Collective Live 2023

July 28th – 30th, 2023

Registration Fee: $397 for Speech-Language Pathologists / $99 Student Rate

Orlando, Florida at Rosen Shingle Creek – 9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819

Speaker Information

Kendrea Garand (Keynote Speaker) 

Dr. Kendrea Garand is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds a Doctor of Clinical Science in Medical Speech-Language Pathology (CScD) from the University of Pittsburgh, and a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She then completed her post-doctoral fellowship at MUSC Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. She has been a practicing speech-language pathologist for over 15 years, and she is recognized as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) and Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S). She currently is the Vice Chair for the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders and Editor of ASHA Perspectives of the Special Interest Groups (SIG 13, Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders). Her research predominantly involves studying the impact of healthy aging, neurodegenerative disease, and obstructive sleep apnea on swallowing function and responsiveness to targeted interventions. She has approximately 60 peer-reviewed publications, and you may find some of her work in Journal of Speech, Language, & Hearing Research, Rheumatology, Muscle & Nerve, Dysphagia, Sleep & Breathing, and the Journal of Nutrition, Health, & Aging.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Medical SLP Collective, honorarium; University of Pittsburgh, salary

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Member, ASHA; Vice Chair, ABSSD; Editor, SIG 13 Perspectives

Valeria Gary owns Parkinson’s Speech Services LLC, where she provides maintenance services for people with Parkinson’s. At Wellstar Kennestone Outpatient Rehab Clinic, Valeria provides clinical services and co-hosts a monthly support group for people with Parkinson’s. As a mentor for the MedSLP Collective, Valeria assists clinicians with providing services for people with Parkinson’s Disease and other motor speech disorders. She also serves as a Relationship Specialists and assists with community management.

Valeria’s additional certifications include: Precision Nutrition Sleep, Stress Management, and Recovery Coach; Behavior Change Specialist; and Personal Trainer. She incorporates these skills into her clinical practice.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Salary from Wellstar Health System

Salary from Center for Movement Challenges

Salary and honorarium from Medical SLP Collective

Ownership of Parkinson’s Speech Services and Welcome Consulting Company

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Advisory Board Member for Parkinson’s Foundations’s Georgia Chapter

Received training and certification via LSVT Global and Parkinson’s Voice Project

Brett McCardel MS, CCC-SLP, is the owner and founder of Archways – Aphasia Rehabilitation Services, a private practice based in Seattle, WA that specializes in providing speech and language services to people with aphasia. He has worked with people with aphasia across the continuum of care and across a variety of service-delivery models (including telehealth and intensive aphasia programs). He is passionate about aphasia advocacy and promoting a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

-I am receiving an honoraria from the Medical SLP Collective

-I am the owner of Archways–Aphasia Rehabilitation Services PLLC

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

-I am a member of Aphasia Access

-I am a member of the Academy for Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences

Kelly Caldwell is an accomplished Speech-Language Pathologist with diverse experiences in the field. After earning a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Teaching and teaching band, chorus, and orchestra for six years, Kelly’s career took a new direction into Speech-Language Pathology with a Master of Science from East Carolina University. Her dedication to the profession extends beyond clinical work in the voice clinic and acute care, as she serves the SC Speech- Hearing Association as the Vice President of Government Affairs. She tirelessly advocates for the rights and needs of individuals with communication and swallowing disorders.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Salary/Wages for clinical work at AnMed and Prisma Health

Honorarium for participating as a mentor at the Live event

Stipend for mentoring for the Med SLP Collective

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

SCSHA VP of Government Affairs

ASHA member and temporarily serving as SC's ASHA STAR

Member of ASHA SIG 13

Ramya Kumar is an ASHA certified Speech Language Pathologist specializing in infant and pediatric feeding disorders while practicing in a Level 3 NICU in Phoenix, AZ. She is a Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing & Swallowing Disorders, Certified Neonatal Therapist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Small Baby Care Specialist, Neonatal Touch & Massage Certified Therapist, NANN Developmental Care Specialist & has completed the Trauma Informed Professional Certificate. Ramya is an internationally sought out speaker & clinical mentor on the topic of neuroprotective care in the NICU & pediatric feeding disorders. She is passionate about helping families create mealtime success through a whole-body lens. More recently, Ramya has been serving as a NICU Developmental Coordinator championing changes in unit culture, system-wide policy development and supporting transition of NICU families to community based programs. She has also co-founded Arizona NICU Grads – a community resource supporting NICU grads and their families as they transition from hospital to home.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Salaried employee, Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital

