About The Founder

Kristen Fernandez, MCD, CCC-SLP

CEO & Lead Speech-Language Pathologist

Kristen Fernandez earned her bachelor’s degree from Tulane University and her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from LSU Health New Orleans. She is a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and a two-time recipient of the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE).​

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​Spark Pediatric Therapy was born from Kristen's passion for forming meaningful therapeutic connections rooted in empathy and acceptance. She is committed to understanding each child and family on a deep level, developing personalized therapy plans that align with their unique goals and values. Her neurodiversity-affirming approach blends engaging, play-based activities with evidence-based treatments and parent education. As a mother of three, Kristen is dedicated to ensuring that every child receives the care and opportunities they need to thrive.

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​Kristen has extensive training in advanced therapeutic approaches, including PROMPTs for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT), DIRFloortime® (DIR-Basic), Natural Language Acquisition (NLA), Myofunctional Therapy, and TOTS: Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty Training®. She is also a Feed the Peds®-trained clinician, specializing in pediatric feeding challenges.

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Outside of work,  Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband, son, twin daughters, and their 90-pound dog. She loves reading, traveling, and outdoor adventures.

Advanced Trainings & Certifications

• ASHA Certified Speech-Language Pathologist

• Three-Time Recipient of the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE)

• PROMPTs for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT)

• DIRFloortime® Certified (DIR-Basic)

• Feed the Peds®

• Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) Trained Clinician

• Myofunctional Therapy Training

• TOTS: Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty Training®