Our Team

Allison Balsam, M.A., CCC-SLP/L - speech language pathologist

Allison was born in New York and raised in Florida. After graduate school, Allison moved to Chicago to pursue a career in Early Intervention to provide impactful therapy in the natural home environment.

Her primary interests include treatment of children with speech and language delay, hearing impairment, developmental delay, autism, and intellectual disability. Incorporating alternative modes of communication, such as pictures and signs, to meet children’s individual needs and allow them to express themselves is a priority in all her sessions. She also includes the family in therapy and works on forming positive relationships while helping children develop communication skills.

She enjoys going on adventures and traveling with her husband and two dogs.

Grace Bonasera, M.A., CCC-SLP/L – Speech Language Pathologist

Grace was born and raised in the chicken wing capital of Buffalo, NY.

She enjoys providing therapy focused on improving the communication of children with expressive and receptive language delays, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, and augmentative and alternative communication needs. She believes that child-focused play-based therapy is the key to teaching successful and meaningful communication, and strives to make every session fun and engaging for children and their families. Grace’s goal is to bring joy to every family she works with.

On her days off, you can find Grace exploring the city, likely checking out a new food spot. She also travels to Jamaica as the literacy supervisor of a service learning program for college students, helping kids in rural Jamaican schools with reading and writing skills.

Julia Caveny, M.S., CCC-SLP/L - Speech-Language Pathologist

Julia is from the south suburbs of Chicago. She received her Master’s of Science in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Montevallo in Alabama.

After graduating, she returned back to Chicago where she initially worked in adult rehabilitation before finding her calling with pediatrics. Julia’s passions within the field include working with children with autism as well as children with feeding difficulties.

In her free time, she enjoys doing yoga and finding the best deep dish pizza in the city.

Jessica Cruce, MOT, OT/L – Occupational Therapist

Jessica was born in Chicago and obtained her MS in Occupational Therapy from Florida International University. Upon completion of her degree, she returned to Chicago where she quickly discovered joy in providing occupational therapy services to children and families in an outpatient setting through Early Intervention Services.

Through building relationships with children and families and understanding their needs, concerns, and goals, she provides services to promote each child’s growth, independence, and participation in daily activities. She holds special interest in working with children with sensory processing challenges, as she enjoys developing individualized, yet enjoyable strategies and activities which can be integrated into daily routines.

When she is not jumping, dancing, or reaching with the little stars she works with, you can often find her and her husband doing the same at a local park with the light in their lives, their daughter, Gracie.

Kimberly Fraher, M.A., CCC-SLP/L - speech language pathologist

Kim has over twenty years experience as a speech therapist, including 15 years in Early Intervention programs. She spent two years in the public school system, before returning to the work she enjoys most: engaging directly with young children and their caregivers in a family-centered endeavor towards promoting the child as a whole communicator.

Kim emphasizes cooperation between parents, caregivers, and children to improve understanding and expression in all environments where children are expected to prosper and learn. She provides steady, reinforced guidance and direction to create productive communication behaviors.

Kim is a mother of three children and understands the practicalities of the advice she offers.

Sharon Krga, B.S., M.S., Education-Developmental Therapist

Sharon was born and raised in Chicago and spent her teaching career working in Chicago Public Schools before transitioning to work as a Developmental Therapist.

Sharon uses her skills to work with children with developmental delays, cognitive, speech, processing, sensory or other disorders, and does this through activity and play. She focuses on using music, toys, books and movements to help children engage and learn, helping build on each child’s strengths and addressing weaknesses to build a positive self image for every child.

In her spare time, she loves gardening and decorating. She welcomes her time with friends and family and looks forward to adventures with her three young grandchildren.

Kara Lillwitz, M.A., CCC-SLP/L - speech language pathologist

Kara was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs. After earning her degree, she returned to Chicago to become an early intervention provider, committed to delivering fun and effective therapy to toddlers.

