Legacy Ambassador Mara Friedman

I have been a Speech-Language Pathologist since 1997, working with children from birth through 21+. I played tennis for Lafayette College and have played competitively since graduating in 1994. I met Lisa Pugliese in February 2020 at the Delray Beach Open, where I learned about Love Serving Autism (LSA) and Lisa’s background as an SLP and former college tennis player. Inspired, I volunteered at an LSA adaptive clinic and immediately wanted to bring LSA to New Jersey. The pandemic delayed my plans, but I stayed in touch with Lisa and followed LSA on social media. In August 2021, I moved to Florida and contacted Lisa about job opportunities. She shared her vision of opening a facility for LSA.  It did not take long before I realized my true passion was combining tennis with speech-language therapy. I started working as an SLP and coach at LSA clinics throughout Palm Beach County, with ideas for expanding LSA to more sites.  In 2024 I received the Coach/Therapist of the Year award at the Match Point Gala.  LSA has become part of who I am. I work at multiple locations as a coach and on court SLP.   Recently, I became a LSA Level 3 Certified Coach.   Working with LSA is a dream come true. I love seeing children succeed on the court, whether asking for help, following commands, or talking to peers. Every achievement is a win. I am honored to be nominated as a Legacy Ambassador for a second year and am grateful to Lisa for this opportunity. Please consider contributing to my campaign.