Let’s make things better – together!

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2023: The next step in this initiative is to take action! You can find the evolution of this platform over at FixSLP.com and on @fix.slp on Instagram. See you there!

The SLP Data Initiative aims to capture and share important data regarding the speech language pathologist’s experience in the field, and in doing so, inspire a wave of innovation that can resolve the many barriers that keep SLPs and the field as a whole from achieving their full potential.

We are a group of SLPs that have experience ranging from academic to clinical to business initiatives. We are dreamers and doers with a deep curiosity and passion to create meaningful change – that has brought us together.

Our work is to 1) Ask the right questions. 2) Listen to your feedback. 3) Work towards creating concrete solutions that help eliminate obstacles in our field, one barrier at a time.

Each time we share a survey, we pledge to share the results of that survey transparently so that all stakeholders have an opportunity to really hear what SLPs are saying.

We also pledge to use our time, skills, and resources to implement solutions based on what YOU tell us you need most.

Our core values:

Transparency

All SLPs have a right to know what we’re up to and what motivates us. Have questions for us? Ask us any time.

Solutions Focused

We know this field has problems that are keeping SLPs from being successful. We are here to focus on solutions to those problems.

Open Source

We know we’re not the only ones ready to tackle our field’s problems! We pledge to freely share all of the data we collect.

For SLPs, By SLPs

We are here to listen and to amplify the voices of SLPs so they are heard loud and clear, because this doesn’t happen often enough.

Our team:

Are we missing any key players on our team? If so, let us know! Want to volunteer your time and skills to this effort? Sign up to volunteer.

 

Jeanette Benigas, PhD, SLP 

  • Professor, Thiel College
  • Owner of Safe Swallowing Diagnostics, LLC
  • Medical SLP
  • Former school-based SLP
  • MedSLPadvocate

Jeanette Benigas, PhD, CCC/SLP, is a full professor, practicing PRN medical SLP in acute care, SNF, HH, and OP, and owns the mobile FEES company Safe Swallowing Diagnostics. Additionally, she advocates for issues related to medical SLP on IG @MedSLPadvocate. Her primary goal as an educator is to contribute to the knowledge of future and practicing clinicians with foundational or advanced clinical knowledge related to adult neurological and swallowing disorders for more relevant, functional, and confident practice.

I love speech-language pathology, and think we have a lot to offer those we serve. Through leadership in our field and through SDI, I am invested in leaving a legacy by doing the work that matters to perpetuate the desperately needed changes we need to see for more ethical and sustainable practices.

Megan Berg, MA, SLP

As founder of Therapy Insights, Megan brings her broad range of experience as a science communicator to the field of clinical rehabilitation by creating visually engaging, inspirational therapy materials that are balanced with both evidence-based practice and the art of human connection. She is an advocate for practicing through the lens of the social medical model, which is rooted in the belief that all humans have a right to make their own informed healthcare decisions and that as therapists, our job is to provide accessible information and insights and to honor individual patient choices, even if they aren’t the choices we would make for ourselves. She is a PRN medical SLP in western Montana.

I am a part of the SLP Data Initiative because ever since I entered this field, I have seen both the tremendous potential of the field as well as the many frustrating barriers that are in place that keep SLPs from being successful. I want to use my skills, time, and voice to remove the many barriers that keep this career from being as big and bright and powerful as it can possibly be.

 

Jordyn Carroll MS, SLP

Jordyn Carroll, MS, CCC-SLP is a school-based speech-language pathologist and trailblazer in the field of speech pathology. She specializes in culturally-responsive therapy, advocacy, and is the sole owner of JRCtheSLP, LLC. Her business entails public speaking, providing learning opportunities, creating diverse therapy materials, consulting, servicing private clients, and selling meaningful products and apparel.

Jordyn uses her social media platform, @JRC_theSLP on instagram, to continue advocating for Black and other marginalized communities, push for improving and diversifying the field of speech pathology, and emphasize “being the person you needed when you were younger.”

Through this platform, Jordyn has sparked necessary discussions and inspired others to do the same. She is the facilitator of the course Confronting Anti-Black Racism in CSD, host of the podcast Views From The 8%, and co-creator of the one of a kind event: The SLP Social Seen.

As stated by Israelmore Ayivor, “Knowledge is power, power provides information; information leads to education, education breeds wisdom; wisdom is liberation. People are not liberated because of lack of knowledge.” I believe that which is not acknowledged cannot be changed. I know that this field has much more potential, and that SDI is going to be key to reaching it.

Meredith Harold, PhD, SLP

Meredith Harold, PhD, SLP is a former school-based SLP and assistant professor. She is currently owner and Operations Director of The Informed SLP. Her professional missions are to: a) connect our field’s best research to practice, b) elevate the voices and expertise of SLPs to scientists, policy makers, and leadership. She hopes to help support the health of our field along the way, so that someday far fewer people will say, “What’s an SLP?”

Our field is powerful. And I believe we’re at a critical time in speech–language pathology, where we’re collectively ready to use our power to push toward greater visibility and value to the clients we serve. I hope we can bring SLPs the information needed to get where we want to be as a field.

Ianessa Humbert, PhD

Ianessa Humbert, Ph.D. is an accomplished scientist, professor, and highly sought-after speaker with expertise in swallowing and swallowing disorders.  With over 100 speaking invitations around the world, the most common feedback from attendees continues to be “This is the first time a course has really forced me to think about what I’m doing”. Dr. Humbert’s teaching philosophy requires attendees to question everything they thinkthey know before learning can begin. 

Dr. Humbert’s innovative training style has been funded by ASHFoundation and extends to non-traditional learning formats. She is the co-creator of the popular Down the Hatch podcast and has co-founded online learning tools including STEP (Swallowing Training and Education Portal), lovingly known as Swallowing Netflix, and has developed high-quality, no-cost learning tools available on her YouTube Channel. Dr. Humbert has demonstrated her gift for creating images that depict the dynamism of swallowing via her Swallowing Pocket Guide and Swallowing Neuro Anatomy and Physiology Shorts or SNAPS (on STEP). 

Dr. Humbert has been on faculty at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the University of Florida, and the University of Iowa. The content from Dr. Humbert’s courses are supported by scientific evidence from her laboratory, from the larger body of research literature, and of course, common sense!

Data are the seeds we plant now so that SLPs can harvest the futures they desire.

Rinki Varindani Desai, CCC-MS, SLP 

Rinki Varindani Desai, MS.,CCC-SLP is an adult medical SLP and swallowing disorders specialist. In additional to being a full-time clinician, she has served in various leadership positions at the local, national, and international level for over a decade, with the goal of improving clinician training and education, increasing awareness of medical SLPs’ role and services, and advocating for the needs of individuals with communication, cognition, and swallowing disorders across the lifespan.

What we do as medical SLPs is valuable, critical, and powerful. I aspire to help create solutions to the problems that plague our profession and collaborate with those who can help improve the systems and processes that are in place to support us. We need greater accountability and ethical systems that allow SLPs to provide the care that patients actually deserve. We need to do better to support the next generation of clinicians and students, and to help those on the outside see the value we provide – so that more people around the world are proud to join this profession.

Hello! We’re listening!