Maura Carmouche Mize is a native of Lake Charles. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974 from LSU, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She received a Master of Arts in speech pathology in 1976 from the University of Tennessee.
After practicing for one year, she and her husband, Joe, moved to New Orleans so he could attend Tulane Law School. Maura decided to expand her clinical skills and worked on a double masters in Learning Disabilities and Early Childhood from Tulane University. She worked for the Jefferson Parish School System for four years while in New Orleans.
She and her husband moved back to Lake Charles in 1983, and she began her private practice. She has grown from a solo practice in 1983 to a practice currently employing four speech pathologists and three dyslexia literacy therapists.
Maura Mize has attended numerous continuing education courses and tries to stay on the cutting edge of new therapy techniques. She has attended courses in: Diagnosis of Dyslexia, becoming a Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialist; Scerts Training for Autism Spectrum Disorders; Diagnosis and Treatment of the Deviate Swallow (Myofunctional Therapy); Fast For Word; Dubard Method for Severe Language Delays and Dyslexia; multiple conferences on dysphagia; multiple conferences on autism spectrum disorders, voice disorders, and cochlear implant treatment. She was invited to participate in a delegation of speech pathologists traveling to South Africa in 2008 and to Israel in 2010.
Stephanie Kestel Karpovs, M.C.D, CCC-SLP, is a native of Lake Charles. She graduated with honors from Centenary College of Louisiana with a major in Applied Science and minor in Psychology. She earned her Masters degree from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in 2001, graduating at the top of her class. While in graduate school, Stephanie conducted research on language development in children with cochlear implantation, lectured to fourth-year medical students, and received a grant for using augmentative communication with severely disordered children in Louisiana schools.
Stephanie completed her fellowship in Richmond, Va., and lived there for four years. There she worked with elementary school children, provided early childhood intervention, served on the interdisciplinary team at the Virginia Treatment Center for Children, worked at a nursing home (long-term and skilled nursing care), and worked at an antique store for fun!
She and her family moved back to Louisiana in 2005, and Stephanie has been with Mize and Associates ever since.
She has been the hospital manager for this practice, and she has worked in acute, rehab and outpatient settings. Stephanie has extensive specialized training in the area of Pediatric Dysphagia and is the speech therapist for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. Both of her children were born prematurely, so she offers insight not only as a clinician, but also as a parent while at the NICU. In addition, Stephanie has served as a clinical supervisor/mentor for clinicians entering this field. Her main areas of clinical interest are voice therapy, dysphagia therapy, hearing impairment, articulation, and auditory processing disorders. she loves helping both kids and adults, so this has been the perfect job!
She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA and also maintains Louisiana licensure. She is a member of the Special Interest Divisions for Voice Disorders and Dysphagia. She applies her creativity and varied interests to her therapy, in order to help her clients achieve their full potential.
Stephanie is married to Dr. Anatole Karpovs and is active with the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. When not working, she enjoys singing, landscape/interior design, and baking. She loves jewelry, and was one of the top 100 new Silpada Designs representatives in 2010. Stephanie has written and illustrated several children’s books and hopes to someday publish them on a national level.
Angela Gillett Litton is a 1991 Greyhound graduate of Welsh High School in Welsh, La., and a proud double Ragin’ Cajun alumnus. She gained a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL) in 1996. She later accepted an invitation to attend USL’s graduate degree program, earning a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 1998.
In addition to 12 years of experience in the areas of skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, private clinics, public school systems, long-term acute care centers, acute care settings, and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation centers, she has received special training in Sensory Integration, Tracheostomy and Vent Management and Rehabilitation, Deep Pharyngeal Neuromuscular Stimulation, Facial Muscle Exercises Program, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (Vital Stim), Augmentative and Alternative Communication, and Cochlear Implants/Auditory-Verbal Communication. She enjoys working with a diverse population of patients, clients and families, and she is grateful for the opportunity to help change lives.
Cassie Dingler Gage graduated from Barbe High School in 1991. She attended LSU and graduated with a B.A. in Speech Pathology in 1995. She attended graduate school at LSU and obtained a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology in 1997.
She worked for Mize and Associates from June 1997 to May 2007, when she had her third child. Since then, she has worked part-time or as needed. Cassie and her husband, Billy Gage, have four children: Will, Shreve, Finn and Ellie.
Cassie has enjoyed working in the private practice area with Maura Mize. She loves seeing children and has worked with fluency disorders, autism, articulation, reading and phonological processing, auditory processing, voice and dysphagia. She also has experience with the adult population in the areas of stroke, traumatic brain injury, voice, dysphagia, apraxia, dysarthria, and a variety of other speech and language disorders. She is experienced with acute care, outpatient care, home health and rehabilitation.
Meghan recieved her Bachelor of Arts in Speech Pathology from the University of Tennessee, graduating with honors in 2005. After graduating, Meghan moved overseas, obtaining her certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Through her experience in her undergraduate program and as a TEFL instructor, Meghan became interested in dyslexia. When her mother, Maura Mize, owner of Mize and Associates, started offering services for dyslexia tutoring, Meghan quickly jumped on board. Meghan has been working with dyslexic children and adults since 2006.
Meghan is a certified Barton tutor and is trained in the Linda Mood-Bell (LiPS). She has successfully brought clients through the entire LiPS and Barton programs. As a dyslexia literacy therapist, Meghan enjoys specifically formatting her sessions to achieve the highest potential of each individual child. She believes there is no greater reward than having a child read to his parents or bring home a report card full of A’s.
Sara Bordelon attended Louisiana State University from 1970-1974, where she received her degree in education. She taught in Cottonport, La., for 18 years, then moved to Lake Charles, where for 13 years she taught first grade at Our Lady Queen of Heaven School.
Sara has always loved to teach reading, which is why she began working with the Barton program. She became a certified tutor and has been tutoring at Mize and Associates for three years.
Emily Mott DeRouen is from Welsh, La., where she graduated from Welsh High School in 2003. To continue her education, she attended McNeese State University and studied psychology and nursing. While attending McNeese, Emily was a member of the Cowgirl Kickers Dance Team for four years and served as a senator on the Student Government Association.
After graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in nursing, she spent time in the Calcasieu Parish School System as a substitute teacher. She is currently enrolled at McNeese to obtain her certification to teach Special Education.
Emily is employed with Mize and Associates as a Barton Tutor for children with dyslexia. She also serves the position of Assistant Director of the McNeese Cowgirl Kickers Dance Team. She married Jordan DeRouen in November 2010.