Meet Our Team

**Courtney Gibbs**
Speech-Language Pathologist, Owner

Courtney Gibbs, MS, CCC-SLP

Courtney moved to Wilmington in the summer of 2012 and began seeing patients in the Burgaw area in 2014. After seeing patients in their home and preschools as an independent practitioner, the need for local services was clear. Courtney opened Pender Pediatric Therapy, PC in September of 2016 to provide quality services to children and their families close to home. Courtney enjoys traveling with her husband and two daughters.

**Caroline Poe**
Speech-Language Pathologist

Caroline Poe, MA, CCC-SLP

Caroline Poe is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist from Greensboro, NC. She attended UNC-W for an undergraduate degree in Recreation Therapy and UNC-G for her master degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Caroline enjoys working with young children and their families to help them grow and succeed. When not at work you can find her spending time with her dog, reading, and going to the beach.

**Ruth Gates**
Speech-Language Pathologist

Ruth Gates, MA, CCC-SLP

Ruth Gates moved to Wilmington in 2017 from Fayetteville N.C. Ruth has experience working as a speech-language pathologist at the Developmental Evaluation Center (now the CDSA), in the school system, and in a private clinic. After arriving on the coast, she worked as an independent contractor in Wilmington and Hampstead. Ruth joined the Pender Pediatric Therapy team in February in order to help meet the communication needs in Burgaw and surrounding areas. She is experienced in treating articulation disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, fluency disorders, as well as delays in language development resulting from autism and other developmental delays. She has special training in identifying and treating tongue ties. Ruth enjoys teaching yoga.

Shanedra Covington, SLP-Assistant

Shanedra joined the PPT team in August of 2021. Shanedra received her Associate of Arts degree as a Speech Language Pathology Assitant at FTCC before going on to achieve a Bachelor Degree in Speech Pathology from NC A&T State University in 2018. She sees students in the public school setting. In her free time, Shanedra spends time with her two precious children .

**Cassie Hatala**
Speech-Language Pathologist

Cassie Hatala, MA, CCC-SLP

Cassie is a SLP licensed and registered through the state of North Carolina. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Cassie relocated to Wilmington in the summer of 2022. Cassie earned her bachelor degree in Speech-Language-Hearing from Temple University and her master degree in Speech-Language Pathology from West Chester University. Cassie enjoys working with young children and facilitating their language. She has a special interest in skill in augmentative communication. Outside of work, Cassie enjoys spending time at the beach with her husband, child, and two dogs.

Haleigh Tharrington
Speech-Language Pathologist

Haleigh Tharrington, MS, CCC-SLP

Haleigh Tharrington is a licensed SLP in the state of North Carolina. Haleigh is PROMPT Trained. Currently, she serves children in private schools, in the community, and in their homes in Wilmington.

**Robin Dunbar**
Insurance and Billing Specialist

Robin Dunbar, Office Manager

Robin joined Pender Pediatric Therapy, PC as a billing specialist and office coordinator in June of 2017. As the practice rapidly grew, so did her role and responsibilities. As a mother of two children, one whom is on the Autism Spectrum, she understands that importance of having developmental services locally, as well as how to be flexible and coordinate with clinicians and families.