development council
Purpose
The Development Council works together to carry out the mission of the Speech Uncensored Podcast.
Structure
The Development Council consists of 5 seats in addition to the seat Leigh Ann fills (aided by the current Fellow of SUP). There is a Lead for each seat and they may have a team assisting them with projects.
Perspectives guide
Perspectives is pivotal to the success of SUP and the Developmental Council. We embrace and celebrate diversity and are committed to being a community that values inclusion and the worth of all people. We ensure that SUP topics, guests, and resources are equitable and accessible, reflect the diverse populations we serve and promote mutual respect to be shared on this platform.
Community Builder
Creates meaningful ways to connect SLPs in healthy collaboration. The main goal of the Community Builder is to provide an opportunity for every SLP who feels isolated to join a community.
Resource Contributor
Prioritizes resource generation most valuable to the practicing clinician. Provides resources that connects research to practice.
Podcast Producer
Coordinates with podcast guests, manages the podcast schedule, and creates the show notes for each episode.
Media Coordinator
Engages on social media platforms with announcements of podcast episodes, new resources published on the website, and opportunities for connection and community building. Additionally, the Media Coordinator creates and publishes the Speech Uncensored Newsletter.
Speech uncensored’s 2021 development council members
perspectives guide
Kamusta (“hello”)! Kevin is a Filipino-American medical speech pathologist at Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas. He is devoted to increasing equitable and culturally responsive service delivery for diverse individuals with neurologic dysphagia. Kevin's interests led him to pursue a Ph.D. in health sciences and neurorehabilitation at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP), where he is a current student. In his current program, he earned a Health Professions Education certificate, which he plans to use for inspiring students and clinicians to expand their perspectives. He also hopes to apply it toward enacting meaningful change in dysphagia curriculum design. Kevin is a committee member of the RMUoHP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and is working actively on scholarly engagements to address the provision of culturally competent care. He believes these experiences will serve him well in his new role as the team lead perspectives guide. He is excited to serve his colleagues and challenge the status quo. Kevin lives in Austin, Texas, and enjoys his date nights with his girlfriend at the local drive-in theater, where you will find him sipping on boba tea.
Perspectives Guide Team Members
Ingrid Owens-Gonzalez is a Spanish-Bilingual school based SLP. Ingird has an undergraduate degree in Psychology & Languages and Linguistics from New Mexico State University. She attended graduate school at UT Dallas and graduated with her M.S. in Communication Disorders in 2011. Ingrid has worked in the SNF setting and continues to work in early intervention as an on-call employee. Her true passion is the school setting where she enjoys working with the K-5 population.
Ingrid is a first-generation Mexican-American woman (pronouns are: she/her). She is married to her wonderful husband since 2011 and together are raising two strong daughters. Ingrid is bilingual, outspoken, a daughter, and an older sister. She loves to read, wishes she were more of a runner, loves to dance, cook, and spend time in the mountains of Colorado.
Joshuaa D. Allison-Burbank, PhD, CCC-SLP, CPH is Diné and Acoma Pueblo. His clans are Tlogi, Parrot Clan (Acoma), Toahani, and Yellow Corn (Acoma). Joshuaa is a speech-language pathologist and assistant scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. His clinical and research interests include community assessment and capacity building, parent coaching, culturally responsive teaching practices, and prevention of developmental delay in American Indian children. Joshuaa has held several leadership positions including vice chair of the Multi-Cultural Committee within the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and co-chair of the Native American Caucus within the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Community Builder
Kristin Murphey is a medical speech-language pathologist in her eleventh year of practice in adult rehabilitation. She received her Master’s of Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and is currently working in subacute, long term, outpatient and home health care. She is a certified Dementia Care Specialist and an ASHA Ace Award recipient for continuing education. She is an active member of Wisconsin Speech and Hearing Association (WSHA) where she volunteers to coordinate the medical track for annual convention. Kristin is passionate about improving quality of life through patient-centered care and providing mentorship to new SLPs . Kristin lives in Fitchburg, WI with her husband, their new baby girl, Emma, a dog (Bristol) and 2 cats (Remi and Moe).
