Chelsey Chichak

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

Hi! I’m Chelsey Chichak, M.S. R-SLP, SLP(C), CCC-SLP, a Registered Speech Language Pathologist and Director of Mainland Speech Language Pathology Inc.. I discovered my passion for helping individuals achieve better communication skills through speech and language therapy when I was on a golf scholarship to Eastern Washington University. I received both my Bachelors and Masters of Communication Disorders in beautiful Spokane, Washington. Once I moved back to Canada, I started my career at a not-for-profit in Calgary, Alberta where I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience working within a supportive and collaborative team environment.

I have been fortunate to receive a number of specialized trainings and certifications such as: HANEN: ABC and Beyond Advanced Workshop, HANEN: More Than Words, HANEN: Learning Language and Loving It, HANEN: It Takes Two To Talk, LETRS: Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling Training, LiPS: Lindamood Phonemic Sequencing Program Training, V&V: Visualizing and Verbalizing Language Comprehension Training, LAMP: Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning, ORPP- Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders Level 1 and Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT).

Combined with my love and passion with Early Intervention, I also specialize in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) assessments and implementation. I am able to assess a wide variety of AAC systems including eye-gaze and other complex communication systems. I am a certified TouchChat Trainer and I’m able to help parents, therapy team members and school teams to better support their TouchChat AAC users.

I enjoy meshing my professional and personal passions to better support the families I work with. I have completed both Part 1 and 2 to provide services utilizing Hippotherapy. I am able to use equines (horses) as a tool in speech and language therapy and am working towards the goal of becoming a Certified Clinical Specialist (HCPS).

I love continuing to better myself as a Speech Language Pathologist and staying up to date in evidence-based best practices.

I am so fortunate to work alongside a wonderful team of SLPs/Speech Therapy Assistant in the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area! We provide Speech and Language Therapy in home as well as in school, daycare and outdoor environments. I believe in trying to do as much therapy as possible within the routine of a household with the collaboration and involvement of parents and entire families. It takes a village in life, as well as with Speech and Language Therapy.

When I’m not working, I’m hanging out with my husband, children, dogs or at the barn with the horses. We love the outdoors and of course- golf!

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Aja Battie

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

Hi, My name is Aja Battie and I am a Registered Speech Language Pathologist.

I completed my undergraduate degree in psychology and linguistics at the University of Victoria, and then completed my Masters of Clinical Science in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Western Ontario.

I am now living in my home town of North Vancouver BC. I have a strong passion for the field of Speech-Language Pathology and helping families to reach their child’s communication goals. I have taken specialized training such as HANEN: It Takes Two To Talk and Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT).

During my masters degree I gained experience working in a number of settings, including a pediatric clinic, an elementary school district, a stroke rehabilitation hospital unit, acute care, and a voice clinic.

I began my Speech-Language Pathology career working for both Fraser Health Authority with children under five years old, and Mainland Speech Language Pathology Inc. with clients ages 2-18. Since beginning my career as an SLP I have gained experience working with children with a variety of communication difficulties, and have developed a particular interest in early intervention and working with children with ASD.

I use a positive approach to Speech Language Pathology that focuses on empowering families, building communication skills through a child’s strengths and interests, and making learning fun, motivating, and rewarding for children and their families. I look forward to working with you!

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Rebecca Mackenzie

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

Hello! I’m Rebecca Mackenzie, a registered Speech Language Pathologist.

I completed my Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Alberta in 2021, during which time I gained experience working with clients of all ages in telehealth, hospital, and school settings. Before starting at Mainland, I worked in the public school system. I have experience working with children on the autism spectrum, as well as clients with articulation/phonological disorders, expressive and receptive language delays, fluency disorders, aphasia, dysphagia, Apraxia of Speech, and AAC. I love making sessions fun for the client through a play-based and client-centered approach. I strive to build strong trust and rapport with my clients and their families to best support communication goals.

Prior to becoming a Speech Language Pathologist, I worked as an education assistant for an independent school and taught many summer drama camps. I also spent a number of years working at Starbucks, which led to a deep love of coffee. I enjoy traveling and hope to do more of it in the future.

I am excited for the opportunity to play a role in your/your child’s communication journey. I look forward to meeting you!

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Kristie Goh

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

Hi! My name is Kristie Goh and I am a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist at Mainland Speech-Language Pathology Inc.

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Speech Sciences. Soon after, I continued my studies at UBC and completed my Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology.

