


Be Bold
Be Your expression
Be Vybrent


Meet the Team

We at Vybrence are excited to introduce ourselves to you. We are a team of certified speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with +50 years of experience combined. All team members have worked in pediatrics and with adults with various articulation, language, voice, fluency, pragmatic, and feeding/swallowing disorders, as well as worked in the SLP corporate world, which encompasses professional communication consulting and accent modification (American English pronunciation. We believe that all individuals have a voice and celebrate all forms of individuality, cultures, & races.


Kate Taheny
MS, CCC-SLP/L
Co-Owner
Kate earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana College and her Masters of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has worked in school and private practice. Kate has experience with both pediatric and adult populations. She has mentored fellow clinicians in various roles.
Kate loves learning about other cultures and languages! She studied abroad in Europe during her time at Augustana College and that experience shaped and influenced her love of different languages and cultures. She is of German and Polish descent and is the Granddaughter of a Polka Drummer!
Kate’s two children participate in a Mandarin Immersion program. They have been reading, writing and speaking Mandarin Chinese for a combined total of 9 years (and counting!) She has learned so much about the Chinese culture through her children! Kate appreciates the beauty of the written and spoken language and is fascinated by the language learning process and loves watching her children learn Mandarin. Nĭhǎo!
Kate’s passion is helping her clients achieve their communication goals. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, running and boating with her family on the lake. She has run the Chicago Marathon and many half marathons, 10, 8 and 5Ks!

Jennifer Brandt
MA, CCC-SLP/L
Co-Owner
Jennifer earned a Bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Science from the University of Illinois and a Master’s of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Cincinnati. She has worked in clinic and hospital settings and has supervised graduate-level clinicians in the university setting. Jennifer has been published in the Cleft-Palate Craniofacial Journal and has presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Conference.
Jennifer is of German descent and grew up with many of her elders being non-native English speakers. Having both an immigrant father and immigrant grandparents, has given her a deep appreciation of other cultures, languages, and ethnicities. Jennifer values working with individuals on their unique communication goals.
In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys reading, group fitness, and traveling with her family. Her appreciation for different cultures has been enhanced by her travels to Canada, China, Europe, and Mexico.

Marina Peri
MA, CCC-SLP/L
Co-Owner
Marina earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Elmhurst University and her Master's of Arts in Communication Sciences & Disorders at Northwestern University & holds various certificates & training to further advance in her field. She worked with adults and in pediatrics in the clinical and hospital settings. Marina spent a summer working in Germany & France, where she was able to study the healthcare systems and consult with other healthcare professionals for optimal patient care. She has also had the privilege of supervising graduate-level clinicians both in clinics & in the university settings, as well as lectured at colleges, seminars, & conventions about various topics in the field.
Marina is not only passionate about her field, but also loves cooking, traveling, and, like Kate, is an avid runner. Marina is on a racing team. She and her teammates race around the world. She enjoys volunteering with an non-profit organization that organizes running events with children or adults with disabilities so that they can gain the racing experience.
Furthermore, Marina is first generation Italian-American and is proud to be bilingual. Having parents & family members who are immigrants and who speak with accents, she has seen how effortful it can be when trying to express your wants, needs, and desires in a foreign country. And yes, she proudly speaks with a American accent when speaking to her family in Italian.


Vibrante
Dynamique
Lebendige
充满 活力
яркие
活気
Vibrant
/ˈvaɪbrənt/
Adj. - Full of energy and enthusiasm. Synonyms: spirited, lively, full of life, full of spirit, etc. - from Oxford Dictionary
ζωντανή
Mahiri
जीवंत
תוססת
tętniące życiem
Our Philosophy
We believe that all individuals have the ability to achieve great success by enhancing communication skills. The manner in which we say things, our pronunciation, our use & interpretation of non-verbal skills, & our active listening abilities are all vital components in successful and meaningful interactions with others in our daily lives. When our messages are not understood or are disrupted, speaking situations often become effortful and stressful. We often develop negative feelings towards communication and social interactions with others and shy away from unique opportunities that have the potential to increase our social circles, advance our careers, or further our personal growth.
Our goal for our clients is to feel empowered, confident, and be effective communicators across environments so that they can easily obtain more success in their personal and professional endeavors. We will help you achieve this by creating individualized plans and providing effective training for you to attain your communicative goals. As licensed speech-language pathologists, we have a combined total of over 50 years of experience working with individuals across the country and internationally on various speech and language needs, believe in utilizing evidence-based practices, understand the neuro-musculature of the oral mechanism and the requirements to produce appropriate sounds in a fluent manner, have studied the vital components of speech sound and language development, and have a vast amount of experience in rehabilitation services in the areas of voice, fluency, articulation (pronunciation), language, pragmatics, and feeding/swallowing. With a solid foundation, we are proud to be leaders in American English pronunciation (accent modification) training and professional communication consulting services to help you better achieve success.
Furthermore, we believe in treating our clients as a whole and with respect and great care. Your culture, diversity, & individuality should be celebrated!

Certified Compton P-ESL Instructors & Members of CORSPAN
ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence
PROMPT Level I & II Training
Kaufman Training for Apraxia
+50 years of
COMBINED EXPERIENCE
We have the know-how you need.
Orofacial Myofunctional Training
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT)
SOS Approach to Feeding Certification
Get Permission Approach to Feeding Certification
TOTs Certification
Specialized Training in Augmentative & Alternative Communication
Beckman Oral Motor Therapy
Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display Certified (PODD)
SOFFI Method Certification
Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) Trained


