Alicia White, MS, CCC-SLP, CMT®

Founder and Owner
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Myofunctional Therapist

Alicia is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and certified myofunctional therapist, holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She is the founder and owner of Lifespan Therapy, where she leads a comprehensive practice serving clients across the lifespan. Alicia is a 2-time ASHA ACE Award recipient, recognizing her extensive commitment to continuing education and clinical excellence. She is licensed to practice in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida.

Alicia earned both her Bachelor of Science in Family and Community Services and her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from East Carolina University. Since beginning her career in 2016, she has served pediatric and adult populations in skilled nursing facilities and multiple school districts before launching Lifespan Therapy in 2021.

Alicia has experience working with clients from infancy through late adulthood, including individuals over 100 years of age. Her clinical expertise spans a wide range of medical and developmental conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Cerebral Palsy, Dementia, Stroke, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). She is also a certified Lingraphica Technology Specialist, supporting communication access through AAC for individuals with complex communication needs.

Her advanced clinical training includes cognitive rehabilitation, language development, feeding therapy, and more than 70 hours of specialized myofunctional therapy education, including training through the Myo Method, Orofacial Myology, and TOTS (Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty). Alicia is additionally certified in the SimonSays OMT programs (Tongue Tips, Tiny Tongue Tips, and Thumbs Up!), equipping her to treat individuals with tongue- and lip-ties and other orofacial myofunctional disorders. She is passionate about integrating multidisciplinary approaches to deliver the highest quality of care for every client. Alicia has been a guest lecturer at A.T. Still University, educating future SLPs as part of their graduate training.

Alicia resides in Fletcher, North Carolina, with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, visiting wineries and breweries, crafting, and spending quality time with her family.

Stacey Trantham, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist
Orofacial Myologist

Stacey is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She is licensed to practice in North Carolina and Florida. Stacey earned her bachelor’s degree in 2011 and completed her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University in 2015. She joined the Lifespan Therapy team in 2022 and has since provided high-quality services across pediatric and adult populations.

Stacey has extensive experience treating individuals with a wide range of medical and developmental conditions, including Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Cerebral Palsy, Dementia, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Her diverse clinical background—spanning long-term care, acute care, outpatient settings, schools, and private practice—has allowed her to develop a comprehensive skill set across all areas within the scope of Speech-Language Pathology.

She has completed advanced coursework in orofacial myofunctional therapy, equipping her to work effectively with individuals presenting with tongue-ties, lip-ties, and other orofacial myofunctional disorders. Stacey is also VitalStim certified, enhancing her expertise in the treatment of dysphagia. Her additional areas of specialization include cognitive-communication intervention, language development, and feeding and swallowing therapy. She enjoys working with individuals across the lifespan, with particular interest in language, reading, and feeding/swallowing treatment.

Stacey resides in Hendersonville with her husband and daughter. In her free time, she enjoys working out, hiking to local waterfalls with her family, and traveling to Destin, Florida, to enjoy the white sand beaches and clear blue waters. She also loves spending time with her dog, Scarlet—an Italian Greyhound/Whippet mix—and taking her on walks and playing fetch.

Gaylyn Short, MCD, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Gaylyn is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensed to practice in North Carolina. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montevallo in 2011 and completed her Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Auburn University in 2014. Gaylyn joined the Lifespan Therapy team in 2023 and brings extensive experience across a wide range of clinical settings.

Her professional background includes work in Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living, Independent Living, Outpatient Clinics, and Home Health, providing her with a broad and versatile clinical skill set. Gaylyn has served adult populations with diverse medical and neurological conditions, including Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Primary Progressive Aphasia, and Cerebral Palsy (CP). She has delivered skilled intervention targeting cognitive-communication abilities, speech and voice, expressive and receptive language, and swallowing/feeding function.

She has been trained in myofunctional therapy to assist in working with individuals with tongue/lip ties and other orofacial myofunctional disorders.

She is passionate about serving individuals across the lifespan, from pediatrics to geriatrics, and is dedicated to providing patient-centered, evidence-based care.

Gaylyn resides in Fairview with her husband, daughter, and their Chihuahua mix, Chickpea. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, swimming in the beautiful landscapes of Western North Carolina, participating in trivia nights at local breweries, reading, and spending quality time with her family.

Sydney Zafran, MS, CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Sydney is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensed to practice in North Carolina and Florida. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University and has been practicing as an SLP since 2022. Sydney joined the Lifespan Therapy team in 2024.

Sydney has gained comprehensive clinical experience across outpatient rehabilitation, hospital-based rehabilitation, home health, and skilled nursing facilities, allowing her to develop a broad and versatile skill set. She has provided evaluation and treatment for individuals with dysphagia, voice disorders, dysarthria, aphasia, cognitive-communication impairments, pediatric articulation and language delays, pediatric feeding challenges, fluency disorders, and the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

Sydney has completed the Beckman Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention training and has pursued advanced education in orofacial myofunctional therapy. Her training focuses on improving articulation through targeted oral-motor techniques, reducing tongue thrust behaviors, and supporting treatment for oral-phase dysphagia. She is passionate about serving clients across the lifespan, continually expanding her skillset, and contributing meaningfully to each individual’s progress throughout their therapy journey.

Sydney recently relocated to Hendersonville with her fiancé and their two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring local breweries, and embracing her new life in North Carolina—especially the abundant opportunities for hiking and sightseeing.

Jessica Herbert, MS, CF-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Jessica Herbert is a recent graduate of Western Carolina University and joined the Lifespan Therapy team in 2025. She currently holds a temporary clinical fellow license to practice as a speech-language- pathologist in the state of North Carolina. She has acquired comprehensive clinical experience across a diverse range of settings, including preschools, elementary schools, outpatient clinics, and private practice. Throughout her experience, Jessica has worked with both pediatric and adult populations, providing services in various areas, including augmentative and alternative communication, voice, language, articulation, swallowing, hearing, cognition, fluency, and social communication.

Her primary passion is to support individuals in enhancing their communication skills, empowering them to navigate and thrive in their daily lives. She was born and raised in Waynesville, North Carolina. She recently married and enjoys spending time with her husband. In her leisure time, she likes to take walks, visit Lake Chatuge, and read books.

Jessica Guffey

Client Care Coordinator

Jesse has been working in the medical field since the age of 19 and is passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others. She feels the most rewarding parts of her career is the opportunity to turn a challenging day into a brighter one for those she is interacting with.

Jesse is married to a wonderful husband, and together are raising two energetic little boys in addition to proudly serving as foster parents. Outside of work, Jesse enjoy spending quality time with her family—whether it’s baking with her son, playing with her dog Tucker, or spending time on the water. From lakes and creeks to the ocean, the beach is her favorite place to recharge.