Speechie Side Up

In this episode, I am joined by Tracy Bond. Tracy is an SLP and CEO, as well as, a wife, mom of 3 girls and grandmother ("Mam") to a 7 year old granddaughter. She received her undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of South Alabama and her graduate degree in SLP from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She also obtained her Ed.S in Instructional Technology from the University of West Georgia. Tracy has been an SLP since 1993. She has three pediatric multidisciplinary clinics (ST, PT, and OT for ages 0 - 16) and opened her first private practice in December 2019 with 4 staff, her second in 6/21, and her third in 6/22. Her clinics currently see around 900 visits per week company wide. They currently have 55 employees. Tracy has aspirations to open two more clinics in 2024. She has had the ability to help so many children and families and wants to continue to help more daily. The SpOT Clinic has a clear vision and strong core values which are instilled in all team members. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Jamie Giannino, a Speech Language Pathologist and owner of Wordwise Speech Therapy, a boutique private practice specializing in early language, parent training, school age language, and speech sound disorders. Wordwise Speech recently branched off to include a nonprofit charity, Wordwise Speech Foundation wherein Jamie donates time, therapeutic intervention, and scholarship funds to families that demonstrate economic hardship. Telepractice is just one of the many areas of clinical expertise and excellence that Jamie offers, based on her career working in varied clinical settings. Jamie has a penchant for seeking out the fun in life, and blending that with her teletherapy, fully believing that time spent having fun for oneself, away from speech therapy makes one a better speech therapist! Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Hannah Davis (she/her). Hannah is an ASHA certified clinically competent speech language pathologist, licensed and practicing in the state of Virginia. She works full time in a public elementary school, and owns her own private practice, Dominion Speech Services, LLC. Hannah has practiced for 6 years, and has experience in a variety of settings. When not in the speech world, Hannah is an avid reader, beach goer, and supporter of all and small LGBTQIA+ businesses. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Kate Kurzhal, a certified and licensed Speech-Language Pathologist serving the South Bend, IN area. She is the sole owner and operator of Therapeutic Interventions & Solutions, LLC. Her interest in the field began as a young adult while helping her Dad run "Learn to Skate" clinics where several children and their families with varying disorders learned how to ice-skate. She recalls one parent saying, "watching my son's smile out there is all I really want." which in turn pushed her to find a career that would afford more of these moments through therapy. She is a proud double graduate from Indiana University-Bloomington with proficiency in American Sign Language (ASL). She then returned to South Bend where she has worked across a variety of settings. She attributes these diverse hands-on experiences to be significant in her practice today. She ultimately loves giving families tools, strategies and functional ways to apply therapy to support the needs of those they love.

In this episode, I am joined by Anne Page MS, CCC-SLP. Anne is an ASHA certified speech language pathologist with a Master of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University.  She is an award-winning blogger and international speaker.  She has worked as a speech therapist for a Title I school for the past 11 years.  She is currently the Assistive Technology Lead serving 19 schools in Phoenix. Anne is passionate about AAC. She loves the challenge of finding the best communication support system for her students. Anne helps those who are struggling to serve non speaking children to confidently give kids a true voice through her AAC courses, online membership, group coaching, and digital products. She provides guidance, inspiration, and advocacy for an effective child centered total communication approach. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I gave an overview of the top six AAC applications and how to get access to them. I discussed some features of Lamp Words for Life, Touch Chat HD, Tobii Dynabox Snap or TV Snap, Go Talk Now, Proloquo2Go, Cough Drop, and how to obtain trial devices.

In this episode, I am joined by Kimberly Tice, MS, CCC-SLP, as we discussed 10 different strategies or tips to get an entire team to use the child's device. Kim provides intervention in language, learning, literacy and feeding to people with autism spectrum disorder as a speech-language pathologist and certified special educator. She is an affiliate of ASHA Special Interest Groups 1, Language Learning and Education; and 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication. She is also my co-author in the “Lou Knows What to Do” book series. Kim loves helping anyone find their voice and her love of words led her to write more. Now she helps businesses clearly define their brand voice through content and strategy and is passionate in finding creative content solutions for ads, social media, websites, SEO, and more. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Kimberly Tice, MS, CCC-SLP. Kim provides intervention in language, learning, literacy and feeding to people with autism spectrum disorder as a speech-language pathologist and certified special educator. She is an affiliate of ASHA Special Interest Groups 1, Language Learning and Education; and 12, Augmentative and Alternative Communication. She is also my co-author in the “Lou Knows What to Do” book series. Kim loves helping anyone find their voice and her love of words led her to write more. Now she helps businesses clearly define their brand voice through content and strategy and is passionate in finding creative content solutions for ads, social media, websites, SEO, and more. In her spare time, she enjoys going on adventures with her children, running marathons, and taking long walks down the aisles of the Boynton Beach Target. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

This episode is all about creating value-based vision boards! We'll cover 5 tips to make sure your vision board goals are attainable, realistic, and meaningful this year. 

