Staff Profiles: Speech-Language

Amber Goolbis, M.S., CCC-SLP, Joined the Brain Injury Center in 2005. She earned her B.A. in Interpersonal Communication at Tulane University, pursued coursework in Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine and the University of Texas at Austin, and went on to obtain her M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of New Hampshire. While working on her graduate degree, Amber participated in a faculty research project on counseling techniques used by clinicians in the context of speech-language therapy. She also designed a master's thesis study on the effects of intensive phonemic awareness training on phonological processing skills and literacy development. Besides her fascination with human communicative processes, Amber is enthralled by world travel. Extensive time spent in Asia, India and Central America has personalized Amber's insight into both receptive and expressive language challenges.

Amy Simmons M.A. CCC-SLP, joined the Crotched Mountain team in 2007. She earned a B.S. in Communication Disorders and a B.A. in Music from the University of New Hampshire in 2001. She received her Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2005. During graduate school, Amy completed student internships at the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, where she worked with the adult population in inpatient and outpatient settings. Prior to working at Crotched Mountain, Amy completed her clinical fellowship with Genesis Rehabilitation Services, working with the geriatric population. At Crotched Mountain, Amy enjoys working with both students and clients in the Specialty Hospital. Amy has particular interest in the areas of brain injury, dysphagia, voice, and total communication.

Katrina Hannigan M.S., CCC-SLP, is the Assistant Director of Rehabilitation Services. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist who joined the Crotched Mountain staff in the summer of 2004. She graduated with a B.S. in Speech and Hearing from Elmira College in NY in 2002. She obtained her Master's Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of New Hampshire in 2004. She is also an adjunct professor for the Speech-Language Assistant program at Nashua Community College. Katrina has special interest in the areas of pediatric disabilities, dysphagia, Alternative Augmentative Communication, and Clinical Instruction.

David J. Hajjar, MS, CCC-SLP has been a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist for ten years, six of which he has spent here at the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center. Recently, he became the coordinator of our Cognitive Rehabilitation Program. Mr. Hajjar received his Masters degree from the Institute of Health Professions at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1998. He has worked in both educational and medical settings providing skilled assessment and treatment services with individuals who present with a wide range of communication disorders. Mr. Hajjar is a specialist in the areas of brain injury rehabilitation and intervention for individuals with autism, who require augmentative and alternative methods for communication. He has intensive clinical experience in all care settings including: hospitals, classrooms, communities and homes. Mr. Hajjar is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who worked for two years consulting with the Ministry of Education in the country of Grenada in the West Indies. He serves as an Adjunct Professor for New Hampshire Community Technical College's Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Program. He has presented on the topic of Cognitive Rehabilitation at the New Hampshire Brain Injury Conference in May of 2008, and the Society for Cognitive Rehabilitation Annual Conference in September of 2008.

James Livengood, M.S., CFY/SLP, joined the Crotched Mountain staff in 2009.  He earned his B.S. in Psychology with a major concentration in Linguistics, from McGill University in Montreal.  He completed his Master's Degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from the University of Oregon in 2008.  During his master's program, he completed an internship at New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland in Portland, ME.  During this internship, he assessed and treated patients at a sub-acute rehabilitation level with a variety of cognitive, communicative, and swallowing deficits.