Dr. K. Terese Grimmett has been a speech-language pathologist for 15 years and has served the communities as a consultant, mentor, clinical educator, clinician, and certified autism specialist in a number of settings and across the lifespan. Dr. Terese has worked in schools, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient pediatric and outpatient adult rehab, acute care, private practice, and teletherapy.

She currently serves the speech pathology community, locally, as the president of the Washington DC Speech and Hearing Association (DCSHA), The American Speech and Hearing Association's State Education Advocacy Leader (ASHA SEAL) for Washington, DC, and as a Site Visitor for the Council of Academic Accreditation.

Dr. Terese earned her bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Tennessee State University, her Master’s in Communication Disorders from North Carolina Central University, and her Doctorate of Clinical Science in Speech-Language Pathology (ClinScD) from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.

Relevant financial disclosures include Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights and Honorarium for this presentation. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a non-salaried President of District of Columbia Speech-Language-Hearing Association (DCSHA) and member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

In the social media world, Amanda Locke is known as “TheConcussedSLP”, and she is just that – a speech language pathologist who sustained a concussion that, while seemingly mild at the time, has changed her life forever. In June 2020, one of her pediatric clients became violent and struck her in the side of the head. Somehow his fists were small yet mighty enough to inflict a concussion; She became dizzy, confused, and had little memory right after the incident. In her attempt to drive home afterwards, she became lost and disoriented, and she soon recognized the familiar feeling of suffering a concussion, having recovered from one a few years before.

Since then Amanda has a newfound empathy and perspective for both pediatric and adult clients with brain injury and neurodiversity, as well as some first hand experience of what can be some helpful treatment options.

Amanda is the Owner & speech language pathologist at WordPlay SLP Services currently practicing in Penticton, BC, Canada after previously practicing for two years in Trinidad and Tobago. She is the current director of private practice for Speech and Hearing BC. Additionally, she is a University of Toronto MHSc graduate, previous Western University first in class HBA grad.

Relevant financial disclosures include Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights and Honorarium for this presentation, and salaried employee at WordPlay SLP Services. - Penticton. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a member of The College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (CASLPO). 

Dr. Tabia Pope serves as the Founding Chair, President & CEO of Head to Speech Incorporated, the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to educational, scientific and charitable initiatives, which address the impact that post-concussion syndrome has on athletes' speech-language, hearing and cognitive-communication outcomes.

The organization has 9 dedicated Board of Directors and staff members, which provide training to over 20 Ambassadors throughout the global community. Dr. Pope leads the Interprofessional Task Force to advise, research, educate, and speak on various topics that affect student-athletes, professional and former athletes, and their support systems.

Dr. Pope utilizes her background as a Health Communication Specialist to raise awareness, create content, disseminate toolkits and educational resources to key groups involved in neurogenic disorders, brain injury, and sports concussion management. She has served as an Adjunct Professor and Director of Rehabilitation, in addition to having research, teaching and clinical supervisory experiences across various inpatient and outpatient settings. Settings include a collegiate academic concussion management research program, a neurorestorative program, an acute-care hospital, and skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.

Relevant financial disclosures include Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights and Honorarium for this presentation. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a non-salaried Chairperson, President and CEO of Head to Speech Incorporated and member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

The Athlete Concussion Foundation was established by Meredith Greenberg, a varsity high school lacrosse goalie in southern New York. She also played field hockey and is an avid weightlifter.

For years, lacrosse was her greatest passion. “Nothing is more exciting than being in the goal,” she always says. Because she wore a helmet and mouthguard, she thought her head was protected. Unfortunately, that wasn’t true. Over the course of three years, she sustained six concussions.

Meredith was diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome. (One in six young athletes end up with PCS.) After battling to get her brain working again, Meredith dedicated herself to educating young athletes about the risks of sports concussions.

Relevant financial disclosures include Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights and Honorarium for this presentation. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being the Founder and CEO of the Athlete Concussion Foundation, as well as being a Head to Speech Ambassador. 

Dr. Nia I. Johnson is currently an Assistant Professor of Speech Pathology and Audiology at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Her research interests include simulation in communication sciences and disorders, interprofessional collaborative practice and adult language disorders. She is from Darlington, South Carolina. She graduated with a BA in speech-language pathology and audiology at South Carolina State University. She then studied at The University of South Carolina and graduated with a master's in communication disorders in 2004. In 2013, she graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Doctor of Education degree in Speech Language Pathology with a concentration in administration and supervision. She is a member of the American Speech Hearing and Language Association, The South Carolina Speech, Language Hearing Association, The Corporate Speech Pathology Network, The National Black Association of Speech Language and Hearing and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Relevant financial disclosures include being an Assistant Professor, Speech Pathology and Audiology Program at South Carolina State University, Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights, and Honorarium for this presentation.

