Hello! I am Stacy St.Amant Payne, a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and the owner of Bright Beginnings. I am proud to say that I am a true Angeleno – born and raised here in Los Angeles, California. As a young girl, I knew I wanted two things out of life: to be a mom and to help children. Following the mentorship of a family member and accomplished speech pathologist, I entered the University of California, Santa Barbara with speech pathology declared as my major. In June of 1994, I earned a Master of Science with Distinction in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. In 2007, I earned my lactation educator certification from UCLA. Understanding the connection between early speech and language disorders and literacy, I sought out additional training and education in the areas of neurodevelopment, dyslexia, and learning and attention disorders. This prompted me to expand the practice to include the Bright Minds Therapeutic Learning Academy where we teach kids the underlying skills needed for school and life success. I earned my ADHD- Rehabilitation Services Provider credential in 2020, and this year, I am finalizing my qualification as an Orofacial Myologist.

Over the course of my 30 years as a speech pathologist, I have worked in a variety of settings and with people of all ages and needs. I have helped the tiniest of babies and their families in the neonatal intensive care unit to teenagers in the clinic. I have served adults in acute care, in rehabilitation and prison units, in skilled nursing facilities and in-home health. All of my experiences have helped me to truly view the developmental process as a continuum. But the heart of my service as an SLP has always been with children. In 2007, after many years on staff at large medical centers including The Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia and Cedars Sinai Medical Center here in Los Angeles as the senior speech and feeding specialist in the NICU, PICU and Cleft Palate Team, I began my private practice where I, along with my team, now have the opportunity to serve babies, children, adults and their families in the community.

I enjoy mentoring students and new clinicians and am a clinical supervisor for graduate students and clinical fellows in the field of speech pathology from local and out-of-state universities. I have had the pleasure of lecturing about pediatric dysphagia, communicative disorders, and learning disorders before my colleagues in the field, physicians, and educators locally and at state and national conferences. I am a proud member of the Southern California Community Council for Feeding Matters. I also serve as an expert witness for select matters in speech and feeding that are in dispute.

I know I have the best job in the world as I get to lead an amazing group of professionals who do BIG things each and every day! Every member of our team reflects the best our field has to offer. Because I am very selective in my hiring and training process, I can say, without a doubt, that our clinicians possess a combination of expertise, dedication to clients, and enormous compassion that is very hard to come by. I am so very proud of my team here at Bright Beginnings and the wonderful work that we do to make life better for our clients and their families.

When I am not in the office, I’m spending time with family, cheering my kids on at sporting events, (attempting to) ride the Peloton, and volunteering at my children’s schools and in the community. I am a lover of animals (we have 3 dogs and a 100-lb. sulcata tortoise), Netflix binges, good food (I’m a Creole girl), good books, the mountains and trees, and a good date night with my husband, who was also my kindergarten sweetheart.

I can’t wait to meet you!