Guest: Robert McKinney, MA, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD:

https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/successful-speech-therapy

This first episode of the season of School of Speech focuses on what it really takes to make speech therapy effective and meaningful in the high school setting, where priorities shift and students are preparing for life beyond graduation.

Host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, sits down with Robert McKinney, MA, CCC-SLP, for an honest, practical conversation about the evolving role of the SLP in secondary schools. Together, they talk through how speech therapy can support academic access, social communication, and increasing independence for teens and young adults.

The discussion centers on the real communication challenges high school students face and how SLPs can design services that fit busy schedules, complex team dynamics, and future-focused goals. Carolyn and Robert also highlight the importance of collaboration, sharing approachable strategies for working with educators, families, and related professionals to support students’ post-secondary transitions.

Grounded in real school environments, this episode offers realistic ideas SLPs can use to strengthen their impact in high school settings while keeping student needs, dignity, and long-term outcomes front and center.

About the Guest: Robert (Bob) McKinney, MA, CCC-SLP, is the author of *Here’s How to Do Accent Modification* (Plural Publishing, 2019). He holds master’s degrees in Communicative Disorders, International Relations, and Education. Bob speaks six languages, has lived in six countries, and has worked with clients from over eighty nations. Prior to becoming a speech-language pathologist, he spent 26 years in ESL instruction, including serving as a teacher trainer at UC San Diego’s English Language Institute. He currently serves as the lead SLP at the Sweetwater Union High School District, working primarily with bilingual students. At San Diego State University, Bob teaches phonetics and supervises graduate students in the Accent and Communication Training Program. He is Chair-Elect of the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) and Co-President of the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN).

*****Originally Aired: January 22, 2025*****

Guest: Julie Barber-Bristol MS, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/top-5-tips-for-excelling-in-your-school-based-cfy

In this episode of School of Speech, host Carolyn Dolby and guest Julie Barber-Bristol share essential insights for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) entering their Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) in a school setting. Drawing from their extensive experience, they provide practical strategies to navigate assessments, therapy planning, and professional growth. Julie emphasizes the importance of mastering evaluations, organizing data effectively, and leveraging literacy-based therapy to maximize student engagement and goal attainment. They also discuss the significance of collaboration between CFs and supervisors, creating an environment that fosters learning and confidence.

Listeners will gain valuable tips on balancing workload, embracing continuous learning, and using organization techniques to stay efficient in a fast-paced school environment. The episode underscores the role of mentorship and open communication in shaping a successful CF experience while encouraging both CFs and supervisors to adopt a mindset of flexibility, curiosity, and lifelong learning.

Key Questions:

- How can CFs effectively manage assessments, data collection, and therapy planning to streamline their workflow?

- What strategies can supervisors implement to support and mentor CFs while fostering their clinical independence?

- Why is organization essential for school-based SLPs, and what tools can help CFs stay on top of their responsibilities?

About the Guest: Julie L. Barber-Bristol, MS, CCC-SLP, is a highly experienced speech-language pathologist with a career spanning more than two decades. She holds licenses in New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas, respectively, and specializes in school-based therapy. Julie integrates children’s literature to enhance speech and language development. Currently based in Cypress, Texas, she works in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. She previously worked at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit in Pennsylvania, offering therapy across various educational settings. In New York, she worked in private practice, delivering services to clients in diverse settings including homes, preschools, schools, private facilities, hospitals, and nursing facilities.

*****Originally Aired: June 26, 2024*****

Guest: Ginger G. Collins, PHD, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/morphologybased-approaches-to-improving-vocabulary-knowledge

In this episode, Dr. Collins will explain how school-based SLPs can collaborate with classroom teachers to strengthen students’ literacy skills. The strategies discussed were developed for upper elementary and secondary students, and examples will be provided for various curricular content areas. All of these strategies emphasize morphological knowledge and positively impact spelling, decoding, and vocabulary knowledge.

About the Guest: Ginger G. Collins, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a professor and program director at the University of Montana. Her teaching and research focus on literacy interventions with morphology at the core. Dr. Collins also conducts research and teaches about postsecondary transition planning and stuttering. She is a founding member of Structured Word Inquiry Research Vanguard (SWIRV). Structured Word Inquiry is a method of investigating the spelling of words through examination of their morphological composition, etymology, and grapheme-phoneme correspondences.

*****Originally Aired: June 16, 2025*****

Guest: Carol Westby, PHD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/coherent-storytelling

In this episode, we explore why storytelling matters and how school-based SLPs can help students shape personal narratives that build connection, confidence, and clarity. You’ll learn how storytelling supports executive functioning, mental health, and academic success, and walk away with practical strategies for helping students craft coherent, meaningful stories that make sense to them and the world around them.

