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About JSLC

Jefferson Speech
& Language Center

Jefferson Speech & Language Center was founded in 1972 and owned by Denise Nagim, M.C.D., CCC-SLP since 1984 and recently, Jeanne Develle, M.S., CCC-SLP became a partner of the Center. In the early 1980’s, a sweet little girl met a nice lady who had just moved into the neighborhood. The two became fast friends as Jeanne spent all of her free time with Ms. Denise and her then two-year-old son. As time went on Ms. Denise became Denise. After college, Jeanne moved away but the two still traveled together and always kept in touch. In 2011, Denise and Jeanne reconnected when Jeanne returned home after a sixteen-year absence from New Orleans.

In 2012, Jeanne Develle joined the Center as a tutor under the guidance of Denise. Over the years, she followed her interests and strengths and became passionate about written expression and executive functioning. With Denise’s continued support and mentorship, Jeanne decided to apply to graduate school. Following graduate school, Jeanne became a partner in JSLC. Today, the two lifelong friends function as a team in order to give the most wholistic approach to language, learning, diagnostics and executive functioning treatment to the Community.

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Denise Nagim, M.C.D., CCC-SLP

After completing her Maters of Communication Disorders degree at Louisiana Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1977, Denise began her first job with Jefferson Parish School Board where she was often times referred to as a “Speech Teacher”. Within a few years, she entered private practice at Jefferson Speech & Learning Center, Inc., established in 1972. Around this time, she decided to introduce herself and her profession to the Community by presenting free informative workshops. By 1982, her workshops included:

  • Auditory Processing and Its Effect on Learning
  • The Brain and Learning
  • Dyslexia- What Is It? What Is Its Link to Language? How to Diagnose and Treat It.
  • What Is the Difference between Tutoring and Language-Based Academic Therapy?
  • Why is a Speech-Language Pathologist an expert in treating Reading and Writing Difficulties/Disorders?
  • Attention and Its Effects on Learning
  • Executive Functioning-What is It? How does It Effect Learning and Daily Living?

The workshops and her commitment to the children, adolescents, and young adults in the Community eventually changed how the Greater New Orleans community would view the brain and its relationship with language-learning, as well as how the implementation of evidenced-based and research driven practices proven effective.

Following her first Psycholinguistic-Educational Evaluation, she became captivated with the puzzle pieces presented by an individual’s scores and discovered that the evaluation provided a footprint of an individual’s cognitive strengths and vulnerabilities. From that day forward, her mission was to help parents, educators, physicians, psychologists and students understand how an individual’s brain uniquely processes information and which recommendations/accommodations will assist academic success and daily living. Most importantly, it is essential that a student learns to learn efficiently which will promote positive self-confidence, independence, self-awareness and self assurance.

Presently, Denise is the Executive Director and owner of Jefferson Speech & Learning Center, Inc. She continues to be actively involved in the Community and in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with language-based learning problems/disorders.          

Jeanne Develle, M.S., CCC-SLP

Before becoming a speech-language pathologist, Jeanne built a successful 16-year career as an award-winning set decorator and art director in the film industry—first in New York City and then Los Angeles, where she became deeply involved in the animal welfare community. She rescued dogs, educated the public, wrote training manuals, and acted as a medical liaison for a thriving rescue group. The experience to her meant that she was more than an artist–she was a humanitarian, and like a true New Orleanian, she wanted to pursue that drive to “give back” in her hometown.

In 2011, and with Denise’s guidance, Jeanne began tutoring school-aged children. One day, a client arrived prepared with the homework completed during their previous day’s session. This phenomenon, which Denise explained was called “executive functioning,” fascinated Jeanne. She attended seminars, read, and researched as much as she could on the topic, discovering along the way that it was executive function that, in large part, allowed her to thrive in her own life. Having found her passion, she began taking prerequisites for graduate school.

Today, she works with school-aged children with both receptive and expressive language difficulties, as well as executive functioning weaknesses. Using an evidence-based, metacognitive approach based on the principle of neuroplasticity, Jeanne helps her clients reach their full potential as learners and thinkers. Her strategies teach students to “think about thinking,” a skill essential to improved executive functioning. They learn that through practice and patience, the brain can reorganize itself.

In addition to a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), Jeanne has a Bachelor of Communications from Loyola University. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the International Dyslexia Association.

Meet Jeanne at one of her no-cost seminars, designed to educate parents about what executive functions are and how they can help their children who exhibit weaknesses. Mid-City Library dates will be posted soon for August and September.

Click here to contact Jeanne directly regarding speaking engagements at your school on Executive Functions.

It’s more than just speech!

Hear Jeanne explain what a speech-language pathologist actually does and more about executive functioning on “Out to Lunch” with Peter Ricchiuti on WWNO. Here’s a link to the episode: https://itsneworleans.com/?s=chimney

 

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