iddo devries

Iddo deVries

Clinical Director

Iddo has been practicing speech therapy for over 10 years and has been studying the field for over 12.  He has worked in multiple settings including schools, homes, adult care facilities, and most recently in a multi-disciplinary clinical setting where he provided direct therapy, assessments, supervision, management, and training to staff and families.

In 2014, Iddo opened DV Therapy to provide dynamic therapy that focuses on the individual and their family. With a strong emphasis in family training, Iddo strives to give the child and the family the tools to reach independence and improve quality of life. Iddo has a strong clinical presence and is always working encourage his patients to reach beyond what they imagined possible.

In 2011 Iddo was awarded the outstanding achievement award in the field of speech therapy by the New York City Dept. of Education and has been an active member of the nationally accredited speech board ASHA since 2006. With a focus on individuals with Autism, Iddo has had significant success in developing the necessary communication skills with socially difficult individuals.

Iddo has had success in treating individuals from birth-21 with disabilities and delays including, Autism, Late-talkers, PDD, specific language impairments, Articulation and Phonological disorders, Auditory Processing Delays, Stuttering, Pragmatic and social delays, Verbal Apraxia of Speech.

Skills: Prompt therapy, Beckman Oral Motor, TLC Literacy Program, Sounds in Motion, Fluency Shaping Technique, PECS, Certified PEERS Social Skills Provider.

etta astrin

Etta Astrin

Vice President of Operations

Etta received her bachelors degree at CUNY Brooklyn in the field of Psychology. Following her desire to help others, Etta studied Clinical Social Work and received her masters degree at Hunter College. While living in New York, Etta provided critical social and emotional support for at risk youth and to systematically build schools that are safe, successful, and conducive to learning through Partnership with Children. After leaving New York, Etta and her family moved to California. She found a career through Open Paths Counseling Center before ultimately becoming Vice President of Operations at DV Therapy.

mariah-thong

Mariah Prentice

Chief Operating Officer

Mariah received her bachelors degree in Communicative Disorders at California State University of Fullerton in 2012. That same year, she completed her SLPA externship through California State University of Northridge.

During her schooling, Mariah gained a wide variety of experience with preschool aged children to adults. She worked directly with junior high students as an AVID tutor for over 3 years, a high school debate coach, and a special education substitute paraprofessional for a year. Aside from work, Mariah volunteered through St. Jude Medical Center by assisting the Communication Recovery Group to provide a safe space to practice conversation for adults with aphasia, as well as other motor speech disorders. She also completed her SLPA internship through St. Jude Outpatient Rehabilitation Center where she observed and assisted a wide variety of therapy treatments for patients with swallowing difficulties, aphasia, apraxia, autism, TBI, and more. While there, she also helped plan and lead the children’s social skills group. Since then, Mariah has continue to grow in her role as an SLPA by providing direct 1 on 1 therapy to a variety of ages.

Meghan-Eppinette

Meghan Foote

Lead Speech Language Pathologist

Meghan received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Boston University. While at BU, she gained experience in a range of settings, including a bilingual Spanish-English elementary school, an outpatient voice clinic, and a neuromuscular disorders clinic that served patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). She is bilingual in Spanish and English, and credits her bilingualism to her time living in Ecuador.  Meghan is trained in PROMPT, PECs, and AAC assessment.  In July 2020 she completed a year-long certification program through Utah State University on Listening and Spoken Language to work with children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Meghan has worked with clients of all age ranges and disorders and loves the diversity of the field of Speech-Language Pathology.

In her free time, Meghan enjoys reading, going to the gym, and playing with her dogs.

hanna-lee

Jisun Hannah Lee

Speech Language Pathologist

Hannah’s Korean name, Jisun, means “helping hands.” Till this day, there is nothing else that defines Hannah more than as someone who loves to help. She always knew she loved to help people, so she initially planned on being a teacher. After working as a Teacher’s Assistant in special education classes and general classrooms with students from grades K-9th, she came to realize her heart lies in further helping students with specific needs in speech and language.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders in 2013 and her SLPA externship completion in 2014 at Cal State University, Northridge. She completed her Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders from Northern Arizona University in August 2020. Since her early teenage years, Hannah has worked in various educational settings such as private tutoring, afterschool programs, Sunday school, and school classrooms. Currently, she provides speech and language services for children, various in the ages of 2-17, with language delay, pragmatic deficits, articulation disorder, aphasia, non-verbal communication, fluency, and more in school and private clinic.

