Meet our Team
Amy Pinder, MA, CCC-SLP/DIR is the owner and founder of Circles of Communication. Amy is a New Jersey State licensed and ASHA certified Speech-Language Therapist certified in the DIR/Floortime model. She has over fifteen years of experience working with individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental differences.
She has experience assessing and treating children and adults with diverse communication challenges in a variety of educational and clinical settings including home-based intervention, preschool, public school and specialized private school programs. She utilizes a developmental, holistic, person-centered approach that spans cognitive, linguistic, sensory, motor, social, and emotional domains.
Rooted in the belief that we need to feel safe, confident, and regulated in order to communicate optimally, Amy regularly incorporates expressive movement, circus play, and mindfulness into her practice to encourage clients to engage, explore, increase capacities, and effectively communicate through meaningful, experienced based activities that improve overall wellbeing.
Amy graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she received her BA in Sociology in addition to New York State Teaching Certification in Elementary and Special Education, and from Kean University where she received her MA in Speech Language Pathology.
She has received extensive training in Natural Language Acquisition, Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI), Prompts for Restructuring Oral Motor Phonetic Targets (PROMPT), Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Viconic Language Methods, and the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). Amy is well versed in trauma-informed care as well as a Grounded Kids Yoga Instructor, Mindfulness Educator, and a Holistic Circus Therapy Provider.
Amy is also the co-founder of Inclusion Festival, the nation's first and only music and wellness festival designed to be sensory-friendly and accessible, and the Executive Director for Accessible Festivals, a non-profit dedicated to making music and recreation accessible to all abilities.
Arden Hawes, MS, CCC-SLP is a New Jersey and Pennsylvania licensed and ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist. She graduated with a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a minor in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, then continued her education at La Salle University in Philadelphia where she earned her MS in Speech-Language Pathology.
Arden has experience working with clients across the lifespan in a variety of settings including acute care, outpatient care, public school, therapeutic day school, and public-charter school settings. With a particular interest in children and young adults with language and social-pragmatic communication challenges, she is passionate about developing therapeutic plans that incorporate strengths- and interests-based activities to facilitate communication bounds. She believes in a person-centered, holistic, “outside-the-box” approach to all speech and language interventions and works to weave imaginative outlets into each treatment session.
Arden has received training about neurodiversity-affirming practices and is PROMPT trained.
Arden is thrilled to be on the team at Circles of Communication and looks forward to continuing to grow her experience in the field of Speech-Language Pathology. Her interests include cooking, gardening, spending time in nature, hosting parties (post-COVID), and managing her food blog, The Ardent Cook.
Leah Barron, MAT, RYT 200 is a special education teacher and registered yoga teacher with experience working in a variety of settings including public schools, private studios, and home-based instruction. She is passionate about sharing the benefits of yoga and recreation with individuals of all ages and abilities.
Leah believes that when you embrace the present moment, connect with an intention, and attend to your breath, you may experience a sense of peace and calm that benefits mind, body, and spirit. She is creative, intuitive and able to easily connect with others by recognizing their individual talents, tuning into their passions and interests, and guiding them to increase their capacities using a warm, accessible person-centered approach. Leah has participated in numerous trainings about autism, mindfulness, essential oils, and yoga across the lifespan.
Leah is also the co-founder of Inclusion Festival, the nation's first and only music and wellness festival designed to be sensory-friendly and accessible, and the Program Director for Accessible Festivals, a non-profit dedicated to making music and recreation accessible to all abilities.
Michele Mizeski, RYT 200+ is a registered yoga teacher with a BA in Theatre from Rowan University. She has been teaching since 2014 when she received her certification in Hatha Yoga at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California. Since then, she has been continuing her education in Yoga Therapy, Yin Yoga, Aerial Yoga, and Thai Yoga Massage.
Michele has volunteered teaching meditation and yoga at nursing homes, independent living centers, and festivals throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She also has years of experience working with children as a camp teacher, after-school program provider, and preschool teacher.
She is an animal lover who enjoys yoga and meditation, traveling, singing and dancing, reading and writing, hiking and rock climbing, and spending time with her husband, dog, cat, and pet sheep! She is grateful to teach all that she has learned. Seeing relaxed faces after a yoga class or yoga massage is the highlight of her career! She is the owner of Earth and Sky Yoga, currently offering outdoor group and private classes in Clinton, NJ and Stockton, NJ.
Max Papperman is a co-owner of Circles of Communication. He wears many hats as property manager, animal caretaker, and advises on business operations. Max is also a geologist who specializes in environmental investigation and remediation at sites throughout New Jersey, a soccer player, and a music enthusiast.
