Meet Our Team
Kristen Kesler DeSena, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist & Owner
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Kristen is the founder and owner of STAR. She received her BA in English and Linguistics from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, followed by her MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Emerson College in Boston.
Kristen has professional experience evaluating and treating children ages 0-21 years and presenting with a wide range of
communication and feeding impairments. Kristen has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delay, Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Visual/Hearing Impairments, Expressive/Receptive Language Impairments, Feeding/Swallowing Disorders, Fluency Disorders, and Speech Sound Disorders.
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Kristen has expertise in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
She has worked at Boston Children’s Hospital’s internationally-acclaimed Augmentative Communication Program, as a graduate instructor in AAC, and as an AAC consultant in private practice. Kristen is especially passionate about following a family-centered approach to therapy and implementing AAC systems and strategies when appropriate to ensure every child is given an equal opportunity to communicate.
Kristen is licensed by the board of North Carolina, has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, and is a member of the North Carolina Augmentative Communication Association.
Aside from being an SLP, Kristen enjoys going to the beach, training for marathons, and cheering for Michigan sports. Kristen lives in Durham, NC
with her husband and two kids.
Clare Rahill-Graca, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist &
Director of Business Development
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Clare is originally from small town Ohio but is proud to call Durham her new home. She is a speech-language pathologist, receiving both her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Speech-Language Pathology and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She is licensed by the board of North Carolina and has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association.
Clare’s professional experience includes evaluating and treating children ages 0-21 years and presenting with a wide range of communication and feeding impairments. She has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delay, Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Visual/Hearing Impairments, Expressive/Receptive Language Impairments, Feeding/Swallowing Disorders, Fluency Disorders, and Speech Sound Disorders.
Clare is specially trained in treating echolalia and is registered in the national Meaningful Speech™ registry of Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) trained clinicians. She is also certified and trained as a sensory-based speech-language pathologist and is particularly enthusiastic about incorporating your child’s sensory needs into each and every speech therapy session. Family- and child-centered therapy is a pillar of Clare’s therapy, recognizing the importance of diversity, inclusion, and meeting each family where they are.
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Clare lives in Durham with her husband. She enjoys crafting, yoga, and
snuggles with her cat.
Beth Holtz, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist &
Director of Program Management
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Beth is a resident in Durham, NC who is originally from Buffalo, NY. Attending University at Buffalo, SUNY, she has received a dual BA in Cognitive Science, Social Science Interdisciplinary and Speech and Hearing Sciences; followed by MA in Speech-Language Pathology.
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Beth has had experience working in a variety of settings, allowing her to gain valuable skills that enable her to provide holistic care and intervention. Beth’s professional
experience includes evaluating and treating children and young adults ages 0-21 years and presenting with a wide range of communication needs. Beth has experience with working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Down Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Receptive/Expressive Language Delays, Fluency Disorders and Articulation/ Phonological Disorders.
Beth also has a passion for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). She holds certifications for Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD) and PODD Alternative Access Specialties. She has completed training and holds certification for Greenspan DIR/Floortime Approach, and The Hanen Center It Takes Two To Talk and More Than Words. Beth is committed to implementing family-centered practices, and facilitating the development of autonomous communication for each child.
Beth is licensed by the board of North Carolina, has her Certification of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), and a member of ASHA’s Special Interest Group 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
Outside of her SLP role, Beth can be found exploring locally owned cafes, snuggling with her dog, hiking new trails or kayaking waterways.
Bridget Daoust, MA, CF-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist - Clinical Fellow
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Bridget is originally from Western Massachusetts. She attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she earned a BS in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences followed by a MA in
Speech-Language Pathology. Between degrees, Bridget worked as an
SLP-Assistant for 4 years.
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Bridget’s clinical experience includes evaluating and treating a wide range of communication and swallowing/feeding impairments in various settings, including public schools, private practice,
home health, and telepractice. She has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delay, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Rhett Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Visual/Hearing Impairments, Expressive/Receptive Language Impairments, Feeding/Swallowing Disorders, Fluency Disorders, and Speech Sound Disorders.
Bridget strives to provide individualized, child-led, and play-based therapy, working collaboratively with the care team to help clients and families succeed. She is passionate about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and has experience conducting AAC evaluations and providing treatment with various programs, including LAMP Words for Life, Proloquo2Go, and TouchChat. Bridget values collaborating with team members to provide caregiver education and training on evidence-based AAC implementation and support.
Bridget’s spare time is spent reading, enjoying time with friends and family, and exploring her new home state.