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About Speech SF

We believe play is the basis of learning. Our mission is to help children reach their communication potential while making speech therapy as stress free as possible for our children and families. 

Our History

Founded in 2016, Speech SF is a woman owned and family run business that strives to positively impact families, communities, and speech therapists in San Francisco. We were founded because Katie Laher believed that pairing in-home, play-based therapy with an exceptional parent experience and straightforward policies would help remove stress from the therapy process for the entire family. 

Our Core Pillars

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Families First

Support not only the children but the families too

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Purposeful Play

Play is not a break from learning- it’s the basis of learning

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Impact Focused

Set your sights on change not tasks

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Growth Mindset

Life is too short to think small

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Keep it Simple

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication

Partnering with the Community

We partner with schools, therapists, and children learning centers across San Francisco to provide holistic speech and language support. Here's a short list of folks we already have relationships with:

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Speech SF Gives Back

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At Speech SF we try to find every opportunity we can to give back to the community. We are currently helping the community by:

  1. Giving every one of our therapists 5 hours of paid volunteer time a year.

  2. Donating free evaluations for school auctions. Please reach out if you are interested.

  3. Building Suite Speech to provide an online community with free resources for parents.

Meet the team

Our Team

Kaleigh VanVolkenburgh

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Owner, Speech-Language Pathologist, M.S. CCC-SLP

Originally from upstate NY, Kaleigh decided to move to San Francisco in pursuit of more sunshine. She received her undergraduate and graduate training in Speech-Language Pathology with a minor in Spanish from Ithaca College. Kaleigh's areas of clinical experience include autism, articulation, language delays, fluency (i.e. stuttering), voice disorders. Kaleigh has worked in preschools, elementary and middle schools, rehabilitation centers, private university clinics and in homes around the Bay. She is a certified trainer in Hanen's "More than Words". In her free time, Kaleigh enjoys hiking and traveling with her pup, Tucker. 

Allison Townsend

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Speech-Language Pathologist, M.A. CCC-SLP

Allison is a proud San Francisco native. After spending several years in New York in pursuit of her undergraduate & graduate degrees, she eventually ventured back to the west coast to begin her career as a licensed speech therapist. Allison received her B.S. in Communication Sciences & Disorders from Syracuse University and her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from St. John’s University. Allison has over 12 years of experience working with children, and has a passion for collaborating with families to help their little ones become the best communicators they can be! She has worked in schools, private clinics, and homes to provide a variety of services related to speech sound disorders, receptive/expressive language delays, and fluency disorders. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, camping, traveling, and organizing.

Catherine Venitz

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Speech-Language Pathologist, M.S. CCC-SLP

Catherine is originally from Michigan. After spending several years in the midwest pursuing her undergraduate and graduate degrees, she moved to San Francisco in 2017 to begin her career as a speech-language pathologist. She received her undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University, and her M.S. from Purdue University, a top program for speech, language, and hearing sciences. Catherine has experience in a variety of settings, including schools, rehabilitation centers, and clinics. Catherine’s areas of clinical experience include articulation and phonological disorders, language delays/disorders, autism, and early intervention. Catherine is certified in the Hanen Program “It Takes Two to Talk” and has completed training in the Kaufman Apraxia approach. In her free time, Catherine enjoys reading, traveling, and hanging out with her dog, Sammy.

Christy Hack

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Speech-Language Pathologist, M.S. CCC-SLP

Christy is from San Luis Obispo, CA, but has lived in San Francisco on-and-off for seven years. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco and her masters from the University of South Alabama. Christy has experience working in pediatric clinics, public schools, charter schools, and private schools with children ranging from ages two to thirteen. Christy's areas of clinical experience include articulation, phonology, fluency/stuttering, early intervention, and school-age language. She has received certifications in Hanen's "More Than Words" program and Lidcombe's fluency program. When she's not working, Christy enjoys baking and cooking, hiking any and all of the Bay Area trails, and spending time at the beach with friends. 

Tucker

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Chief Cuddle Pup

Tucker has been a professional cuddler for over 2.5 years. He has a PhD in snuggles with a speciality in face licking. When times get tough he always knows how to help. 

Contact us!

Feel free to send us a note. We love working with families, schools, and other local businesses. We look forward to connecting with you!

 

(415)942-0131

 

info@speechsf.com

2443 Fillmore Street, #153

San Francisco, CA, 94115

Thanks! We will respond to you within one business day.

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