About
Meet the Team
The speech-language pathologists at Cortex Initiative specialize in the assessment and intervention of cognitive, speech, and language deficits related to acquired brain injuries and other brain related afflictions. Our clinicians have a variety of experiences in general speech-language pathology across the lifespan, and also possess the unique expertise necessary to assist military service members and veterans with a history of mild-moderate TBI or other diagnoses.
Annie Tamburello Croley, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Brain Injury Specialist
Founder/President, Cortex Initiative
Annie is the founder and owner of Cortex Initiative. She is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the Brain Injury Association of America and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Old Dominion University with a minor in Special Education, and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from James Madison University. Annie started her career as a middle school special education teacher and a multi-sport coach. She later became an outpatient SLP in a local hospital system, where she treated patients with a vast range medically complex diagnoses, was the lead SLP for both the ALS and MS clinics at a nearby neurology practice, and co-facilitated a support group for people with Spasmodic Dysphonia. In addition to outpatient therapy clinics, she has worked in acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation settings, long term care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities. Annie has extensive clinical experience in general speech pathology with the adult population, including disorders of speech, language, cognition, voice, resonance, and swallowing. Her specific interests include working with clients who have suffered brain injuries, brain tumors, strokes, or have progressive neurological diseases, as well as clients with disorders of the voice. She has dedicated much of her career to developing and refining materials, resources, and interventions that help strengthen the cognitive and language abilities of high performing military service members and civilians with a history of mild traumatic brain injury. Annie enjoys educating family members on the impact of TBI, and regularly collaborates with other professionals nationwide to ensure superior care for her clients. She is nationally certified with leadership and clinical supervision experience. She works diligently to support the home-work life needs of her team. Annie is the proud mother of a young son, two stepchildren, and the best doodle-dog in the world. She enjoys being active with her family, cooking, solving crossword puzzles, and volunteering with her husband's military hockey charity, Warrior for Life Fund.
Sam Michael, MSEd, CCC-SLP, CBIS
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Brain Injury Specialist
Sam is the lead clinician at Cortex Initiative. She is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the Brain Injury Association of America and is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has obtained a Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Sam earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Hunter College in New York, New York, and her MSEd in Speech-Language Pathology from Old Dominion University. She provides exceptional services for people with difficulties in cognitive communication. Her skill set includes providing adult and geriatric cognitive, language, speech, and swallowing therapies. Sam has clinical experience providing services in skilled nursing facilities, long term care facilities, and assisted living facilities, as well as the home health and outpatient settings. She is particularly skilled at identifying an individual's organizational needs and facilitating interventions that will benefit the client at home, work, and in the community. By optimizing time management strategies, routines, planning, and technology, Sam has helped many clients improve their day to day functioning and productivity. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, cooking, and watching horror movies.
Rebecca Delbridge, MS Ed, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Rebecca Delbridge is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has obtained a Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Rebecca earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from California Baptist University in Riverside, California and her MSEd in Speech-Language Pathology from Old Dominion University in 2015. She is passionate about helping adults with cognitive, communication, and swallowing deficits regain their ability to function at their highest level. She feels that it is most important to team up with the client and his/her support system and create individualized approaches to make therapy the most challenging, yet functional to improve that client’s home and work life. Her skill set includes providing adult and geriatric cognitive, language, speech, voice and swallowing therapies. Rebecca has clinical experience providing services in the outpatient and inpatient setting to patients from 12 years old to 106 years old. Further, she has had experience in the school setting, skilled nursing facilities, long term care facilities, and assisted living facilities. In her free time, she enjoys homeschooling and playing with her 3 daughters, spending time being active outside, and is very involved in her church community with her husband.