Co-Owner, Arizona NICU Follow-Up Specialists

Content creator and mentor, Feed the Peds

Mentor, Medical SLP Collective

Presenter stipend

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Board member, Neonatal Therapy Certification Board

Communications Committee Chair, International Association for Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing

PR Committee Member, American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders

Katie Threlkeld, M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed, ASHA certified speech-language pathologist with over 8 years of clinical experience. Specialized in motor speech disorders, AAC, and aural rehabilitation, Katie has developed proficient skills in these clinical areas providing assessment and treatment for patients across the lifespan. She serves on the ASHA SIG 2 (Neurogenic Communication Disorders) Professional Development Committee and is certified in SPEAK OUT! and LSVT Loud. Katie has presented at the state and national level on topics related to motor speech disorders, AAC, and aural rehabilitation. She is the Educational Program Developer at Forbes AAC, is a mentor for the Medical SLP Collective, and has teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate level.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Full time paid employee of Forbes AAC. Paid mentor for the Medical SLP Collective.

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Member of ASHA.

Mary Burns, MS, CCC-SLP, BCPA has been working as a medical speech-language pathologist and patient advocate for 10 years. She is proud to have launched Oregon's first locally owned mobile FEES company, bringing dysphagia imaging and consulting to hundreds of patients across the state. Additionally, she mentors for The Medical SLP Collective, is an instructor for McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program, and helped to found the rehabilitation committee for a local non-profit, Stroke Awareness Oregon.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Honoraria from The Medical SLP Collective

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

NA

Lysa Johnson is currently employed as a Rehab Program Development Specialist with Benedictine. Her role includes development and implementation of whole system interdisciplinary programming including Fall Prevention and Fall Management, Clinical Policy and procedure development related to Fall events, Dementia and cognitive care programming and IDDSI integration and implementation. Current work experience includes clinical education and mentorship, housing and skilled nursing program audits and action plans in fall prevention and patient outcomes and she currently oversees performance improvement projects proposals (PIPP) in collaboration with MDH in restorative nursing programming. As a regional compliance coordinator Lysa assisted skilled nursing communities throughout a 23-state region in risk analysis and therapy collaborative customer relations related to quality metrics and patient outcome. Ms. Johnson sits on the Leadership and Corporate sponsors board for Dementia Action Alliance, the ‘Evidence based practices' committee for Faith Community Nurse Network and is a collaborative program partner for ACP. Her clinical focus includes interdisciplinary program development, life enrichment, restorative wellness and dementia care in addition to ethics, insurance regulations across care settings, patient and clinician education and leadership. Ms. Johnson is a Clinical Fellowship Supervisor, New Hire SLP Mentor and Clinical Advisor for the Medical SLP Collective. And in her free time enjoys volunteering with the USWCA and coaching youth curling.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Med SLP Collective Honoraria

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Ms. Johnson sits on the Leadership and Corporate sponsors board for Dementia Action Alliance, the ‘Evidence based practices' committee for Faith Community Nurse Network and is a collaborative program partner for ACP

Katie Moore has been a Medical SLP for 15 years, working across the continuum of care from acute care, to inpatient rehab, and where she has spent the past 7 years, in outpatient rehabilitation.  Katie specializes in documentation and billing for the outpatient session, dysphagia evaluation and treatment and head and neck cancer.  She was instrumental in opening a dedicated speech therapy clinic within her hospital's cancer center, now working in a multi-disciplinary clinic with a head and neck surgeon, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: 

Medical SLP Collective – Honorarium for LIVE event

Medical SLP Collective – Salary for Community management and mentor

Duke University Health System – Salary

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: 

NA

Isabel Lawton has been a practicing SLP for more than 10 years. She has worked with patients across the lifespan, from the NICU to geriatric care, in a variety of settings. Isabel specializes in acute care, dysphagia, brain injury, disorders of consciousness, professional issues, and patient advocacy. She is passionate about teaching and mentoring, having recently served as an adjunct professor at a local university.

