For September 26: Tools for Providers to Use

Anita Aaron, On July 26, 2021, the California Agencies for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CAABVI) announced appointment of Anita Shafer Aaron as founding Executive Director responsible for working with the CAABVI Board of Directors to oversee the creation and subsequent leadership of a formalized not-for-profit organization consisting of private agencies in California serving individuals who are blind and visually impaired.

Aaron, who served for twenty years as Executive Director of LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired headquartered in San Francisco followed by ten years as CEO of World Institute on Disability, focuses on formalizing the CAABVI association; strengthening CAABVI's advocacy efforts for effective and equitable training, education and services; facilitating the community outreach and education agenda and expanding funding opportunities for a service system where government revenue sources have been severely reduced and competition for private funds has increased significantly.

Aaron is especially interested in the intersection of vision loss and factors that affect health outcomes and access to healthcare as well as the availability of vision rehabilitation services and the effect on independent living.

Aaron began her career in disability services and justice in the early 1980s as Deputy Director of the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, CA. She and her husband live in Point Richmond, California. Aaron is the mother of one and the grandmother of two.

Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor, Research Coordinator, and Speech-Language Pathologist in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute. She also is a Research Scout for The Informed SLP. Dr. Gormley is a Co-Organizer for the Patient-Provider Communication Network and Co-Director of the project "Improving Health Care Outcomes Through Effective Communication" project funded by Ability Central.

Through her research and clinical practice, Dr. Gormley aims to develop and evaluate tools, strategies, and programs to equip people with communication disabilities and their communication partners to interact effectively in healthcare settings. She has specialized training in providing augmentative and alternative communication services and currently practices as an SLP in the acute care and outpatient setting providing clinical services, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) mentoring, and program development.

Dr. Gormley leads and assists in a number of grant-funded projects related to the research and development of tools that support people with communication disabilities to participate in healthcare interactions. Dr. Gormley has co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on the topics of supporting AAC in acute care, personalization of patient-provider communication, and child-parent-provider communication interactions.

Tami Altshuler is a speech-language pathologist and Clinical Specialist in Patient-Provider Communication at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, NY. She is spearheading hospital-wide initiatives to include communication access in standard patient care. Tami is also a Rehabilitation Sciences PhD student at NYU and her primary research interest is in identifying and addressing the provider and organizational level factors that contribute to healthcare disparities experienced by persons with communication disabilities. Through participatory action research, she wishes to understand the stigmas encountered by people with communication disabilities and the implicit and explicit forms of ableism which preclude them from healthcare equality and equity.

Tami is a volunteer co-organizer of the Patient-Provider Communication Network and previously on the board of directors of the United States Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC). She is a published author and lecturer at the national and international level.

Rachel Santiago is a speech-language pathologist and Clinical Coordinator of the Inpatient Augmentative Communication Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her work focuses on provision of bedside services in the inpatient environment to support communication access solutions, early rehabilitation and recovery, developmental speech-language and communication therapies, and patient-provider communication for patients in intensive, acute care, and the emergency department units. She coordinates inpatient program development, supervision, research, and education.

Rachel is a volunteer co-organizer of the Patient-Provider Communication Network. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on patient-provider communication, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in acute care, AAC and pediatric tracheostomy, end-of-life communication, and other related topics. Rachel lectures nationally and internationally, consults pediatric hospitals to advance bedside AAC service delivery, and serves on several internal and external advisory groups to enhance communication access in the healthcare setting.

Sarah Blackstone, Ph.D. CCC-SLP is co-editor & author of Patient Provider Communication: A Role for Speech-Language Pathologists and Other Health Care Professionals (2015), and an author of Social Networks Inventory (2003/2012) and numerous articles/chapters related to AAC, health care and people with communication challenges during disasters/emergencies. She was President of Augmentative Communication, Inc. (1987-2012), a partner on the RERC on Communication Enhancement from 2002 to 2012 and served on the National Institute of Health's Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council from 2015 – 2019.

Her current interests/activities focus on patient provider communication, improving the outcomes for children with cortical visual impairment, severe physical and speech disabilities who use AAC, the development of emotional competence in children/adolescents who use AAC, and emergency and disaster readiness for vulnerable populations. Dr. Blackstone is a past president of USSAAC (United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). She received the ISAAC Distinguished Service Award Recipient in Sweden. Dr. Blackstone is a long-time Bridge School Board member and currently the PI of Bridge School's Research projects. She serves on the leadership team of the Ability Central Philanthropy funded Project Improving Healthcare Outcomes Through Effective Communication.

