Meet Our Team

Courtney strongly believes that collaboration with families and other members of each child’s care team is essential in facilitating development in all areas both within and outside of the classroom. She loves helping her students find their own voice to communicate in a way that is most effective and functional for them.

Courtney completed her undergraduate studies in Communication Sciences & Disorders at California State University-Fullerton and earned her master’s degree from New York University.

When she’s not teaching at CST or reading The Pout Pout Fish with her clients, Courtney enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors, trying new restaurants, and trying to cook new recipes at home.

At CST, Emily specializes in working with clients on early language, articulation, and feeding. She also loves to introduce her clients to her favorite children’s book, Little Blue Truck.

Emily graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and earned her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Elmhurst College. Prior to joining CST Academy, Emily worked in Chicago Public Schools where she evaluated and provided one-to-one and small group therapeutic intervention for students in grades K-8.

Outside of CSTA, Emily’s favorite hobbies include yoga, reading, cooking, and traveling. Emily is also the youngest of 8 children and enjoys spending time with her family.

Jaclyn loves incorporating her favorite children's books, Little Blue Truck and anything by Eric Carle, into her classroom and therapy sessions!

Jaclyn completed her undergraduate studies in Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and went on to earn her master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before joining CST, Jaclyn worked as an SLP in various settings. Her past experiences include evaluating and treating school-aged children in Wisconsin Public Schools and a hospital in Missouri, as well as working specifically with children with ASD at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

In her free time, Jaclyn enjoys exploring the different neighborhoods of Chicago, playing golf and tennis, listening to audiobooks, and trying new recipes!

Jess enjoys all aspects of speech therapy, but especially promoting early language development through play. She incorporates a child’s unique interests and favorite toys into therapy sessions to create a motivating and engaging session for all of the children she works with.

She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Jess has experience working with children to address early language concerns, as well as motor speech and articulation development. She enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with parents throughout the therapeutic process in order to help children make incredible gains.

On the weekends, you can find Jess running on the 606, taking workout classes, or exploring all of the restaurants the city has to offer!

Julie has a passion for supporting children in their use of multimodal communication, including but not limited to, high-tech AAC devices, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Signed English and spoken language. She loves watching children grow in their ability to express their thoughts, wants, and needs with those around them.

Julie graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to joining CST, Julie gained experience in a variety of pediatric settings, including elementary education, private practice, and early intervention serving children from birth to age three. She also has experience working with children with ASD at the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Columbia, MO.

In her free time, Julie enjoys cheering on The St. Louis Blues, running on the lakefront, and trying out new Italian restaurants in Chicago.

What Lauren loves most about being a teacher at CST Academy is watching the kids grow and develop group learning skills so quickly. She also enjoys seeing peer interactions and friendships form in the classroom. If you are looking for a good read for your kiddo, Lauren highly recommends We’re Going on a Bear Hunt because of how interactive it is!

Lauren completed her bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University and received her master’s degree from St. Ambrose University. Before she joined CST Academy, Lauren had experience working in a blended preschool in the Omaha Public Schools where she worked with children ages 2-5.

When she is not teaching, Lauren finds joy in spending time with her family, trying new restaurants, and enjoying the outdoors (in the summer, of course).

At CST Academy, Erin especially enjoys watching her students unlock their potential and make strides in all areas. She loves collaborating with other team members to help her students grow and become their best selves.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from Bradley University and her master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Erin has over 14 years of experience as a teacher. Prior to joining CST, she taught a kindergarten and first grade instructional special education classroom. She has also worked as a K-5 special education resource teacher, at-risk pre-kindergarten teacher, and early childhood special education teacher. Erin has extensive experience collaborating with related service providers, including SLPs, OTs, and PTs, and developing IEP goals for her students.

Beyond her work at CSTA, Erin’s hobbies include spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, going to plays and concerts, and reading.

Raechell’s favorite thing about CST Academy is being surrounded by people who are equally passionate about what they do. Raechell enjoys learning from each discipline and appreciates having a support system for her students. Raechell’s practice is driven by the belief that it takes a village to raise a child. She strives to see her students holistically by collaborating with families and other therapists to ensure consistency in the strategies that are employed.

Raechell is fluent in English and Tagalog. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at De La Salle University in the Philippines. Prior to joining CST Academy, Raechell worked in the Philippines as a special education teacher in private schools where she collaborated with multidisciplinary professionals to tailor students’ learning plans to their unique needs.

In her free time, Raechell enjoys crocheting, traveling (especially to the beach), baking and exploring new restaurants.

Robin is an enthusiastic teacher with a high-energy and hands-on learning approach who, not only educates, but also instills a love of learning in young children. She always finds children’s progress to be exhilarating, especially when a child becomes truly independent in new skills and forms unique and genuine connections with others.

While evolving her passion for teaching, Robin is proud to have been a teacher for preschool-aged children with disabilities in both a school tailored specifically for preschoolers with disabilities in New York City and a self-contained classroom within an elementary school. She also has experience teaching children with multiple severe disabilities in Kindergarten through sixth grade, caring for the development of infants from six weeks to fifteen months, as well as co-teaching in a classroom of more than twenty neurotypical preschool-aged children. While working full-time as an educator, Robin also completed a graduate program at Indiana University to attain a M.S. in Special Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education, as well as mild/moderate and moderate/severe intervention.

When Robin is outside of CSTA, she enjoys what city life has to offer, such as rooftop stargazing and eating at new and beloved restaurants. She also loves to spend time with her family and best friends in Chicago and around the rest of the world.