Our Staff
Our Therapists have Master's degrees in Speech-Language
Pathology by ASHA-Accredited Graduate University Programs
Katerina Melitsopoulou
MA CCC-SLP, TSHH, Bilingual Extension Founder/Director
Katerina Melitsopoulou, MA CCC-SLP, TSHH, Bilingual Extension is a New York State Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, the Founder and Director of Premium Therapy. She earned her Master of Arts Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Lehman College, CUNY. She has extensive experience working with children of all ages. Katerina has been a Speech Department Supervisor in preschool settings for seven years. She is Trilingual and provides therapy and evaluations in English, Spanish and Greek. Katerina is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), an affiliate of ASHA's Special Interest Group 14 (Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations), a member of ASHA's Hispanic Caucus, and a member of the American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology.
Joan Fleischer
MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD
Speech Supervisor
Joan Fleischer, MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD earned her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from New York University. Joan earned her Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Linguistics. She has provided speech therapy services in school, clinic, and hospital settings. Joan has experience working with the evaluation and treatment of language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, autism spectrum disorders, aphasia, apraxia, fluency, cleft plate, swallowing disorders and accent reduction. Joan supervises graduate students and Clinical Fellows in schools and our clinic. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Nadia Ansari
MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD, Bilingual Extension
Bilingual Speech Supervisor
Nadia Ansari, MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD is a NY State Licensed Speech Language Pathologist who earned her Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Nadia obtains a bilingual extension in Spanish and is also a native speaker of Urdu. Her focus in the realm of speech-language pathology is servicing bilingual and multicultural populations. She has provided therapy in school, clinic, and rehabilitation settings. Nadia has evaluated and treated clients with receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, as well as aphasia, dysarthria, and cognitive-linguistic deficits. Her goal is to empower families through enhanced communication skills, all while celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity.
Rebecca McKeown
Ph.D. MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD,
Speech Supervisor
Rebecca McKeown, MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD received a Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from New York University. She also holds a Ph.D. in linguistics from the University of Maryland, College Park and a B.A. in linguistics from Harvard University. Rebecca has clinical experience treating children ages 2-14 as well as adults with developmental disabilities, aphasia, and Huntington’s Disease. She has provided treatment in expressive and receptive language, pragmatics, fluency, literacy skills, articulation, and low-tech and high-tech augmentative and assistive communication (AAC). Rebecca has worked in school, preschool, office, and tele-practice settings. As a graduate student in linguistics, Rebecca researched pronoun acquisition in children and in individuals with Williams Syndrome.
Karen Steinberger-Berenson
MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD, Speech Supervisor
Karen Steinberger-Berenson, MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD earned her Masters’ from Touro College. She is licensed in the states of New York and Maryland. She is excited to be back working with Katerina and the rest of the staff as a tele-therapist for Premium Therapy! She has worked with pediatric and adult populations. She has provided services in schools, rehabilitation facilities, and clinical settings. She has experience providing evaluation and therapy services for a variety of pathologies including, receptive- and expressive-delays, developmental delays, articulation and phonological disorders, and autism-spectrum disorders. She has also evaluated and provided services for clients who have had strokes resulting in aphasia. Karen is fluent in both English and Hebrew.
Mariel Beneytou
MA CCC-SLP, TSSLD, Bilingual Extension
Mariel Beneytou, MA CCC-SLP, TSSLD-BE is a NY State Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who earned her Master of Arts degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Iona College. She earned her BA from Lehman College, CUNY, where she majored in Speech-Language Pathology and minored in Early Childhood Education. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Mariel also holds a bilingual extension in Spanish. She has provided therapy in elementary schools, preschools, clinics, and via tele-therapy. Mariel has treated individuals with receptive and expressive language disorders, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, apraxia, language/literacy disorders, and articulation/phonological disorders.
