I learned English the hard way. That's why I do this.
I was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United States as a child speaking only Cantonese. I remember having something to say and not being able to say it, and I remember the adults who made that easier. That experience is the reason I became a speech-language pathologist, and the reason I work with bilingual families.
For more than twenty years I worked in public education and early intervention, mostly with families in Los Angeles who speak Mandarin or Cantonese at home. Along the way I became a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language, an Assistive Technology Specialist, and a trainer in PECS, SCERTS, ABA, DTT and TEACCH.
My approach is simple: children learn to communicate inside relationships, not drills. I build sessions around play, routines and the words your family already uses, and I coach parents during every session because the progress happens between visits.
I have taught at the university level, mentored graduate clinicians, and presented at the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association state convention on bilingual evaluation and treatment. I am fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, with intermediate Spanish.
Outside of work I hike, travel (25 countries so far) and eat my way through new cities. I am an aunt to two very talkative kids. I would love to meet yours.
Credentials
- M.S., Speech-Language Pathology
- Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, State of California
- Board Certified Specialist in Child Language (BCS-CL)
- Assistive Technology Specialist certification
- Professional member, California Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Trained in PECS, SCERTS, ABA, DTT and TEACCH
- Areas of focus: augmentative and alternative communication, bilingualism, selective mutism
Teaching and speaking
- University lecturer, speech-language pathology
- Clinical mentor, undergraduate and master's level
- Presenter, CSHA state convention: bilingual evaluation and treatment
Languages
Cantonese (native), Mandarin (fluent), English (fluent), Spanish (intermediate)
Not sure if you should be worried? Let's talk for 15 minutes.
Free, no pressure, in English, 廣東話 or 普通話. Sometimes the answer is "keep going, this is normal." Sometimes it's "let's take a closer look." Either way you'll leave knowing.