Meet the team
Three speech-language pathologists and an occupational therapist, working out of a brick-and-mortar practice in the neighborhood many of us call home.
Katie has been a speech therapist for over 15 years and has spent her entire career working with children.
She launched this practice in June 2020, providing travel speech and language services to children across Chicago — in their homes, schools, daycares, and via teletherapy. As of June 2024, services are also offered in a brick and mortar location in Sauganash.
She is deeply passionate about the power of individualized and intentional intervention and the meaningful change it can create for children and families. This work inspires her every single day.
Looking at the whole child
In Katie's previous role as a speech therapist, she trained under Maureen Black at Black Bear Academy Chicago-Private, which gave her the unique experience of learning to work with children individually, within the group context, and within an academic classroom context.
This pushed Katie to think outside of solely the domain of speech and language and look more comprehensively at the whole child to determine the best treatment approaches that optimize success — modifying class material, making adjustments to the classroom, and understanding learning styles.
She has managed a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, further expanding her knowledge base through collaborative learning. Katie started this practice as a way to generalize skills and further support children and families, both at home and at school.
Katie's education & licensure
Speech and Hearing Science
Master's Degree in Speech Pathology, Kansas City, MO
Member, American Speech and Hearing Association
The people your child will work with
Lauren Zelasko
Lauren is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois–Champaign Urbana and completed her master's degree at St. Xavier University.
Lauren has extensive experience working in Chicago Public Schools and Early Intervention, and she brings a thoughtful, child-centered approach to every session.
Outside of work, you can find Lauren around Sauganash with her husband and four children. She enjoys kickboxing and golfing in her free time.
Ellie Murphy
Ellie was born and raised right here in Sauganash. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and her master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa.
Ellie has clinical experience working in early intervention, public and private schools, and outpatient clinics. She is passionate about helping children and supporting parents and families in meaningful ways to improve their child's communication.
Outside of work, she loves trying new restaurants, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, Cooper.
Caroline Baird
Caroline has been practicing occupational therapy for almost 10 years. She earned her Master's of Occupational Therapy from Saint Louis University and specializes in treating the whole child.
In her previous role at Black Bear Academy, she worked with students across various classrooms to meet them where they are emotionally and physically, using collaborative disciplinary methods. She has also managed a multidisciplinary team of professionals, and values program development and safety to foster a successful school environment for all children.
Outside of work, Caroline loves attending Cubs games at Wrigley Field, exploring new restaurants in the city, and going to Montrose Beach.
Achieve outcomes for pediatric speech, language, and learning needs with intention, attention, and great care.
Katie lives in Sauganash too
She lives in the neighborhood with her husband Louis, her two kids Louie Jr. and Carrick, and their dog Penny.
Come see the space
Now located at 5754 N. Rogers Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60646 — in the heart of Sauganash. Call or email and we'll walk you through what an evaluation looks like.
