Essential Non-Clinical Skills for the Future-Ready SLP

Rinki Varindani Desai, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S is a medical speech-language pathologist, board-certified swallowing disorders specialist, digital health advisor, entrepreneur, and educator. She is the founder of healthtech consulting firm Theratactix and co-founder of the Swallowing Training and Education Portal, a dysphagia e-learning platform. She has co-created the Dysphagia Therapy mobile app, founded the Medical SLP Forum community, and hosts the SLPathways podcast, dedicated to helping SLPs design fulfilling careers. Dr. Desai currently works as a researcher, educator, and professional development coordinator at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. She is passionate about bridging clinical expertise with digital innovations to empower clinicians and improve patient outcomes. When she’s not working, she enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband and son. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Leila Denna Staiger, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and assistive technology (AT) specialist. As a senior consultant at Cotting Consulting, she supports students using AT and augmentative and alternative communication tools in the school setting. Her prior research experience at MGH and MIT focused on language and cognition in autism and dyslexia. Leila is dedicated to identifying ways to leverage technology to improve clinical outcomes in real-world settings. In 2025, she started SLPs Talk Tech, a professional learning hub sharing AI-powered innovations and research across domains of practice in communication sciences and disorders.

Lizzie Docel is a professional speaker and public speaking coach. She has built her public speaking and coaching expertise through a combination of experience including an 8-year tenure at Google, graduate experience in speech language pathology, and years of intensive acting and improvisation training. Lizzie currently owns her own public speaking coaching business (Unscripted Speech). She holds a Master's Degree in Speech Therapy from New York University, an Undergraduate Degree in Marketing from Miami University. Building on her experience across acting, improvisation, speech-language pathology, and business, she has broken down what makes effective communication and how we can prepare for it in the future. Lizzie has spoken for large global audiences, delivered app demonstrations at industry conferences, hosted trade show booths, facilitated trainings, and given keynote talks. She delivered her first TEDx talk in 2024, "How AI Unlocks Communication and Connection".

Meredith Harold, PhD, is a former school-based SLP and University professor. In 2016, she founded The Informed SLP, which is a database of evidence-based practices in speech–language pathology, powered by a team of skilled science communicators. In 2025, she launched Informed Jobs, which is a jobs and companies database for speech–language pathologists that puts transparency first. Meredith is based in Kansas City.

Emily Diaz, MS, CCC-SLP is a certified speech-language pathologist and an innovative entrepreneur dedicated to transforming the landscape of the SLP profession. Recognizing the systemic challenges of traditional school-based roles, Emily shifted her focus toward empowering fellow clinicians to achieve professional autonomy and financial freedom. As the creator of the Passive Profit Plan for SLPs and @sixfigureslp, Emily pulls back the curtain on her own journey from a staff SLP to a successful business owner. Her mission is to provide therapists with actionable, "no-fluff" strategies to turn their clinical expertise into scalable, reliable income streams—without the burnout of increasing 1:1 caseloads or 70-hour work weeks. Beyond her business advocacy, Emily remains a leader in the field of neurodiversity-affirming care and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Through her platforms, she offers invaluable resources on AAC implementation, gestalt language processing, and effective clinical coaching. By blending her clinical wisdom with digital marketing expertise, Emily provides a comprehensive roadmap for SLPs to reclaim their worth, build sustainable, recession-proof businesses, and ultimately serve their clients with greater intention and flexibility.

Vicki R. Deal-Williams serves as Chief Executive Officer of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), where she has contributed more than three decades of leadership and service. A Certified Association Executive and Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives, she is also an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and ASHA Fellow. Her leadership is grounded in aligning strategy with mission, developing strong leaders, and guiding organizations through change with clarity and purpose. She is widely recognized for building trusted relationships and cultivating a culture where collaboration, respect, and diverse perspectives strengthen decision-making. Working in close partnership with volunteer leaders, members, students, partners, vendors, and staff, she focuses on advancing the professions, delivering measurable results, and positioning the organization for sustained impact and future growth.