OWNER + SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Rachel Best, M.S., CCC-SLP, COM®, CLSP, IBCLC
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York | ASHA + CPR Certified; Certified Orofacial Myologist (COM) | Certified Lactation Support Provider | International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
Boston University | M.S. Speech + Hearing Sciences
Bridgewater State University | B.A. Communication Disorders
Rachel founded Small Steps Therapy, LLC in 2013 as a way to share her passion for helping children and families learn to communicate, talk, and eat. Rachel began her career in the medical and outpatient settings working with both adults and children with a variety of speech, language, and swallowing challenges. Additionally, Rachel spent several years in the academic setting working with students ranging from kindergarten to middle school. During Rachel’s time in the hospital and school settings she felt a strong calling towards private practice and providing services in a unique, family-centered model. She visualized a clinic that was not subject to the strict sterile protocol of a hospital or the structured hours of a school day. Thus, Small Steps Therapy, LLC was born to serve the needs of both a passionate speech language pathologist and the community.
Rachel is also the mother to three amazing children and uses her daily life experiences to relate to clients and create treatment plans that are manageable for busy families like her own.
EDUCATION
Additional Certifications
Beckman Oral Motor Protocol
Food Chaining (Fraker and Walbert)
Orofacial Myology Certification
Certified Lactation Support Provider
ToTs (Tongue Tie) trained
DIRFloortime Professionals Training Course
Various trainings in Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Social Thinking, and Pediatric Feeding
Notable Achievements:
Presented at the 2012 ASHA Convention poster session on The Immersion Model
Author of a paper and poster for the 2013 ASHA Convention on Social Thinking Within the Immersion Model
Rachel worked on several interdisciplinary feeding teams and enjoys working with "picky eaters".
2019 & 2022 recipient of ASHA’s Award for Continuing Education (ACE)
2020 ASHA paper “A Parent’s Perspective on Interdisciplinary Support Services for Tethered Oral Tissue (ToTs) in Children Aged Birth to Three”
Author and international presenter on tongue tie and feeding (ASHA, Talk Tools)
Director of Voice & Respiratory therapy + Clinical Director (East Greenwich location)
Marissa Caramello, BA, CRT, C-SLPA
Rhode Island | ASHA + CPR Certified | National Board for Respiratory Care | AHA Certified BLS Instructor | SPEAKOUT!/LOUD Crowd Certified | Affiliated with AARC
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
Rhode Island College | B.A. English
Charter Oak State College | Speech Language Pathology Certification
New England Institute of Technology | A.S. in Respiratory Therapy
Marissa serves as our talented Speech-Language Pathology Assistant and Vocologist. Marissa specializes in treating children and adults with voice disorders, speech sound disorders, language disorders, and motor speech disorders. Marissa ‘s unique background as a sought-after vocal instructor and coach throughout New England provides her with a highly specialized approach to speech and voice challenges. She is able to look at each individual through the lens of a speech therapist and a professional vocalist. Marissa has studied voice for sixteen years both in a private setting and at the collegiate level. When Marissa is not in the clinic she can be found in the role of Assistant Music Director at The Church of St. Rocco in Johnston, RI. She can also be found in her private music studio where she passionately shares her gifts in the form of training children and adults proper singing techniques. Marissa has been performing as a vocal soloist in classical settings from a very young age and has been teaching voice for five years. We are so blessed by her ability to use her skills to help our clients perform to the best of their ability. She studied music with a concentration in voice at Anna Maria College, English at Rhode Island College and completed her SLPA certification program at Charter Oak State College. Marissa recently completed a degree in Respiratory Care at New England Institute of Technology.
EDUCATION
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST + Clinical director (Lincoln location)
Sarah Bacon, M.S., CCC-SLP
Rhode Island | Massachusetts | Connecticut | New York | ASHA
Orofacial Myology Trained | Beckman Oral Motor Trained
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
University of New Hampshire | M.S. Communication Sciences and Disorders
Assumption College | B.A. Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies
Sarah is a pediatric speech language pathologist who is passionate about working with infants and children. Sarah specializes in pediatric feeding, infant feeding and orofacial myology. She also enjoys helping children of all ages find their voice and learn to effectively communicate with others. Sarah enjoys collaborating and working in an interdisciplinary team to provide comprehensive treatment to all of her clients. She is passionate about fostering strong relationships with clients and their families! In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading a good book, trying new restaurants and watching Gilmore Girls.
EDUCATION
Speech Language Pathologist
Arianna Miche, M.S., CCC-SLP
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
Rhode Island | ASHA
Beckman Oral Motor Protocol
Baylor University | M.S. Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Rhode Island | B.S. Communicative Disorders & B.A. Psychology
Arianna is a bilingual speech-language pathologist who speaks both English and Spanish. Prior to starting at Small Steps, Arianna worked in the public and private school settings with the preschool through high school population with a variety of diagnoses including autism, Down syndrome, and articulation disorders. Arianna's passion is working with both bilingual and monolingual children with articulation/phonological disorders and expressive and receptive language delays. In her free time, Arianna enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling and exploring new restaurants.