community builder team members
JoAnn Vela M.S. CCC - SLP CBIS has been a speech language pathologist since graduating from The University of Texas at Dallas in December of 2017. She has been all over the SLP world with experience in skilled nursing facilities, day neurological recovery programs, traditional outpatient, inpatient, and acute care settings for adults as well as school and outpatient private practice for pediatrics. She is passionate about the connection of speech pathology and neurology and has a speciality certification as brain injury specialist. Right now she is working with pediatrics at a local private practice in her hometown of Harlingen, Texas and covers acute care as PRN on the weekends. She is currently learning Spanish to better serve her largely bilingual community as well as chasing additional certifications in pediatric feeding. In addition to clinical practice, JoAnn enjoys connecting and sharing experiences within the world of speech pathology in hopes of building an SLP community that is fearless, compassionate, and motivated to seek change. She runs the Courageous Clinician to foster a space for this energy and is thoroughly excited to be involved as community builder for the Speech Uncensored Podcast. Outside of work, you can find JoAnn walking around on a nature trail with her dogs, trying new foods / restaurants, spending time with her family, or straight up chillin' on her couch binge watching TV (because SLPing can be hard sometimes).
Ashley is an aspiring SLP currently enrolled in the CSD Post-Baccalaureate Program at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. She completed her undergraduate degree in English at North Carolina State University, where she took a handful of linguistics and cognitive science courses that solidified her passion for communication sciences. After graduating, she knew her professional calling was to join the SLP field where she can apply her love of language and science in clinical practice to help people communicate and get the nourishment they need. Ashley currently lives in Seattle where she works as a compliance coordinator for a healthcare staffing agency; in her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, playing video games, and binging true crime podcasts.
Media Coordinator
Natalie Hricik is a medical speech pathologist with nine years of experience. She is currently working full-time in acute care and transitional care. Natalie also has experience working with adults in home health and pediatrics in an outpatient setting. Her favorite areas of practice are dysphagia and aphasia. In 2019, Natalie completed ASHA’s Leadership Development Program and started a Stroke Support group for patients and caregivers. Natalie recently celebrated her ten year wedding anniversary with her husband, Ian. They have one daughter, Cecelia, and a labradoodle, Lucy. Natalie and her family live in Hermitage, Pennsylvania.
media coordinator team member
Rebecca Brown is the Lead Inpatient Speech-Language Pathologist at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center and primary SLP in the neonatal intensive care unit. Rebecca is responsible for the evaluation and treatment of medically complex neonates, adults, and geriatric patients in the ICU. She develops policies, procedures, and all of her team's education. Rebecca is an adjunct instructor at two universities and is completing her Ph.D. in Health Sciences at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions with a Neuro Rehab concentration. Rebecca serves on various committees at the local, state, and national level. Rebecca is on the board of a local non-profit dedicated to the provision of education and resources for expectant parents. Rebecca lives in Texas with two cats. Hobbies outside of SLP related activities include gardening, cooking, and watching crime shows.
Resource contributor
Amy Larroca is a medical speech-language pathologist, educator, and advocate. She has 15 years of experience in the adult medical realm as an SLP and in administrative roles. Currently, she is a clinical faculty member at Baldwin Wallace University teaching courses in Motor Speech, Dysphagia, Integrations and Advocacy. She also coordinates the programming for People with Parkinson’s Disease within the University Clinic. With the goal of creating a center utilizing a holistic approach to treating people with Neurological Diseases, she is now also the owner and lead SLP of Polaris Speech and Neurological Rehabilitation. She’s passionate about providing the most effective person and family centered care for her patients while passing that passion onto students and other professionals in our field. With the need to continually grow and learn, she is currently completing her Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training Certification. She has presented at multiple national and state conferences as well as many local Symposiums and Support Groups on various topics including ethics and advocacy, concussion, adult learning theory, and Parkinson’s Disease. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two fun, adventurous kids and would prefer to spend as much time as possible outside or traveling! When she can get some solo time she’s usually hiding somewhere with her nose in a book.
