Team — Coherency Speech & Language Therapy

Stephanie Bendel Waisman

OWNER + SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

I’m originally from New York, where I began my career working at a middle school in Manhattan and providing in-home Early Intervention services for children ages 0-3. I relocated to California eight years ago and began working in the private practice space, primarily with preschool and elementary aged students. Working in this setting provided me with a deep appreciation for the 1:1 therapeutic relationship and the opportunity to foster deeper connections with my clients and their families. After several years of obtaining immense knowledge and working with a highly diverse population of clients, I felt called to start my own practice with a mission to work intimately with children and their whole family systems.

While I’ve spent my career working with children with a wide range of delays, disorders, and diagnoses, I’m especially passionate about working on social emotional communication + pragmatic language, treating motor speech disorders through the PROMPT technique, improving stuttering, and addressing auditory and language processing challenges.

When I’m not busy treating my clients, you can find me doing yoga and pilates, chasing my 1-year-old around the house, hanging with my sweet dog Tova, and experimenting with healthy recipe alternatives for my favorite New York foods (if anyone has cracked the code for a gluten free bagel or pizza recipe that tastes like the real thing, please share your secret). My favorite things to do are explore the California coast, find the best coffee shop in any neighborhood, and get lost in a good book or health and wellness podcast.

Melissa Shepherd

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

I'm a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist born and raised in California. My journey in this field began when I pursued a Master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Chapman University. Since then, I've had the privilege of working with both children and adults who face a range of speech and language impairments. Recently, my focus has been on myofunctional therapy, speech sound disorders, and auditory and language processing disorders.

It is my number one goal to create fun and engaging activities for my clients. I believe that learning should be enjoyable, and I strive to make each session a unique experience tailored to individual needs. My favorite part of my job is building genuine connections with my clients and their families.

When I’m not working, I love going to country concerts (unpopular opinion, I know!) I also enjoy staying home and binging Bravo, cooking, and exploring restaurants in Santa Monica and Brentwood.

Noelle Tomsic

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

I’m originally from Colorado and did both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Texas. In addition to seeing children at Coherency, I work in an elementary school through LAUSD where I treat children with a range of communication challenges.

I have worked closely with multilingual students, children from the foster care system, and I have a special interest in how language is affected in children who have experienced homelessness. I even did my Master’s thesis on language development in children in out-of-home placements, which I presented at the American Speech & Hearing Association Convention.

When I’m not working, you’ll likely find me running, doing Pilates, or spending time with my new puppy, Frankie.

Christina Ramirez

Speech-language pathology assistant

I started my career as a SLPA 10 years ago in a private clinic setting, where I worked primarily with children ages 0-3 who were referred by regional centers within Los Angeles County. Many of my clients had never before been in a therapy setting, therefore I quickly learned to be adaptable and flexible, as each child had different needs to access learning. While challenging, it was incredibly rewarding to see what my clients were capable of after we built a connection. I quickly learned to love early intervention — it allowed me to play multiple roles with the children and form great relationships within 1:1 therapy format.

In addition to working privately at Coherency, I also work in the school setting at both a preschool and middle school. This has provided me with an even broader range of skills within the field. I particularly enjoy working with students on inferencing skills, expanding children’s vocabularies through context clue work, and addressing social pragmatic skills. I love to build connections with my clients by magnifying their strengths.

When I’m not doing therapy, you can find me outside on an adventure. I love backpacking in the sierras, taking road trips to explore new places, and spending time with family.