Alissa Ovsepian, M.S., SpEd, Bilingual Extension (Russian) ABA Therapist and Special Educator
Alissa received her dual degree of speech-language pathology and special psychology/education in Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg, in 1981. The program also included training in psychology, psychiatry, and brain anatomy and physiology.
She worked over 20 years as an SLP in Armenia and Russia with children aged 0 to 18 years old with Communication Disorders (including patients with cleft palate, stuttering, apraxia, and autism). From 1992 to 1994, Alissa worked as a volunteer in the Operation Smile organization in St. Petersburg, Russia, with patients with cleft lip and palate. Starting 1994, Alissa worked in collaboration with the St. Petersburg Early Intervention Institute and a team of professionals, developing new methods and models of Early intervention in Russia.
In 2003, Alissa moved to New York and started her job as a TSHH (Teacher for Speech and Hearing Handicapped) in EI and CPSE with Bilinguals Inc. Alissa continued her education in Touro College and pursued a Master of Science degree. Currently, Alissa works as SEIT and SETSS independent provider with school and preschool children with Developmental Delays, Speech and Language Disabilities, Autism, and Learning Disabilities.
Natalia Rowe, M.S., CCC-SLP, TSSLD, Feeding Therapist, Bilingually Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Natalia is the founder of the First Rowe Child Speech & Feeding Therapy Center. Her professional journey started more than 15 years ago in Russia where she received a dual degree in speech pathology and special education, as well as an extensive training in child psychology and brain anatomy/physiology.
Ms Rowe continued her education in the United States and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University. She practiced in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at SUNY Downstate Hospital in Brooklyn, NY and has been working in NYS Early Intervention since 2008. A few years ago Natalia travelled to La Paz, Bolivia, where she volunteered at a local hospital with a group of students led by Dr. Catherine Crowley and worked on developing an aural habilitation program at Camino de Sordos – a school for the hard-of-hearing. In 2015, Ms Rowe returned to her alma mater, Columbia University, to teach as a Bilingual Diagnostics Supervisor at the Edward D. Mysak Clinic for Communication Disorders.
Currently, Natalia provides in-service training for therapists and ABA teachers at Yeled V’Yalda Early Childhood Center and works privately with infants and young children with speech, language, feeding and swallowing disorders.
Natalia has a special interest in dysphagia and motor speech disorders. She is known in the professional community for her high success rates with nonverbal and minimally verbal children with autism and CAS and a history of persistent lack of progress in their treatment. In feeding therapy, Ms Rowe addresses behavioral, motor and sensory aspects by using behavior modification strategies, motor learning techniques, and the SOSapproach.
Genie Rogers, MA CCC-SLP, Board Certified Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders Specialist, Clinical supervisor, Speech Language Pathology
Ms Rogers is a practicing pediatric speech language pathologist specializing in oral motor and feeding problems. She has been awarded the Board Certified Specialist in swallowing disorders and has an American Speech Language Association’s Board Certification as a Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders Specialist since 2004. Ms Rogers is also certified in the Neonatal Developmental Care Assessment Profile for assessing Premature and medically fragile infants.
Genie worked at Columbia and St. John’s Universities and currently teaches at Touro College Graduate Speech Language Pathology Department. Her experience includes several full day seminars on normal feeding skills and swallowing disorders: birth to three, developing breast and bottle feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and communication skills development in Early Intervention. She has also provided supervision to speech-language therapy students at local colleges.
From 1998 to 2008, Ms Rogers conducted direct speech, oral motor, language and developmental feeding therapies to premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Kings County and Downstate University Hospitals. Presently she works with neurologically impaired and medically complicated and fragile infants and toddlers from birth to age three.
Ms Rogers holds a Master of Arts Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Connecticut.
Katya Snitkovskaia, M.S. SLP and TSSLD, & M.S. SpEd
Katya is passionate about teaching and learning. Prior to expanding her interest in speech language pathology and pursuing her second Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University, she was a special education teacher working with early grades in New York City public schools. As a special instructor, she also provided education services and ABA therapy to children with special needs through early intervention.