Speech-Language Pathologists

 
 

Sara Munsterman

Sara is a native Texan but has called San Diego home for the last 16 years. Sara loves being the Clinical Director of the Mission Valley Office and watching therapists grow in their skills. She strives to help clients reach their goals. Her favorite thing about the field of speech-language pathology is seeing clients learn to communicate in various forms. Sara has a special interest in AAC and has loved the opportunity to give clients a voice. You can often find Sara sitting on her therapy room floor or in a client’s home, engaged in a fun-filled therapy session with her clients. In her free time, Sara loves hanging out with her two children, running, hiking and going to the beach.

 

Erica Lawson

Erica came to San Diego from the Arizona desert in 2001.  San Diego has become home and she couldn’t imagine living elsewhere.  Erica knew from a young age that she wanted to work with children and chose the field of speech-language pathology after loving her first course.  Erica is dedicated to being a life-long learner and encourages others to do so as well. She loves her career and is passionate about helping children meet their communication potential. Erica enjoys hiking, traveling and cheering for her boys on the soccer field!

 
 

Julie

Julie moved to San Diego for graduate school in 2001. After four years here she moved to the East Coast and spent 12 years living in several different states before returning to San Diego with her family. She has worked with children of all ages in the public school setting, private practice, and home health but she has spent most of her career focused on early intervention. Julie is passionate about empowering families to participate in therapy and help their children communicate at home and in their communities. Outside of work, you’ll find Julie hanging out with her husband and daughters, traveling, reading, and going to the beach.

 

Maggie

Maggie, originally from Illinois, moved to San Diego in the summer of 2019. Maggie had always wanted to work with children, and the field of speech-language pathology gave her the perfect avenue to do so. Helping clients meet their language goals and see them become more effective communicators is Maggie’s favorite part about being a speech-language pathologist. Maggie loves working alongside the incredible and innovative team at Speech Tree. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, relaxing outdoors, and adventuring around San Diego!

 
 

Alex

Alex was born and raised in Northern California where she grew up the oldest child of 5. She has always had a passion for helping others within the communities she resides in. From a young age, Alex knew she wanted to be an advocate and an educator for families and their loved ones. This passion and drive to assist others is what inspired her to become a speech-language pathologist. When Alex is not working, she enjoys traveling with family, visiting the beach, playing with her dogs, or reading a good book. Alex recently moved to the San Diego area and loves getting the opportunity to explore all the wonderful things that San Diego has to offer.

 

Meaghan

Meaghan moved to San Diego from her home state of Virginia in January 2017.  Meaghan has worked in a variety of settings with adults and children during her career. She loves working in the speech-language pathology field, as it enables her to help her clients of all ages reach their greatest potential to communicate effectively! When she is not working, Meaghan enjoys visiting the beach, traveling, baking, and reading good books.

 
 

Kylie

Kylie was born and raised in Texas but moved to sunny San Diego in January of 2023. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University and her master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Lamar University. She has always had a passion for working with children of all ages and utilizes play in therapy to engage her kiddos and make reaching their unique speech and language goals more fun! Kylie absolutely loves being a Speech-Language Pathologist and finds it rewarding to not only build lasting relationships with each client and their families, but also help each child reach his/her maximum potential. Outside of work, Kylie enjoys traveling, going to the beach, hiking with her dog, & spending quality time with her friends and family!

 

Catherine

Catherine is originally from northern California but has grown to love the ocean and all that San Diego has to offer. She spent most of her career working with infants and preschool aged children, where she specialized in assessment and intervention for children with autism. Catherine draws on the unique strengths and interests of each child to help them reach their communication goals through her play-based approach. She loves working with children of all ages, and especially enjoys the connections she makes with their families and caregivers. Catherine loves spending time with family and friends, swimming and doing yoga.

 
 

Bella

Bella is originally from Los Angeles and grew to love San Diego after graduating from San Diego State University. Her passion for connecting with children and helping them overcome their communication challenges is what inspired Bella to further her career in speech-language pathology. She thrives on building strong connections with her clients and families by providing a supportive environment so that everyone has an opportunity to grow. Bella enjoys learning how to surf, listening to live music, and traveling! 

Tara

Tara journeyed to California from Hawai'i in 2021. In both states, she has worked in the public education systems with a wide variety of students. Tara decided to pursue a career as a speech-language pathologist to positively impact the lives of others. She is beyond grateful for the opportunities to connect and build relationships with her clients and their families. Outside of the office, Tara enjoys being with family and friends, exploring nature, playing volleyball, and reading. 

Isabel

Isabel was born and raised in northern California. Coming to San Diego for school in 2015, Isabel knew for certain that she wanted a career where she could help others. With experience working in the schools and in the clinic setting, Isabel strives to help clients reach their communication potential with compassion, patience, and collaboration. During her free time, Isabel enjoys reading a good book at the beach, doing yoga, cooking, or spending time with loved ones. 

