About Us
Play & Thrive Speech Therapy is a family-centered speech and language therapy practice, with a focus on supporting children’s needs through play. From helping pre-verbal toddlers with their first words to helping older elementary learners with inferencing and summarizing, all children learn best when they feel connected and engaged.
Our Office
Our office is located in Arnold, in the Bay Dale shopping center, with easy access to US-50 and Ritchie Hwy. We are located on the second floor, above Rise-Up Coffee and Bay Hills Eyecare. Our two offices have adult, child, and floor-level seating, adjustable lighting levels, and gross-motor sensory equipment.
Virtual Platform
Play & Thrive Speech is proud to provide teletherapy via Ambiki (æmbɪki), a platform designed by and for therapists. The Ambiki therapy room is secure, does not require an account or log-in information, and uses the same link for each session. Integrated games and apps make it easy to engage even our youngest learners.
Anne Marie Flood
MA, CCC-SLP
After 5 years as a Spanish teacher, including earning a master's in Secondary Education, Anne Marie found her passion in the form of Speech Language Pathology. She returned to pursue a master's degree at the University of Maryland following the birth of her oldest children. Between virtual, school-based, and private practice experience, Anne Marie has worked with children with speech and language impairments, and their families, all across the US.
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Anne Marie founded Play & Thrive Speech Therapy in January 2022 in the hopes of offering families more flexibility and collaboration. She believes in partnering with families to help early learners improve their speech and language skills through play. She currently lives in Arnold MD with her husband. When not in the clinic, she can be found homeschooling her two older kids or running with the youngest in the stroller.
Maggie Olson
M.S, CCC-SLP
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Maggie earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language-Hearing with a minor in Applied Behavioral Science from the University of Kansas. She later completed her Master of Science in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona.
She brings experience from educational, clinical, and in-home settings, with a focus on supporting children with diverse communication needs. Her approach emphasizes evidence-based therapy, AAC integration, and individualized care. Maggie is especially passionate about working collaboratively with families and interdisciplinary teams to help children make meaningful progress.
Outside of work, Maggie enjoys exploring her new home in Annapolis—checking out local restaurants, hiking trails, and markets with her fiancé and their puppy, Wally.
Caroline Mecchi
M.S, CF-SLP
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Caroline is a two-time Towson University graduate who earned both her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology with a Health Science minor at TU.
Her clinical and academic background includes working with pediatric and adult populations of varying communication abilities in outpatient clinics, private schools, teletherapy, and rehabilitation settings. Additionally, she has training in counseling and prioritizes a person-centered approach with her clients, emphasizing collaboration with families, caregivers, and professional members of the multidisciplinary team. Caroline is passionate about supporting individuals and their families in developing functional communication in a meaningful and collaborative way.
Outside of the clinic, she loves spending time taking barre classes, traveling, and trying new restaurants and coffee shops with her fiancé
M.S, CCC-SLP
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Leah Loftin, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a certified speech-language pathologist passionate about helping individuals find their voice and confidence through communication. Born in Baltimore, MD, and raised in Fort Washington, MD, Leah earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University, where she discovered her calling for speech-language pathology. She went on to complete post-baccalaureate coursework at the University of Maryland, College Park, before earning her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of the District of Columbia.
Leah is licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Oregon, and she has provided services across a range of settings—including private practice, telehealth, early intervention, and skilled nursing facilities. Her clinical expertise spans expressive and receptive language disorders, articulation and phonological disorders, fluency, pragmatic language, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and intellectual disabilities.
Leah’s therapy approach is rooted in compassion, evidence-based practice, and a genuine commitment to fostering progress—one person and one voice at a time. Outside of the therapy room, she enjoys traveling, spending time with loved ones, and staying active at her local gym.
Leah Loftin
Lauren Wade-Riggs
Office Manager
With a passion for creating smooth and welcoming experiences, Lauren brings a strong background in administrative coordination and client support to Play & Thrive Speech Therapy. As Office Manager, her attention to detail, organizational skills, and warm demeanor help keep the clinic running efficiently while maintaining the family-centered values that define Play & Thrive.
Before joining the team, Lauren worked in the Dental field as the office manager of two different practices spanning over 19 years, where she developed a deep appreciation for supporting professionals who make a difference in children’s lives. She’s excited to contribute to a practice that blends play, connection, and therapeutic excellence.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time sitting around the firepit with her family, having cocktails with her favorite sister-in-law, hosting neighborhood events with the “cul-de-sac party planning committee”, and constantly outdoing herself with her charcuterie tray building skills.
Vanessa Rojas-Lee
Administrative Assisstant
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Vanessa has several years of experience in the healthcare and administrative field and is passionate about providing efficient and reliable support in every task she handles. She’s dedicated to maintaining a positive and productive work environment while continuously striving for improvement and excellence. Often the friendly voice you hear when calling the office, she’s always ready to assist and ensure you receive the best possible service.​
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Outside work, she enjoys traveling and trying out new foods. Exploring new destinations and culinary experiences is something she finds incredibly fulfilling and enriching.