Heather Lynn Boerner, a pediatric speech-language pathologist with over 15 years’ experience in the field is founder and creator of Chatty Child™. Heather  treats children who have a wide variety of needs, and has gained experience in many therapeutic settings including: hospitals, schools, sensory gyms, and homecare settings.

Specialties include: apraxia of speech and PROMPT services (a technique used to improve the movement and coordination of oral structures for speech); oral motor and feeding therapy; augmentative and alternative communication (AAC); autism; medically-complex populations; articulation; auditory processing; and, speech and language delays.

Chatty Child creates a personalized care program for each client that takes into account the child’s interests, strengths, current level of functioning, and future goals. We strive to empower the child, the whole family, and the caregivers to become positive vehicles of change within the child’s life. We strive to provide personalized, creative, and effective care to maximize each child’s communication abilities.

Heather Lynn Boerner graduated with high honors, New York University with Masters of Arts in Speech Language Pathology and Minor in Education. Heather is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist and Teacher of Speech and Hearing Disabled Students, State of New York. Heather is trained in PROMPT Level 2, Sounds in Motion, Zones of Regulation and DIR-FCD Model.

Gianna Cioffi is a teaching artist who specializes integrating arts into curriculum to create more inclusive learning experiences. She has worked as an actor, choreographer, and director for a variety of theatre companies in New York City.

In 2011, Gianna graduated with a dual degree in Theatre and Communication Disorders from SUNY New Paltz. She holds her MS ED  in Theatre Education from The City College of New York and is a New York State certified k-12 theatre teacher. Gianna is trained in Sounds in Motion, DIR-FCD Model and Orton Gillingham.

Anne R. Karpel-Freilich comes to us with more than 40 years clinical experience with children from birth through adolescence.  In addition to her many years of private practice, she has served at two major universities in the New York Metropolitan area as clinic director, building the student clinics and working to create their practicum programs.  Throughout her years of practice, she has served as a consultant to hospitals, home care agencies and the Department of Education of the City of New York.

Anne has developed expertise in the areas of neonatal and toddler feeding skill development, phonological and language acquisition with children presenting on the autistic spectrum, as well as normally developing school age children exhibiting a myriad of speech and language delays.  Her expertise extends to all areas of speech and language development as well as social skills development.  Her techniques of therapy and relationship development with clients have proven successful for hundreds of children throughout her years of practice.

Anne graduated with high honors from Teachers College at Columbia University  with a Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology.  She is licensed by the State of New York and holds permanent certification as a Teacher of the Speech and Hearing Handicapped. Anne is also trained in NDT, Hannen, Sounds in Motion and Level 1 PROMPT (a technique used to improve the movement and coordination of oral structures for speech).

Amelia Huckel-Bauer is a New York City based actor and teaching artist with a BFA in Acting from Tisch School of the Arts, NYU and a Master's in Educational Theater from Steinhardt School of Education, NYU. 

Amelia teaches at The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and she is also a company member and teaching artist for Emit, a company that creates work for learners of all kinds around NYC.

Amelia worked as a remote health coach for Noom, before joining the team at Chatty Child. She lives in the Bronx with her husband and two children.

Allison Levin is a licensed speech language pathologist and holds the New York State Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities initial certificate. She received her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Boston University and holds licensure in the states of New York and New Jersey.

Allison has worked with individuals of all ages in a variety of settings, including hospitals, subacute rehabilitation, early intervention, sensory gyms, and outpatient clinics, but has found her passion with working with children. Allison loves to collaborate with families and the entire interdisciplinary team. She strives to treat the child from a holistic perspective in order to help each child reach their maximum potential. She has experience working with expressive and receptive language disorders, phonological/phonemic awareness, play skills, articulation disorders, apraxia/dysarthria, and feeding/swallowing disorders.

Eleni Lyssikatos is a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist working with children of all ages in multiple settings. Eleni gained experience and knowledge through fieldwork rotations including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, schools, sensory gyms, and orthopedics. Her master’s thesis during graduate school focused on Mental Health, specifically individualized coping strategies and self-regulation mechanisms, which she incorporates in treatment sessions. Eleni’s background and experience allows her to provide holistic services while creating a fun and playful environment for children. Eleni has experience treating children with various diagnoses including Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Disorders, Developmental Delays, Learning Disabilities, Seizures, Sensory Processing Disorders. She creates individualized treatment plans to improve skills related to gross and fine motor, visual perceptual, visual motor, strength, endurance, social participation, and self-care. Eleni believes in helping children overcome obstacles, no matter how big or small, to reach their greatest potential.

Eileen Monahan is a pediatric occupational therapist with experience in mental health, sensory integration and supporting students of all ages. Eileen earned her Master's degree from the University of Scranton in 2021 and has been working in pediatrics since receiving her license later that year. She strives to learn more about her clients during each session, incorporating their interests and sensory integration theories to support organization and effective engagement across all environments. Her work has given her the opportunity to support neurodiverse students, creating an affirming environment within her sessions. Collaboration between families and therapy teams are crucial to Eileen's work, as she enjoys learning more about how her practice can support her clients' engagement in their meaningful occupations. When she is not treating, Eileen enjoys exploring NYC's many cute coffee shops and baking!

Isabel Salazar is an occupational therapist (OT), who is dedicated to providing high quality care to children and families in the field of pediatrics. Isabel earned her Master’s of Science at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York where she did a Specialization in Early Intervention (EI) pediatric therapy. She works with children in schools, in the home, and is currently training for specialized occupational therapy in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting. Isabel serves on the Board of Directors for the National Perinatal Association (NPA), where she helps to promote advocacy and research for prenatal and postpartum care. Isabel authored a NICU Cuddler Guide, posted on NPA’s webpage, which provides foundational education to develop volunteer baby cuddling programs in hospital NICUs and nursery units. Isabel provides therapy with principles of motivation-based learning, guided self-growth, and problem solving to achieve goals through play and activities. Isabel is a big proponent of sensory interventions to promote physical and emotional regulation, and help to provide an optimal state for development and growth. She has experience working with a wide range of children with special needs, including various neuromuscular, sensory, and learning disabilities. Isabel has a passion for working with children and families, and truly believes she can learn something every day to improve her practice. In her free time, Isabel enjoys singing, yoga, and practicing French and Spanish.

Mindy Pasternack received her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Ithaca College and her Bachelors of Science in Occupational Science from Ithaca College. Mindy is passionate about her work in pediatric occupational therapy to help children find their strengths and interests through play-based and sensory-based therapy. She loves connecting with each child in different ways, as each child she works with is an individual with their own interests and passions. Mindy is a member of the New York State Occupational Therapy Association (NYSOTA) and The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

In her free time, Mindy enjoys running, yoga, reading, and going to the beach!

Alessia Vitale is an ASHA and New York State certified speech-language pathologist. She was an intern and administrator at Chatty Child as she completed her Bachelor of Arts from CUNY Queens College, before earning her Master of Science at Baldwin Wallace University.

Alessia has experience working in clinic, school, and homecare settings with toddlers through young adults. Her experience includes working with clients with a variety of communication disorders, developmental disabilities, and learning disabilities, as well as with neurodivergent populations. She enjoys collaborating with her clients’ families and multidisciplinary team to create individualized therapy plans. Alessia has a strong passion for incorporating neurodiversity-affirming practices through strengths-based approaches into all of her therapy sessions.

In her free time, Alessia enjoys reading and being outdoors.