About NJ STEPS

Not only is Shery a dual-certified speech-language pathologist and special education teacher, but she is also a mother to 3 children and is bilingual in Russian and English. As a therapist and mother, Shery understands that there is nothing more sacred than the well-being and development of your child. She has over 20 years of experience working in healthcare and is devoted to learning, educating, and providing the best quality care for all of the patients at NJ Steps.

Shery has worked in a variety of settings as a speech-language pathologist and a special education teacher, including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, early intervention, and private practice. She specializes in articulation disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, feeding and swallowing therapy, and myofunctional therapy. She is trained in Interactive Metronome, Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT, Bridging Trained), Vital Stimulation® , Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol (K-SLP), Talk Tools ® Level 3, International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM, pending COM), and It Takes Two to Talk® — The Hanen Program® for Parents of Children with Language Delay, Sequential Oral Sensory Feeding ® (SOS), and has extensive experience and training in numerous oral motor therapy programs, including myofunctional remediation.

Amelia holds her Masters of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Pennsylvania State University. She received her Bachelors of Science in Cognitive Science with a concentration in Speech Language Pathology, and a minor in Disabilities Studies from The University of Delaware. Amelia works part-time at NJ Steps and works as a speech language specialist for the Fair Lawn School District. She currently holds her CCC-SLP from the American Speech Language Hearing Association and is a licensed New Jersey Speech-Language Pathologist. Amelia has experience working in specialized schools, public schools, private practice and home-based settings. She enjoys utilizing client’s interests to address their individualized speech and language goals. Her experience includes working with children and adults with receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation/phonological disorders, auditory processing disorders and developmental delays. Amelia has extensive experience working with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users and is level one PROMPT trained.

Alyssa graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. During her undergraduate career, she realized that helping others was her true passion, and she decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Montclair State University. Alyssa currently works full-time in the West Essex Regional School district as a Speech-Language Specialist and enjoys working at NJ steps after school to support children and adults of all ages. She also enjoys supervising externs from surrounding programs in order to help students learn, gain experience and become more passionate about the field. She currently holds her CCC-SLP from the American Speech and Hearing Association, her New Jersey Speech-Language Pathology license, and is a certified Speech-Language Specialist. She is also a member of the Warren County Speech Language Hearing Association (WCSLHA). Alyssa is trained as a Level 1 PROMT clinician and has obtained her advanced training in Dynamic Temporal Tactile Cueing (DTTC). 

Nicole Kleiman possesses a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Seton Hall University, complemented by a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a Concentration in Communication Disorders and a Minor in Childhood Studies from Stockton University.

Her extensive clinical background spans various environments, including private practice, schools, and outpatient rehabilitation, where she has engaged with both children and adults. Nicole's approach emphasizes a child-led, play-based methodology aimed at fostering intrinsic motivation for participation, learning, and development.

Nicole's professional training includes expertise in Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT Level 1), Talk Tools MYOTools 101, and gestalt language development techniques. Moreover, she holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and is licensed to practice speech-language pathology in New Jersey.

Dana Cappello M.S. CCC-SLP holds her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Pace University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Nova Southeastern University. She has experience in private practice settings, rehabilitation centers, teletherapy, public school districts, private schools, preschools and daycares. 

Dana has experience treating children with articulation/phonology disorders, expressive/receptive language impairments, AAC, feeding difficulties, and fluency disorders. She has supported her clients by collaborating with teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists, and audiologists. Dana enjoys building strong connections with her clients through child-led, play-based sessions. 

Dana is trained in Prompts of Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT trained). She has pursued additional training and education in natural language acquisition, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and orofacial myofunctional therapy. She has a special interest in working with children who are gestalt language processors.

Dana holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and her New Jersey and South Carolina Licenses for Speech Language Pathology.

Savannah holds a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Mercy College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Rider University. Her clinical journey encompasses diverse roles, from serving as a school-based speech-language pathologist in the Denville Township School District to her part-time engagement at NJ Steps.

She is deeply committed to providing therapy across a broad spectrum of age groups, ranging from infants to school-aged children. Savannah's areas of expertise include articulation/phonology, expressive/receptive language, pragmatic and social language, and fluency. She consistently augments her proficiency in addressing speech sound disorders.

Savannah adopts a play-based therapy approach, which she has found to be both effective and engaging for her clients. Embracing a holistic approach to therapy, she coordinates closely with occupational therapists to tackle sensory and motor aspects that may impact speech and language development. Furthermore, Savannah collaborates extensively with school professionals, including teachers and counselors, to ensure seamless support for her clients within the educational environment. This collaborative ethos facilitates a comprehensive and integrated therapy approach, ultimately enriching outcomes for her clients.

Savannah's professional credentials include certifications in PROMPT Level 1, Talk Tools Myotools 101, and various play-based therapy techniques. Licensed in New Jersey, she holds certifications as a speech-language specialist and an ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competency.

