Meet our Clinicians

Founder & Director

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Chelsea is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over 8 years of experience specializing in pediatric and school-based therapy. As the Founder and Director of Speechie Students, Chelsea leads a team of SLPs, providing innovative and compassionate care across Hudson County through home-health speech therapy services in homes, daycare centers, and schools.

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Her diverse experience spans private practice, early intervention, schools, outpatient pediatrics, and acute care. Chelsea created Speechie Student's because she is passionate about partnering with parents and families within the home to provide the best quality of care. 

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Chelsea's certifications and specialized training include Assistive Technology Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) treatment, ​Natural Language Acquisition Trained Clinician, PROMPT Technique, Social Thinking 101 and Sequential-Oral-Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding.​

Speech-Language Pathologist, Clinical Supervisor

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Alex Vinges is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Central Avenue School in Madison, New Jersey. She specializes in supporting children with childhood apraxia of speech, phonological and articulation disorders, language delays, pragmatic difficulties, and complex communication needs.

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Alex received a Master of Arts from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Delaware. Alex is passionate about empowering children and fostering collaboration with their families to achieve meaningful progress.

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Alex's certifications and specialized training includes PROMPT Trained, NLA Trained Clinician, Kaufman Trained, Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) Trained Social Thinking 101 and AAC Service Provider.

Clinical Supervisor & Subject Matter Expert 

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Alina Lipkin Makhinson, SLPD CCC-SLP is a pediatric speech-language pathologist bringing over 13 years of experience working in research universities, private practices, school districts, and home settings. As Clinical Supervisor, Alina leverages her expertise to provide guide and mentor the team effectively.
 

Alina received her Master’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from Montclair State University in 2011, and earned her SLPD doctorate from Kean University in 2023. She is currently a clinical educator and lecturer at Teacher College, Columbia University.  Alina is experienced in a wide array of pediatric speech and language disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, social-skills, receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation, fluency, craniofacial syndromes and family counseling.

 

Alina is bilingual in Russian and is passionate about providing holistically driven and culturally sensitive pediatric therapy. Alina lives in Westfield, New Jersey with her husband Mark and 5-year-old daughter Stella.

Clinical Supervisor, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Consultant

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Alanna Harrison, MS. CCC-SLP/TSSLD is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and certified Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) in the state of New York. Alanna also holds a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA).

She earned her Master's degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Tulane University.

 

Alanna specializes in supporting individuals who use AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). She has had the opportunity to work with both pediatric and adult AAC users across diverse settings, including Boston Children’s Hospital Augmentative Communication Center, The Edward D. Mysak Clinic for Communication Disorders, Roosevelt Children’s Center, and Manhattan Star Academy. In addition to her clinical work, Alanna serves as an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she teaches an applied course in AAC.

 

Passionate about personalized patient care, Alanna is dedicated to providing clients with the communication tools they need to thrive. She values collaboration with caregivers, educators, therapists, and medical professionals, ensuring everyone feels confident and comfortable using AAC across settings.

Speech-Language Pathologist

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Christina Aurilla, M.S. CCC-SLP earned her Bachelors of Science and Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from Duquesne University. Christina is currently a speech-language pathologist at an elementary school in West New York, NJ.

 

Christina is trained in DIR Floortime approach and has experience working with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), phonological disorders, articulation, and childhood apraxia of speech. As well as, expressive and receptive communication delays, fluency, pragmatic delays and complex communication needs. Christina is passionate about giving children their voice in any capacity. She resides in Hoboken, NJ with her dog Henry!

Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist

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Michelle Makarin, M.S, CCC-SLP is a bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist who is fluent in Spanish. She is licensed in the states of Connecticut and New Jersey and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Michelle received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology at Loyola University Maryland and her Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders at Southern Connecticut State University. 

 

Michelle has experience working in different settings with a variety of populations. She has provided services in public and private schools, private clinics, teletherapy, and specialized education programs for students with multiple developmental disabilities and complex medical needs. She has had experience working with preschool through high school students as well as young adults and the geriatric population. She also has experience working with the following: expressive/receptive language delays, articulation/phonology, auditory processing, Aphasia, fluency, Autism Spectrum Disorders, motor speech disorders, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and conducting comprehensive evaluations. 

 

Michelle strongly believes in a client-centered collaborative approach to therapy. Through this model her clients and their families can be supported, educated, and communication can continue to be enhanced across all settings!

Speech-Language Pathologist

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Alexis Carp, M.S., CCC-SLP earned her Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Hunter College. Alexis has experience in evaluating and treating speech, language, feeding/swallowing and cognition across the lifespan. She has experience working with neurotypical, neurodivergent and medically fragile pediatrics in outpatient and inpatient settings.

 

Alexis provides articulation, phonological, receptive and expressive language, and social skills treatment. She has also worked with the adult and geriatric population in outpatient and inpatient settings, treating aphasia, dysphagia, dysarthria and cognition. Alexis holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is licensed to practice in New Jersey and New York.

Speech-Language Pathologist

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Maria Garber, M.A., CCC-SLP received her Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University and Master of Arts from George Washington University.Maria has worked with both children and adult clients evaluating and treating speech, language, cognitive and feeding/swallowing disorders and diagnoses.

 

Maria has experience working with children ranging from ages 2 through 14, in the outpatient and home-health setting. She also has experience working with adults and geriatric populations recovering from stroke and brain injuries in the inpatient setting treating language, cognitive, swallowing, and motor speech disorders. Maria holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and is licensed to practice in the state of New Jersey.