Meet Our Team
At Santa Monica Speaks, our team of passionate speech and language therapists is dedicated to helping our clients unlock their full communication potential. With years of experience and a commitment to staying up-to-date with the latest research and techniques, we offer personalized therapy services that are tailored to meet each client's unique needs.
Shannon Kammholz, MS, CCC-SLP
FOUNDER/OWNER; SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST; MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPIST
As the founder of Santa Monica Speaks, Shannon has over a decade of highly experienced and dedicated speech therapy services. Shannon believes in working closely with her patients and their families in the home, clinic, and school environment to provide communication support that is naturalistic and supportive. Shannon specializes in the areas of orofacial myology, receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation, apraxia of speech, fluency and social pragmatic disorders. She is passionate about using evidence-based techniques and personalized treatment plans to help her patients achieve their communication goals. Shannon received her Bachelor of Science in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from the University of Colorado and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of the Pacific. Her extensive experience and commitment to her field make her a highly respected professional in the speech therapy community. With her deep understanding of communication disorders and her compassionate approach to therapy, Shannon is committed to helping her clients achieve their full communication potential.
Aly Bir, MS, CCC-SLP
LEAD SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST; MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPIST; ASSOCIATE CLINICAL DIRECTOR
Aly is a skilled and dedicated speech-language pathologist (SLP) who is passionate about providing quality care to her patients and families. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder (Sko Buffs) and a Master of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from Abilene Christian University - Dallas. Aly was also a recipient of the LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) fellowship. Throughout her career, Aly has developed expertise in a range of areas, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, articulation, phonology, fluency, early intervention, and parent education. Her passion for helping others has led her to specialize in working with individuals across all age groups, from infants and toddlers to school-aged children, teens, and adults.
Aly takes a personalized approach to therapy, working closely with each patient and their family to develop individualized treatment plans that focus on achieving their communication goals. She believes in the importance of building strong relationships with her patients and their families to create a supportive and comfortable environment for therapy.
In addition to her work at Santa Monica Speaks, Aly is an active member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Lara Haine, MS, CCC-SLP
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Lara is a licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist who received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from San Diego State University and earned a Master's degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (go golden gophers!) in Speech-Language Pathology. She specializes in supporting children’s communication development through evidence-based and strengths-based approaches. With a background in both education and healthcare, she brings a well-rounded perspective to therapy, focusing on early language development, language delay, fluency disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, voice disorders and phonological/articulation disorders. She completed her clinical fellowship year at Kaiser Oakland at an outpatient pediatric clinic, supporting children with diverse communication needs.
Lara is dedicated to providing neurodiversity-affirming therapy that empowers both children and their families. Lara is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) and a licensed Kids Yoga instructor. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring Los Angeles, pilates, and continuing professional development to stay current in the field.
Mackenzie Hunt, BS, C-SLPA
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANT
Mackenzie is a dedicated and experienced Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) at Santa Monica Speaks. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychological Behavioral Sciences and Communication Disorders and Sciences, as well as an Associate of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Specializing in Gestalt Language Processing, pragmatics, articulation and phonology, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and ADHD/ADD, Mackenzie brings a unique perspective from her background in behavior analysis to serve pediatric clients aged 12 months to 18 years in homes, schools, youth shelters, and behavioral clinics.
Currently pursuing certification in American Sign Language, Mackenzie is committed to enhancing her ability to support diverse communication needs. She integrates her passion for creativity with her therapeutic work, often using art and music to make therapy sessions more engaging for children. Beyond her clinical role, Mackenzie manages the social media presence for Santa Monica Speaks. In her free time, she enjoys painting, sculpting, and making music, always looking for ways to combine her creative interests with her professional expertise.
Kelly Meza, SLPA
BILINGUAL SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANT
Kelly is a passionate bilingual speech language pathology assistant, specializing in bilingual neuro affirmative speech and language services. Graduating with a bachelors of science in communicative disorders from California State University, Los Angeles. She also holds an associates degree in Child Development from Santa Monica College. She has experience working with infants, toddlers, school-age, adolescent students in both school based, clinic and rehabilitation settings. Kelly specializes in helping individuals with communication challenges including articulation, fluency, language disorders, social skills and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Kelly has also had the opportunity to work with people who are hard of hearing or Deaf with her knowledge in American sign Language. She is committed to inclusivity and ensuring that everyone has access to quality speech and language services and particularly in supporting bilingual individuals and those with diverse communication needs.
Emily Ann
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY ASSISTANT
Emily is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist Assistant, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a passion for helping others. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. As a therapist, Emily enjoys providing individuals with the extra focus and attention they need to develop their communication skills and thrive according to their unique potential. Emily works with individuals dealing with articulation and phonological disorders, developmental delay, pragmatics, autism spectrum disorder, gestalt language processing, fluency, augmentative communication, apraxia of speech, receptive disorders, and early childhood literacy. At Santa Monica Speaks, Emily also oversees outreach and community relations, driven by her dedication to building strong communities for families. With a diverse background in education and working with neuro-diverse learners, she has developed curricula for outdoor learning, provided academic support for foster students, and promoted early childhood literacy. In the collaborative environment of Santa Monica Speaks, Emily thrives on nurturing learning opportunities for everyone involved in a child's life.