Welcome to the Sound Start Babies Program!
Recognizing that the first three years of life are a crucial period for establishing language, speech, and communication, Sound Start Babies Program was a pioneer in New Jersey and began providing early intervention services to infants who are deaf and hard of hearing almost four decades ago. From its inception, the program recognized the importance of matching communication mode to the child’s strengths and the family’s choice. It was NJ’s first program to provide both total communication and listening and spoken language options for its participants. The program has continued to adopt newly emerging, research supported, state of the art care throughout its history, incorporating new technologies and strategies so that the babies it serves can attain the skills they need for a lifetime of learning and success.
Sound Start Babies Team of Professionals
The Sound Start Babies team is a group of parent infant specialists, from a variety of disciplines, with specialized training and experience in working with very young children with hearing loss. Working collaboratively, the team members implement research based strategies that target the acquisition of language, speech, and communication while additionally facilitating your child’s overall development. Recognizing that your family is central to fostering your child’s development, our team partners with you to establish goals and how to best implement strategies into your typical daily routines.
Sound Start Babies Program provides unbiased information about the various modes of communication and has expertise in both listening and spoken language and total communication approaches. In addition to providing scheduled early intervention services, the team is available to answer questions and concerns as they arise using a variety of formats including phone, text, email, and videoconferencing. Sound Start Babies Team is dedicated to making sure our families have the resources needed to accomplish the goals they establish for their children.
Kayley Mayer, M.A.T., TOD
Program Coordinator & Teacher of the Deaf
P-3 Early Childhood & K-5 Elementary Education
Deaf Education: Signed Communication and Oral/Aural Communication
Lorraine Solimine, Au.D, CCC-A
Assistant Program Coordinator & Audiologist
Kimberly Reis, M.S., CCC-SLP,
LSLS Cert. AVT
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist/Auditory-Verbal Therapist
Ellie Habib, M.Ed, M.A.T., TOD
Teacher of the Deaf
Reading Specialist
Teacher of Students with Disabilities
P-3 Early Childhood
Deaf Education: Oral/Aural Communication
Jacquelyn Briggs, M.A., TOD
Teacher of the Deaf & Music Educator
Deaf Education: K-12
Music Education K-12
Lisa Thielman, M.S., TOD
Teacher of the Deaf
Teacher of Students with Disabilities
Deaf Education: Oral/Aural & Signed Communication
Ann Gowen
Business Administrator & Bookkeeper
Andrea Wagner
Classroom Paraprofessional
Kim Pollara
Classroom Paraprofessional
Alyssa Firkser, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Heather Blackwell Long, PT, DPT
Pediatric Physical Therapist
Lisa Morrison
Classroom Paraprofessional
Lisa Davis-Mindler, OT
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Chaya Sorscher-Levi, M.S., CCC-A/SLP, LSLS Cert AVT
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist/Auditory-Verbal Therapist
Alana Ortega, M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Erin Hewitt, M.A., CF-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Brianna Lim, M.S., CF-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kimberly Baird, B.S.
Early Childhood Educator
Kim Lappe, PT
Pediatric Physical Therapist
Jennifer Nieglos, M.A.T., TOD
Teacher of the Deaf
K-5 Elementary Education
Deaf Education: Signed Communication and Oral/Aural Communication
Cassie Oakes, M.A., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist/Auditory-Verbal Therapist
Claudia Uribe
Spanish Language Interpreter
Isabella Venezio
Classroom Paraprofessional
Nora Rodriguez
Licensed Social Worker
Patricia Filiaci, SLP.D., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Yvonne L. Collins M.S., C.E.D., TOD
Teacher of the Deaf
Special Educator
Sound Start Babies Program Board of Trustees
Sound Start Babies Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, is dedicated to providing exceptional comprehensive early intervention services to infants and toddlers with hearing loss and their families. The Trustees are the employers of the Sound Start Baby Program staff. The trustees are dedicated volunteers from a variety of backgrounds and their work significantly reduces the operating costs of the program.
Laura S. McKirdy, Ph.D.
President
Dr. McKirdy is a speech, language pathologist, developmental psychologist and the founder of the Sound Start Babies Program and the Sound Start Babies Foundation. Laura established the first public school age program for children with hearing loss at Lake Drive School where for over three decades she developed and directed innovative educational programming for children with hearing loss. She has over 50 years of administrative experience and work with children with hearing loss and their families. Laura’s advocacy efforts for early identification and intervention have been numerous and successful on both the state and national level.
Margherita Mozer
Vice President
Margherita “Rita” Candela Mozer is a semi-retired CPA who is a Board Trustee handling the bookkeeping for the Sound Start Babies Program. After graduating from Seton Hall University with a degree in Accounting she worked in Public Accounting for approximately 3 years after which she moved into private industry. She held positions in Corporate Accounting, Treasury and Human Resources before leaving industry. During tax seasons she works with a tax practice in Union, NJ. She has held volunteer positions with her Church Finance Committee, children’s Home School Association and working with the local food pantry and soup kitchen.
Ann Ryan
Treasurer
Ann Laura Ryan serves as Treasurer of the Sound Start Babies Program Board after having served for several years as a successful grant writer for the Sound Start Babies Foundation. Ann has a long history of not-for-profit Board participation including Oratory Preparatory School, Mount Saint Mary Academy, the Amanda Rose Laura Foundation and Impact 100 Garden State. She is a former healthcare bond analyst having worked for many years in the financial services industry. Ann holds an MBA degree from Baruch College of the City University of New York, and an undergraduate degree from NYU.
Lindsay Boitel
Secretary
Lindsay Boitel, Sound Start Babies Program Board Secretary is a Financial Advisor. Lindsay graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and English. After teaching seventh grade for two years, Lindsay moved into her role as a financial advisor, where she loves helping people. Her teaching background has fueled her commitment to working with children and being involved in the community.
Kaitlin Stahl, LSLS Cert. AVEd.
Mrs. Stahl is a teacher of the deaf and Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS AVEd.) Kate was a part of the Sound Start Babies Program for almost a decade, during which time she taught toddlers in the Sound Start Babies Nursery and provided home-based services for families and their children with hearing loss (birth to three). Kate additionally oversaw Sound Start Babies Program’s grant funded teleintervention model, the first in the state of New Jersey. Kate is currently a Director at her family's childcare center which has been in operation for over two decades. She is excited to still be involved in the program by being a member the Board.
Tom Olson
Tom Olson, attorney at law, specializes in eminent domain and real property tax matters representing individuals, businesses, and municipalities. His expertise has earned him the honor of being acknowledged as a New Jersey Super Lawyer and a Best Lawyer. Tom has been a supporter of the Sound Start Babies Program for many years and is a thoughtful caring member of his community and a dedicated father and grandfather.
Marjorie Solomon
Marjorie Solomon is a Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant and Teacher of the Deaf, who has almost four decades of experience with Deaf and Hearing-Impaired students from Early Childhood to High School. Marge continues to serve students with Learning Disabilities at Fairleigh Dickenson University, some of whom have a mild to moderate hearing loss. She was one of the first Early Intervention Coordinators for the Mountain Lakes Early Intervention Program, now known as Sound Start Babies Program. Marge continues to be committed to exceptional intervention services for students with hearing loss, no matter their age.
Want to join our team?
Click here for more information about open positions on our team or use the contact us form to reach out to us!
