I received my Bachelors degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 1998 from Penn State University, and my Masters degree in 2000 from University of Pittsburgh.

I have worked as a Speech Language Pathologist for 26 years in a variety of settings with clients from 15 months through adult. Although I have worked with all age levels, I have a passion for helping preschool and elementary students. For the past 16 years, I worked as the Speech Language Pathologist for a local elementary school. With the graduation of my youngest child, I decided to leave the school system and start my own business. I made this just because I want to provide individualized therapy and tutoring to children based on their needs. I also want to work closely with the family to help them advocate for their child.

I love working in the field of articulation. Watching a child learn how to produce their sounds and say things clearly provides the greatest joy. I also love teaching children how to interact with others and play games. Giving students their voice and the power to show others what they know is what I achieve to accomplish with everyone I work with.

My mission with this new venture is to provide my services to help give children the confidence and skills to communicate with everyone in their environment. I also want to empower children and their families to advocate for themselves.

Children learn best when they are having fun and fully engaged in their own learning. I focus on building a strong rapport with the child and family. I pair work and goals with games and social activities in order to make learning fun.

Talford Tales provides speech, language, and reading services to preschool and elementary aged children. This includes articulation, vocabulary, language processing, and social skills. I have also completed the Orton Gillingham Plus training to teach basic phonics skills to children who struggle with dyslexia or other reading challenges.

Since I have extensive experience working in the school system, I also have a vast knowledge and expertise with the IEP process. I can serve as an IEP coach to help families navigate and understand the process and learn how to best advocate for their child.

There are 4 options for service locations:

1. My home office located in Sykesville, Maryland.

2. Family’s home for families living close to Sykesville.

3. Local library.

4. Tele-therapy through Google Meet.