About the Guest: Carol Westby, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, is a distinguished speech-language pathologist and consultant for Bilingual Multicultural Services in Albuquerque, NM. She holds an affiliated appointment in Communication Disorders at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. A Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Dr. Westby has received numerous honors, including the ASHA Honors Award, the Kleffner Lifetime Clinical Achievement Award, and the ASHA Award for Contributions to Multicultural Affairs. She is also Board Certified in Child Language and Language Disorders. Dr. Westby’s scholarship and clinical expertise span theory of mind, narrative and expository development, trauma and adverse childhood experiences, qualitative methodologies, written language assessment and facilitation, metacognition, executive function, ADHD, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices. She has published and presented extensively at national and international levels. She earned her BA in English from Geneva College and both her MA and PhD in Speech Pathology from the University of Iowa. Her contributions have been recognized with Distinguished Alumnus Awards from both institutions, reflecting a career dedicated to advancing inclusive, evidence-based practices in communication sciences.

*****Originally Aired: February 26, 2025*****

Guest: Jennie Belen, MS, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/course?name=Empowering-SchoolBased-SLPs-with-AI-Tools

Join host Carolyn Dolby and special guest Jennie Belen in this enlightening School of Speech episode presented by Speech Therapy PD. Learn how AI tools can revolutionize the workload for school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Jennie, the founder of Latina SLP, shares her journey and insights on using AI for lesson planning, report writing, creating therapy materials, and more. Discover practical AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude AI, and Diffit that can save time and enhance efficiency without compromising ethics or personal connection with students. This episode offers valuable resources, especially for those juggling substantial caseloads and facing burnout.

About the Guest: Jennie Belen, MS, CCC-SLP, is a wife & a mom of two. She has been a school-based SLP for most of her 28-year career and has worked with diverse populations, including children ages 1-21. She also served as a bilingual (Spanish) SLP & CF supervisor in New Jersey. Most recently, she launched her SLP business, sharing about AI tools and time-saving resources for SLPs.

Guest: Zeth Collom, PhD, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD:

https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/vocally-tired

In this episode of School of Speech, Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Zeth Collom, PhD, CCC-SLP, for an important conversation about vocal fatigue in teachers. Fifty to eighty percent of teachers experience a voice problem at some point in their careers, and vocal fatigue can affect instruction, confidence, and overall well-being.

Dr. Collom shares key insights from his doctoral research, including teachers’ own perspectives on vocal fatigue and the development of a teacher-specific assessment tool. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of the “tired voice” and learn practical ways to support educators who rely on their voices every day.

About the Guest: Zeth Collom is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist and assistant professor of speech and hearing sciences at West Texas A&M University. He has worked clinically in various settings across the lifespan, and has presented at multiple regional, national, and international conferences on person-centered care for adults with communication disorders, voice rehabilitation, and professional issues. He is thankful for all teachers and mentors—past and present—who help him grow. Outside of work, he’s your typical musical theatre kid and loves being with his Tweetheart and Schmooie Boy.

Guest: Cassandra Natali, MS, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/universal-design-for-learning

In this episode of the School of Speech podcast, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, welcomes Cassandra Natali, MS, CCC-SLP, to bring Universal Design for Learning (UDL) off the page and into practice. Cassandra shares how school-based SLPs can adapt books to support both language and literacy skills, making stories more accessible and engaging for every student.

You’ll walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies for book-based therapy, along with tips for planning, collaboration, and weaving UDL into your daily work. Whether you want to create adaptive books, strengthen your language and literacy program, or team up with teachers and older students, this conversation offers tools you can apply right away.

About the Guest: Cassandra Natali, MS, CCC-SLP, is a Clinical Instructor at Binghamton University. She has over ten years of experience working with the pediatric population. Her areas of interest include the school-based services, social-emotional learning, and language and emergent literacy development in preschool children. She has presented at numerous state and national conventions. Cassandra has been the recipient of several awards for her work in the schools, including the New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (NYSSLHA) Distinguished Clinician Award in 2024 and ASHA’s Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in Preschool-Grade 12 Education Settings in 2025.

Guest: Sherry Sancibrian, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, FASHA

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/myths-memes-and-ebp

In this episode of School of Speech, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, sits down with Sherry Sancibrian, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, FASHA, to separate fact from fiction when it comes to evidence-based practice.

They unpack the common myths, memes, and misconceptions that can influence clinical decisions and discuss how to bridge the research-to-practice gap in meaningful ways.

You'll learn how to think critically about intervention practices, adjust treatment variables such as dose and frequency for optimal outcomes, and apply research-based strategies to guide therapy planning and target selection.

About the Guest: Sherry Sancibrian, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, F-ASHA, is a Grover E Murray Professor and Executive Associate Dean at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where she teaches pediatric language disorders and counseling courses. She is an ASHA Fellow and holds Board Certification from the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders.