Meet Our Team at Infinity Kids
Speech and Language Therapists
Speech Department Supervisor
Lindsey Melland
Strengths: Detail conscious, caring, motivated
Advanced Training: Neurodiversity + Supporting Individuals on the Autism Spectrum
Advanced Practice Certification: The Hanen Model
I believe every child has a voice and deserves to be heard. As a SLP, I am passionate about supporting children and their families on their journey to become more effective communicators. I strive to highlight each child’s strengths and interests during therapy sessions in order to support their speech and language development. I have experience working in schools and private practice serving children ages 2 to 14 years old. On my free time I enjoy reading, cooking, and going on adventures outdoors with my husband and two kids.
Speech Department Supervisor
Samantha Shaffer
Strengths: Confident, Productive, Compassionate
Advanced Training: Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Pediatric Feeding Disorders, Natural Language Acquisition/Gestalt Language Processing
I am a high energy, outgoing Speech Therapist. I was born and raised in West Virginia and recently moved to Southern California with my husband. I am passionate about my career and love learning about therapeutic strategies for a variety of communication disorders. I prioritize the family’s goals while implementing evidence-based practice into all therapy sessions. I have a special interest in childhood apraxia of speech, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and pediatric feeding. In my free time, I enjoy running, workout classes, and baking.
Speech and Language Pathologist
Thanh-Ai Nguyen
Strengths: Caring, Proactive, Dependable
I am excited to closely work with clients and their family to reach their speech and language goals. I use play based therapy to get the most social communication out of speech therapy sessions and love incorporating animals, play houses, monkey bars, and slides. I love finding resources to support each family I serve. My passion for working with children stems from growing up with a large family and wanting my family members to grow into their best selves. In the field of speech therapy my interests include language development, AAC, swallowing, and feeding. In my free time, I enjoy being outside either rollerblading or biking!
Speech and Language Pathologist
Lori Bartczak
Strengths: Dependable, Nurturing, Thoughtful
With over 15 years of experience in pediatric speech therapy, I bring both passion and expertise to every client I work with. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of the team at Infinity Kids, where I can continue to serve the children and families in our community. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working in diverse settings, including inpatient hospitals, school districts, and pediatric therapy clinics. These experiences have allowed me to refine my clinical skills and better understand how to meet the unique needs of each family. I’m deeply passionate about the constantly evolving field of speech therapy, and I’m excited to continue growing as a clinician by incorporating the latest evidence-based practices into my work. Outside of therapy, I cherish spending time with my husband and two daughters. Together, we love being outdoors—whether it’s fishing, wake surfing, or boating on the lake!
Speech and Language Pathologist
Julie Kim
Korean Speaking Speech And Language Specialist
Strengths: Quality-Oriented, Responsible, Sociable
I have always had a passion for working with children! The most rewarding part of my profession is watching my clients make progress in their ability to communicate with people in their lives. I am especially interested in working with bilingual children and the effect of bilingualism in communication disorders as I have fluent in Korean. On my free time, I like to go on mini trips with my family to Dana Point. My husband and I also like exploring different restaurants to try various food.
Speech and Language Pathologist
Marissa Renyolds
Strengths: Motivated, Even-Tempered, Fun Loving
Specialty Certifications: Modified Barium Swallow
My previous jobs as a singing teacher and reading clinician at a school for dyslexia gave me a great foundation for working with kids one-on-one. I aim to create a safe space for children and their families while giving the extra push for kids to do their best! I am passionate about early intervention and helping children with learning differences thrive! I strive to get to know each client I serve and hone in on what aspect of being a speech and language pathologist can help them achieve their goals. I love the performing arts, spending time with friends and family, and Angels games!
Speech and Language Pathologist
Ally Fernandez
Strengths: Fun-Loving, Patient, Dependable
I believe that every child deserves the opportunity to communicate with confidence. As a dedicated speech-language pathologist, my goal is to empower children to develop strong communication skills in a nurturing, safe, and engaging environment. With experience working with a wide range of ages—from 17 months to 21 years old—I’m committed to making speech therapy both enjoyable and effective by incorporating each child’s unique interests into our sessions. Outside of my work, I love spending time outdoors, whether it’s paddle boarding, going on picnics, or exploring new restaurants!