 

Kristen

Kristen is a remote Speech-Language Pathologist who resides on the east coast and calls North Carolina her home. Kristen always knew she wanted to be a Speech-Language Pathologist since she was young due to having difficulties herself with saying certain sounds. Kristen has worked in a variety of settings with adults and children during her career in private practices, outpatient hospital settings, and schools. During her free time she enjoys running, hanging out with family and friends, and traveling. 

Ashlie

Ashlie is a Nebraska native but has always been a big-city girl at heart; she earned her undergraduate degree in New York City and moved to San Diego in June 2017, bringing with her a lifelong passion for learning and helping others. This passion led her to pursue her PhD in Language and Communicative Disorders and a career where she can advocate for individuals with communicative difficulties and support individuals of all ages in reaching their full communication potential. In her free time, Ashlie enjoys competitively weightlifting, indulging in ice cream, and spending quality time with her husband and their dog and two cats.

Alyssa

Alyssa was born and raised in San Diego. Alyssa always knew she wanted to work in pediatrics. Her dad always encouraged her to pursue a career where she can help others. Being a speech language pathologist allows her to work closely with the patients and their families to provide support and help them meet their goals. It is a very rewarding job and she loves seeing her clients’s progress while instilling confidence in the family! Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, who are 2 and 4 years old. Alyssa and her husband love having game nights. They also love going to Disneyland, as they are huge Disney fans!

 
 
 
 
 

Occupational Therapists

 

Ashley

Ashley has lived in San Diego for over 10 years and is grateful to live in a city that has so much to offer, while also being able to live near many family members. She became a pediatric occupational therapist because she is passionate about being a part of a child's development to positively impact their ability to learn life skills.  She has experience working with a variety of diagnoses, including children with Autism, ADHD, and Down syndrome. One of her favorite things about her job is when a child makes those "baby steps" in progress that eventually lead to big changes! When Ashley is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children.

Jan

Jan moved to San Diego with her family in 2014, after living in the United Kingdom for over a decade where she worked as an Occupational Therapist. She was born, raised, and studied in the Philippines. Her love for working with children started during her training to be an OT.  She became a Pediatric OT in the Philippines prior to moving to the UK. Although she has worked in various adult/geriatric settings, her love for working with children has drawn her back into pediatrics. She believes in each child’s potential to grow and improve despite their physical, cognitive or sensory challenges, and is passionate about helping them to learn essential skills to navigate through their childhood. When away from work, Jan spends time with her husband and 2 children. She winds down by reading, and watching K-dramas. She is fascinated with the culture and eventually wants to learn their language when time permits!

 

Lindsay

Lindsay is originally from Seattle and moved to San Diego in 2021. She fell in love with working with kids after growing up surrounded by a big extended family and spending years nannying, coaching, summer camp counseling, and becoming an ABA therapist. She pursued OT because it perfectly blended her interest in science, teaching, and creativity, and it allows her to help children live fulfilled lives. Lindsay is passionate about truly understanding the families she serves so she can tailor therapy to fit their unique needs. She is thrilled she gets to spend her days helping children grow and develop meaningful relationships and lives. When Lindsay is not at work, you can find her playing spike ball at the beach, running through balboa park, or snuggling at home watching sit-coms.

 
 

Administrative Staff

 

Lorraine

Lorraine manages both the Chula Vista and Mission Valley offices and is responsible for the day-to-day operation and clerical management of Speech Tree Therapy Center.  She is also a special needs parent which makes her a strong believer in advocacy for services and parent education. Her previous experiences in working with special education law, certifications in Medical Coding and Billing and AS in Respiratory Therapy gives her a well-rounded view of what our families experience. Completing a variety of tasks within the office, Lorraine is also our Community Outreach Specialist. Originally from Los Angeles, she loves the Dodgers, as well as her chubby dog and spending time with her children.

Rana

Rana moved to San Diego in 2015 with her family from Bethlehem. She has over 5 years of experience working as an office administrative assistant. Rana loves to manage the office by making sure that customers are satisfied and that her work is done efficiently and promptly. She has a passion for learning new tasks that will improve her work skills. In her free time, Rana likes to spend time with her family, go to the beach, go to the movies, and listen to music.

 

Melissa

Melissa is from San Diego and has lived here most of her life. Melissa has always loved helping people, which is one of the reasons why she enjoys working as an administrative assistant. One of the things she enjoys about working at Speech Tree Therapy Center is being able to get authorizations approved; and she does this by sending progress reports to your doctor and keeping in touch with them. Melissa takes pleasure in assisting clients at the front desk. Outside of the office she loves spending time with her husband and family, either eating out at a good restaurant or staying home to watch a good movie like “War Room.”

Maleah

Maleah is from San Diego and has lived there all her life. Maleah has high empathy and has a passion for helping others. She likes to stay organized and she is also detail-oriented. Being detail-oriented helps Maleah stay organized when working at Speech Tree Therapy Center. She enjoys learning new things and applying new skills to her everyday life. Maleah's hobbies are Astrology, Kpop, listening to music, dancing, singing, and gaming.