Our Board of Advisors
We know that the best ideas come from collaboration, so we’ve brought together a fantastic group of advisors to ensure we’re always on the right track and staying unbiased.
We’re excited to introduce you to the amazing individuals who help guide and inspire us!
Venita Litvack M.A, CCC-SLP (She/Her) is an Assistive Technology (AT) Consultant in south Florida. She has a passion for using AAC, AT, and literacy to support individuals with complex communication needs, autism, and other disabilities. Venita has delivered poster presentations on several topics related to AAC at ASHA and co-presented several ASHA CEU accredited courses. Venita co-authored two articles published in ASHA Leader’s online publication, as well as the Lou Knows What to Do book series published by Boys Town Press. Recently, Venita started utilizing the power of social media to empower and motivate educators across the country through the Speechie Side Up podcast, blog, Instagram account, and YouTube channel.
Nicole Umaña Dos Santos (She/Her/Ella) is an SLPA with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Emerson College. Nicole loves working in pediatric settings, with experience across early intervention, schools, and private practice. As the Director of Member Experiences at Tassel, she leverages her speech expertise and passion for learning to support SLPs in their professional development and learning journey. Nicole is also the co-host the “Speechie Side Hustle” podcast, where we highlight inspiring SLP businesses to motivate others in the field. In addition to her work in speech-language pathology, she a self-taught web, graphic, and logo designer. Nicole specializes in helping small business owners and entrepreneurs achieve their goals through purposeful design.
Melanie Evans, M.S., CCC-SLP (She/Her/Ella) is an ASHA-certified bilingual pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist licensed to practice in Texas, California, and Oklahoma. She is also the founder of Pediatric Speech Sister, whose mission is to assist other speech-language pathologists on their cultural competency journeys and bring more inclusion in the field; and Praxis Speech Sister, a digital brand designed to give aspiring SLPs the tools and strategies needed to pass the SLP Praxis exam and build their dream careers. Melanie dedicates her career to serving Black and Latinx populations and closing the academic achievement gap.
Megan Stewart, MS CCC-SLP (She/Her) is a Speech/Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience supporting students with complex communication needs in diverse settings. She earned her Master’s from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and now lives in Florida. Megan specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and is dedicated to helping students, parents, and professionals find the right AAC systems for greater independence. She also runs SENSEable Literacy, offering therapy, coaching, and sensory-based literacy kits to enhance AAC and literacy practices.
Jacqueline Jebian Garcia, MS, CCC-SLP (She/Her) is a Neurodivergent Mama of 2, Sensory-Trained and Somatic Trauma-informed Speech Language Pathologist and Social Emotional Coach. She is passionate about educating adults relative to the Neurodiversity-Affirming Paradigm Shift with Polyvagal Theory lenses, and how our communication style impacts the communication partner’s nervous system by either triggering nervous system activation or by promoting regulation, safety, and connection. She gives parents, educators, coaches, and clinicians the tools to confidently create sensational connection with themselves and with their child/student/client in their very own space by becoming aware of their sensory and somatic profiles. Let’s connect @createyourselfco.
Jordan Christian LeVan (He/Him) is an apraxia, disability, and mental health advocate. He graduated in the year 2020 with his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, focusing on Mental Health, from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Jordan runs a blog called Fighting for my Voice: My Life with Verbal Apraxia, where he gives people an inside view on what it’s like to live with Verbal Apraxia. Jordan is an advocate, blogger, motivational speaker, mentor, research collaborator, and author.
Gabriella Garcia, M.S., CCC-SLP (She/Her) is a bilingual pediatric speech-language pathologist licensed in Florida, with an ASHA Certificate of Competence. She helps children of all ages develop language, communication, reading, and writing skills through engaging, play-based sessions.
Gaby holds a Bachelor’s in Exceptional Student Education from Miami-Dade College and a Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Florida State University. With over a decade of experience in various pediatric settings, she collaborates with families and teachers to boost children’s skills and independence.
She is trained in PROMPT, S.O.S. Feeding, Beckman Oral Motor, and more, and continues to enhance her expertise through ongoing education. Gaby was also featured on the “Speechie Side Up” podcast.
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Rachel Zukose, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD,(She/Her) is an ASHA-certified and New York State licensed Speech-Language Pathologist based in Hudson Valley, NY. She specializes in assessing and treating a wide range of communication disorders for both children and adults, including articulation, language, feeding, voice, fluency, cognitive communication, social communication, and Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Rachel is PROMPT trained, LSVT certified, and PECS Level 1 certified. She has a particular interest in Childhood Apraxia of Speech and cognitive communication disorders, such as those resulting from Traumatic Brain Injury, Dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease, and she also conducts AAC device evaluations and consultations.