About Us

Bay Area Speech Language Learning Associates (BASLLA) has provided speech and language services to the residents of Southeast Houston and surrounding areas for over twenty years. Located in Clear Lake, and easily accessible from major thoroughfares, Bay Area Speech Language Learning Associates is the only private speech therapy practice in this area.

Sheryl Swofford Berg, MA, CCC-SLP

Sheryl Swofford Berg earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota with a double major in Child Psychology and Communication Disorders. There she graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She went on to earn a Master's Degree from the University of Texas at Austin in the field of Speech Pathology. Having worked as a Speech/Language Pathologist, first in the public schools and later in private practice has afforded Sheryl the opportunity to work in the field for over 27 years. Contact Sheryl Berg

Sheryl has been trained at the Neuhaus Education Center in Houston in Alphabetic Phonics training and has since worked for years in the area of reading differences. She specializes in the school-age population, evaluating and treating children in the areas of language and learning disabilities, reading differences, processing disorders, organizational and study skill deficits and oral and written language difficulties.

Sheryl, a frequently-requested speaker, has worked in private practice in the Clear Lake area since 1990 and became the director and owner of Bay Area Speech Language Learning Associates (formerly Speech Language Learning Center) in July, 2002.

Miaya Allen, MA, SLP

Miaya Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communication Disorders from the University of Houston. Miaya has experience working with pre-school and school-aged children in multiple areas including developmental delays, Autism and/or Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome as well as articulation/phonological disorders. She is also a member of the Texas Speech-Language Hearing Association and the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.

Janeane Bacon, MS, CCC-SLP

Janeane Bacon earned a BS and MS degrees from Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. She has worked for over twenty years in the field of speech pathology. She has extensive experience working in public schools as well as mental health treatment centers for adolescents as well as intermediate care facilities for adults with mental retardation. Specialty areas include autism, articulation and language delays. Contact Janeane Bacon

Carol Brondsema, BA, MS

Carol Brondsema earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI.  She earned a Masters degree as a Reading Specialist from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Carol taught in elementary and middle school classrooms for 16 years. In 2006, Carol was trained in the Orton-Gillingham method of multi-sensory reading instruction.  She specializes in dyslexia and math tutoring.  She is a member of the International Reading Association.  Carol moved to the Clear Lake area in 2007 with her husband.  She has three grown children.

Lisa Beth Callner, MA, CCC-SLP

Lisa Beth Callner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and Masters degree from the University of Colorado. She earned a degree in Clinical Supervision from Northwestern University. Lisa Beth Callner has been in private practice for 23 years. She owned and directed the Speech Language Learning Center from 1985-2002. She has worked and consulted in the public schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers.  Contact Lisa Beth Callner

Mary Cooper, MEd, CCC-SLP

Mary Cooper earned a B.A. from Mundelein College, Chicago, IL, an M.Ed. from Penn State and completed a Post Masters’ Fellowship in Speech Pathology and Audiology through the Child Development Clinic in the Department of Pediatrics at UTMB, Galveston, TX. She has served elementary and pre-school children for over 30 years in the public school setting in Bettendorf, Iowa, Galveston ISD and Clear Creek ISD. Mary comes to the private setting with experience in the areas of articulation, language, autism spectrum disorders, and developmental delay.

Claire Dill, MS, CCC-SLP

Claire Dill received a Bachelor of Science degree from Missouri State University and a Master of Science degree from Southern Illinois University. She is a member of the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She has worked over 17 years in Missouri, Illinois and Texas in the public school setting with experience in the areas of articulation, phonology, autism spectrum disorders and early childhood language delays.

Karen Engel, MA, CCC, CCC-SLP, LPC

Karen Engel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology from the University of Texas at Austin. She went on to earn a Masters degree from the University of Houston. Ms. Engel has served children and families in public schools for 35 years as a Speech Pathologist, Special Education teacher, Educational Diagnostician, Counselor and Principal. She comes to the private setting bringing tremendous experience with pre-school and school-aged children in the areas of articulation and autism as well as other language disorders and delays.  Contact Karen Engel

Jeanne Goode

Jeanne explains her passion for tutoring: "I love teaching." Jeanne Goode graduated from Iowa State University with a BS degree in Home Economics (specific field was Child Development). She was then able to continue her education by earning another degree in Elementary Education. She taught for nearly 40 years in public and private schools and now continues to tutor children. Jeanne remains active in her church, as well as spends time with her family, travels, gardens, reads, quilts, knits and eats out with friends.

Alison Gratz, MS, CCC-SLP

Alison Gratz earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1999. In 2000, Alison received her Master of Science in Communication Disorders with honors from the University of Texas at Dallas. Alison has extensive experience working with children with Autism, phonological disorders and other speech and language disorders and delays.  Contact Alison Gratz

Allison F. Green, MA, CCC-SLP

Allison F. Green earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Disorders at University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, TX. Allison’s background includes extensive multicultural trainings on bilingual phenomenon and proficiency in Spanish through studies in Spain and in Costa Rica. Additional professional trainings include Every Move Counts, Assistive Technology with Region IV, and Fluency Trainings with Nina Reardon-Reeves. For over four years, Allison has been practicing speech therapy and has experience in school systems as well as in multidisciplinary rehabilitation and hospital settings with ages ranging from toddlers to adults. Recently Allison was appointed to the Cambridge Who’s Who in the health profession of speech-language pathology.

Tim John MA, SLP/CCC

Tim John earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Xavier University in Chicago, IL and a Master of Arts from the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Tim has nine years of pediatric experience ranging from working with the Infant-toddler population to high school-aged students. Particular areas of expertise include developmental delay, autism, articulation and language disorders. Tim is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Theresa M. Kundrot, MA, CCC-SLP

Theresa M. Kundrot earned Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.  Born and raised in Michigan, she has worked for more than 20 years as an ASHA-certified speech language pathologist.  She has practiced in Connecticut, Colorado, Alabama and also in Department of Defense schools while living in Cambridge, England.  Her experience includes elementary, middle and high schools, hospitals and nursing homes, clinical supervision at the University of Northern Colorado and private practice.  Specialty areas include fluency and language disorders. As of October, 2008 Theresa has certification in Accent Modification using the Compton P-ESL method.

Jennifer Petrillo MS, SLP-CFY

Jennifer Petrillo earned a Bachelor of Arts (Summa Cum Laude) and Master of Arts degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Houston. She also studied Spanish in college and is a native speaker. Additionally, her international travel and 4 1/2 years of U. S. military service have expanded her interest in cultural and linguistic diversity issues related to speech and language. She has experience in pediatric clinics, adult stroke rehabilitation, private practice and the public schools.

Heather Sommer MS, SLP-CFY

Heather Sommer earned a Bachlor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders - Deafness Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996. As an American Sign Language fluent teacher certified in special education, auditory impairment, and early chlidhood, she taught students with multiple disabilities for 12 years, including 7 years with the Galveston Brazoria Co-op for the Hearing Impaired. Heather graduated from Lamar University with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in May 2009 and is currently doing her Clinical Fellowship year.

Kim Stocker, MA, CCC-SLP

Kim Stocker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Houston. She has worked for ten years in the field of Speech Pathology. She has experience working in public schools as well as hospitals, pediatric outpatient facilities, and private practice. Specialty areas include oral motor, early childhood language and phonological delays, autism, and school age articulation and language delays.