Michele has been with Step Forward Therapy since June 2017. She received her Bachelors’ of Science degree in 2003 and her Masters’ of Science degree in 2004, both from Marquette University. She earned her Certificate of Clinical Competence upon completion of her Clinical Fellowship in 2005. Prior to joining the SFT team, Michele previously worked in the Illinois Public Schools as well as another private clinic. Michele specializes in articulation/phonological processing, cleft lip and palate, pragmatic language and multi-lingual language development. Michele believes it is integral to develop a relationship with each child’s team and family to provide an understanding of speech and language development as they help support the child’s development and continued success.
Speech Therapists
Michele C.
Clinical Director, Speech Therapist (M.S., CCC-SLP/L)SOS Approach to Feeding Certified
Mike M.
Bilingual Speech Therapist (M.A., CCC-SLP/L)
Mike received his Bachelor of Science degree in CommunicationSciences and Disorders from Illinois State University in 2019 where he also double majored in Spanish. He received his Masters of Arts degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University, Bloomington. As part of his graduate studies, he received specialized training through Indiana University’s Speech Therapy Education, Practicum, and Services (STEPS) program, which provides specialized training in appropriate treatment and diagnostic practices for multilingual children, with particular emphasis on working with Latine families. Mike worked in a local school district during his Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) and remained in the district for a second year, where he traveled to various schools working with monolingual and bilingual children ranging from preschool to eighth grade. While working in the schools, he served on a variety of multidisciplinary teams in the educational setting to support children’s expressive language skills, receptive language skills, fluency skills and social/pragmatic skills. Mike is passionate about working with children of all ages, in all areas of communication, but has a particular interest in working with children who stutter, speech-sound/articulation disorders, as well as culturally/linguistically appropriate assessment and treatment of multilingual children. He is an advocate for his clients and believes in treating the whole child, working to empower his client’s to advocate for themselves. He believes that learning is a process, not a destination. When Mike is not working in the clinic, he loves to bike and try out new recipes in the kitchen, and going on adventures with his fiancée Breanna and dog Jovi.
Special Education Endorsement
Val A.
Bilingual Speech Therapist (M.S. CF-SLP)
Valeria received her Bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders with a minor in family and child studies from Northern Illinois University; and received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Western Illinois University. During her clinical placements, she gained experience working with both children of all ages and adults in various settings (schools, pediatric outpatient clinic, hospital) and has treated speech, expressive/receptive language, pragmatic/social, fluency, and swallowing disorders. Valeria has a passion for working with children and helping them find functional means of communication, through therapy approaches individualized for each child she works with. In her free time, Valeria enjoys spending time with friends and family, going to the gym, and shopping.
Rachel H.
Speech Therapist (CF-SLP)
Rachel received her Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Concordia University Wisconsin. Throughout the course of Rachel’s clinical experiences, she has worked with clients across the lifespan from preschool through geriatric populations. She has a passion for working with kids because it presents the unique opportunity to shape the way that they view their communication and their relationships with others. She has a specific interest in working with children who stutter, helping them develop resilience and gain confidence in their communication. In her free time, Rachel enjoys reading, crocheting, and spending time with friends, family, and of course, her animals!
Maddie W.
Speech Therapist (MS CF-SLP)
Maddie received her undergraduate degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Spanish from the University of Missouri and her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from DePaul University. Throughout her education and clinical experiences, Maddie has had the opportunity to work with children and adults in a variety of settings such as an outpatient pediatric clinic, inpatient hospital, elementary school, and middle school. She is passionate about providing individualized therapy and building relationships with clients and their families. In her free time, she likes to walk along the Lakefront Trail and spend time with friends!