Staff

Rebecca Bailey-Torres, M.Ed., M.S., CCC-SLP, COM®

Speech-Language Pathologist/Certified Orofacial Myologist

NV License SP-684
CA License SP-24819

Rebecca is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), Certified Orofacial Myologist – COM®, and the founder of Nevada Educational and Therapy Solutions (NEATS), which she opened with 15 years of professional experience in public education. Nine of those years she provided direct speech and language services to students ages 3-21 in Washoe County School District. For the other 6 years, Rebecca was a special education program consultant, providing technical support and assistance to parents, general education teachers, special education teachers, and school administrators on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Acts (IDEA). This included observing students with special needs (Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Emotional Disturbances, etc.) and offering Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) teams suggestions to support students’ educational progress based on evidence-based practices.

Rebecca graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1998. She earned her Master’s degree in Speech Pathology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2000. Appropriate education and therapy services for all students, especially students eligible for special educations have become a passion for Rebecca. She believes all students have the potential to learn to the best of their ability. To support these passions and beliefs, Rebecca pursued a Master’s degree in Education Administration and Supervision. She graduated with her Master’s degree in Education in Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix in 2012.

Rebecca served as president of the Nevada Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSHA) from July 2008 to June 2010. In 2010, she was appointed by Governor Jim Gibbons to the State of Nevada Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing Board. She was re-appointed to the Board by Governor Brian Sandoval and served as Board Chair for most of her time on the board.

In December 2019, Rebecca took an initial 28 course on the orofacial complex and assessing dysfunction of this system. This training was career-changing as she now has job/career satisfaction. It is now Rebecca’s professional goal to educate as many people as possible on healthy mouth development for feeding and speech to prevent orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD). When OMD is not prevented, Rebecca is trained to treat these disorders and refer to other professionals as appropriate. As OMD is not age-specific, Rebecca is excited to help adults and children with OMD. Rebecca is a certified member of the International Association of Orofacial Myologists (IAOM). Rebecca became a Certified Oro-Facial Myologist in May 2022. She is currently the only COM® in the Northern Nevada area!

It is Rebecca’s opinion that “traditional” speech therapy treats a symptom, whereas orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) treats the underlying problem causing the speech and/or feeding problem an OMD.

Rebecca has lived in Reno, NV since she was three years old. She recently earned her professional certification as an alpine level I ski instructor. So in addition to all things speech-related, Rebecca would love to teach you to ski!

Amber Brown, M.S., CF-SLP

Clinical Fellow -Speech-Language Pathologist

NV Provisional License # SP-3275

Amber is a newly graduated clinician who is completing her Clinical Fellowship year under the supervision of NEATS owner/founder Rebecca Bailey-Torres. Amber completed two clinical placements with NEATS from May to December of 2021. While in school she worked as a special education teacher’s assistant at a local high school. Through her coursework she experienced a wide range of disorder types across a wide spectrum of ages including autism, cognitive communication disorders, preschool language disorders, speech sound disorders, and many more. During her schooling Amber was taught to think critically about communication across the lifespan, incorporate evidence-based practice, and to enter every relationship with clients and their family with cultural humility.

Amber Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2019 and completed her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Emerson College in 2022.

Kelsi Callahan, RDH, OMT

Registered Dental Hygienist/Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist

NV License #

Kelsi has been in the field of dentistry since 1999. She started as a dental assistant in General Dentistry then furthered her training as a specialty assistant in Endodontics and soon changed her career path from Nursing to Dental Hygiene. She attended Dental Hygiene school in Boise, ID, and has been practicing Dental Hygiene since 2006.

In 2020, she was introduced to Myofunctional Therapy through research. In 2021 She pursued an education in Myofunctional Therapy and has over 70 hours (& counting) of training from AOMT. She is pursuing her certification in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy. She is excited to be a part of an ever-growing field of health where recognition and correction of oral myofunctional disorders can make life-changing improvements on how people efficiently take each breath. She finds it very rewarding to be a key component of a customized collaboration of multidisciplinary airway-focused providers in our community, to help people achieve a healthy oral rest posture through orofacial exercises that will transform their health!

Kelsi is a sixth-generation Nevadan who grew up in an in-home daycare so naturally, she loves working with children! In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband, four children, and dog (Duke) camping, boating, skiing, and traveling!

Israel Montano, M.A., CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

NV License # SP-3396

Israel (Izzy) is a Speech-Language Pathologist who primarily works via teletherapy and specializes in fluency (stuttering) therapy. He formally served in U.S. Navy as an intelligence specialist researching, analyzing, documenting, and communicating findings to aide the PACOM mission set. Maintaining clear communication, prioritizing goals and objectives, and providing impactful work through following the evidence is the model Israel provided to the Navy, and now, to all his clients.

He has experience providing speech-language services to both children and adults who have autism, speech sound disorders, fluency disorders, specific language impairments, orofacial myofunctional disorders, voice disorders, childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), swallowing disorders, and has helped individuals using AAC devices. Israel is currently pursuing and is on pace to receive his Board Certified Specialist in Fluency (BCS-F). If you or anyone you know would like to receive fluency therapy, Izzy would love to help!

Israel graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences from San Diego State University in 2018. Two years later he received his master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of South Dakota.