resource contributor team members
Sammi Robbins graduated with her masters of science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2012 from Rush University in Chicago, Illinois. She currently works at an outpatient clinic in Michigan supporting clients with TBI in returning to work. Sammi is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. In the future, she is looking to expand her private practice, Southeast Michigan Speech Therapy LLC, where she treats adult clients with neurologic-based changes in cognitive, language, speech, and swallowing. Sammi is passionate about utilizing evidence-based practice, incorporating salient goals into care plans, team collaboration, and continued learning. She is striving to make a meaningful impact within our field and in turn improve client care as a member of the Development Council. When Sammi is not working, you can find her and her husband at a princess tea party hosted by their two year old daughter or browsing HomeGoods with a coffee in hand.
Since graduating with her master’s degree in speech-language pathology in 2018, Laura has had the privilege of treating communication, cognitive, and swallowing disorders in individuals on opposite ends of the age spectrum, from schools to skilled nursing and long-term care settings. As a lifelong reader and writer, Laura is especially passionate about treating developmental and acquired language disorders at every stage of life. Laura is excited to join the SUP Development Council to connect with other SLPs, help advance public awareness of the profession, and continue to build her skills as a clinician.
Haley Wheeler M.A., CCC-SLP is an acute care and outpatient speech-language pathologist. She lives in small rural town in Connecticut with her husband and young daughter. She enjoys outdoor adventures, including hiking and kayaking. Haley enjoys serving the diverse caseload that accompanies working in a rural setting, however her clinical areas of interest include evaluating and treating adults with dysphagia, Parkinson’s disease, primary progressive aphasia and cognitive-communication disorders. She is dedicated to continuing education and a multiple ASHA ACE Award recipient. Haley is on the executive board of her state’s speech, language and hearing association and assists in planning educational programming for their CEU conferences.
Nicole Masciarelli received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The College of Saint Rose (’08, ’10). Clinical practice includes both acute care and outpatient services for hospital-based systems and private clinics. While Nicole has experience treating pediatrics and adults, her passion has continued to evolve to understanding and treating language, speech, cognitive-communication, and dysphagia impairments in the adult population. More specifically, Nicole enjoys the challenge of identifying patient centered goals and designing functional treatment plans in order for her patients to return to work, hobbies, or re-engage with family and friends. Working in rural healthcare, Nicole strives for her patients to have access to excellent care. She has experience identifying need-based services in her community and seeking out relevant training for specific populations. Nicole is exploring opportunities across settings to further appreciate continuity of care and disorder impact on the patient across the treatment continuum. In her free time, you may find her spending time with her family, reading, baking, or sipping a glass of red wine.
Podcast Producer
Lauren Thompson graduated with her M.Ed. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Valdosta State University and has an undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Springfield College. She currently works in outpatient within a large hospital system, serving both adults and pediatric patients. Lauren has a wide range of clinical experience in a variety of settings including acute, inpatient rehab, subacute skilled nursing facilities, and long-term care. She has a passion for all things dysphagia and believes that there is always something more that you could be learning and doing to better your practice. Lauren is an ASHA ACE award recipient and has achieved licensure as a Certified Lactation Counselor. Lauren lives in Londonderry, NH and enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 daughters, playing with her rescue dog, Spud, enjoying a great glass of red wine, cooking, and lifting weights.
Podcast Producer Team Member
Kaitlin Brown is a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist currently working at a multidisciplinary private practice. Kaitlin specializes in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. She recently graduated with her Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in December 2020. Kaitlin teaches CEU courses, works on a children’s book with a colleague, and is in the process of obtaining her Board Certification Specialist-Swallowing. Kaitlin and her husband live in North Georgia and just welcomed their first son in November 2020! Kaitlin loves to travel, be outdoors, read, and spend time with family and friends! She’s excited to be a part of Speech Uncensored Podcast’s Developmental Council!