Meet Rizza Miro Lemonakis, M.A., CCC-SLP/Owner

A board-certified and NJ-licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Rizza Miro has years of experience in schools, acute care hospitals, early intervention programs, and outpatient facilities. She obtained a Master’s degree in speech-language pathology from The George Washington University.

Rizza’s passion shows in her work with children from birth to 18 years of age. She has sought to increase her training and gain more information in various treatment strategies and programs. Rizza is experienced in the PROMPT method for treatment of Apraxia, as well as in Michelle Winner's Social Thinking Program. She is also an Integrated Listening Program ADVANCED PRACTIONER. In addition, she is experienced in the SOS feeding program and developed The Feeding Center at the Communication Station.

Rizza was recognized by the community in the 2008 Courier Post article “35 Under 35”, which featured “35 successful, community-minded young professionals making a difference.” In addition, The Feeding Center was also featured in ABC News and Rizza humbly participated in the interview. She has been a featured national speaker through Lorman Education Services, as well as a local speaker for Tri-County Speech/Language Hearing Association, ASPEN (Asperger Syndrome Education Network), and the Apraxia Support Group.

In 2012, Rizza was a co-speaker at the Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Convention for "Improving Social Interaction and Communication with an Interactive Language Program." In 2013, Rizza was also selected to be the speaker in a 6-day 2-part lecture series on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Education. The topic of these lectures was Promoting Language and Literacy in the Preschool Classroom. In May 2014, Rizza was a featured speaker at the Cooper Hospital Learning Center's First Annual Facets of Dyslexia Conference. She also spoke with families of KIDDS, a non-profit group serving all families with children with Down Syndrome. In 2017, West Jersey Music Academy launched the first local music program specifically geared towards children with special needs, and appointed Rizza Miro to be their Communication Consultant. She trained their staff on communication disorders and acted as liaison to their special needs families. In 2021, WJMA asked Rizza Miro to develop a Music Program for preschoolers with language delays, which successfully began in May 2021. Rizza also completes 3rd party independent evaluations and has testified as an expert in 2023.

Rizza runs at least 3 social skills groups per day, ranging from preschool to high school students. She pulls from many different sources of social skills training including Michelle Garcia Winner and Jed Baker, to develop goals specific to each child. She is also PEERS-certified, which is one of only a handful of evidence-based data-driven social skills programs. Most of the children who attend her social skills group also receive individual social coaching sessions to ensure that their unique needs are being addressed.