What if your private practice could be a platform for change—for your clients and yourself?

Today’s guest didn't just start a private practice; she built a mission-driven business that blends speech therapy with fierce advocacy. She traded burnout for autonomy and now uses her voice to empower families navigating the complex world of IEPs.

I’m so excited to introduce you to Colleen Ashford, a speech-language pathologist and one of the dedicated clinicians inside our Grow Your Private Practice Program. Colleen is the owner and founder of Ashford Speech and Advocacy PC, a mobile and virtual private practice based in Vista, California where she provides evaluations, treatment, consultations, and advocacy at IEP meetings.

For Colleen, starting her own practice was about more than flexibility and income—it was about authentic, values-driven work. She has created a unique model that allows her to serve early intervention clients and act as a special education advocate, ensuring families are supported at every step.

In this episode, Colleen reveals how leaving the constraints of clinic and school jobs allowed her to design a practice that fits her life, serves her community deeply, and lets her show up as her full, authentic self.

Colleen Ashford is a licensed speech-language pathologist and certified special education advocate. After graduating from the University of Illinois with her bachelor’s and Illinois State University with her master’s, she began her career in a public elementary school with a bilingual program, which fueled her focus on improving her Spanish to better serve her students and families. Love brought her to Southern California, where she worked in multidisciplinary clinics alongside OTs and PTs, learning invaluable lessons about sensory and motor development that inform her holistic approach today.

Now in her full-time practice, Colleen’s areas of focus include AAC, Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and parent coaching in early intervention. She is passionate about providing culturally responsive early intervention services to the Spanish-speaking population in her own neighborhood. Always an advocate at her core—and now in title—Colleen equips every parent she serves with knowledge of their educational rights and how to navigate the world of special education. Beyond her community, she brings honest conversations about the IEP process to listeners everywhere through her podcast, Unfiltered IEPs.

1. Leaving a "good job" to answer the craving for flexibility and authentic impact
2. The moment she realized her school-based experience was a superpower for families in need
3. Building a hybrid practice with multiple revenue streams, from early intervention to AAC coaching
4. How embracing systems gave her back her time and freedom

Colleen is a powerful example of how you can design a practice that aligns with your deepest values. We are so grateful to have her wisdom and passion in our Grow Program. Her journey proves that with the right tools and community, you can build a career that doesn’t just sustain you, but fulfills you.

Want to build or scale a private practice that fuels your passion and gives you the autonomy you crave—just like Colleen? Discover how our Grow Your Private Practice...