About Us
Smiling Star Speech & Language provides comprehensive evaluation and therapy services for various communication and feeding disorders in children.
Our Mission
Smiling Star Speech & Language provides comprehensive evaluation and therapy services for various communication and feeding disorders in children. Therapist(s) are trained in treating speech and language disorders such as (but not limited to) apraxia of speech, language delays, feeding disorders, tongue thrust, auditory and language processing disorders, fluency (stuttering), and pragmatic language disorders related to pervasive developmental disorders.
Therapists at Smiling Star Speech & Language offer a structured but playful therapeutic environment while allowing flexibility to adjust to a child’s individual learning style. Various treatment programs are also utilized to maximize the learning and progress of each child when warranted.something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Our Team
Micaela Kim Fisher, Owner
M.S., CCC-SLP
Micaela is a former television news anchor/medical reporter. She reported on a story about a pediatric speech-language pathologist, and found a career that combined two of her passions - communication and children. The seed was planted, and she made the switch. Quite different career choices? Not really! As a reporter, Micaela learned to establish trust and rapport with her interviewees in order to obtain the information or soundbites necessary to air on television. As an SLP, she uses those same skills to establish trust and rapport with her clients to entice the little ones to want to communicate with her, and her older clients to build upon their communication skills.
Micaela has been in private practice in Hinsdale since 2004, and has provided services in a variety of settings, including schools, clinics, and hospitals. Micaela also trains aspiring Speech-Language Pathologists as part of the Adjunct Faculty staff at Elmhurst University and Midwestern University graduate programs, and at College of DuPage for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) Program. She is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, licensed by the State of Illinois, and was credentialed as a provider and evaluator for the Illinois Early Intervention system for many years. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Boston College and Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from St. Xavier University.
* CoVid-19 Vaccinated
Karen Schrodt
M.A., CCC-SLP
Karen brings over 20 years of experience in both schools and private settings. She received her Masters of Arts from Northern Illinois University and has since expanded her areas of interests beyond developmental speech and language delays to augmentative/alternative communication, pediatric feeding/swallowing disorders, and a working with a wide range of diagnoses/disabilities in children.
Karen is a mother of four ranging in ages from 12 to 26 as well as to an adorable golden doodle grandpuppy. She currently splits her time between Ohio and Chicago, but is originally from the southwest 'burbs. Karen’s passions include cooking, sewing, and gardening, and running. However, after 7 marathons she had to hang up her running shoes after completing the Boston Marathon in 2014. In recent years, Karen has also been focused on helping to provide coats, blankets, and other supplies to people struggling with homelessness in the Chicago area. Karen is also a huge fan of the Blackhawks and White Sox, as well as 80's punk/new wave/alternative rock.
* CoVid-19 Vaccinated
Gayle Borel
AAS-SLPA, MA ECE/SPED, Illinois EI Credentialed
Gayle joined the Smiling Star Speech & Language team in 2018 as in intern where she completed her SLPA practicum. Gayle draws on more than twenty years of experience as an Early Childhood Educator to work with the clients via teletherapy for Smiling Star Speech & Language. Gayle believes in the power of play, the importance of parent education, and the power of a child’s innate curiosity and desire to learn. She emphasizes parent education and coaching as a way to empower parents to help their children meet their speech and language milestones in the comfort of their own homes, using their own toys, and at a time that works best for both parent and child. Together, parent and child reach milestones through engaging, interactive, convenient sessions tailored to each child’s individual interests.
Gayle holds a Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education & Early Childhood Special Education, and an Associates in Applied Sciences for Speech Language Pathology Assistant. She is an Illinois licensed Early Childhood Educator with EC Special Ed state approval and an Illinois state licensed Speech Language Pathologist Assistant with Illinois Early Intervention Credential.
* CoVid-19 Vaccinated
Amanda Briones
AAS-SLPA, Illinois EI Credentialed
Amanda is a licensed, certified speech-language pathology assistant, practicing since 2014. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Elmhurst College in Psychology and a Minor in Speech Pathology. She completed her SLPA practicum at the College of DuPage, where she discovered her passion for working alongside the 0-3 year population. Amanda enjoys being a part of the growth in each child’s life and seeing the vast capacity to learn through play. She has worked alongside children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, expressive and receptive language delays, fluency difficulties, and speech sound disorders. Amanda believes that building a rapport with a child and their family is essential to help children fulfill their full potential.
Amanda has always had a love and passion to work with children ever since she was little and received speech services herself. In her spare time, she has started a holiday backpack drive for the children at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL. Since 2019 she has provided filled backpacks to over 200 children. Her passion for bringing smiles to children goes beyond her career. During her down time she loves a good murder mystery show and spending time with family.
* CoVid-19 Vaccinated