For October 24: Tools for Consumers to Use

Susan Coulter is the Educational Services Director at Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center (DHHSC) in Fresno, California. She has worked with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals for over 35 years. In following DHHSC’s Mission Statement, Susan has worked to advocate, seek equality, and promote self-determination by empowering those in the Deaf Community who seek assistance. Areas she has worked in include job development and placement so that Deaf individuals can be equally employed and teaching independent living skills so they can be independent and make their own decisions. She provides peer counseling, especially with hard of hearing people, to deal with their hearing loss. As an educator, Susan teaches workshops on various topics in American Sign Language, the first language of those who participate, allowing them to grow in knowledge in subject matters they may not understand in written English. Within the hearing community she teaches Deaf Culture, the diverse communication needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, and advocates for their communication access.

Inspired by her youngest son, Maryjan Fiala is an advocate for communication access. Additionally, she serves as a research assistant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Munroe-Meyer Institute under Dr. Jessica Gormley in addition to teaching undergraduate business courses for community colleges. Maryjan is pursuing a PhD from Kansas State University. Her research focuses on the construction of knowledge among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, reflecting her dedication to enhancing healthcare experiences.

Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor, Research Coordinator, and Speech-Language Pathologist in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute. She also is a Research Scout for The Informed SLP. Dr. Gormley is a Co-Organizer for the Patient-Provider Communication Network and Co-Director of the project "Improving Health Care Outcomes Through Effective Communication" project funded by Ability Central.

Through her research and clinical practice, Dr. Gormley aims to develop and evaluate tools, strategies, and programs to equip people with communication disabilities and their communication partners to interact effectively in healthcare settings. She has specialized training in providing augmentative and alternative communication services and currently practices as an SLP in the acute care and outpatient setting providing clinical services, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) mentoring, and program development.

Dr. Gormley leads and assists in a number of grant-funded projects related to the research and development of tools that support people with communication disabilities to participate in healthcare interactions. Dr. Gormley has co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on the topics of supporting AAC in acute care, personalization of patient-provider communication, and child-parent-provider communication interactions.

June Isaacson Kailes (www.jik.com) owns a disability policy consulting practice and is a pioneer, leader, and innovator in health care, emergency management, aging with disability, stakeholder engagement, and hospitality. The breadth and depth of her experience in disability, accessibility, and functional needs issues are widely known and respected as a writer, trainer, researcher, policy analyst, subject matter expert, and advocate.

June concentrates on replacing the ambiguous aspects of disability etiquette, sensitivity, awareness, and legal compliance with maximum impact, practices, and measurable skill sets. June works with clients to build critical disability competencies and capabilities. She translates the laws and regulations into clear, actionable, detailed, and sustainable building blocks and tools that close service gaps, prevent civil rights violations, remove barriers, inequities and disparities. June uses the "how, who, what, where, when, and why, to get physical, programmatic, communication, and equipment access right!

June has the unique ability to blend and bridge two worlds: disability user experiences with health and emergency services experiences. Her clients include local, state, federal and international governments, disability-led, disability-focused, community-based organizations, emergency management and health care consultants, health facilities (plans, clinics, medical centers, systems), legal services, colleges, and universities, accrediting organizations, research and training centers and grant makers. June is the recipient of many honors and awards, has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses, workshops, and seminars, and has over 200 publications.

Sarah Blackstone, Ph.D. CCC-SLP is co-editor & author of Patient Provider Communication: A Role for Speech-Language Pathologists and Other Health Care Professionals (2015), and an author of Social Networks Inventory (2003/2012) and numerous articles/chapters related to AAC, health care and people with communication challenges during disasters/emergencies. She was President of Augmentative Communication, Inc. (1987-2012), a partner on the RERC on Communication Enhancement from 2002 to 2012 and served on the National Institute of Health's Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council from 2015 – 2019.