Through my work as a school-based SLP, I have gained experience working with children who have a variety of communication needs, including: speech sound disorders, fluency/stuttering, apraxia of speech, developmental language disorders, social communication skills, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Keeping up to date with the latest research and evidence-based practices in the SLP world is important to me. Specialized trainings I have received include: Natural Language Acquisition and Gestalt Language Processing, HANEN It Takes Two to Talk, and HANEN More Than Words.

What I look forward to as an SLP is connecting with clients and families to build a warm, trusting relationship in which we take steps together to achieve meaningful communication goals. I strive to be inclusive and culturally safe in all my interactions.

When I am not in my SLP role, you can find me experimenting in the kitchen, practicing yoga, or exploring one of the many sites and cuisines the lower mainland is so fortunate to offer!

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Karen Simonsen

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

Hello! My name is Karen Simonsen and I am a Registered Speech Language Pathologist.

I have a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and a Diploma in Linguistics from the University of British Columbia, and I completed my Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology at UBC as well.

I have also been a certified Orton-Gillingham therapeutic tutor since 2009, and I have had the pleasure of helping many children with ADHD, dyslexia, ASD, and other challenges to manage their learning differences.

My clinical practicums included paediatric and school-aged populations, as well as working with adults in both acute care and rehabilitation settings. I have had volunteered at GFStrong Hospital with their Community Transition Aphasia Group, and I am currently the choir
leader with the Vancouver Adapted Music Society, a society that brings music into the lives of people with diverse disabilities.

My life has been dedicated to helping others overcome obstacles in communication, learning, and literacy, and I thrive on finding the right therapeutic path to follow for each individual client.

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Hilary Scott

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

Hi! My name is Hilary Scott, M.S.L.T, SLP (C) and a Registered Speech Language Pathologist.

I am originally from New Zealand where I completed my Bachelors and Masters of Speech Language Therapy at the University of Canterbury. I was lucky enough to be able to complete my final practicum of my degree in Iowa, as part of a student exchange program. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and this is how I invariably ended up north in Canada, where I have resided permanently since 2011.

Throughout my career I have gained experience in working with children ages 0 and up in a variety of settings. I really enjoy the different experiences I have with each child, family and their care providers. I have worked with Early Childhood agencies, Child Development Centres and School Districts. I am fortunate to have worked with team members from different professions and enjoy learning from them and collaborating.

Continuing to learn throughout my career is important to me. I have had opportunity to receive training in HANEN© It Takes Two to Talk, More Than Words, TargetWord and Talkability, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding), Reference and Regulate and PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets.

In my spare time I enjoy triathlon, snowboarding, travelling, reading and sewing!

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Victoria Dalla Zanna

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

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Arathy Jalaja Surendran

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

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Ashley Mazawi

Registered Speech Language Pathologist

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Carli Peloso

Registered Speech Language Pathologist – Maternity Leave

Hi, I’m Sarah Blois. I am a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist with a Master of Science
degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of British Columbia.

I did my undergraduate degree in French at Simon Fraser University and spent a year teaching English in
France before returning to Canada.

Since my graduation in 2009, I have worked in both private and public practice. I spent seven years in public health (ages 0 – 5) before moving on to work in the public school system, where I have been since 2017.

Before becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist I worked with children in a number of capacities including day camps, summer camps, teaching swimming lessons and tutoring.

I take a play-based, family-centered approach to therapy and one of my strengths is quickly connecting with children and gaining their trust. I also understand the constraints on a busy
family’s time as I have three children of my own.

One of my favourite parts of the job is working collaboratively with families to help their child reach their communication goals and I look forward to working with you and your child. 

Hi! My name is Miriam Alexander and I’m a registered speech language pathologist.  I received both my Bachelors and Masters in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from University of Bangalore and Kerala, India. I started my profession working in hospital settings, providing services to children with Cleft Lip and Palate, language delay, speech disorders and hearing impairment.

In 2015, I moved to Canada and started my career here working in the Surrey school district. I have experience working with children from Kindergarten to Grade7; providing direct therapy and conducting assessments for school-aged children with a variety of speech and language impairments. I have had the opportunity to work with children with developmental language delays, speech-sound disorder, stuttering, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Hearing impairment. My passion in working with children made me choose this career path.

I’m registered with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of British Columbia (CSHBC) and certified by Speech- Language and Audiology Canada (SAC). I am excited to join the great team at Mainland Speech Language Pathology and looking forward to helping your child to facilitate functional communication skills.

