Danielle is a Savannah (actually Bloomingdale) native who attended AASU for undergraduate program in Communication Sciences and Disorders and attended Valdosta State University where she graduated in 2011 with her Masters of Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders.  Danielle began her career as a geriatric SLP, working with swallowing , cognitive, cerebral vascular disorders, but found out quickly that pediatrics were where she was meant to be.  Since 2013, Danielle has been a pediatric speech therapist, receiving additional training and certifications in pediatric feeding/swallowing dysfunctions, pervasive developmental disorders and sensory-behavioral disorders.  She has experience with disorders of articulation, feeding, childhood TBI, fluency, AAC management and prescriptions as well as early language intervention. Danielle has additional certification as a Certified Autism Specialist and plays a key role in ensuring treatment plans and facility operations maintain our global stance of neuro-affirming therapy strategies to best support the growing Autistic Community.  Danielle resides here in Rincon with her husband of 13 years. She is a mom to three awesome children  and in her spare time, she likes going to visit manatees during migration season, taking care of her back-yard chicken flock and continuing to master latte art. 

Danielle is a New York City native who relocated to Georgia after receiving her Master’s degree from In Speech-Language Pathology from Lehman College. Danielle is licensed in the state of Georgia and certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. She has a passion for working with the pediatric population and has experience in both school-based pediatric services and private clinical experience.  

Danielle has worked extensively with children on the autism spectrum, expressive and receptive language delays, articulation disorders, and childhood apraxia. She also has knowledge in the implementation and programming of AAC device in helping all children find their voice. In her spare time, Danielle enjoys spending time with her husband and sweet daughter.  

Kathy is a originally from Mobile, Alabama. She graduated from Lousiana State University before earning her Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of South Alabama. She is a through and through boy-Mom and enjoys traveling and being outdoors with her husband and 3 boys.  She has worked as a Physical Therapist for 13 years in neuro rehab, outpatient clinic and school based settings, making a difference in the lives of many children with disorders of motor function, spinal code injuries and developmental and genetic conditions. 

She has found her new home at Small Steps with love for babies and children with a goal to improve strength/coordination, balance and flexibility to achieve new and age appropriate gross motor skills to allow for safe participation in everyday environments. 

Valerie Dowling graduated from Valdosta State University with a Masters of Education in Communication Disorders in 2017. She has worked with early intervention and elementary age clients in the school system and private practice. While working in those settings, she has gained experience in early intervention, articulation and phonological disorders, and language disorders. Valerie is from Rincon, Georgia and recently moved back to home in 2022. She has been married to her wonderful husband since 2020 and  had a precious baby boy last year.  She is excited  and grateful to work alongside the families and children she serves in a family-centered approach to therapy. 

Sara Mayes, M.Ed, CF-SLP received her Master's of Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Valdosta State University. She graduated with her Bachelor's of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Alabama. She is originally from a small town near Columbus, Georgia and moved to the Savannah area in 2017. Previous work experience in Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) gave special insight to school aged-children with various diagnosis such as ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Fluency Disorders, Language Disorders, Articulation Disorders, and many more. She is passionate and knowledgeable about her work. In her free time, Sara enjoys cooking, painting and spending quality time with her cat, Penny.  

Kristen is a Savannah native and is so excited to be returning home to work with the community she grew up in.  Kristen recently graduated from Augusta University with her Masters of Health Sciences in Occupational Therapy.  She has experience with both adults and pediatric populations in the hospital and school-based settings and has a strong desire for work with neurodivergent children and helping them achieve life-changing skills.  She is thrilled to be starting this career path in the world of pediatrics.  Outside of work she enjoys being outdoors, playing volleyball, and spending time with her golden retriever, Frankie.

Alexis is an Effingham County native. As our lead chaos coordinator, Alexis is a key partner in our team; wearing multiple hats in the office and completing billing, account management, referrals and handling professional communications with physicians, insurance companies and other clinical providers. Outside of keeping everything running smoothly, she maintains her role of first and foremost...a mother of 2 sweet and spunky kiddos.   In her spare time, she enjoys a nice loaded tea and is a collector o all things Cheetah print! 

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