Lauren has been a practicing Speech Language Pathologist since 2002, and is passionate about helping her clients find their voice. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Stockton University and her Masters of Science degree in Communication Disorders from William Paterson University. She is licensed as a Speech Language Pathologist in the state of New Jersey, holds her Certificate of Clinical Competency through the American Speech and Hearing Association, as well as a Speech Language Specialist Certification from the New Jersey Department of Education.

Lauren has dedicated the majority of her career to helping children, who have Autism and Apraxia, find their voice. She is trained in the use of Beckman Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention, MNRI ® Method, DIRFloortime ®, and is a Level 2 PROMPT trained clinician. She has had the opportunity to implement this specialized training in a variety of settings, most recently in schools and private practice. Lauren utilizes a child led, relationship based therapy approach and believes wholeheartedly that the most effective way to learn language is through play. In fact, her Master’s Thesis explored the effects of using play as a therapeutic tool for improving engagement and expressive language. 

Lauren has been part of the NJ Steps team since July 2023 in a part time capacity, and works full time as a high school-based SLP for the Livingston Public School District. She loves being a mom to her teen and tween daughters, Sophia and Charlotte (and a “bunny mom” to Lola!) Lauren loves lazy days at the lake, live music, and reality TV.

Sophie has been an indispensable member of the NJ Steps team since September 2021, bringing with her 26 years of invaluable experience in the medical field. Throughout her career, she has worked with Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, ENTs, Occupational Therapists, and Speech-Language Pathologists. Holding various titles such as Medical Receptionist, Medical Biller, and Office Manager, Sophie's extensive office background and genuine passion for assisting others have positioned her in every office capacity at NJ Steps whenever the need arises. She remains unwaveringly dedicated to supporting clients, therapists, and the administrative team at NJ Steps, backed by her certification in Medical Billing from the State of New Jersey Medicaid and a wealth of knowledge in working with insurance companies in the area.

Beyond her contributions to NJ Steps, Sophie is a devoted mother of two children, finding joy in watching movies, reading, and baking with her kids.

Dr. Galo is an educator, occupational therapist, and the founder of Sensory Therapeutics of NJ. He has spent the last 9 years working with children & adolescents in specialized schools, clinics, home care and early intervention. Dr. Galo has worked with a variety of diagnoses that range from sensory challenges to complex physical, cognitive and communication disorders. He has taken continuing education courses to advance his clinical skills and has a variety of certifications. Dr. Galo obtained his post professional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from Mount Mary University. He always seeks to learn more about the field of occupational therapy and utilizes evidence based interventions to better serve his clients. Dr. Galo has strong interpersonal skills and is an effective communicator. He values parents and family members input and collaborates with each other to better support the client.

Dr. Galo realized that he wanted to serve children & adolescents with special needs on an individual basis in any setting and not be limited by insurance companies, therapy caps or school administrators. He founded Sensory Therapeutics and offers occupational therapy services. He serves clients 3-21+ and their families to facilitate participation and independence to live life to its fullest.

Dr. Galo was named a “NJ Favorite Kids’ Docs and Exceptional Healthcare Provider in 2016 , 2017 and 2019” by New Jersey Family Magazine. The professionals on the list were nominated as “exceptional” by readers of the magazine.



Anna received her clinical training from Seton Hall & Caldwell University. Anna has over 15 years of experience working with children and families with disabilities in a variety of settings including public and private schools, hospitals, homes, communities and nonprofit organizations. Anna specializes in servicing children and families with Autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities, and Executive Functioning Skill Deficits. Anna is passionate about teaching social, self-help, and advocacy skills as well as promoting inclusion and acceptance for children of all abilities. Anna has spent 9 years of her career in a public school setting working as a behavior analyst and special education teacher servicing children ages preschool through high school. Anna is the proud mother of a 5-year-old son and currently serves as the Vice President for a local nonprofit organization. As a mother and a clinician, Anna believes that “you must be the change you wish to see in the world” and that TOGETHER we can give our children the roots to GROW and the wings to FLY!

In my early medical years, working in hospitals, I observed autopsies revealing disease states and blood samples with unidentified artifacts with no real medical explanation. Extensive training with pathologists gave me the insight of the human body, which many nutrition focused health professionals have not been privileged to witness.

Blood observed through microscopy revealed a true picture of the patient’s health. Their ailments were undeniable and completely astonishing to see. Many years later, the pieces of the health puzzle came together.

I realized that we often have the power to change our health once we understand it.

In light of my educational journey, I have the ability to comprehensively and holistically address my client’s medical needs through nutrition. My medical nutritional practice is supported by evidence-based research. Often I receive ‘answers’ from simple micronutrient or genetic analysis to support patient care.

This field is now called ‘Functional Medicine” but I have been practicing this way for over 30 years. I look forward to meeting you and helping you on your way to better health!

I also participate in nutritional outreach in various communities to educate and empower individuals to take charge of their diet and nutritional behaviors.