During her free time, Hannah loves to binge-watch television shows and find new dessert spots.

kelsey

Kelsey Wyman

Speech Language Pathologist

Kelsey is a Speech-Language Pathologist. She was born in Canada but grew up in Jamaica and Orlando, Florida. She got her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology at the University of Florida and worked as a research scientist, tutor, and veterinary technician before discovering the wonderful field of Speech-Language Pathology. She completed a post-baccalaureate in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Florida and went on to gain a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of South Florida.

As a graduate clinician, she researched early-literacy topics and completed internships in a children’s hospital and a level-one trauma hospital. She especially enjoyed working with OT and PT as a part of a diagnostic team for children with Autism Spectrum disorder, providing evaluations for children who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication, carrying out instrumental swallow studies for medically-complex adults, leading conversational groups for adults with aphasia, as well as being a part of a group-based program for adolescents who stutter. She observed many AAC evaluations for adults with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), radiological imaging sessions for suspected velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), and pediatric swallow studies. She became LSVT LOUD certified in order to better serve her patients with Parkinson’s Disease and other conditions. Kelsey has gained experience working with individuals across the lifespan, however, she finds the most joy in helping children to optimize their communication skills so that they can live their best and most participative lives.

Kelsey is impassioned by helping clients to optimize their communication skills so they can live their most participative lives. Kelsey specializes in AAC and complex communication needs, is a certified Teacher of English as a Second Language, and a Compton certified accent modification instructor.
In her free time, Kelsey enjoys painting, learning new languages, and staying active outdoors.
Natalie Lockwood

Natalie Lockwood

SLPA

Natalie received her A.S. degree with completion of the SLPA program at Pasadena City College in 2015. Before attending PCC to pursue her degree and certification she worked as a Substitute Teacher’s Assistant in Special Education, where she was inspired to become an SLPA.  She acquired a permanent position at a high school near PCC where she gave one-to-one assistance to students giving them a mainstream experience, and she worked in group sessions. Natalie has worked with children with a variety of disabilities during her 9 years as a teacher’s assistant, which she attributes to the ease of rapport with her kiddos.

Natalie’s speech experience has focused on Early Intervention for the last 4 years. She has also treated various Articulation, fluency, pragmatics, Language disorders and delays.

In her free time, Natalie enjoys live music, watching sports, documentaries, movies, and spending time with family.

Alia Ahmad

Alia Ahmad

Speech Language Pathologist - Clinical Fellow

Alia received her Master’s in Communication Disorders from California State University of Northridge.  As a graduate student, Alia had the opportunity to work in various settings with children and adults across the lifespan.  Alia has experience working with clients in the areas of language disorders, social/pragmatic disorders, communication disorders secondary to Autistm Spectrum Disorder, and articulation/phological disorders.  Alia enjoys working with clients of all backgrounds, but her area of expertise is providing therapy to young children.

In her spare time, Alia loves to go for walks, travel, and spend time with her daughter and family.

Katlyn

Katlyn Hoyos-Quijas

Speech Language Pathologist Assistant

Katlyn Hoyos-Quijas has received her Bachelor’s degree from California Baptist University in English wanting to become a teacher however, after graduating she changed direction to pursue Speech Therapy. She then attended Pasadena City College where she received her A.S degree in the SLPA Program. She has the worked with children of all age ranges as a tutor, coach, teacher’s aide, and librarian. While working in the educational field and doing her internship with PCC, Katlyn was placed at a middle school working with students who had a variety of disorders and disabilities as well as students who used Augmentative/ Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology. In her free time she likes to read, spend time with family and friends and watch movies.

Dv therapy is amazing. Staff is wonderful and so helpful. My little has been going for 2 years and has shown so much progress. Thank you to the wonderful ladies working with him.
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Reanna Slankard Avatar
Reanna S.
5 months ago
We LOVE DV Therapy Palmdale! My son has Autism and gets Speech. He was getting Occupational Therapy services and has since graduated with the help of Ms.Alyah! Ever since he started there has been a HUGE improvement in his speech and fine motor skills. My child loves going to his therapies here and gets excited when he sees his therapists! It’s such a nice feeling knowing he likes the people there and wants to go back week after week. The staff here are very professional and you can see that they really care about your child. Ms.Amber is great and really takes in mind what my child interests are and turns it into speech opportunities! We are so grateful for all the amazing support from DV Therapy Palmdale!
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Nicholas Van Pelt Avatar
Nicholas V.
5 months ago
My kiddo started here when she was a little over two years old. Bronti and Hava have helped her developed her speech in just a matter of months and my daughter continues to expand her vocaulary daily.
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Sabrina Leu Avatar
Sabrina L.
5 months ago
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