Our team
Meet the Fisher-Jost Therapy Team
Fisher-Jost Therapy is a team of four pediatric speech therapy professionals (three speech-language pathologists and one speech-language pathology assistant) serving families in Frankfort, Mokena, Manteno and nearby. We share one belief: children make the most progress when therapy is playful, personal, and part of everyday family life.
Playful, personal, part of family life
Every therapist on our team is trained in pediatric speech, language and feeding, and every family gets a plan built around their child, their routines and their goals.
Our founder
Rose Fisher-Jost, M.S., CCC-SLP
Rose found her calling in college, when she spent a summer shadowing her young cousin's speech therapist. He was three, autistic and largely nonverbal, and a few weeks in, he said his first word. That moment set her path.
Born and raised in Kankakee, she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree in Communication Science & Disorders from St. Cloud State University, and completed an Autism Certificate Program. She has worked in homes, hospitals, outpatient clinics, ABA clinics and schools, and founded Fisher-Jost Therapy to help children in her own community, one child at a time, treating each family like her own.
“At the end of the day, a child's progress and success is my joy.”
The team
Our therapists
Michelle PashosM.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Michelle has been a speech-language pathologist for almost 20 years. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Illinois. She has worked in private practice, schools, clinics and hospitals, and has focused her career on children. What drives Michelle as a therapist is watching kids light up as they learn new skills. After living in several states, she now calls rural Manteno home, with her husband, three busy kids, two dogs and four cats. Away from work, you'll find her at the beach or playing a round of The Game of Life.
Sarah TomaM.H.S., CCC-SLP/L
Speech-Language Pathologist
Sarah has been a speech-language pathologist for eight years. She earned her bachelor's degree from Eastern Illinois University and her master's degree from Governors State University. She has worked mainly in schools, along with time in a private clinic, and specializes in children ages 2 to 10, especially preschool and kindergarten students. What Sarah loves most about her work is building strong relationships with each child and their family. She lives in Grant Park with her husband and son. Away from work, you'll find her on family vacations, exploring a new beach, or enjoying anything chocolate.
Lanie DeanB.S., CDS, C-SLPA
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
Lanie is a speech-language pathology assistant who earned her bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Governors State University. Before joining Fisher-Jost Therapy, she spent six years providing behavioral services to children and teens on the autism spectrum. What Lanie loves most is helping kids strengthen their communication, reach their goals and build confidence, and she brings her behavioral background to every session. She lives in Aroma Park with her fiancé and daughter. Away from work, you'll find her traveling with her family, soaking up the views in the mountains, or celebrating New Year's Eve, ideally with a slice of pizza.
How our team works: SLPs and an SLPA
Every child's care is led by a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP), who completes the evaluation, writes the care plan and sets goals. Our speech-language pathology assistant, Lanie Dean, helps carry out therapy plans under an SLP's supervision. That model lets us see more families without a waitlist while keeping an SLP responsible for every plan.
Why families choose FJT
- We come to you. Therapy at home, at our Frankfort or Manteno home therapy spaces, on-site at Elevated Therapeutics, or online.
- Family-centered care. Parents and siblings take part, and every session ends with something you can practice.
- Play-based and evidence-based. Sessions use games, music and real-life outings to build skills kids actually use.
- Speech and feeding from one team. The same team can help with talking and eating.
- Clear communication. Regular updates on progress toward your child's goals.
No waitlist, by design
Waiting months for help is stressful when you're worried about your child. We hire as our families grow so that new families can start promptly after their evaluation.
Careers
Join our team
We hire as our families grow, and we're always glad to hear from speech-language pathologists, SLPAs and students who love playful, family-centered therapy.
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A licensed speech-language pathologist leads every child's care, completing the evaluation and writing the care plan. Some sessions may be provided by our speech-language pathology assistant under SLP supervision.
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Yes. Our speech-language pathologists are licensed in Illinois and hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
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Yes. The same team can help with talking and eating.
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No. We grow our team as needed so families can start without waiting.
About our team
Related: Services · Where we meet · Getting started
Ready to talk about your child?
Book a free screening. We'll listen, answer your questions, and help you decide on next steps.