Speech and Language Pathologist
Aleena Huynh
Strengths: Caring, Dependable, Detain Conscious
After several years in my former career as a city planner, I made a bold leap to pursue my hope in helping families as a speech-language pathologist. As a parent of a young child myself, I understand the importance of collaborating with families and entrusting care to a dependable professional who is invested in each child’s well-being. I have worked with clients in areas including articulation, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), receptive/expressive language, and beyond. My goal is to prioritize your needs as a family and achieve your child’s greatest potential, using play-based therapy to create a safe and fun space while doing so! In addition to being a clinician, I am also a big foodie, so you can often catch me with my husband and daughter scoping out different restaurants and all the matcha or coffee spots that Orange County has to offer.
Speech and Language Pathologist
Maria Flores Zapien
Strengths: Patient, Caring, Decisive
I’m excited to work closely with clients and their families to help them achieve their speech and language goals. I believe in a collaborative approach where both the client and their support system are empowered throughout the therapy process. My clinical interests include AAC, articulation, and expressive and receptive language development, with a particular passion for supporting individuals on the autism spectrum. Coming from a background of individuals on the spectrum, I deeply understand the importance of providing personalized, empathetic care that addresses each client’s unique needs. Outside of the therapy room, I enjoy spending time with family, staying active, and practicing my Portuguese!
Speech and Language Pathologist
Emily Le
Strengths: Patient, Determined, Thoughtful
I love creating a space where kids feel supported, have fun, and can truly shine as they learn and grow. My passion lies in early intervention, language development—both expressive and receptive—and augmentative communication. My therapy style is all about play, building on each child’s strengths, and teaming up with families to make sure progress carries over into everyday life. When I’m not in the clinic, you can usually find me exploring new restaurants or diving into a creative craft project!
Speech and Language Pathologist
Janelle Cubas
Strengths: Nurturing, Compassionate, Fun-Loving
Advanced Training: Craniofacial abnormalities and treatment
I am a compassionate and holistic-minded speech-language pathologist dedicated to empowering children and their families through personalized, evidence-based care. My goal is to create a warm, supportive environment where each child can thrive—building confidence, communication skills, and joy in learning. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time gardening and exploring new adventures with my family and our dog.
Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant
Natalie Garcia
Strengths: Loyal, Patient, Flexible
I believe each child’s personality is unique to them and see my role as a therapist to understand what motivates them to tailor therapy that is functional and fun. I have a wide range of experience with children ages 18months – 16 years old in a variety of therapy contexts consisting of clinic, school, telehealth, social groups and using assistive technology for communication. Involving the whole family in treatment and witnessing the child’s growth in communication across multiple settings is my greatest joy. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and two daughters, baking and exercising.
Speech and Language Assistants
Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant
Kristy Gilchrist
Strengths: Loyal, Productive, Enthusiastic
Since graduation, I have been working at Speech Therapy clinics working with clients aged 2-21. I love finding out what makes each child motivated to do their best and reach their individual goals. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and dogs, playing board games, and watching a movie at the theater with a big bowl of popcorn.
Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant
Kristi Mukai
Strengths: Dependable, Flexible, Compassionate
Advanced Training: Augmentative and Alternative Communication
With over 15 years of experience in pediatric clinics, I have had the privilege of working with children from the age of 18 months to 18 years old. I enjoy working with children and bringing enthusiasm to each treatment session. I’m passionate about building strong relationships with children and their families, creating a fun and supportive environment where kids can learn and grow. While I’ve had the opportunity to work with children with various speech and language disorders, my passion truly lies in early intervention, language delays, and phonological disorders. When I’m not at work, you can find me enjoying hikes with my husband, cuddling with our cat, and getting my hands dirty in the garden.
Occupational Therapist
Kelly Mora
I am a passionate speech-language pathologist who values connection and supporting communication in a fun and engaging way. My experience with children of all ages has shaped me into a well-rounded therapist that strives to deliver individualized and family-centered care. I have a particular interest in Gestalt Language Processing and AAC, and my favorite part of this work is meaningfully connecting with my clients and their families and forming strong bonds. You can find me where the bubbles are, using play-based therapy to support my clients’ goals! In my free time, I enjoy reading, spending time with friends and family, exercising, and baking sourdough bread.
Strengths: Loyal, Enthusiastic, Caring