Background and Goals

I graduated in 2014 with my M.S. degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Fort Hays State University in central Kansas. I currently hold Kansas licensure and my Certificate of Clinical Competence through ASHA.

As a clinician, I practiced for five years in a variety of settings including preschool, elementary school, inpatient rehabilitation, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, home health, and outpatient pediatrics. During these diverse experiences, I gained a knowledge and passion for serving children with complex communication needs in need of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. I have extensive clinical experiences in completing numerous AAC evaluations, submitting dozens of funding reports for AAC systems, and providing AAC interventions for both children and adults. In my last position, approximately 80% of my caseload were clients who used AAC systems. I provided my clients with opportunities to interact with other AAC users by providing group intervention sessions that were literacy based. The clients in the group developed friendships with one another, and asked about peers when one was absent. One of my goals in intervention was to foster connection through communication.

To develop my skill set in AAC as a clinician, I attended continuing education with an AAC focus, networked with AAC device representatives to meet with them for demonstrations of new technologies (including EyeOn, Tobii-Dynavox, PRC-Saltillo, Forbes Rehab Services, and AbleNet), independently read research articles, and sought mentorship opportunities with SLPs who had experience with AAC. Additionally, prior to returning to school, I began sharing information about AAC through social media and by applying and presenting at regional and state conferences.

During my time working, I also discovered that I enjoyed teaching. I served as a clinical fieldwork supervisor for five students from two different universities while working at St. Francis Hospital. Additionally, I served as a clinical fellowship mentor during my time at Heartspring Pediatric Services. Through these experiences, I learned of the difference I could make by sharing my growing knowledge in AAC with future practitioners.

In 2019, I left my job as a clinician in order to return to The University of Kansas and pursue my PhD. My main areas of academic and research interests include AAC service delivery, and developing evidence-based in-services and professional development opportunities for SLPs interested in improving AAC evaluation and treatment skills. Since beginning my doctoral degree, I have continued to share my knowledge about AAC through presentations, social medial, and blogs. I served as the Russell Pardee AAC Lab fellow for the first two years of my degree. In that position, I gave tours of the AAC lab to students from various departments on campus teaching about AAC and demonstrating the technology in the lab.

It is my goal to empower both pre-service and in-service speech language pathologists to be confident providers of family and client centered AAC assessment and intervention, as well as strong advocates for themselves as professionals.