Meet the Team
Speech Therapy
Katherine Dimond M.A. CCC/SLP, Speech and Language Pathologist
Is the founder and director of Dimond Therapy and Tutoring. Katie is a dedicated, experienced, and licensed speech and language pathologist. Katie is energetic, fun loving, and kids love working with her! Katie is also a mother of two young children.
Katie has been practicing since 2008 and has extensive experience treating children with speech and language delays and disorders. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech and hearing Science at the University of Illinois in 2006 and received her Master’s degree in Communication Science and Disorders from Saint Louis University in 2008. Katie is a certified speech and language pathologist in the state of Illinois, a member of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, and owns Crossroads Speech Therapy in Chicago.
Katie loves being a part of the community and is always there to help and support clients and their families.
Katie Dimond was recently featured in Voyage Chicago Magazine.
Mary Martin M.S., CCC-SLP/L, Speech and Language Pathologist
Mary is a licensed Speech and Language Pathologist in the State of Illinois and has been practicing for 6 years. Mary holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), and is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). In addition, she has an Illinois Professional Educator License in Speech-Language Pathology.
Mary received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and her Master of Science Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. Mary has worked in a variety of settings including early intervention, the public school system, skilled nursing facilities, and Pathways.org pediatric clinic. She has provided speech language services to children from birth–twenty-one with varying disabilities including Autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Angelman syndrome, and ADHD. She has experience in assessing and treating speech and language disorders including articulation, phonology, expressive and receptive language, pragmatic language, fluency, and augmentative and alternative communication. Mary enjoys collaborating with each child and their family to help them reach their goals.
Michelle Batko M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech and Language Pathologist
Michelle Batko is a bilingual speech-language pathologist born and raised in the Chicagoland area. She received her Bachelor of Arts from The University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Masters of Science at Northwestern University. Michelle has worked in the Evanston-Skokie School District for the past 2 years, providing therapy for students ranging from Kindergarten to Middle School. She has extensive experience working with students that present with deficits in articulation, receptive/expressive language, social skills, and fluency. Michelle is attentive, driven, intuitive, and ambitious. Kids love her energy, and she loves making them smile. Michelle is excited to be a part of the Crossroad Speech Therapy community and looks forward to working with her clients and their families. She is a certified speech-language pathologist in the state of Illinois, and a member of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association.
Occupational therapy
Amanda Matthews, Occupational Therapist
Amanda is an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and licensed occupational therapist. Amanda is sweet, caring, and she especially loves working with the pediatric population. Amanda has been practicing since 2010 and has experience treating children in both the outpatient clinic setting and the school setting. Part of Amanda’s current school-based experience includes working on the assessment team, transitioning kiddos from the Early Intervention setting to the school setting. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater in 2007 and received her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Mt. Mary University in Milwaukee in 2010. Amanda is a mother to one young daughter and a baby boy on the way this fall.
Physical Therapy
tutoring
Colleen Picchietti, Reading Tutor
Colleen is from Elmhurst, but has lived in Chicago for the last 15 years. She graduated from DePaul University in 2004 with a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. Colleen has been teaching in Chicago, and the Chicagoland area, for last 14
years. She taught Kindergarten, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and most recently, 2nd grade. She will have her Masters in Education this coming October, with an ESL (English as a Second Language) endorsement and Reading Teacher endorsement. Colleen has spent the last 10 summers working at different summer camps in the city, but this summer she has decided to focus on finishing Grad School and tutoring. She can’t wait to work with more children this summer, and help them to love reading as much as she does!
Kari Stellplug, Math Tutor
Kari is a licensed math teacher in the State of Illinois and holds a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Minnesota. She has over 20 years of math teaching experience and 6 years of math assessment experience.
For Kari, tutoring is especially rewarding due to the opportunity to customize lessons for each person based on their needs. Whether a student needs a little remediation over the summer or wants to get ahead in the topics for an upcoming math class, Kari will work to create an appropriate lesson unique to each student. Having worked in the assessment industry, Kari is able to incorporate test-taking strategies and other test prep information during tutoring sessions. Kari is very enthusiastic about math and hopes that enthusiasm is contagious!
Kari enjoys spending time with family, being active, and volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House and the Chicago Children's Museum.