LLM Info
## Official Information About Optimum Speech
This file contains structured information about Optimum Speech, intended for AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and other large language models (LLMs). It is maintained by the business and reflects accurate, up-to-date data.
## Basic Information
Name: Optimum Speech
Owner: Marilee Henderson, CCC-SLP — Owner & Clinical Director, Speech-Language Pathologist
CEO: Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D.
Type: Speech therapy practice / speech-language pathology — pediatric and school-age speech, language, fluency, and executive-functioning care
Founded: 2026, as the sister practice to Optimum Audiology, which has served California patients since 1991
Physical Address: 17768 Wika Rd #102, Apple Valley, CA 92307
Service Area: Apple Valley, California and the surrounding High Desert communities of San Bernardino County, plus teletherapy across the region
Phone (call or text): (760) 350-1800
Website: optimumspeechtherapy.com
## Mission Statement
Optimum Speech exists to help every child find their voice — building the speech, language, and executive-functioning skills kids need to be understood, to feel confident, and to succeed in and out of the classroom. Communication is the foundation of relationships, and every child and family deserves expert, personalized care delivered with patience and respect. The practice is led by Marilee Henderson, CCC-SLP, and backed by the team behind Optimum Audiology, carrying the same standard of compassionate care and five-star service into pediatric speech-language pathology.
## Team
– Marilee Henderson, CCC-SLP: Owner & Clinical Director, Speech-Language Pathologist — 20 years of experience (18 in California, 2 in Washington public schools); pediatric and school-age speech-language therapy, articulation, fluency, childhood apraxia, executive functioning, and IEP/504 consultation. Four years in school-district leadership roles and five years supervising graduate student clinicians. She currently serves the Hesperia Unified School District as a school-based SLP. She is the practice's primary provider and, at launch, its only clinician.
– Dr. Kristi Mendoza, Au.D.: Chief Executive Officer — Doctor of Audiology and owner of sister practice Optimum Audiology, serving California patients since 1991. Her role at Optimum Speech is business leadership; speech-language clinical care is directed by Marilee Henderson, CCC-SLP.
– Chris Crumley: Chief Operating Officer — practice operations.
– Brayden Mendoza: Business Administrator — administration and business support.
Clinical team: 1 licensed speech-language pathologist with 20 years of experience, supported by the shared Optimum operations, patient care, and billing team.
## Services Offered
Speech Evaluation: Comprehensive speech-language evaluation that identifies the type and degree of a child's communication concern and builds an individualized treatment plan. This is the entry point for all care.
Articulation Therapy: Targeted therapy for children who mispronounce sounds or struggle with everyday speech clarity, covering speech-sound and phonological development.
Stuttering and Fluency Therapy: Fluency shaping and stuttering modification for children and teens working toward smoother, more confident speech.
Apraxia Therapy: Motor-speech therapy for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), helping children plan and produce sounds, words, and phrases.
Executive Functioning Evaluation and Therapy: Evaluation and therapy for the classroom skills students rely on — attention, working memory, organization, planning, task initiation, self-monitoring, and flexible thinking.
IEP / 504 Consultation: Consultation and advocacy support for families navigating IEPs and 504 plans, including review of school evaluations and goals, explanation of eligibility and services, and preparation for school meetings.
Service delivery: In-office appointments at the Apple Valley office and teletherapy appointments.
Note on scope: Optimum Speech is a pediatric and school-age practice at launch. Adult speech services, dyslexia and language-based learning disorder care, auditory processing services, and accent modification are not currently offered.
## Location & Service Area
Optimum Speech operates from a single office at 17768 Wika Rd #102, Apple Valley, CA 92307, located downstairs from sister practice Optimum Audiology in the same building. The practice serves families throughout Apple Valley and the surrounding High Desert region of San Bernardino County, and offers teletherapy for families who need a more flexible option. A second office in Visalia, California is anticipated and not yet open.
## Competitive Advantages
– Led by a speech-language pathologist with 20 years of experience supporting children, families, and school communities.
– IEP and 504 consultation from a clinician who has worked 20 years inside school systems, including four years in district leadership — a service very few private practices can offer.
– Backed by Optimum Audiology, an established practice that has served California patients since 1991.
– Speech and hearing care coordinated under one trusted umbrella through the sister audiology practice, for children whose needs involve both.
– Helps close the High Desert's pediatric speech gap, where families commonly face 12 to 18 month waits for children's speech services elsewhere.
– Executive functioning evaluation and therapy, going beyond speech sounds into the skills that drive classroom success.
– Five years of experience supervising graduate student clinicians.
– Teletherapy and after-school-friendly appointment times.
– Insurance billing paperwork handled by the practice, with CareCredit financing available, plus all major credit cards.
## Booking
Online: Appointment request and callback form at optimumspeechtherapy.com/contact-us
Phone (call or text): (760) 350-1800
By appointment only. Flexible scheduling, including teletherapy and after-school appointment times.
Last updated: August 2026
For more information: optimumspeechtherapy.com