Meet the Staff
Speech Language Pathologist and Feeding Specialist
Jill Odle, MS CCC-SLP- Owner
I hold a Masters Level Degree in Speech Language Pathology as well as Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. With over 14 years of experience, I have worked in a variety of clinical settings including:
- Hospital (USCF Medical Center in California)
- Neonatal Intensive Care (level IV), Pediatric ICU
- Outpatient setting
- Early intervention
- School settings in both California and North Carolina
Feeding and Swallowing Expertise
My training and skills in the evaluation and treatment of infants, children and adults with feeding and swallowing disorders allows me to look at the patient from a variety of perspectives including medical as well as the social and environmental components of feeding. I use a gentle, child centered approach that attempts to take away the stress of eating and focus on what is holding your child back from consuming an age appropriate diet. I will work with you and your child to develop a plan that will help to meet your child’s feeding and nutritional goals. I will work with the patient and family members to help with regaining functional independence with communication and assist with helping my patients return to the safest diet consistency. I enjoy working with adults and family members in session to help achieve the most optimal return to function for speech and swallowing.
My training includes –
– Beckman Oral motor therapy
– AEIOU feeding approach
– SOS approach to feeding
– extensive oral motor training to help your child overcomes difficulties due to bottle feeding, spoon feeding, chewing, open cup and straw drinking.
- Feeding and Swallowing Disorders :from the most medically complex problems to picky eaters including oral motor, sensory, reflux, behavioral, bottle transition problems, G-tubes, trach, aspiration, coughing/choking/gagging and obstruction. An oral and pharyngeal dysphagia program as well as assistance with diet modification and exercise program will also be provided as needed.
Breast Feeding Specialist & Certified Clinical Lactationist
Jill Odle is a certified breast feeding specialist who can assist with addressing breastfeeding challenges such as poor latch, suspected tongue tie and sucking and swallowing difficulties. She is also a Certified Clinical Lactationist (CCL) and can support breastfeeding difficulties.
Jill is Certified as a Tethered Oral Tissue Specialist.
Speech and Language
- Receptive and Expressive Language Disorders
- Articulation Delays
- Phonological disorder
- Late Talkers
- Apraxia – PROMPT® trained
- Phonological impairment- highly unintelligible children
- Voice Issues/Vocal Hygiene
- Oral Motor Issues- motor planning, dysarthria, increased tone
- Expressive Language and Comprehension Delays
- Auditory Processing
- Other neurological diagnosis
- Dysarthria
I have provided speech and language services in an array of settings including schools, home and outpatient clinic. I use a play based approach that allows me to develop a rapport with your child while focusing on their speech and language needs. A home program will be developed in order to provide carryover skills from the clinic to help meet your child’s speech and language needs in all environmental settings.
As a parent of two little girls, I understand how challenging it can be if your child is experiencing feeding or speech difficulties. My ultimate goal is to provide a nurturing setting for my patients in order to develop the skills to succeed. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you and your family to meet your speech and feeding needs.
“Jill was very knowledgeable from the beginning in identifying and understanding the challenges our son was facing when it came to eating.”
– Nichole
“Jill was very relatable and willing to listen to both the parents and kids to come up with the best plans possible. Soon after starting with her we saw improvements and a willingness to try foods.”
-Sharon
Morgan Hall Schultz, M.S. CCC-SLP- Raleigh Office
I hold a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology as well as Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. With a background in Elementary Education, I have over 9 years of experience working with the pediatric population. As a speech-language pathologist, I have worked in a variety of clinical settings including:
- Acute Care
- Intermediate Care for children with severe/profound developmental disabilities and medical fragility
- Outpatient Private Practice and In-home Care
- Early intervention
- North Carolina public school system
Feeding and Swallowing
I have extensive experience evaluating and treating dysphagia (swallowing disorders) in both the pediatric and geriatric population. In both populations, I have learned the importance of communication with families during the therapeutic process. My approach to pediatric feeding therapy is child-centered and gradual allowing both the child and family to feel comfortable and confident during treatment. Clear and concise communication is my goal during each session so that progress can be effectively made. I will work with you and your child to develop a specialized plan that will help to meet your child’s feeding and nutritional goals. Family education is key to progress, so families will be educated on all evaluation results, treatment progress, and intervention techniques. I have worked with medically complex cases including G-tube, trach dependency, and aspiration as well as behavioral, oral motor, sensory, and GERD (reflux) cases that may cause picky eating. My goal is to help your child overcome difficulties associated with bottle and/or breast feeding, spoon feeding, chewing, open cup and straw drinking. I will work directly with physicians, occupational, and physical therapists to develop the most effective treatment plan based on each individual’s needs.