Her current interests/activities focus on patient provider communication, improving the outcomes for children with cortical visual impairment, severe physical and speech disabilities who use AAC, the development of emotional competence in children/adolescents who use AAC, and emergency and disaster readiness for vulnerable populations. Dr. Blackstone is a past president of USSAAC (United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). She received the ISAAC Distinguished Service Award Recipient in Sweden. Dr. Blackstone is a long-time Bridge School Board member and currently the PI of Bridge School's Research projects. She serves on the leadership team of the Ability Central Philanthropy funded Project Improving Healthcare Outcomes Through Effective Communication.

Coming soon!

June Isaacson Kailes (www.jik.com) owns a disability policy consulting practice and is a pioneer, leader, and innovator in health care, emergency management, aging with disability, stakeholder engagement, and hospitality. The breadth and depth of her experience in disability, accessibility, and functional needs issues are widely known and respected as a writer, trainer, researcher, policy analyst, subject matter expert, and advocate.

June concentrates on replacing the ambiguous aspects of disability etiquette, sensitivity, awareness, and legal compliance with maximum impact, practices, and measurable skill sets. June works with clients to build critical disability competencies and capabilities. She translates the laws and regulations into clear, actionable, detailed, and sustainable building blocks and tools that close service gaps, prevent civil rights violations, remove barriers, inequities and disparities. June uses the "how, who, what, where, when, and why, to get physical, programmatic, communication, and equipment access right!

June has the unique ability to blend and bridge two worlds: disability user experiences with health and emergency services experiences. Her clients include local, state, federal and international governments, disability-led, disability-focused, community-based organizations, emergency management and health care consultants, health facilities (plans, clinics, medical centers, systems), legal services, colleges, and universities, accrediting organizations, research and training centers and grant makers. June is the recipient of many honors and awards, has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses, workshops, and seminars, and has over 200 publications.

Megan Jurig is the project manager for Improving Healthcare Outcomes through Effective Communication. She brings 40 years of experience in the fields of aging and disability in university, non-profit, and state positions. Her roles have included grant development and management of federal grants, as well as five years in grantmaking and oversight as a program officer in philanthropy.  Megan's career is focused on policies and practices that improve access to employment, healthcare and long term services and supports for people with disabilities and older adults. She is a graduate of the University of California, Davis in Applied Behavioral Science.

Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor, Research Coordinator, and Speech-Language Pathologist in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute. She also is a Research Scout for The Informed SLP. Dr. Gormley is a Co-Organizer for the Patient-Provider Communication Network and Co-Director of the project "Improving Health Care Outcomes Through Effective Communication" project funded by Ability Central.

Through her research and clinical practice, Dr. Gormley aims to develop and evaluate tools, strategies, and programs to equip people with communication disabilities and their communication partners to interact effectively in healthcare settings. She has specialized training in providing augmentative and alternative communication services and currently practices as an SLP in the acute care and outpatient setting providing clinical services, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) mentoring, and program development.

Dr. Gormley leads and assists in a number of grant-funded projects related to the research and development of tools that support people with communication disabilities to participate in healthcare interactions. Dr. Gormley has co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on the topics of supporting AAC in acute care, personalization of patient-provider communication, and child-parent-provider communication interactions.

Sarah Blackstone, Ph.D. CCC-SLP is co-editor & author of Patient Provider Communication: A Role for Speech-Language Pathologists and Other Health Care Professionals (2015), and an author of Social Networks Inventory (2003/2012) and numerous articles/chapters related to AAC, health care and people with communication challenges during disasters/emergencies. She was President of Augmentative Communication, Inc. (1987-2012), a partner on the RERC on Communication Enhancement from 2002 to 2012 and served on the National Institute of Health's Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council from 2015 – 2019.

Her current interests/activities focus on patient provider communication, improving the outcomes for children with cortical visual impairment, severe physical and speech disabilities who use AAC, the development of emotional competence in children/adolescents who use AAC, and emergency and disaster readiness for vulnerable populations. Dr. Blackstone is a past president of USSAAC (United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). She received the ISAAC Distinguished Service Award Recipient in Sweden. Dr. Blackstone is a long-time Bridge School Board member and currently the PI of Bridge School's Research projects. She serves on the leadership team of the Ability Central Philanthropy funded Project Improving Healthcare Outcomes Through Effective Communication.

Supported by The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (The Partnership), the nation's Disability and Disaster Hub. The Partnership is the only U.S. disability-led organization with a focused mission of equity for people with disabilities and people with access and functional needs throughout all planning, programs, services and procedures before, during and after disasters and emergencies.