Michelle founded Napa Valley Speech Therapy, Inc. in 2008 after seeing the profound need for private practitioners to support children and families in her community. Her reputation for expertise and compassionate care soon drew families not only from Napa Valley but from across the surrounding region.

Building on that foundation, Michelle launched First Words Forward as an extension of Napa Valley Speech Therapy. She brings specialized expertise in early intervention, childhood apraxia of speech, autism spectrum disorder, and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). Michelle is also trained in multisensory structured literacy instruction, an evidence-based approach for supporting children with dyslexia and related reading challenges. Her work reflects a child-centered approach strengthened by active parent involvement, ensuring that families feel equipped to help their children thrive.

Michelle holds a B.S. in General Biology, an M.S. in Communicative Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, and an M.S. in Health Informatics and Analytics. She is licensed by the California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). In addition, Michelle has taught early childhood education coursework at the undergraduate level and served as a clinical mentor for graduate students and Clinical Fellows.

Most importantly, Michelle is passionate about giving families the right guidance at the right stage of their child’s development — so every child has the best chance to succeed in communication, learning, and life.