Hi, I’m Erin Jastrzebski, R.SLP, MSc.SLP, SLP(C) and I am a registered speech-language pathologist. I am SAC Certified with Professional Interest in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and am listed on the Registry of Autism Service Providers. I am an NLA Trained Clinician for working with echolalia and have DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing) training for treating apraxia of speech.

After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and a Certificate in the Science of Speech from Simon Fraser University, I went to the University of Alberta for my Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (SLP).

I have experience working with children with apraxia, articulation and phonological disorders, developmental language disorder, and children who use AAC, and I regularly add to my professional knowledge in these areas. Before joining the Mainland team, I worked in a clinic setting and in schools doing early intervention programming support for autistic children, individual sessions, and classroom support. In addition to my experience working with children, I have worked with dementia, traumatic brain injury and stroke, and swallowing disorders in clinical placements.

I love to support children and their families using a positive, play-based approach, and I believe that connection is the heart of everything we do as SLPs. I enjoy empowering families to support their children and collaborating with other professionals to provide an integrated care plan.

In my free time, you can find me hiking and training my dogs and learning how to bake and knit.

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Kennie Sangster

Hi, my name is Kennie Sangster and I am a Registered Speech Language Pathologist.

I completed my Bachelors degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Biola University, and then completed my Masters of Clinical Science in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Western Ontario. I really enjoy working with children of all ages, but am especially passionate about early intervention. I am trained in the HANEN© programs It Takes Two to Talk, and More Than Words. I have experience working with children with a variety of needs, including: expressive and receptive language delays, articulation/phonological disorders, ASD, motor speech disorders, AAC, and children with feeding difficulties.

I love collaborating with families to provide a holistic, play-based approach to therapy in a fun and natural environment. Helping families feel empowered to support their child’s communication goals is one of my favorite things about my job!

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Michaella La Mar

Hello! My name is Michaella and I am a Registered Speech Language Pathologist here at Mainland Speech Language Pathology Inc.  

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2020 from Trinity Western University where I played varsity volleyball for five years. I then went on to receive a Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of British Columbia. 

My practicums during my masters allowed me to gain experience in a variety of areas of the field, including developmental language, articulation and phonology, social communication, AAC, apraxia of speech, literacy, Gestalt Language Processing, and more! Regardless of the area of practice, my favourite part of my work is helping families help their children communicate. Communication is so important and everyone deserves to have a voice! 

When I am not at work I enjoy being active, playing with my dog, or spending time with friends and family. I love to laugh and have fun, and I strive to incorporate that spirit into my work! 

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Shanta Roepa

Speech Therapy Assistant

Hello, my name is Shanta Roepa and I’m a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA). I completed my SLPA Program at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta.

Prior to becoming a Speech Language Assistant, I worked as a Certified Education Assistant in school settings assisting students in developing social and learning skills. I supervised students in the classroom, schoolyard, and on out of school activities for more than five years.

As a Speech Language Assistant, I have provided speech and language therapy for children with various diagnoses including receptive/expressive language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, Apraxia of Speech, and Autism Spectrum Disorders under the supervision of the Speech Language Pathologist. I also have experience supporting children using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, and have conducted hearing screenings for Elementary and Middle school children.

I enjoy working with young children and watching them grow and succeed. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the great team at Mainland Speech Language Pathology Inc. I look forward to meeting you!

Hi, my name is Julie Bulawka and I’m a Speech Therapy Assistant.

I graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Spanish, and have taken several courses in linguistics, phonetics, and developmental psychology. 

I have since had the pleasure of learning from incredible Speech-Language Pathologists in various clinics, hospitals, and public health units. In 2019, I co-facilitated a communication group for stroke survivors. 

Through these experiences, I have had the meaningful opportunity to work with both children and adults as they explore and develop their communication skills, overcome linguistic challenges, and gain confidence through speech therapy. 

I look forward to meeting you!

My name is Kaarina and I am the office manager with Mainland Speech.  I come to Mainland with over 20 years of management experience, primarily in the healthcare field and, more recently, in a private speech-language pathology clinic. Prior to joining the speech pathology world, I worked as an optician for nearly 15 years.

On the personal/parenthood side, two of my sons have received important diagnoses and therapies, which have provided me with specific insight useful in my position at Mainland Speech.  I understand, personally and professionally, the services and support our therapists provide and I know how truly important and life-changing SLP intervention can be.

Outside of work, I spend my time homeschooling or adventuring with my three active boys, and in contrast to that energetic world, I tend to favour tranquility in my “free” time.  I often read to relax and I will never say no to a good cup of tea.