About Me
Hi! I’m MaryAnn- a hard working, compassionate and enthusiastic clinician. I love being a speech-language pathologist, specializing in executive functioning- I apply my absolute all to my students & clients. My approach is using one’s strengths to build on their challenges. I believe that strategies and techniques are not “one size fits all,” rather they must be based on each individual’s way of learning! In my experience and studies I have found self-awareness to be a significant building block to learning new skills. Self- awareness allows one to understand how they can use their strengths to help with challenges and limitations they may face both socially and academically. It fosters the development of self-regulation and metacognition- concepts I build into each of my sessions!
My Credentials
Tennessee State Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
Tennessee Professional Licensed for School Service
New York State Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist
New York State Certified Speech Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities
Certificate of Clinical Competence of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Certificate in Learning Differences & Neurodiversity with Specialization in Executive Function
My Journey
I grew up in Staten Island, NY. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Speech- Language Pathology from St. John’s University and then went onto receive a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Seton Hall University. I completed my ASHA Clinical Fellowship at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Fanwood, NJ working in both their early intervention program & preschool program and then moved on to work for a preschool and related service practice in Staten Island, NY. A year later I received an amazing opportunity to join the ASD-Nest program for the NYC DOE, working with students who were diagnosed with high functioning autism. I took college courses on autism and speech- language pathology through Hunter College as part of the ASD-Nest therapist requirements. I was introduced to the social thinking curriculum and gained tremendous knowledge and experience with working with children diagnosed with autism. A few years into that experience, I welcomed my daughter and made the decision to work part-time providing services to the elementary school aged children who had speech, language and communication disorders. Five years later, I welcomed my son and was given the chance to once again further my knowledge and experience working with middle school age students. I took the 2020-2021 school year off to help my daughter with remote learning and made another life changing decision to go back to school to receive a professional certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity with a specialty in Executive Functioning from Landmark College. Through this professional development program, I learned evidence-based practices, classroom strategies, and technologies for students with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, or executive function challenges. Throughout the past 15 years as a speech-language pathologist I have attended conventions and conferences which taught me techniques and programs for literacy, phonological awareness, auditory processing disorders, social language disorders, language disorders and more. These learning experiences, along with each and every one of my students, has helped shape the therapist I am today. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experiences and continuing on this amazing learning and teaching journey.
“I’d still be doin’ this if I wasn’t doin’ this” - Luke Combs