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a Head to Speech Ambassador and member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Joy Kinney MSR CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist with Carolina Health & Hearing in West Columbia, SC and the Medical University of South Carolina Midlands Division in Columbia, SC. She is a graduate of Columbia College of South Carolina (2003), with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, and the Medical University of South Carolina College Health Professions (2005), with a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Students with emphasis on Communication Sciences and Disorders. With 16 years experience, Ms Kinney has treated adults with communication and swallowing impairments in the acute care setting, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and outpatient therapy settings. She has also been a Director of Rehab, providing supervision to physical, occupational, and speech therapists, as well as speech-language pathology students. 

Ms. Kinney works in clinical practice, focusing on adults with neurological disorders, primary mild traumatic brain injury, stroke, neurological diseases, and oral myofunctional disorders.

Recently, Ms Kinney authored a poster session for the convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association entitled "Rising United: The Mission Essential Task of Cognitive Rehabilitation for Combat Veterans," focusing on evaluation and treatment of long term effects of mild traumatic brain injury for those serving in the United States military. She is a member of the board of the Columbia Parkinson's Support Group and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Relevant financial disclosures include Carolina Health and Hearing, Incorporated Intellectual Property Rights, Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights, and Honorarium for this presentation. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 

Danielle Hyde, M.A. SLP(C) Reg. CASLPO is the Co-Owner of Neuro Connections, a private practice that provides communication, cognitive and swallowing services mainly for Adults after Concussion, Brain Injury and Stroke. Danielle has been working with adults with neurological impairments since graduating with her Master's in Speech-Language Pathology in 2012. Through her experience in a variety of medical settings, Danielle's true passion lies in the community reintegration of adults with cognitive and communication difficulties. 

Danielle believes in a collaborative approach by supporting her clients in creating and achieving their personal goals. Danielle is dedicated to helping her clients gain independence, reduce their frustrations, successfully return to work or school, and return to the activities and social interactions that are important to them.  

Danielle is a member of good standing with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (CASLPO), a nationally certified member of Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC), a member of the Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists (OSLA) and holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence with the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).

Relevant financial disclosure includes receiving a salary as the Co-Owner of Neuro Connections, Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights, and Honorarium for this presentation. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a Head to Speech Ambassador and member of The College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists (CASLPO). 

Dr. Kelli A. Uitenham, ClinScD, CCC-SLP is the Owner of Serenity Speech Therapy and Kensington Academy. A lot of private speech therapy companies cater to small children. Serenity Speech Therapy caters to a mature demographic: teens, seniors, and everyone in between. As a full time and travel speech therapist, she has worked in rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living and independent living facilities up and down the East Coast and in the Midwest. Her travels provided her with invaluable experiences learning how other therapists practice in different parts of the country. As a doctor of speech language pathology, she knows today’s technology and provides Teletherapy which allows her to make speech therapy available to anyone, anywhere.

Relevant financial disclosure includes receiving a salary from Serenity Speech Therapy and Great Speech Therapy, Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights, and Honorarium for this presentation. 

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a Head to Speech Ambassador and member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 

Dr. Karen Davis is an associate professor at Middle Tennessee State University in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology. Dr. Davis is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist with over 15 years of work experience. She earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from North Carolina Central University. She earned her doctorate from the University of Central Florida in Education: Communication Sciences and Disorders Track. Dr. Davis’s overarching research interests are in language disorders and literacy amongst intermediate and secondary students. She has a specific research interest in pre-adolescents and adolescents that are speakers of African American English (AAE) dialect and it impacts on their literacy development. Other areas of research interest include clinical education, effective reading comprehension strategies and intervention for intermediate, secondary and post-secondary students.

She incorporates her knowledge obtained from being a Head to Speech Ambassador, in the university classroom, the clinic, and community. She is in a setting in which she is able to collaborate with other disciplines; such as athletic training, public health, reading education, and special education. She establishes relationships with school-based SLPs surrounding her university. These relationships give her access to students who currently have a brain injury or a history of a brain injury. Also, this network provides her the opportunity to educate school-based SLPs on how to best service students with this diagnosis. TBI is probably the least used program in the schools in providing services for students to be successful in the classroom and the playing field.

Relevant financial disclosure include Grant funding by Middle Tennessee State University, Head to Speech Intellectual Property Rights, and Honorarium for this presentation.

Relevant non-financial disclosures include being a Middle Tennessee State University faculty member. Therefore I serve on several committees, teach courses in CSD and conduct research. In addition to being a Head to Speech Ambassador and member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

The Head to Speech Summit brings together an interprofessional task force of speech-language pathologists and audiologists from various medical and pediatric backgrounds seeking to either share their roles, lived experiences, knowledge and/or specialized training in neurogenic disorders, brain injury, or sports concussion management in children, adolescents and adults.

The task force also features the perspectives of interprofessional disciplines involved in the assessment, diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of athletes with acute and sub-acute concussions (post-concussion syndrome) including, neurologists, neurosurgeons, nurses, pediatricians, psychologists, emergency physicians, physician therapists, occupational therapists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, primary care physicians, athletic trainers, coaches, agents, attorneys and broadcasters.

