Our Staff

Paula founded CLASS, Inc. in 1998 in order to provide functional, meaningful and life enhancing speech therapy services to children and adults. Her passion for children is supported by an extensive background and experience in child development and speech-language-communication disorders, with in-depth training in apraxia of speech and autism spectrum disorders. Paula has worked as a special education preschool teacher, school-based speech language pathologist, and international consultant to families of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Paula has extensive training and experience in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders including: ABA, SCERTS, RDI, sensory integration and advanced FloorTime Training at the International Council for Learning Disabilities with Stanley Greenspan in Virginia. Over the last 30 years as a speech-language pathologist, Paula has also enjoyed success with feeding therapy, that CLASS, Inc. offers to children both individually and in small groups. She has developed ways to make feeding therapy fun and successful for even the most sensory sensitive children.

Paula received the 2003 FEAT, Washington's "Reach for the Stars Educator of the Year" award. She has contracted with school districts locally and nationally to provide in-service training and expert support for staff working with children on the autism spectrum as well as direct services to children for whom successful therapy is especially challenging within the school district setting. Paula has been nominated for the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association's 2010 Speech-Language Professional of the Year.

Working with many children and adults who are non-verbal or minimally verbal spurred Paula to develop expertise in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Paula began her work in sophisticated computerized AAC systems in 1987, when the concept was in its infancy, and she continues to remain at the cutting edge of AAC research, assessment, and application. At CLASS, Inc., Paula provides both diagnostic assessments and therapy for children and adults who benefit from AAC in the form of picture boards, iPads and computerized speech generating devices. Paula shares her expertise world-wide as an international conference presenter and trainer.

Paula's work in AAC naturally led her to become interested in complex communication disorders across the lifespan. She is committed to ensuring that CLASS, Inc. provides motivating, age-appropriate and meaningful activities that result in successful functional improvement in communication skills for adults in their home, community and workplace.

Paula has served as the speech-language pathologist for the ASTAR Center, under the medical direction of neurologist Gary Stobbe, where she provided diagnostics, individualized therapy and social skills development groups for people with Autism. She has served on numerous professionally related boards, including the ASTAR scientific advisory board, and was a founding member and past president of the Pacific Northwest Augmentative Communication Society. Paula was a 2013 Women's Business Owner of the year finalist.

More recently, Paula has been enjoying presenting at prestigious national conferences including: The International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Australia, 2018 and in Canada, 2015, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) annual convention, the Assistive Technology Industry Association annual conference and Closing the Gap yearly conference. In addition, Paula instructs graduate students from colleges and universities across the country during their clinical fieldwork internships and mentors speech therapists during their clinical fellowship year.

UPCOMING:

==> Paula will be in Nigeria, August 2019, presenting to a live audience of 3,000 plus a virtual audience of 30,000 at the GTBank 9th Annual Autism Conference. https://csr.gtbank.com/autism/

==> Paula will spend an additional two weeks training other professionals in implementing technology and AAC with individuals who have complex communication disorders. Paula will return to Nigeria, October 2019, to spend one month of advanced training to speech pathologists and other professionals about AAC for individuals with complex communication challenges.

Nelly has been a part of the Class, Inc family since July of 2018. Initially Nelly began working as a volunteer for the clinic. But through this short time, it was evident that she would be a great fit for the clinic, as well as for the clients that we serve. Nelly has a deep-rooted passion for helping people to communicate and also received speech theerapy services herself as a child.

She is an advocate for People Who Stutter (PWS), and finds great satisfaction in working with people with speech disfluencies, as she herself is a person who stutters. Previously, Nelly worked as a therapist providing ABA services to children and young adults with Autism. In addition to that, she was emplyed as a School-Age Teacher for the Boren Stem YMCA located in West Seattle. She graduated from Central Washington University, and the University of South Florida, earning degrees in psychology and speech-language pathology, respectively. She is an active member of Toastmasters, enjoys watching films, and loves to go bowling with family & friends.

 

 

 

 

Robin enjoys all the rain, clouds, and scenery of her native Washington State where she earned her B.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington and her M.A .in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Washington University.

Robin was drawn to CLASS, Inc. by CLASS, Inc.'s pleasant environment and quality individualized care provided to every client. She values CLASS, Inc's focus on achieving improved functional communication skills for her clients that improve their quality of life across settings. Robin enjoys working with clients across the age span who have disorders of articulation, apraxia, hearing loss, social communication, language, swallowing, aphasia, cognitive communication, stuttering, and voice disorders. She has specialized advanced training in SPEAK OUT, transgender voice therapy, AAC, and cognitive communication therapy.

Robin lives in Tacoma with her partner, dog, four birds, and two bearded dragons. When Robin is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her animals and working on art projects. She dreams of traveling to Europe and becoming a fluent Spanish speaker.

Robin can be reached at: robin@classinc.net

 

 

 

 

In just one short year, "Bijou", a Portuguese Water Dog, became one of the most valuable therapists at CLASS, Inc.! Bijou's quiet calm and ever-loving nature makes her a natural as a therapy dog for children who have challenges regulating their sensory systems. Bijou never barks and loves to have her tummy rubbed! Bijou calms angry or aggressive outbursts, provides deep pressure on a lap or back that helps organize and allow a child to improve his/her focus, is a patient play partner during back-and forth ball throwing, a cuddly source of security by sitting on a swing with a child, or a trusting companion who teaches leadership by being led on walks along our private waterfront park.

Bijou In The News: Bijou the dog "works miracles" at Tacoma autism clinic

 

 

 

 

 

Portuguese Water Dog, "Ripple" joined CLASS, Inc. at the age of 10 months as a survivor of the deadly California wildfires of 2018. Orphaned and severely burned, Ripple was sent to a kill shelter. CLASS, Inc. rescued Ripple and he immediately became a clinic hero. He has grown into a gentle giant and is beloved by young and old. Our older clients enjoy his loving attention, calm nature and enormous paws!

Read about how dogs help Seniors:
Therapy dogs can be beneficial for dementia patients because it's important to work with as many senses as we can and being able to pet dogs is tactile and cognitively stimulating. Therapy dogs have been shown to reignite the interest of a patient in the world around them. Some patients have even smiled, spoken or taken a genuine interest for the first time in years upon meeting or getting to know a therapy dog.

A therapy dog like Ripple can invoke happy, familiar memories to a senior who may feel that his or her world is slowly changing into something unrecognizable. Many people living with dementia long for the comfort of places, things and people they once knew, and therapy dogs can remind them of the pets they once had.

Dogs are born listeners. Especially for seniors who are having memory difficulties, therapy dogs can be an excellent source of comfort. Ripple does not care if the person's body has deteriorated or if the same stories are repeated over and over.