In this episode, I am joined by Sydney  Bridenstine. Sydney founded Olive Branch Speech Therapy, LLC in 2015 as a solo practitioner, and she now leads a team of amazing speech-language pathologists. She grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and has been practicing as a pediatric SLP in Nashville since 2009 in the public school and private therapy settings.  Sydney earned her undergraduate degree in Communication Disorders from Auburn University and her Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Memphis. She enjoys exploring new cities and countries, devouring fiction, and chasing her three wild boys. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Emma Lomax, a Speech-Language Pathologist and owner of Communication Kids. Emma graduated from Queen Margaret University with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. She is registered with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) as well as with Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC). Emma has experience working with both children and adults in a variety of settings such as schools, client’s homes and hospitals.   Through these experiences, she developed a passion for working with children with a variety of speech and communication needs such as developing social communication skills, language development, motor speech and no-tech and lite-tech Alternative and Augmentative Communications (AAC) strategies and devices. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Gabriella Garcia, a bilingual pediatric speech-language pathologist based in Miami, FL who is passionate about working with children of all ages and abilities. She is licensed in the state of Florida and holds her Certificate of Competence through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Gaby loves creating fun and meaningful opportunities to build and expand language with little ones learning to communicate with their siblings and family. She excels at working with school-aged children, recognizing their strengths, increasing this confidence and improving their communication skills, reading skills, and writing skills. Gaby works closely with parents and teachers to navigate the most effective ways to increase carryover and independence. Gaby has spent the past decade working in a variety of pediatric settings to support children of all ages effectively communicate with their loved ones and better understand the world around them. She has extensive experience working closely with children and their families in their homes, pediatric hospital settings, private practice and a variety of school settings. Working in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team has provided additional knowledge in understanding child-development from a variety of lenses. She integrates her passions of movement, communication, and play during individual treatment sessions and small-group programs to provide children and their families with high-quality, meaningful, and effective interventions. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Barbara Coven-Ellis, an ASHA  certified speech-language pathologist who is dedicated to helping kids and their families find their way through medically complex and socially isolating feeding and communication challenges.  Speech Pathology is a second career for Barbara, who spent over 30 years in the performing arts as an actress and singer before becoming an SLP. She works in rural Washington State and has experience working in both adult acute care and in a hospital based multidisciplinary pediatric outpatient clinic.  She recently started her own private practice, Chasing Unicorns Pediatric Speech, Language, and Feeding as well as starting her doctoral studies at Northwestern University. Her next big goal is to establish a multidisciplinary pediatric clinic in her area that includes the ability to train new ST, PT and OT clinicians in the multidisciplinary care of medically complex children.  Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Marsha Pinto, a speech therapist that works for San Jose Unified School District in Northern California. She primarily works with autistic students, followed by selective mutism and apraxia. She has appeared multiple times on NBC news advising on pediatric speech development. She has also spoken at various conferences on the topic of introverted SLPs. Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.

In this episode, I am joined by Rachel Zukose at the ASHA Convention. Rachel Zukose, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD,  is an ASHA certified and New York State licensed Speech Language Pathologist in the Hudson Valley who assesses and treats a diverse range of communication disorders.  Rachel has experience with assessment and treatment with both pediatric and adult patients within a variety of areas including: articulation, language, feeding, voice, fluency, cognitive communication, social communication, alternative and augmentative communication, as well as Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Rachel is PROMPT trained and LSVT certified and has a special interest in working with children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and cognitive communication patients including: patients with Traumatic Brain Injury, Dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease.  Rachel believes it is important to advocate for her patients and provides education and collaboration with parents, spouses, clients, and other professionals to best suit her patients’ needs.  Rachel is passionate about the field of speech-language pathology and takes a personal interest in the success of each and every one of her patients.  Visit Speechie Side Up to learn more about this episode.