About Us. |
Barbara L. Ekelman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist Specializing in Learning Disabilities Dr. Barbara Ekelman is a certified, licensed speech-language pathologist in private practice, clinical associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). She established the school-aged language and literacy course at CWRU in 2003 and has co-taught this graduate level class for many years in the Department of Psychological Sciences. Dr. Ekelman has 30+ years of academic, clinical, and research experience in childhood, adolescent, and adult language and learning disorders. She began her career as a clinician and researcher in the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. She has designed research, presented papers, and published articles in the areas of language-learning disabilities, childhood stroke, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism (hyperlexia), dyslexia, and developmental apraxia. Most of her time now is spent in her private practice evaluating school aged children and young adults who are experiencing learning difficulties. Dr. Ekelman has worked many years with area schools to complete speech-language, and learning screenings. Most recently, Dr. Ekelman developed the Well Screening for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classrooms, which quickly provides a baseline and monitoring tool for all children and determines if a child is at-risk for language-learning difficulties. The Well Screener is a unique, comprehensive, 20-minute, animated screener that measures growth in receptive and expressive language, social communication, early literacy, reading, attention, math calculation, motor skills, and speech sound production. The screener identifies young children who may be “at risk” for developmental language disorders, dyslexia, ADHD, autism, dyscalculia, and/or speech sound disorders. Dr. Ekelman’s professional memberships include the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA) and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). She serves on the Advisory Board for the Early Intervention Related Services Training Program at CWRU, which is funded by the Department of Education. She served on the Board of Directors of the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center (CHSC) and the International Dyslexia Association of Northern Ohio. She also served as the ASHA Continuing Education (CE) Administrator for the greater Cleveland area. Download/View Resume (Curriculum Vitae) Bridget Petitti, M.A., CCC-SLP is a certified, licensed speech-language pathologist. She completed her graduate work at Case Western Reserve University, obtaining her Master of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Bridget has experience working in the school, outpatient, and medical settings, including the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center and Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. She specializes in language disorders, learning disorders, speech sound disorders, and stuttering. Bridget is certified as a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner and served on the literacy team at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Bridget also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.
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Eric Wonderly, Ph.D., NCSP
Psychologist Dr. Eric Wonderly is a licensed psychologist, licensed school psychologist, and a nationally certified school psychologist. He holds a permanent license and certification in school psychology from the State of Ohio, Department of Education. He completed his graduate work at Kent State University where he obtained his B.S. in psychology and his M.Ed. and Ph.D. in School Psychology. Dr. Wonderly has practiced in the field of school psychology and psychology for over 40 years providing services to individuals in the public, parochial, and independent school settings as well as in his private practice. Dr. Wonderly has worked in Dr. Ekelman's private practice for 25+ years conducting the psychological portion of the comprehension psychological, language, and learning evaluation. He has experience working at the Learning Assessment Clinic in the Department of Pediatric Neurology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He also served as the psychologist/learning specialist in the upper school at Hathaway Brown School for several years. Dr. Wonderly has been a longtime board member of the International Dyslexia Association of Northern Ohio where he was a past vice-president. His professional memberships have included the International Dyslexia Association, National Association of School Psychologist, the Ohio School Psychologist Association, and the Cleveland Association of School Psychologists. Download/View Resume Jonathan Plessner, M.A., CCC-SLP is a certified, licensed speech-language pathologist in private practice and nonprofit offices, a Clinical Instructor at Case Western Reserve University, and a certified Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner (WDP).
Mr. Plessner has worked in the Cleveland community for more than 10 years, primarily serving children with communication disorders. He is a technology-focused therapist with a first-career background in web design, analytics, database administration, and app design. Using technology to motivate children and to provide cutting-edge care, Mr. Plessner has brought knowledge and proficiency with ultrasound visual biofeedback, electropalatography, and virtual health to Cleveland’s speech therapy community. Mr. Plessner specializes in care for children with residual speech sound disorders (especially the “R” sound); fluency and stuttering; school-age language disorders; and specific literacy disorders such as dyslexia. He has years of experience helping and motivating young people with learning disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and disorders with executive function skills. He emphasizes compassion and comfort for his clients; celebration of their strengths and unique abilities; and their individual goals for life and learning. He prefers a collaborative approach that includes family, educators, and healthcare providers to maximize his clients’ success in therapy. |