain

injury, and related disorders. She brings an air of playfulness and creativity into her therapy sessions, and she is always “on the go!” Her goal is to develop strong relationships with each child that she serves and to invest in the whole family.

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In her free time, Ashley loves being with her children, husband, and two dogs. She enjoys being outside, gardening, cleaning, and organizing fun activities and games for family gatherings!

 

Advanced Training & Certifications:

  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) - Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP)

  • ASHA - Award for Continuing Education (ACE) for achievements in continuing education

  • Pennsylvania Instruction Certificate Level II - Speech & Language Impaired

  • Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs - Speech-Language Pathologist License

  • LSVT LOUD Certified Clinician

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Kelly Stewart Nace, M.S., CCC-SLP

Co-Founder, Speech-Language Pathologist

Kelly is a pediatric speech therapist with over 17 years of experience working in early intervention, public schools, and private school settings. She is fluent in American Sign Language and has been an Educational Interpreter for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. Throughout her career, Kelly has developed a passion for language learning and recognizes how powerful language is for human connection. She often reiterates that language opportunities exist everywhere, in everything we do, large or small.

Kelly earned her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has since worked with children of all ages and abilities. She believes that serving children with special needs is her true vocation in life, and she is dedicated to embedding opportunities for connection, vocabulary enrichment, and robust language skills into her therapy sessions. Kelly is passionate about serving children with complex communication needs and honors and respects all forms of communication–including oral speech, AAC, and sign language. 

 

Outside of work, Kelly enjoys spending time with her fabulous husband, her two amazingly terrific teenage daughters, and her three rescue dogs. She and her family love to take road trips and spend time outdoors, especially near the water. 

 

Advanced Training & Certifications:

  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) - Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP)

  • ASHA - Award for Continuing Education (ACE) for achievements in continuing education

  • Pennsylvania Instruction Certificate Level II - Speech & Language Impaired

  • Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs - Speech-Language Pathologist License 

  • LAMP Words for Life trained professional

Lauren Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Lauren is a speech therapist with over 5 years of diverse clinical experience including working with children in early intervention programs, public and charter schools, specialized classrooms, and private therapy environments. Lauren holds a Master of Science in Communication Disorders from William Paterson University, certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licenses in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Lauren’s specialization encompasses a broad range of disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, fluency, and auditory processing disorders. Lauren is passionate about AAC, and has experience working with programs such as TDSnap, TouchChat, Go Talk, and LAMP.

At the heart of Lauren’s practice is a child-led and play-based approach to therapy, designed to help children reach their fullest potential. Lauren believes in tailoring each therapy plan to the unique needs of the individual, ensuring that every session is both effective and enjoyable. Lauren’s compassion and empathy are key in establishing a trusting relationship with each client and their family members, ensuring an environment where they feel supported and understood. Beyond her clinical work, Lauren is devoted to mentoring the next generation of speech-language pathologists, sharing her knowledge and fostering professional growth. 

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In her free time, Lauren enjoys traveling and being outdoors through activities like hiking, golfing, and snowboarding. She also has a passion for plants and thrifting, and she cherishes quality moments with her family and friends.

 

Advanced Training & Certifications:​

  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) - Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP)

  • Pennsylvania Educational Specialist I - School Speech & Language Pathologist PK-12

  • Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs - Speech-Language Pathologist License 

  • New Jersey State Licensure in Speech-Language Pathology

  • New Jersey Speech Language Specialist Certificate

  • LAMP Words for Life trained professional

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The activities Kelly completed with my daughter both in person and virtually kept her attention and had her excited for each session!

Kelly worked with my daughter during multiple school years for speech therapy, both in-person, and virtually during the pandemic. Kelly provided us with many activities to work on at home as a family to help strengthen my daughter’s speech skills. The activities Kelly completed with my daughter both in person and virtually kept her attention and had her excited for each session! Going to speech therapy was never a chore for my daughter, but a time she looked forward to with Kelly, and a time to grow and learn. Kelly truly cares about her students and puts much time and effort into each session to make sure that the child leaves speech therapy confident and ready with the knowledge of how to use their speech. Not only that, the constant communication I experienced with Kelly kept me well-informed of my daughter’s growth in speech therapy. My daughter has since graduated from speech and still speaks highly of Kelly, and loves to see her in the elementary school and say hello. I highly recommend Kelly for speech therapy and am thankful to have met her and have had her as my daughter’s speech therapist.

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~ Amanda, Parent

Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS
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