Melissa Miller-Ramirez Ensures Children Acquire the Necessary Skills for Success

In 2018, Melissa Miller-Ramirez was a speech therapist commuting to and from schools when she had an epiphany that would change the course of her career.

“After years of commuting, I decided to explore teletherapy,” she recalls.

Initially uncertain about her ability to connect with students remotely, Miller-Ramirez quickly discovered that not only could she establish strong connections with them, but many students made more progress than they did in person.

“I attributed this to the comfort of being in their own homes, the access to more engaging and varied materials, and a reduction in monotony,” she explains.

Recognizing the effectiveness of teletherapy, Miller-Ramirez felt a strong urge to advocate for it and subsequently founded TeleSesh.

“Little did I know that just over a year later, the onset of COVID-19 would rapidly introduce the world to teletherapy,” she adds.

Today, TeleSesh is a leading provider of online speech therapy services, offering accessible and personalized care to children across the United States.

So, what makes TeleSesh stand out in a crowded field of teletherapy providers?

“As a mother of two and a speech therapist myself, I deeply understand the daily challenges parents face in ensuring their children acquire the necessary skills for success,” she says.

TeleSesh is built around the needs of parents and children, emphasizing strong communication and collaboration, quality and compassionate therapists, and a well-defined plan of action.

This focus has yielded impressive results. “We’ve seen higher attendance rates with our therapists, students achieving their goals more quickly, and an enhanced workplace quality for our therapists, which positively impacts each student and their families,” Miller-Ramirez notes. The benefits are clear: students are thriving in their own homes, supported by therapists who are fully engaged and committed to their success.

Despite these successes, Miller-Ramirez acknowledges that significant barriers still prevent children from accessing the speech therapy services they need.

“In schools, students must exhibit a significant delay in speech and language skills to qualify for special education services,” she explains.

This creates a gap for students who don’t meet the qualification criteria but are still slightly behind their peers. Furthermore, parents seeking in-person speech therapy often face long waitlists, commutes, and limited access to quality therapists.

“My goal is to make speech therapy convenient and accessible for these children,” Miller-Ramirez emphasizes. Using TeleSesh’s expertise in teletherapy, curriculums made for online education, and the increase in homeschooling, TeleSesh is providing an essential service to children who might otherwise fall through the cracks.

In addition to her work with TeleSesh, Miller-Ramirez is also the author of the engaging children’s book, “We Can Teach You to Talk,” designed to foster early speech and language development in toddlers. The book reflects Miller-Ramirez’s commitment to providing valuable resources for parents and caregivers, helping them support their children’s communication skills from an early age.

TeleSesh is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children and their families. As the company continues to expand and evolve, Miller-Ramirez remains dedicated to her mission. “We are thrilled to extend our services to families and offer greater flexibility and personalized care,” she explains. “Our goal is to empower parents and caregivers with the tools and support they need to help their children thrive in their speech and language development.”

Jackie Crowley, California Business Journal