Amanda Kelly is from Cary, North Carolina and is a Speech-Language Pathologist Clinical Fellow. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary and Special Education from Grove City College in Pennsylvania in 2017. After moving back home to work in the Wake County Public School system as a special educator, Amanda then pursued her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Appalachian State University and graduated in 2022. She is now back in the Triangle area and excited to join the TheraFriends team. Amanda has clinical experience working in private practice, preschool, daycare, home health, university clinic, charter school, and rehabilitation center settings. She has worked with children of all ages with diverse speech and language needs. Amanda has provided services in the areas of expressive and receptive language, articulation and phonology, early intervention, social communication, and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). Amanda is passionate about serving the pediatric population. As a neurodivergent individual herself, Amanda has a particular interest in working with the neurodivergent community in an affirming way. Amanda has always especially enjoyed working with autistic children and continually learning more about how neurodivergent brains work and thrive. Amanda strives to be a lifelong learner and is a firm believer in listening to the voices and perspectives of the populations she treats. One of Amanda’s current areas of study is working through NLA training (Natural Language Acquisition for gestalt language processors). She loves to implement child-led and play-based therapy to engage children in targeting their communication goals. Outside of work, Amanda’s other interests include writing poetry, researching psychology and health topics, and spending quality time with loved ones and pets. Amanda is thrilled to join the TheraFriends team and partner with children and their families in reaching their full potential.