Speech and Language
I have experience evaluating and treating:
- Receptive and Expressive Language Disorders
- Articulation Delays
- Phonological disorders
- Apraxia – Nancy Kaufman approach
- Phonological Processing Disorders
- Voice Issues/Vocal Hygiene
- Oral Motor Issues- motor planning, dysarthria, increased tone
- Expressive Language and Comprehension Delays
- Auditory Processing
- Other neurological diagnoses
My approach to speech/language therapy is play-based which allows me to develop a rapport with your child while focusing on their speech and language needs. A home program will be developed in order to provide carryover skills to help meet your child’s speech and language goals in all environmental settings.
As a parent, I have experienced first-hand how difficult it is to watch your child struggle with feeding and/or speech difficulties. My goal for all treatment is to provide ample opportunity for your child to succeed so that he/she feels confident in his/her abilities. In feeding therapy, my ultimate objective is to develop a positive relationship between your child and food creating life-long healthy eating habits.
Christina Smith, MA CCC-SLP – Holly Springs & Raleigh Office
Christina received her Bachelor’s degree as well as her Master’s degree in Communication Disorders and Speech Language Pathology from Appalachian State University in Boone North Carolina. Christina is licensed by the board of North Carolina and has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. With over 12 years of experience as a clinician, her focus remains on the pediatric population.
Christina has provided services in the home, clinic, special education preschool, early intervention, elementary school, and daycare setting. Her treatment approach is family friendly and individualized that draws from a wide range of multidisciplinary strategies and knowledge that can include incorporating sensory integration techniques into each therapy setting, utilizing augmentative communication devices or boards to assist with transitioning as well as communication for nonverbal clients, using signs or pictures to help facilitate speech and language development , implementing oral motor techniques to treat feeding and swallowing disorders in the pediatric population, providing services to medically fragile pediatric population, and collaborating with family, caregivers and medical staff when implementing therapy techniques and developing treatment goals.
Christina has had the opportunity to professionally work with children Developmental Delays, Feeding/Oral Motor Disorders, Down Syndrome, Autism, Apraxia, Language-Based Literacy Disorders, Fluency Disorders, Medically Fragile Children, and Articulation/Phonological Disorders. She has received specialized training in Feeding assessment/intervention, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Assessment, basic sign language, and the Picture Exchange Communication System. In addition, Christina has been part of an multidisciplinary team that provided developmental assessments for children from birth to age 3. and brings a wide variety of knowledge to help your family.
In addition, to being the parent of two children-one child a preemie. She understands the joys and challenges that come with feeding difficulties.
Maegan Serra – MA CCC-SLP Holly Springs Office
Maegan received her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from Hofstra University in Uniondale New York. Maegan holds both a North Carolina and New York State license to practice Speech-Language Pathology, a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-language and hearing Association (ASHA), and is also a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). Maegan has over ten years of extensive experience working with both children and adults, with the majority of her experience with pediatrics in the home, private practice, special education preschools, early intervention, non-profits, elementary schools, and daycare settings. She was Assistant Director for a non-profit AAC clinic in Queens, in which she was the lead Speech Language Pathologist and provided speech and language services for both children and adults, and also provided Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system evaluations for individuals in the tri state area. Maegan utilized her expertise in AAC/communication devices to train individuals and their families/staff on how to use their systems to functionally communicate in their environments. Maegan’s article “Augmentative Communication: Finding the real person “trapped inside” was featured in the winter 2014 edition of Autism Spectrum News. Maegan is PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Musculature Phonetic Targets) level II trained, and DIR floortime model trained. Maegan’s therapy approach is highly individualized, with a focus on the family and clinicians working together to create a supportive team based approach so that the child may meet their therapy goals. Therapy is play based and Maegan ensures that the child feels comfortable and supported by the therapist so that progress can occur.
I have experience evaluating and treating:
- Receptive and Expressive Language Disorders
- Articulation Delays
- Phonological disorders
- Apraxia
- Phonological Processing Disorders
- Voice Issues/Vocal Hygiene
- Oral Motor Issues- motor planning, dysarthria, increased tone
- Expressive Language and Comprehension Delays
- Auditory Processing
- Other neurological diagnoses
** In addition Maegan conducts AAC evaluations for individuals in need of an alternative and augmentative communication system in order to functionally communicate within their environment (e.g. Pecs, communication boards, communication applications for the iPad, communication devices)