Digna Almánzar
MA CF-SLP, TSSLD
Digna Almánzar Figueroa, MA CF-SLP, TSSLD is a clinical fellow who earned her Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from New York University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University at Albany, SUNY, where she double-majored in Psychology and Spanish Linguistics. Digna has a wide range of experience with the evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders in both children and adult populations. She has worked with students with articulation/phonological disorders, autism, expressive and receptive language delays, intellectual disabilities, literacy development, and developmental delays. She has provided services for adults with dysarthria, dysphagia, aphasia, and cognitive-linguistic impairments. Digna is a passionate bilingual Spanish/English therapist that uses her background to better serve clients from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Taisha Pelletier
MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD, Bilingual Extension
Taisha Pelletier, MS CF-SLP, TSSLD-BE is a clinical fellow who is bilingual in English and Spanish. Taisha holds a BA in Psychology from Franklin & Marshall College and graduated with her Masters of Science with a bilingual extension from New York University (NYU). She has experience providing services for pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations in the school, hospital, and skilled nursing facility. Taisha has worked with early and school-aged children with expressive and receptive language disorders, motor speech disorders, developmental delays, articulation and phonological disorders and autism spectrum disorders. Taisha has provided services for adults with traumatic-brain injury, aphasia, dysarthria, cognitive-linguistic impairments, dysphagia, and neurodegenerative diseases. Her goal is to empower families, advocate for families, and implement culturally & linguistically responsive practices.
Liz Mateo
MS CF-SLP, TSSLD, Bilingual Extension
Liz Mateo, MS CF-SLP, TSSLD-BE is a clinical fellow who is bilingual in English and Spanish. Liz holds her Masters of science in Speech-Language Pathology with bilingual extension from Adelphi University. Liz earned her BA from Lehman College, CUNY, where she majored in Speech-Language Pathology and minored in Early Childhood Education. Liz has experience with the evaluation and treatment of language and communication disorders throughout early childhood, schools aged children and adult populations. She has treated disorders related to receptive and expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, phonological disorders, apraxia and autism spectrum disorders. She has provided therapy in schools, clinics and via-tele-therapy. Her clinical interests include working with multicultural and linguistically diverse clients in treatment and evaluations.
Nicoline Bergsma
MS CF-SLP, TSSLD
Nicoline Bergsma, MS CF-SLP, TSSLD is a clinical fellow who earned her Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from Emerson College. Nicoline holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Marymount Manhattan College. She has provided therapy for clients across the lifespan in clinical settings and schools via tele-therapy. Nicoline has evaluated and treated expressive and receptive language disorders, literacy skills, developmental delays, speech sound disorders, social communication disorders and pragmatic skills, aphasia, neurodegenerative disorders, voice disorders, and stuttering. She seeks to foster inclusive communication environments with a family-centered approach and mindfulness practices.
LeighAnn Davis
MA CF-SLP, TSSLD, Bilingual Extension
LeighAnn, MA CF-SLP, TSSLD-BE is a clinical fellow who earned her Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from New York University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Saint Joseph's University with a minor in Spanish. LeighAnn has provided speech services to both adults and children in wide variety of settings, including schools, acute care hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities. Her experiences include treatment of speech sound disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders, pragmatic skills, literacy skills, aphasia, cognitive-linguistic skills, and dysphagia. LeighAnn is passionate about empowering clients and their families through culturally and linguistically responsive practices.
Caroline Ponce
OFFICE MANAGER
Emilee Dobroff
MS CF-SLP, TSSLD
Emilee Dobroff, MS CF-SLP, TSSLD is a clinical fellow who earned her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Yeshiva University. Emilee received her BA in Psychology and BS in Human Development from Binghamton University. She has provided speech and language services for clients ages 3-21. Also treated in school and clinical settings, as well as virtually via tele-therapy. Emilee has provided therapy for speech and language disorders related to autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, receptive and expressive language, articulation and phonology, literacy development, and multiple disabilities. She has experience with a variety of low-tech and high-tech augmentative and assistive (AAC) devices. Emilee is passionate about fostering independence and self-advocacy skills.
