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Jennifer Naughton Basch, M.S.,CCC-SLP
Managing Partner / Co-Founder
Jennifer has worked with special needs children for over 10 years; the concentration of her experience focuses on autism spectrum disorders. She is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association and is licensed by the Connecticut and New York State Health Departments. Jennifer also holds a Connecticut teaching certificate. Jennifer is trained in PROMPT, a multidimensional approach to speech disorders and PECS, a picture exchange system.
Before entering into the private sector, Jennifer was the director of speech services for a private foundation in Milllwood, NY. Jennifer presented at the 2006 annual Foundation for the Education of Children with Autism (FECA) Conference on helping children with autism to generalize language, and presented at the 2007 YAI Conference on augmentative communication devices and their affects on articulation.
Jennifer graduated with her Bachelors of Science degree from University of Delaware in linguistics and her Masters of Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University in speech-language pathology
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Nika S. Williams-Arbelo, M.S.,CCC-SLP
Managing Partner / Co-Founder
Nika has over nine years of experience working with children with apraxia of speech using differentiated techniques. Her work with special needs children over the last five years has focused on children with autism and language delays. Nika currently supervises clinical fellow (CF ) clinicians. Prior to her founding the private practice, Nika served as a speech language pathologist in the public school setting in Fairfield County, Connecticut, as well as in a clinical setting at Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, New York.
Nika is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association and licensed by the Connecticut State Health Department. Nika holds a teaching certificate and is trained in PROMPT. Nika received her undergraduate degree from University of Maryland College Park in Hearing and Speech Sciences and her Master of Science degree from Southern Connecticut State University in speech-language pathology.
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Michelle Ragozzine EdM, BCBA
Director of Behavioral Services
Michelle received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Providence College and her Master of Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education with a specialization in Risk and Prevention.
Upon completing her Master's Degree in 2001, Michelle coordinated an in-home behavior services program in Waterbury, CT. For the three following years, she worked directly under Dr. Alan Kazdin at Yale University where she was trained in Dr. Kazdin's Parent Management training (PMT). PMT is a highly successful, empirically supported parent education model designed to reduce behavioral excesses in children. While at Yale, Michelle was also trained in ABA principles by Dr. Kazdin, and later continued this training through the graduate program at the University of West Florida. She is currently a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
In California, Michelle coordinated an ABA program for children over the age three, providing direct therapy and parent consultation services to children with Autism and other disabilities. As the coordinator she trained and supervised other behavior analysts and direct therapy staff. Additionally she performing Functional Behavioral Assessments, completed developmental evaluations on children of all ages, and consulted regularly with school districts.
After returning to Connecticut in 2008, Michele worked for a local school district as a behavior consultant. With the district, she completed FBAs and BIPs, helped develop programming for students, assisted in devising appropriate goals, and trained and supervised staff to implement these programs to address each child's needs. Michelle is a trained practitioner of Pivotal Response Training (PRT) in Connecticut and is also trained in Picture Exchange Communication (PECS). Additional specialties include experimental analysis, parent training, staff training and supervision, program development and positive behavioral support.
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ABA Therapy Staff:
Whitney Herzog graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from Boston University. After college, Whitney worked at The Early Years School in Branford, Connecticut where she taught children with various learning disabilities.
Currently, Whitney is enrolled in Speech Pathology Graduate courses at Southern Connecticut State University.
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Eric obtained his Bachelors in English from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut. After college, Eric worked for over five years in preschool education. Three of those years he worked as the head classroom teacher. The past two years he has been focused on providing individual attention to special needs students. Currently, he is a one-to-one aide in the Fairfield County public school system working with children on the Autism Spectrum and completing his Masters in Education at Albertus Magnus University.
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Meghan graduated with her Bachelor’s of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. After graduation, Meghan worked as a Speech Language Specialist in the New Jersey public school system for four years. Currently, Meghan is finishing her clinical coursework for her Master’s of Science in Speech Pathology through Nova Southeastern University. Also, Meghan also holds her New Jersey Certificate of Eligibility for Teaching K-5 and Teacher of Students with Disabilities.
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Staff Speech Pathologists:
Kristi Villani, M.S.,CCC-SLP
Kristi Villani provides therapy to children with speech and language impairments at the Celentano Museum Academy in New Haven, Connecticut.
She graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Masters of Science in Speech-Language pathology. Kristi is currently completing her clinical fellowship year in speech pathology. Her varied clinical experience includes treating children with autism spectrum disorders, apraxia, language impairments, voice and swallowing disorders. Kristi holds a B.F.A. in musical theater from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.
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Kristi J. Nguyen, OTR/L
Director of Occupational Therapy
Kristi J. Nguyen, OTR/L graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2002 with a degree in Occupational Therapy. Prior to joining the team at Connec-to-Talk, Kristi worked in various pediatric settings including schools, homes and clinically based programs. Kristi is continuously expanding her skills as a therapist by attending on-going continuing education courses focusing on topics including: Pediatric Vestibular Rehabilitation, Visual Perception Assessment and Intervention, Sensory Integration and DIR/Floortime. Kristi is a certified Pediatric Yoga instructor and has extensive training in the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.
In 2007 Kristi went on to further her expertise in this program by becoming only the 100th person in the United States to be Handwriting Without Tears Print Tool Certified. In 2008 Kristi attended the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundations 7th Annual International Symposium which was held in Boston MA. There she studied and was lectured on the most advanced research and innovative practice techniques in the area of sensory integration. At Connec-to-Talk Kristi manages the occupational therapy department as well as providing both individual and co-treat services to clients. In addition Kristi has helped establish and initiate various groups including Yoga Kids, Table Top Talk, Tumble Tots and Say and Play.
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