Alissa is a Texas State Licensed speech/language pathologist and holds additional specialization as a Certified Neonatal Therapist.

Alissa began her speech-language pathology career in 2006 working with adult patients in the hospital setting and quickly discovered a passion for evaluating and treating dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). In 2011 she began cross-training in the neonatal ICU, fell in love with the babies, and has been helping infants with feeding and swallowing disorders ever since!

Alissa studied at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX, including a semester abroad in London, England, before transferring to Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Center to major in speech-language pathology. She earned a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences from TTUHSC, followed by a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Purdue University. Alissa completed her Clinical Fellowship in Seattle, WA where she fell in love with the Pacific Northwest over the next four years before moving to Austin, TX in 2010.

Alissa is currently a Lead Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and Board Certified Neonatal Therapist (CNT) on the developmental therapy team in the Level IV NICU at St. David’s Medical Center in downtown Austin. She is a member of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), ASHA’s Special Interest Group (SIG 13) for Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, and the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA). Alissa has created continuing education courses for other speech-language pathologists and NICU professionals, and currently volunteers as an item writer/subject matter expert for the Neonatal Therapy Certification Board. She also volunteers as a graduate student mentor through ASHA's S.T.E.P. program. Alissa considers it a great privilege to care for infants and their families and is passionate about neuroprotective, developmentally supportive care and feeding practices, infant mental health, supporting families' breastfeeding goals, and empowering parents and caregivers.

Alissa and her husband, Quinn, live in South Austin with their two school-aged children. In her limited free-time, Alissa enjoys live music, theatre, good coffee, traveling, reading, eating her way around town, and spending time with her friends and family.

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