Isabel has been a member of the MedSLP Collective for four years and proudly serves as a mentor for the Collective and for the MedSLP Ed. She is a self described continuous learner who is driven to improve outcomes for everyone she encounters. Isabel splits her time between the acute care setting and her recently opened private practice.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: 

Isabel is receiving an honorarium for her participation in the Medical SLP Collective Live event.

Isabel receives compensation for her role as a MedSLP mentor/expert for the Medical SLP Collective and the MedSLP Ed.

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: 

Isabel is a member of the Diversity Collaborative with the MedSLP Collective

Isabel serves as a guest lecturer for a local university.

Amanda Weissberg

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Receiving Live event admission gifted in exchange for content. Med SLP Collective influencer manager.

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: 

Content creator for @millennialmedslp

Lauren Hermann is a copywriter and the founder of The Copy Clinicians, a small copywriting agency for speech-language pathology and healthcare businesses. Lauren's background is in medical speech-language pathology, primarily providing services in the acute care setting. She has been the lead copywriter for the Medical SLP Collective since 2021 and is passionate about storytelling, advocating for our profession, and using the power of communication to promote SLP businesses.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Medical SLP Collective – I will receive an honorarium for this presentation

Medical SLP Collective – I provide contract services and receive income

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

NA 

Kristin Dolan took a leap, jumped into a self-proclaimed mental promotion at the end of 2022, and left her rehab position after 19 years to become the full-time business development manager for the MedSLP Collective. She continues to serve patients as a medical SLP in an LTAC, is a member of ASHA and SIG13 (swallowing and swallowing disorders), and obtained her clinical doctorate (SLPD) in 2021. Kristin has presented at state and national conventions, has been a guest on the Swallow Your Pride podcast, and has been featured in social media ‘A Day in the Life’ and ‘Aspire Stories’ spotlights. She is committed to the advancement of the MedSLP community, the improvement of patient outcomes by using evidence-based practice resources, and providing clinician accessibility to these resources.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Salaried staff with The Medical SLP Collective

Per Diem paid employee with Lifepoint Health

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

ASHA and SIG13 member

NCCA task force member for the MedSLP Ed

Sarah Breshears

Sarah Breshears is an SLP with 8 years of clinical experience in acute care, inpatient rehab, outpatient peds and adults, schools, and private practice…and that’s just the beginning. After drumming up social media content and weaving the online SLP community together behind the Short and Sweet Speech brand, she took her career to new heights and founded Social Moguls, a social media management company for medical professionals.

She finds the greatest joy in helping her clients increase the visibility of their brand so that they can help more patients, reach more people, and bring more awareness to the SLP profession. As with her patients, she helps the businesses she works with find, improve, and amplify their voice.

With the help of her team of SLPs, Sarah provides a DIY course on strategically using socials, one-on-one social media coaching, and done-for-you social media management for some of the most well-known brands in the SLP world. When she’s not leading her team of clinical content creators and keeping it real on Reels, she’s momming two frenchies, Betty White and Jack Black, and bringing optimism and positivity to the Instagram community. She is an avid traveler, scuba diver, CEU binger, and oral care advocate.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Honorarium from MedSLP Collective for the Live Event

Owner of Social Moguls, LLC, and Social Media Manager for SLP brands, including the MedSLP Collective

Member of the MedSLP Collective Leadership Team

Paid Influencer for the MedSLP Collective

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

ASHA member

Theresa Richard

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

Owner of the Medical SLP Collective.  Receives a portion of sales from this course.

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

None

Edgar Vincent Clark

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

NON-FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES:

None

IN KIND SUPPORT: