Meet Our
Speech-Language Pathologists
Our team of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are dedicated to improving communication skills and enhancing quality of life for children with speech and language disorders. Meet our compassionate SLPs who are here to support your child’s journey to success.
Mike
Speech-Language Pathologist (M.A., CCC-SLP/L)
Meet Mike, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Illinois State University, where he also pursued a double major in Spanish. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master of Arts degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University Bloomington.
During his graduate studies, Mike participated in the Speech Therapy Education, Practicum, and Services (STEPS) program at Indiana University. This specialized training equipped him with the necessary skills for appropriate treatment and diagnostic practices for multilingual children, with a focus on serving Latine families.
Mike’s professional journey includes a Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) in a local school district, where he continued afterward. Throughout his tenure, he collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to support children’s expressive and receptive language skills, fluency, and social/pragmatic skills across preschool to eighth-grade levels.
Passionate about serving children of all ages and communication needs, Mike’s particular interests lie in working with children who stutter, speech-sound/articulation disorders, and providing culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment and treatment for multilingual children. He strongly advocates for his clients, believing in holistic care that empowers them to advocate for themselves.
Outside the clinic, Mike enjoys biking, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and embarking on adventures with his fiancée, Breanna, and their dog Jovi.
Megan
Speech-Language Pathologist (M.S. CCC-SLP/L)
Meet Megan, she holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Western Illinois University. Megan has extensive experience working with children of various age groups and abilities. Throughout her experience, she has found a love for working with the autistic population to provide neurodiversity-affirming therapy. To aid in this, she is a Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) trained therapist, after completing a training on Gestalt Language Processing (GLP).
Megan also has a passion for working with AAC (augmentative and alternative communication). She enjoys every step of the process, from assessing a potential AAC user to determine the best system, to customizing the device or working with an AAC user who already has years of experience. She loves empowering those who cannot use verbal speech to meet all of their communication needs by providing them a voice.
Outside of the therapy room, Megan enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and doing anything with arts and crafts.
Colleen
Speech-Language Pathologist (M.S. CCC-SLP/L)
Meet Colleen, she holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Northern Illinois University. Colleen has worked with individuals from birth through adulthood. She has experience in a variety of settings, from Early Intervention and school-based work, including therapeutic schools, to outpatient clinics for those experiencing traumatic brain injury (TBI). Throughout her experience, she focused her work on helping individuals with autism and their families develop systems of communication. Colleen is proficient in behavior management and pragmatic language development, as well as reading comprehension, with a focus on receptive and expressive vocabulary and language expansion.
Colleen is also well-versed in working with AAC (augmentative and alternative communication). She understands the importance of every individual having a way to share their voice and be heard. She is able to work with individuals to discover the best ways for them to access communication based on their needs and abilities. Colleen works with families to understand how AAC functions and guides them on how to carry over skills learned in therapy sessions into the home.
When she’s not working, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and dogs.
Krystal
Speech-Language Pathologist (M.S. CCC-SLP/L)
Meet Krystal, an ASHA-certified speech-language specialist. Krystal earned her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Midwestern University and her Bachelor’s from Illinois State University. Krystal has experience working with pediatric, adult, and geriatric individuals to provide tools, strategies, and encouragement to work toward independence in communication and feeding.
Since her graduation, Krystal has gained experience working in public school systems to provide direct and consultative services in English and Spanish. Krystal has experience working with autistic children and has been trained to utilize Natural Language Acquisition & Gestalt Language best practices. A creative and passionate teammate, Krystal finds fulfillment in collaborating with families and other therapists to ensure that the whole health of a child is considered when making treatment recommendations. Most of all, she likes to have fun! She believes wholeheartedly that the most meaningful learning happens with play.
In her personal time, Krystal enjoys cooking and baking, listening to live music, going for long walks, exploring new places, playing video games, and doing puzzles. Ask Krystal about her cat Stormy, and you will be met with her shining smile!
Mairead
Speech-Language Pathologist (CF-SLP/L)
Meet Mairead, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (I-L-L!). She recently completed her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Saint Xavier University.
Mairead brings clinical experience across the lifespan, with a particular passion for working with children of all ages. She is dedicated to creating a therapy environment that is fun, engaging, and empowering, while skillfully targeting each child’s communication goals.
With a special interest in helping children with social pragmatic challenges and speech/articulation difficulties, Mairead believes that everyone deserves to be heard and supported in achieving their goals, no matter what tools or strategies are needed. She enjoys collaborating closely with her colleagues and families to ensure a holistic approach to each child’s care.
When she’s not in the clinic, you can find Mairead spending quality time with her family and friends, diving into a good book, binge-watching a new TV series, or enjoying a well-deserved nap!
Violet
Speech-Language Pathologist (CF-SLP/L)
Meet Violet, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Illinois State University. She recently completed her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Saint Xavier University.
Throughout her clinical experiences, Violet has worked with clients of various age groups; however, she is most passionate about working with children. She has a special interest in working with social pragmatic challenges and AAC (augmentative and alternative communication). She strives to create a supportive therapy atmosphere that encourages exploration through play, all while addressing each child’s unique communication needs. Her goal is to make every session enjoyable and effective, ensuring that children feel confident as they progress toward their communication milestones.
When she’s not in the clinic, you can find Violet trying new coffee shops, enjoying a night of painting, cooking, and baking, and spending time with family and friends.
Grace
Speech-Language Pathologist (CF-SLP/L)
Meet Grace, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Augustana College, where she also pursued a double major in Psychology and a minor in Linguistics. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison by obtaining a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology.
Throughout her clinical practicum, Grace gained experience working with a wide variety of ages and abilities. In particular, she has found play-based pediatric speech and language therapy incredibly rewarding. Grace believes that communication is built upon human connections, engagement, and trust. She places a high value on seeing each client as an individual and examining the whole child in order to tailor services to each family’s unique needs. Her goal is to create a positive, safe, and inclusive environment for children that fosters an atmosphere of growth, learning, and development of communication skills.
Outside of the therapy room, you can find Grace spending time with friends and family, baking a new dessert, or exploring walking trails.
Abby
Speech-Language Pathologist (M.S. CCC-SLP/L)
Meet Abby, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Augustana College and completed her Master’s degree at Eastern Illinois University.
Throughout her professional experience, Abby has served a wide range of clients—from toddlers to geriatric populations—across a variety of settings, including in-home therapy, schools, private practice, and skilled nursing facilities. She currently works full-time in an elementary school, where she supports students in the instructional program.
Abby has extensive experience supporting children with Autism and other developmental disorders, providing holistic and individualized therapy to meet their communication needs. She also has a strong background in early language development and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Abby values connection and recognizes the importance of building strong relationships as the foundation for growth.
Outside of her professional life, Abby enjoys staying active, puzzling, and exploring new restaurants in Chicago.
Interested in Joining Our Team?
Client Testimonials
At Step Forward Therapy, we take great pride in the positive impact our team has on the lives of our clients and their families. Here’s what some of our clients have to say about their experience with our staff:
Our daughter has worked with OT’s, PT’s, and SLP’s and the progress she has made during the two years we have been with them is tremendous! From the scheduling and billing staff to the owner to the therapists, they are all friendly, detail-oriented, kind beyond belief, awesome with kids, and phenomenal therapists!!
Step Forward Therapy is a wonderful place for pediatric therapy support. The therapists are kind and energetic, and the administrative staff is prompt and helpful. Have to give a shout out to Ms. Claire! She is a super talented OT and my son grew so much thanks to her.