1304 Azalea Ct. Unit A, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Tel: 1-(843)-839-9494
Our Team
Lisa Bellavia, M.Ed., MCD, CCC-SLP Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
Lisa holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed in the state of South Carolina. She received a Master of Education degree from Rutgers University and was a certified elementary school teacher for several years before going back to school to earn a Master of Communication Disorders degree from the University of South Carolina and pursuing a career in speech language pathology.
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Lisa understands that communication only occurs when there is motivation to communicate. She creates a relationship and an environment where each child feels respected, safe, and happy. She enters each child’s world, follows their lead, and makes therapy fun and rewarding. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of communication deficits including receptive/expressive language delays and disorders, phonological disorders, articulation disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, auditory processing disorder, and social/pragmatic language disorders. She is adept at treating children with concomitant disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, genetic disorders, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, hearing impairment, sensory integration dysfunction, and developmental delays.
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In her free time Lisa enjoys being with her daughter, spending time with family and friends, shopping, crafting, and exploring new places.
Ashley C. Sousa, MOT, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Ashley is a registered occupational therapist, certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and licensed in the state of South Carolina. She graduated in 2012 from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC with her Bachelor of Science in Biology. She continued her studies at The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in St. Augustine, FL where she received her Master of Occupational Therapy degree in 2015.
She has experience working in both the clinic and home-based settings where she has worked with children with fine motor and gross motor delays, visual perceptual deficits, sensory integration disorder, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, and developmental delays. With continuing education in feeding, sensory integration approaches, and treating children with severe physical disabilities, Ashley enjoys treating kids of all ages and skill levels. She believes in building and fostering relationships with her clients and their families to develop and implement therapy goals and practice. She has a passion for changing lives, improving quality of life, and helping families find freedom to enjoy time together in spite of adversity.
In her free time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband Jonathan, two daughters Mila and Emmy, and a dog named Sky. She is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan and can often be found cheering on the Steelers, Penguins or Pirates.
Mary Susan Gerrald, C-SLP Assistant
Certified Speech Language Pathology Assistant
Mary Susan is a certified Speech Language Pathology Assistant through the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed in the state of South Carolina. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia College in 2019 with a focus in Special Education. Mary Susan’s practicum experience includes an early intervention private practice, an elementary school, and a skilled nursing facility. She has also completed her American Sign Language 1 certification.
She has had the opportunity to work with children with Developmental Delays, Receptive and Expressive Language Disorders, Hearing Impairment, Down Syndrome, Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Language-Based Literacy Disorders, Fluency Disorders, Medically Fragile Children, and Articulation/Phonological Disorders. She enjoys working with children of all ages and their families. Playing a part in a child’s progress, and celebrating that progress, is especially gratifying to Mary Susan. She believes caregivers are a vital part of our team and provide strategies and activities to facilitate speech and language development. Mary Susan attends continuing education classes to remain current on the most up-to-date therapy techniques and approaches.
Outside of work, Mary Susan enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs, riding and taking care of her horses, crafting, traveling, making products for her small business and reading. She is looking forward to the opportunity to work with you and your child!
Braden Lilly, OT Assistant
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Braden is a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant. Through schooling he has seen a variety of different setting types to work as an OT Practitioner. He has studied in Inpatient, Outpatient, Simulated School, and Outpatient Pediatric Settings. As a student Braden visited Thrive as a fieldwork rotation. Through this rotation he was exposed to the various benefits and areas of focus addressed through play based therapy. Upon taking his certification exam, Braden was offered a position at Thrive as a full time Practitioner. He loves learning new avenues and methods to aid children in meeting their developmental and milestone goals, while growing in his knowledge as a Practitioner. His goal is to establish long lasting and positive relationships with these kids and their families as we take a group effort to make a positive change in the children’s lives.
In his spare time, Braden, enjoy spending time with his close family and significant other. He enjoys reading, music, and movies. He loves finding the natural light in the world and enjoying the small things all while continuing to find beauty in daily life. He loves going on runs, and finding something to laugh at at any given moment. He hopes to continue to build relationships and bonds with all the parents, family and children that accompany his path as a practitioner.
Katie Dinkowitz, M.S. CCC-SLP
Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Bianca LaSpada, SLP
Certified Speech Language Pathologist
Bianca is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the state of South Carolina and she is certified through the American Speech Hearing Association (ASHA). She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Science & Disorders from the University of South Florida in 2022. She continued her studies at Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina and earned her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology in 2024.
Bianca became motivated to help others find their voice to communicate from helping her brother Tyler who has autism spectrum disorder. She understands that every child is unique and has their own specific wants and needs. Her motto is to look at the ability, not the disability. Bianca believes that every child holds the ability to accomplish their goals. She follows the child’s lead because she believes that is the most beneficial way to help guide a child to reach their fullest potential and to build a bond and relationship with the child. She has experience working in private practices, schools, and rehabilitation centers with children of all abilities, including autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation/phonological disorders, auditory processing disorders,and social pragmatic disorders.
In her free time, Bianca loves spending time with her mom and dad, watching Rugrat movies with her brother Tyler, and playing with her two dogs Ziva and Eevee. She also enjoys baking, cooking, jogging, yoga, and spending time with her friends.
Katie holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed in South Carolina. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Science, with a concentration in Pre-Communication Disorders, from Stockton University in 2021. Katie continued her education at Thomas Jefferson University, where she received her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2023.
Katie developed a passion for speech-language pathology in high school after being diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in early childhood, which impacted her education throughout elementary, middle, and high school. Inspired by her own experiences with speech therapy, Katie aspires to help children succeed in life. She believes every child has a unique way of communicating—whether through gestures, sign language, natural speech, or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Katie fosters a safe, natural environment where children can express their wants and needs. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of various communication disorders, including AAC, receptive and expressive language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, auditory processing disorder, and social and pragmatic language disorders. Katie has experience working with children facing speech-language delays associated with autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, Angelman syndrome, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, feeding disorders, picky eating, and developmental delays.
During her personal time, Katie enjoys spending time with her twin sister, Sammy, her parents, and her two dogs, Tommy and Annie. She loves trying new foods in the area, exploring South Carolina, shopping, participating in outdoor sports, and relaxing by the pool or beach. Katie also enjoys fishing, boating, and spending time with her friends.