Speech & Language Pathologists
Speech & Language Pathologist
Cheryl Larson grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts degree in Communication Disorders and Speech Science from the University of Colorado, and a national certification in Speech Language Pathology from the American Speech and Hearing Association. Since 1992, Ms. Larson has worked in various settings, including a special education preschool, private clinics specializing in sensory integration disorders, pediatric hospitals, providing both outpatient and inpatient care, and in-home therapy. In these settings, she has provided assessment and treatment of children with a wide variety of diagnoses, including neuromotor disabilities, phonological disorders, language impairments, developmental dyspraxia, Down Syndrome, and autism. She joined Anova in 2004 as a Speech & Language Pathologist, and has a passion for working with families and their children in early intervention - concentrating on building communication, social, and play skills - as well as social cognition therapy for children and adults.
Ms. Larson has received extensive professional training including PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Musculature Phonetic Targets), Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS), the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk program, Michelle Garcia-Winner’s Social Thinking Curriculum, Lindamood Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing, Talkies and Seeing Stars programs, the Floor Time and SCERTs model, a graduate level course in Sensory Integration theory and practice, and numerous sensory-oral motor trainings and autism courses. She has also completed a 200-hour yoga teachers training course, as well as advanced training in the Yoga for the Special Child program.
Speech & Language Pathologist
Alyson Roy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in health care administration from Stonehill College in Massachusetts and a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. Prior to joining the Anova team, Ms. Roy has worked with infants and babies at Children’s Hospital Boston, with stroke and brain injury victims at Massachusetts General Hospital, and has held multiple internships with children. Her work in both integrated and self-contained programs for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems have given her experience evaluating students, as well as developing and implementing individual and group treatment plans. She came to California in 2009 and spent her clinical fellowship year working with elderly patients with dysphasia, dementia, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. Ms. Roy joined Anova in 2010.
Speech & Language Pathology Assistant
Deborah Lyons joined Anova in 2011 for a career she believes brought together all of her strengths and interests – specifically teaching and integrating music with speech therapy and social cognition. Ms. Lyons worked as a professional musician and was the Director of Education for Seattle Massage Therapy School before pursuing a career in Speech-Language Pathology. She earned an Associate Degree in the Speech Language Pathology Assistant Program from San Joaquin Delta College and was introduced to Anova when Speech & Language Pathologist Cheryl Larson made a presentation in one of her classes. Ms. Lyons was so impressed and inspired by Anova’s mission and services that she pursued and earned an internship in the ACE Sonoma Diagnostic and Therapy Clinic. She completed her internship and joined Anova full-time in January 2011.
Speech & Language Pathology Assistant
Marianne Seli earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Sacramento State University and is a certified Speech Language Pathology Assistant for ACE Marin. Over the last six years, she has dedicated her time to children with disabilities. Ms. Seli’s interest in the special needs population began at ABC, an Autism school in Sacramento, where she worked as an ABA therapist doing in-home therapy and Early Intervention in the infant/toddler program. Ms. Seli has worked for families in Sacramento and the Bay Area with children with autism, Cerebral Palsy, ADHD, learning disabilities, and emotional disturbance. She also has a strong multicultural background, and has worked with families from Egypt, Mexico, and Eastern Europe. Ms. Seli enjoys her work with Anova and is very passionate about making a difference in children’s lives, and is making plans to begin a Masters program in Speech Pathology and Audiology.
ACE Clinic Director, Marin County, Professional Development Manager
Kim Starke has been a practicing Speech and Language Pathologist for almost 20 years, working primarily with children at all levels on the autism spectrum. Ms. Starke earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology from California State University, Chico, and continued there to complete her Master of Arts degree in 1992. She began working as a Speech and Language Pathologist, primarily with nonverbal autistic children, in a non-public school setting. It was during this time that she first began working alongside Anova Co-Founder, Andrew Bailey. Ms. Starke opened a private Speech and Language Pathology practice in San Francisco, work she continued to do for several years before her first daughter was born. Upon returning to the workforce, Ms. Starke accepted a Speech and Language Pathologist position with the Petaluma Unified School District, working with Kindergarten through 6th grade students and specializing in fully included autistic and severely handicapped children. Ms. Starke discovered her enthusiasm for working with higher functioning students with autism, reached out to Mr. Bailey, and started working with Anova in 2008. Her role as Speech and Language Pathologist at Anova has since expanded to include employee recruitment and professional development for Anova professional staff.