Post concussion syndrome stories and case studies of athletes with a focus on high-school upperclassmen, collegiate, professional and former athletes and their support groups are front and center within the discussions.

As a result of attending this Summit you will be able to do the following:

1. Identify ways to advocate for the inclusion of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in Sports Concussion Management within various communities.

2. Describe ways in which the participant involved can invite other key groups and individuals to become an Ally in utilizing interprofessional education and collaborative practices within various communities.

3. Explain the biggest challenges the participant may face with referrals, assessment or interventions for sports-related concussion.

4. Demonstrate how to access resources for sports concussion management and cognitive-communication rehabilitation.

5. Evaluate what is and isn't missing from the participants' educational, scientific, charitable or therapeutic toolkit.

6. Analyze the steps or messages that have or haven't been well received by key groups in sports concussion management.

7. Assess what needs to be changed for a better experience in educating, counseling, evaluating, and treating post-concussion cognitive-communication disorders.

8. Formulate an action plan with measurable and obtainable short-and-long-term goals for each step within the framework including Advocate for the Profession, Simulate Experiences, Face the Challenges, Fill in the Gaps, and Evaluate the Process.

The key benefits from this course are:

• Discovering ways to advocate for the inclusion of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in Sports Concussion Management within their community.
• Identifying the key concepts and benefits of interprofessioanl education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP) experiences.
• Analyzing the biggest challenges speech-language pathologists and audiologists face with referrals, assessment or interventions for traumatic brain injury and sports-related concussion.
• Analyzing how to face the challenges through increased educational partnerships, practitioner referrals, and community outreach.
• Analyzing what is and isn't working within their community and other communities, in addition to what is and isn’t missing from educational, scientific, charitable or therapeutic toolkits!
• Analyzing what is and isn’t working in their community and other communities in order to fill in the gaps, including tools and resources for teaching, research, fundraising, clinical interventions, and/or growing a private practice including athletes.
• Analyzing how to evaluate the process for IPE/IPP experiences including the steps or messages that were well received by key groups.
• Identifying the potential changes that need to be made for a better experience.

Topics include but are not limited to:

1. Contemporary policies, issues and advocacy in neuroscience, neuropsychology and neurogenic language disorders with a specialization in traumatic brain injury, sports concussion management, and cognitive-communication rehabilitation
2. Preventative education
3. Health communication and social marketing strategies
4. Interprofessional education and collaborative practices
5. Evidence-based research that supports best clinical practices
6. Multicultural populations at high-risk of sustaining sports-related concussions and facing health disparities

This experience uses various learning modalities ranging from keynote speakers and panel discussions to on-demand talks and breakout sessions, which include case studies, simulations, audits, solution-based thinking, and action plans.

Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists: This summit is offered for 0.8 ASHA CEU's (Intermediate Level, Professional Area). 

Participants must demonstrate satisfactory completion of the learning experience by completing each exam, completion of assignments, demonstrated attendance/participation, and completion of the Course Evaluation form after the Summit in order to earn their certificate. You will receive an email with your certificate upon completion of all requirements.

Participants are highly encouraged to attend all three days and corresponding sessions. To receive LIVE ASHA CEUS you must attend all sessions live in Zoom. Attendance will be taken at the beginning and end of each session.

Individuals who are not present for the full summit will receive partial credit for the sessions they attend. Examples Given: If a participant attends only 1 session, they will earn 0.1 ASHA CEUs. If a participant attends only 2 sessions, they will earn 0.2 ASHA CEUs, etc. Please note that an ASHA CEU is a tenth of an hour. Thus, a one-hour course is equivalent to 0.1 ASHA CEU. In this 3-day summit, the maximum ASHA CEUs translates to 0.8 ASHA CEUs (8 hours).

Thank you for your interest in joining our Interprofessional Task Force! Please complete our Ambassador application. Within the application you will be able to submit your resume, headshot, financial and non-financial disclosures, and topic ideas. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact us at [email protected]

• We pledge to inform the public about how repetitive sports concussions can cause auditory processing disorders, mild cognitive impairments, Earlier onset Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other post-concussive cognitive-communication disorders.
• We understand that sports concussion is a public health issue impacting various communities of men and woman involved in sports as they may not have access to resources due to health disparities and continue to underreport their signs and symptoms due to academic, athletic, and socioeconomic pressures.
• We truly believe in a world where athletes and their support systems affected by sports concussion, HEAD TO SPEECH-language pathologists and audiologists to receive education, counseling, timely identification, assessments, and interventions for speech-language, hearing and cognitive-communication disorders!

If you require special accommodations (dietary, visual, hearing, physical) to attend or participate in this summit, please provide information about your requirements to the Head to Speech Headquarters via [email protected] at least 15 business days in advance for virtual summit attendance and 30 days for in-person summit attendance. Closed captioning will be provided upon request.