FOUNDER/CEO

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

Loren began her career as a speech-language pathologist after receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at Towson University. While at Towson, Loren graduated Magna Cum Laude in her undergraduate studies and was a recipient of the Faculty Award for Graduate Academic Excellence in graduate school. She has been a practicing speech-language pathologist for over 19 years. Loren has experience in evaluating and treating children and adults with varying diagnoses and disorders in a variety of settings. However, she has a passion for pediatrics and has chosen to specialize in childhood disorders and delays. She has received specialized training in Hanen’s “It Takes Two To Talk,” PROMPT and PECS. Loren holds her Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed to practice in the state of Maryland. She has received an ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE) in 2008 and 2017 for her commitment to lifelong learning by attending above and beyond the required hours of course work to further her expertise within the field of speech-language pathology. She also subscribes to The Informed SLP to stay up to date monthly on the most recent research to implement into her evaluations and treatment sessions.

SCHEDULING COORDINATOR 

Amy was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mars, Pennsylvania and grew up doing daily chores, milking and showing their cattle during the summer months. After high school she attended Butler County Community College in Butler, PA receiving her Associates degree in Applied Science with an emphasis in the medical field. Amy has several years experience working with children, their families and the public. Helping people, no matter what the age, has always been a passion for Amy. She became a stay-at-home mom for 7 years while her 3 children were young and then rejoined the workforce as a family liaison for a school-based behavioral health program. Amy then moved into a billing specialist position with the same agency and still works part-time for them. She is also still milking cows 3 days a week for a local farm to help pay for her horse habit. She currently resides in Greenville, PA and enjoys spending time with her kids, her animals and her friends. She has 2 dogs, 5 cats (only 2 indoor) and 4 horses. Her favorite thing to do in her spare time is haul her daughters to barrel races on the weekends and camp. She is a member of the Penn-Ohio Barrel Racing Association where she holds a position on the board and has held the website coordinator position for the last 3 years. Amy also loves watching her son play football.

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST / CLINICAL DIRECTOR

Bethany’s passion for speech language pathology started early in her life. While working on her undergraduate degree
at Bloomsburg University, she was a member of the Bloomsburg University Honors Program. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Additionally, she received a minor in Psychology at Bloomsburg University and was invited to be a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She was selected to present her own Honors research study related to the field of speech language pathology at the National Collegiate Honors Council conference in Chicago in 2015. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Towson University. During graduate school and beyond, she has worked in diverse settings to treat and evaluate both children and adult clients with widespread diagnoses and disorders.

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

Julia’s passion for language and communication began early in life when she learned English as her second language at the age of 8. This experience emphasized the importance of language and communication. She earned her undergraduate degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland and her Master’s of science in Speech Language Pathology at Loyola University of Maryland in 2014. Julia has experience working with clients of all ages (infants-geriatric) in a variety of settings. Currently Julia services students in local public schools as well as our clinic.

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST / EDUCATIONAL SERVICES MANAGER

Samira Barra began her career as a speech-language pathologist after earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of South Carolina. She has been a dedicated practicing speech-language pathologist for 9 years and enjoys working with both pediatric and adult populations. She returned home to Columbia, South Carolina in 2019 after gaining experience in Florida, Connecticut, and New York. Samira has worked in teletherapy since 2020 in her home state and in California! When she’s not working, you can catch her spending time with her dogs and watching episodes of the Golden Girls.

Billing Specialist

Kirstel was born in Cebu, Philippines. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree and graduated with the highest honors in her class. She is a proud Certified Healthcare Virtual Assistant. She is a competent, responsible, honest, and passionate healthcare professional. She is well-versed in clinical research and excels at providing more tailored therapy that addresses the unique needs of each patient. She is good at establishing genuine connections with patients. As a pharmacist, she understands the importance of effective communication in achieving the best possible health outcomes, which is why she enjoys working with her team at Strides Therapy, where every child is thoroughly evaluated and treated to reach their full potential. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her one and only dog, family, and loved ones. She helps with their small family business as well as loves biking, traveling, dining, watching movies, and exploring new things. She also loves extending help to stray and abused animals.

Clinical Fellow Speech-Language Pathologist

Sophia’s passion for helping others began early in life. While working towards her bachelors degree in Speech-Language-Hearing sciences at Loyola University of Maryland Sophia engaged in community service at a local elementary school as a student aide. She graduated summa cum laude in 2022 and continued her education at Loyola, pursuing her Master Degree in Speech Language Pathology, graduating in the Spring of 2024. She is passionate about improving communication, and working with the pediatric population. Outside of the clinic Sophia enjoys spending time running, traveling, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. Sophia is excited to start working with all the kiddos and their families!

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANT

Nicole is a licensed and ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathology Assistant. Although her career began in the legal field, she was drawn to the field of speech pathology when her mother suffered a stroke and lost her ability to speak (called “aphasia”). She began pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in 2018 and graduated from University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, with a Bachelor of Arts in Hearing and Speech Sciences in the Fall of 2020. At UMD, she gained valuable clinical experience through observation, volunteering, and internships. Nicole also has more than two decades of childcare experience and is passionate about helping her clients succeed. Nicole also has certification from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). She loves helping families facilitate speech, communication, language, and play. Nicole strongly believes that communication is a foundational building block to developing relationships, and therefore takes pride in her work as she strives to help others find their voice.

BUSINESS MANAGER and SPECIAL EDUCATOR/TUTOR

I am excited to join the Strides Therapy & Educational Services team! I am a former elementary school teacher and
a mom of 3 kids, 2 of whom currently receive speech therapy. I have 10 years of experience teaching in both MD and TX.
I have taught First, Second, and Third grade, as a General Educator as well as a Special Educator. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master‘s Degree in Special Education. I am also National Board Certified in Early Childhood Generalist. I enjoy CrossFit, reading, and snowboarding when I get the chance. I also love Disney! 

Brenna Bohan, M.S. CCC-SLP

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

Brenna was born and raised in Syracuse, New York. She attended Duquesne University for both undergrad and graduate school, where she obtained a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology with an undergraduate minor in Psychology. Throughout her education, Brenna gained valuable knowledge and practical experience working with a variety of populations and disorders. She finished her clinical fellowship in August of 2023, where she had experience working with K-8th grade students with a variety of neurogenic and developmental disorders. She enjoys treating patients of all kinds, but has special interests in cognitive, language, and swallowing disorders along with the use of both high-tech and low-tech AAC devices. Brenna is excited to work with kids and families to help improve their communication skills and develop meaningful connections.

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

Melissa (she/her/hers) has worked across DC and Maryland in the field of special education for 20+ years mostly within nonpublic/specialized K-12 schools and spent 8 of those years as a Principal. She is trained and certified in several areas including restraint and seclusion, restorative practices, and the science of reading, specifically Orton Gillianham approaches, Wilson, and SPIRE. Currently, Melissa is an educational consultant and co-founder of her non-profit Mindworks Collaborative. She also serves as program site-supervisor for the Early Childhood Special Education program within the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University while working on her dissertation for her Doctorate program. Melissa’s research interests include Restraint and Seclusion Practices, Equity in Education, Teacher & Administrator Wellbeing, and Education Policy.