About Alina

I'm a speech-language pathologist, orofacial myologist, and the founder of Speechology — a concierge practice built for the cases that haven't resolved, the kids who've tried therapy before, and the families who are still looking for answers.

My path into this work started at UPMC Presbyterian, where I trained in acute care and developed a deep clinical foundation in the mechanics of speech and swallowing. That medical grounding shaped how I think — not just about what sounds wrong or isn't working, but about why. From there, I moved into outpatient care, where I helped grow a busy practice, helped launch a feeding clinic, and spent years mentoring new clinicians and students coming into the field. Over time, I became the therapist colleagues consulted when a case felt stuck. That pattern — the complex case, the child who hadn't moved in months, the family that had run out of options — became the throughline of my career.

I earned my Master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where I was shaped by some of the most respected voices in the field — leaders in oropharyngeal swallowing disorders and pediatric therapy, both rooted right here in this community. That training gave me both a rigorous clinical foundation and a deep respect for the work.

My specialties are speech sound disorders — including apraxia, resistant articulation, and the cases other therapists find hard to crack — and orofacial myofunctional therapy. I came to myofunctional therapy the long way: because of my swallowing background, I was integrating these principles into treatment long before the field formalized around them. When I launched Speechology, I pursued specialized myofunctional training to standardize and deepen that work — and it has become one of the most important tools I have for unlocking progress in complex speech cases.

Speechology is intentionally small. I keep a limited caseload because I believe that's what real progress requires. My clients don't leave my mind between sessions — I'm thinking through their cases, noticing connections, adjusting my approach. That kind of ongoing investment is only possible when you're not spread thin. After years of mentoring other clinicians, starting this practice was my way of doing that work on my own terms — and passing forward everything I've spent a career learning.

I work primarily with children in elementary and middle school, though I also see teens and adults whose speech goals remain unresolved. Age is less relevant to me than the question — and the drive to finally answer it.

Outside the clinic, I'm a mom of two boys and a very loved senior dog. Our family spends weekends hiking, picking up great takeout, and spending time with people we love in our Fox Chapel community. I'm an early riser, a paddle player, and someone who takes her morning coffee very seriously.