Meet the Team at The Speech Spot

---

Liz Hahn is a licensed speech-language pathologist and the owner of The Speech Spot, PLLC, a pediatric therapy practice. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Illinois State University.

Liz brings valuable experience from school-based settings, where she provided therapy to children with a wide range of abilities. She has experience supporting bilingual students through collaboration with language liaisons and is committed to providing inclusive, individualized care for every child.

Liz is certified in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI) through the Crisis Prevention Institute and has received specialized training in the Expanding Expression Tool (EET) directly from its creator, Sarah Smith.

She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with challenges in articulation, childhood apraxia of speech (dyspraxia), fluency, expressive and receptive language, auditory processing, targeting executive functioning, and pragmatic (social) language skills. Liz is passionate about helping children build confidence and effective communication skills in a supportive, engaging environment.

Outside of work, Liz enjoys spending time with her family. She and her husband, Joe, have two daughters, Hazel and Maeve, along with their two energetic rescue dogs, Bo and Skye, who they adopted from Texas. As a family, they love traveling and spending time outdoors. In her free time, Liz enjoys crafting, cooking, baking, all things Harry Potter, and finding creative ways to bring new ideas to life.

Alex Lawless is a licensed speech-language pathologist who earned both my undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, supporting individuals across the lifespan with diverse communication needs.  For many years, I worked in acute rehabilitation, helping adults rebuild speech and language skills following life-changing events such as strokes and traumatic brain injuries. I have also spent over a decade in the public schools, supporting K–8 students to develop both academically and socially. I am currently part of a therapeutic day school team, where I serve middle and high school students with complex social-emotional needs as they build the skills needed for success in and beyond the classroom.

These experiences have shaped my flexible, compassionate, and individualized approach to therapy. I value getting to know each child and family I work with and believe that strong, collaborative relationships are essential to meaningful progress. My goal is to create a supportive and encouraging environment where children feel comfortable, confident, and empowered to grow. I am excited to bring this approach to The Speech Spot! I am looking forward to partnering with families to help each child connect, communicate, and find their voice—all while having fun along the way!

  Rachel Sheldon is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist with over 25 years of clinical experience working with children and families across a variety of settings, including early intervention, schools, daycares, private practice, and clinics. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University.

Rachel is known for her warm, engaging, and supportive approach. She believes strong relationships with children and families are the foundation for meaningful progress. She is passionate about helping children build communication skills in ways that are both fun and meaningful, and she works closely with families to support progress beyond each session.

Her areas of expertise include early language development, receptive and expressive language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, apraxia, and other developmental delays. Rachel is a certified Early Intervention specialist, holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and is licensed in the state of Illinois. 

Lisa Cole is a highly experienced speech-language pathologist with over 35 years of dedicated

service supporting children and adolescents. She specializes in working with individuals with

expressive and receptive language disorders, articulation disorders, apraxia, AAC (augmentative

and alternative communication) needs, autism, and pragmatic language challenges.

Lisa has practiced in a variety of settings, including schools, daycare centers, and private

practice, giving her a well-rounded perspective on supporting communication across

environments. She earned her master’s degree from Northwestern University and is also

certified in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (CPI) through the Crisis Prevention Institute.

Her therapy approach is child-centered, creating a supportive, individualized environment

where each child feels comfortable and motivated to communicate. She emphasizes functional,

meaningful communication, collaborating closely with families and caregivers to ensure skills

carry over into everyday life.

Outside of the clinic, Lisa enjoys singing a cappella, travelling, knitting, and spending quality

time with her family.