Kara’s primary interests include treatment of children with language impairment, hearing impairment, developmental delay, and intellectual disability as well as children with voice/resonance and phonological disorders. She enjoys incorporating books and songs into therapy, with a strong focus on functional goals and family-centered practice in the home. Her goal is to welcome clients with respect, kindness, and positivity.

Kara enjoys hanging out with her sister and eating deep dish pizza!

Barbara Miller, BSW-Developmental Therapist, Initial Evaluator

Barbara is a developmental therapist who work with families to help their young children reach goals. Her goal is to use the family’s routines to implement intervention strategies. After teaching pre-kindergarten for seven years and having her son, she became an Early Intervention provider.

Barbara has worked in several culturally diverse setting, including time spent teaching English in Thailand.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her 6 year old son, cooking, dining and reading novels.

hanna nebel, M.S., CF-SLP - sPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

Johanna grew up in the southwest Chicago suburbs and received her B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and M.S. from Saint Xavier University in speech and language pathology. After graduate school, she began work as an early intervention therapist to provide children and their families with the tools needed to enter kindergarten prepared to succeed.

She has experience working with a variety of disorders including childhood apraxia of speech, articulaton and phonology, and receptive and expressive language disorders. However, her primary interest includes early detection and education for families and children with autism.

Johanna enjoys running and hanging out with her friends and family.

Kaila Pellegrini, MOT, OTR/L – Occupational Therapist

Kaila was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. She has always loved playing with little ones, and has chosen a career where she gets to do that daily.

She focuses on fine and gross motor development, emotional regulation, and sensor processing with 0 to 3 year olds. In addition, Kaila engages children in fun and active play-based activities. She believes in the importance of family based practice and working as a team to help the child and their family function to the best of their abilities

She enjoys exploring all that Chicago has to offer, laughing with family and friends, and baking.

Lauren Sapienza, M.S., CCC-SLP/L – Speech Language Pathologist

Lauren grew up in the southwest Chicago suburbs and received her BS from Illinois State University and MS from Nova Southeastern University in Speech and Language Pathology.

Lauren has worked with clients with autism spectrum disorders, apraxia of speech, hearing impairments, genetic/chromosomal syndromes, feeding therapy, and brain injuries, and expressive and receptive language delays and disorders. She is passionate about taking a whole-child approach, acting as an advocate for her clients’ best interests, and working collaboratively with the family and health professionals to optimize outcomes for each child.

In her free time, she enjoys playing with her toddler and catching up on movies with friends and family.

Brittany Ray, MS, CCC-SLP - Speech-Language Pathologist

Brittany graduated Summa Cum Laude from Nova Southeastern University with a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

Brittany has experience treating individuals with a variety of communication disorders across all age spans from young children to older adults in educational and clinical settings. She truly enjoys working with children and helping their families find successful tools and activities to use at home.

When not at work, Brittany enjoys staying active and spending time with her husband and two young children.

maggie setterington, CF-SLP- Speech language pathologist

Maggie is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan and has lived in Chicago the past three years.

She received her Masters in Speech Pathology from Rush University.

Maggie absolutely adores working with kids especially in the Early Intervention setting.

Kristin Stoick, M.S., CCC-SLP/L – Speech-Language Pathologist

Kristin has lived all over the country, growing up in upstate New York, and spending her latter years in Texas (Houston, Austin, Dallas) until she relocated to Chicago in 2017.

She has a passion for working with children with special needs, specifically those with cognitive delays, pediatric stroke/traumatic brain injury, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. She also has several years of experience working with pediatric swallowing and feeding disorders. In her practice she ‘disguises’ therapy as play as much as she can and believes that therapy is most effective when it is as engaging and functional as possible for the child. One of her main goals is to help the family learn how they can turn normal routines and playtime into learning opportunities for their child.

Kristin enjoys traveling abroad with her husband Konrad and spending time outside with her dog Willow. She also loves fashion and trying out new pinterest recipes.

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