Cara Kennedy
Co-founder
Cara is a speech-language pathologist in private practice and a Director of Special Education in Westchester County, New York. She has over 13 years of experience in pediatrics in schools, Early Intervention, and clinical settings. Her specialties include working with clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Apraxia of Speech, feeding/swallowing, as well as those who are medically fragile and have multiple disabilities. She is a PROMPT© Certified Instructor with extensive training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT).
Cara is passionate about working with families to support their child’s development of speech, language, communication and social skills. She utilizes behavioral and sensory strategies to help children regulate and reach their highest potential. In addition, she assists families navigate the Early Intervention process and performs evaluations and therapy in this area.
Cara graduated with her masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Duquesne University. She holds her Certification of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD), School District Leader (SDL) and is a licensed therapist in New York and Connecticut. She is also trained in Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and Social Thinking.
Cara is a mom to two little ones and loves meeting new families and friends in Stamford!
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Jamie Ruhl
Co-founder
Jamie graduated with a masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from St. Johns University. She has provided therapy for over 13 years in a range of settings including schools, clinics, and home care. Her experience includes working with clients from 6 months through 21 years of age. She has treated a range of communication disorders including Developmental Delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Apraxia, expressive/receptive language disorders, and articulation disorders.
Jamie has extensive experience using play-based therapy and assistive technology to ensure maximum engagement during her sessions. She has a passion for early language development and parent education. Jamie loves to consult with families to ensure carryover.
Jamie has training in PROMPT and a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) certification. She is licensed in both New York and Connecticut. Jamie currently resides in Stamford, CT but grew up in Westchester, NY. She is excited to share Little Talkers with local friends and family.
Jennifer Hogan
Co-founder
Jen is a mom to her two boys as well as an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist. She is licensed in both New York and Connecticut. Jen graduated summa cum laude from Iona College earning a B.A. in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology and obtained her and TSSLD (Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities). She earned a M.A in Speech-Language Pathology from CUNY Lehman College.
Jen is a PROMPT trained therapist with advanced training in oral motor skills, feeding, orofacial myofunctional therapy, Tethered Oral Tissue (TOTs), pragmatic language, phonemic awareness & writing development, speech sound disorders, and early language acquisition. As a self-described lifelong learner, Jen is actively involved in motor speech and myofunctional therapy professional groups which allows her to bring the most efficacious practices to her evaluations and therapy sessions. In addition to her areas of clinical expertise, Jen has served as a clinical supervisor, language consultant, curriculum developer, and a professor teaching undergraduate level courses at a local university.
Through her almost 15 years of experience, Jen is skilled at understanding where a child is and how to scaffold in a way that both builds skills and supports independence. She is dedicated to making a connection with those she helps and creating engaging ways to target goals that make a difference in the child's life. Partnering with families and other professionals to ensure carryover of skills for continuity and success is of utmost importance to her.
Jane Zimnick
Instructor
Jane is a speech-language pathologist based in schools and private practice. She has experience working with children ranging in age from birth to age 21. Specifically, she has expertise treating early intervention, preschool, and early school-aged children. Jane has worked with children with a variety of speech and language needs, including expressive/receptive language disorder, articulation/phonological disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, learning disabilities, and intellectual disability. Jane enjoys working with children with articulation and/or motor planning disorders, promoting correct motor movements through a variety of research-based strategies, such as minimal pairs, Cycles Approach, and principles from Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC). She is passionate about conducting child lead, play-based therapy in order to foster relationships and cultivate language. She has extensive experience facilitating language through multimodal communication, whether that be gesture or sign, vocalizations, verbal speech, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Jane graduated with her masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds her Certification of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD), and is a licensed speech-language pathologist in New York.
Jane recently moved to Mount Kisco, NY with her husband and two cats. She is thrilled to be a part of Little Talkers and cannot wait to connect with more families!
Kasia Endler
Instructor
Kasia is an elementary school speech-language pathologist. She also has experience in private practice with the birth-3 population. Kasia is passionate about meeting her clients where they are. She enjoys finding connections through play. She is passionate about facilitating AAC (alternative augmentative communication) device use. Kasia is skilled at child-led, play based therapy. She appreciates the individual differences of her kids and uses this to form connections.
Kasia earned her Master’s in speech and language pathology from St. John’s University. She holds a Certification of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association and Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). Kasia is a bilingual (Polish/English) speech and language pathologist. In her free time she enjoys singing songs, looking for new toys, and reading.
Marissa Ruschil
Instructor
Marissa is an ASHA certified, New York State licensed speech-language pathologist from Katonah, NY. She graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University with a masters of science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with an initial certification in Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). Her experience has been working with populations across the lifespan (birth to 104 and counting!) in various settings including schools, pediatric inpatient, outpatient, and skilled nursing facilities providing evaluations and therapy across speech, language, and social areas for those with various disorders and diagnoses. She is passionate about individualized play-based therapy and parent-family education.
In her free time, Marissa loves to be outside coaching and playing softball, attending exercise class with her friends, or just walking her family dog. She is also a foodie that loves to travel and meet new people!
Marissa is delighted to be a part of engaging language enrichment classes that incorporate language play, literacy, and sensory play to promote socialization and language development!
Sarah Listi
Assistant
Sarah is a dedicated student currently pursuing graduate studies in speech-language
pathology. She graduated cum laude from Stony Brook University in 2024 with a B.A. in
Psychology. During her time at Stony Brook, she was a member of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSHLA), where she collaborated with fellow students passionate about communication sciences and gained valuable insights into the field. With years of experience working with children aged 1-10 in after-school programs, camp settings, and babysitting, Sarah has developed a natural ability to create fun, engaging, and nurturing environments. She takes pride in fostering spaces where children feel valued, heard, and confident, making a lasting impact on their growth and self-esteem. Additionally, through shadowing speech-language pathologists across various areas of the field, she has gained meaningful exposure to diverse therapeutic approaches and client needs.
Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Sarah enjoys cooking new recipes,
spending time with friends, and relaxing at home with her three cats Jasper, Finn, and Thor. She is excited to support and assist at Little Talkers and help create a welcoming and enriching space for everyone!
"My six month old was mesmerized by the songs, movement, and games. Our teacher Jen was so engaging and welcoming. The class worked well for a variety of ages and the tips for parents were so appreciated. I really enjoyed having the time with my baby and learning about ways to support language acquisition that were easy and fun. Highly recommend!!"
Kelly F.