EDUCATION
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Hailey Picard, M.Ed. CCC-SLP
Rhode Island | ASHA | PROMPT Certified | Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) Trained | DTTC Trained
STATE LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, + Trainings
Valdosta State University | M.ED. Communication Sciences and Disorders
Valdosta State University | B.S. Communication Sciences and Disorders
Hailey is a passionate speech language pathologist who specializes in working with the pediatric population for early intervention with children who present with expressive and receptive language delays. She also enjoys working with school-aged children who present with articulation and phonological disorders. While living in Georgia and attending graduate school, she worked as an SLPA treating a variety of speech and language disorders in a pediatric clinic.
During sessions at Small Steps, she implements various client centered communication strategies for children with delayed expressive and receptive language skills, Autism Spectrum Disorder, articulation/phonological disorders, and various other challenges. Hailey places a heavy importance on a family centered therapy approach, implementing parent coaching strategies for families to use outside the treatment session in their everyday life. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, binge watching Survivor and exploring beautiful Rhode Island.
EDUCATION
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Caroline Kashgegian, M.S., CCC-SLP
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
Northeastern University | M.S. Speech and Language Pathology
UMass Amherst | B.S. Communication Disorders
Caroline is a gracious and passionate speech and language pathologist who is dedicated to helping children with their communication skills and be a great support to their family. She began her time at Small Steps Therapy through her pediatric clinical externship in the Hopkinton Office and has now moved to Rhode Island working at the Providence Office. Caroline specializes in working with children of all ages who present with expressive/receptive language delays, articulation and phonological delays along with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome.
Caroline strives to help children learn language through play by implementing various language strategies while also improving their engagement and interactions with others. She encourages working as an interdisciplinary team and loves collaborating with other disciplines including Occupational Therapy (OT) here at Small Steps. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring the outdoors with her dog, and traveling to new places.
Rhode Island | ASHA | Beckman Oral Motor Protocol Assessment and Intervention
EDUCATION
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Elizabeth Lewis, M.S., CCC-SLP
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
Rhode Island | Massachusetts | ASHA | Beckman Oral Motor Trained
Emerson College | M.S. Speech Language Pathology
Elizabeth is a kindhearted speech pathologist that began her time at Small Steps Therapy through her pediatric clinical externship. She continues to carry her passion for speech pathology as she works with us towards her clinical fellowship. Elizabeth specializes in working with children of all ages who present with articulation and phonological disorders. She also enjoys working with augmentative alternative communication (AAC), children on the autism spectrum (ASD), expressive and receptive language disorders/delays, and disfluency (stuttering).
Elizabeth’s passion for speech originated with her own family’s experiences growing up, and she loves to ensure a family centered approach with all of her clients. Elizabeth aims to help children learn through play and can always be found incorporating literacy activities into her child-centered approaches. During her free time, Elizabeth enjoys spending quality time with her family, curling up with a new book, and of course drinking Starbucks!
EDUCATION
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Melissa MacQueen, M.S., CCC-SLP
University of Rhode Island | M.S. Speech Language Pathology
University of Rhode Island | B.S. Communicative Disorders
Melissa is a pediatric speech language pathologist who is passionate about helping infants and children develop their speech, language, communication, and feeding skills. She completed the accelerated Bachelor's to Master's degree in speech language pathology program at the University of Rhode Island, and completed her Clinical Fellowship year here at Small Steps Therapy. Melissa is a member of our infant feeding team, specializing in assessing and treating infant feeding skills and tongue tie, and also enjoys working with children who present with expressive and receptive language delays.
Melissa implements a play based approach in her therapy sessions and is passionate about building relationships with her client's families. She enjoys interdisciplinary collaboration with Occupational Therapy and Nutrition here at Small Steps. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and going to the beach!
Rhode Island | Massachusetts | ASHA | CPR | Beckman Oral Motor Protocol
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Alyssa Loberti, M.S., CCC-SLP
Rhode Island | RI Educators License | ASHA | CPR| CPI
STATE LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
Worcester State University | M.S. Speech Language Pathology
Rhode Island College | B.A. Communication- Speech, Language, + Hearing Science
Alyssa is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who has a passion for working with young children and their families. Alyssa began her work in the early intervention setting working with infants and toddlers using a family coaching model. Here at Small Steps, she continues to use this approach to ensure every person in the child/client's life is incorporated into their treatment and is in full support of our family-centered model. Alyssa specializes in working with very young children who are pre- or minimally-verbal and approaches treatment using a total communication approach. She has attended various professional development courses on the diagnosis and treatment of infants and toddlers with ASD as well as sCAS. Alyssa enjoys collaborating with other professionals and community support to ensure all areas of the child's development are well-supported. Alyssa has clinical experience and professional development training in working with children who are medically complex and/or with multiple-disabilities to incorporate their vision, hearing, and feeding needs into treatment. Alyssa advocates for equal access to care across all socio-economic sectors and understands the impact that mental-health and racial inequity have on young children's development and family well-being. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys doing things outdoors, such as going for walks with her dog, spending a night by the fire, or dining al fresco