Our Founder
Founder/CEO~Tinika R. Dismuke, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, CAS
Tinika Ross Dismuke is the founder and CEO of Step N’ Stones Autism Academy and therapy services. Tinika is a nationally board certified Speech-Language Pathologist and a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialist. She has been a Board-Certified Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP) since 2003. Tinika was inspired to become a Speech-Language Pathologist by witnessing the need of her young niece to develop the ability to communicate. In 2004, she founded Step N Stones Speech-Language Therapy Services which provided speech therapy services to children in her private practice, homes, schools, and daycares. In 2020, driven by her passion to seek and provide better service for children with autism, Tinika expanded her speech therapy practice to provide occupational therapy, applied behavioral analysis, and counseling services for children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental, social-emotional, and/or behavioral disorders. In 2021, Tinika answered the call from God, and founded Step N’ Stones Academy for
Autism, Incorporated which was established as a nonprofit 501c3 organization under the direction and leadership of Step N’ Stones’ Chief Financial Officer, Shaunta Dismuke. In 2022, Step N‘ Stones opened its doors as a non-traditional private school providing individualized academic programs and holistic therapy services for neurodivergent students in an environment best suited for their needs.
