Guest: Tracy Camille Johnson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, MSPA-CPSP

Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/allyship-advocacy-pfd

Related Course: Lactation and the Interprofessional Practice Seminar: www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/lactation-and-ip

First Bite is back for an all new season, and host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, kicks things off with a powerful conversation on allyship and advocacy. She’s joined by Tracy Camille Johnson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, MSPA-CPSP, Founder and CEO of Buttercup Therapy Services. Together, they explore barriers that BIPOC clinicians may encounter on their journey to becoming an SLP, how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shape service delivery, and ways to identify functional, community-based resources that truly uplift caregivers supporting children with pediatric feeding disorders. If you’re ready to reflect, grow, and strengthen your advocacy lens, this episode will meet you there. Come hungry for growth and leave feeling full.

About the Guest: Tracy Camille Johnson is a Speech Language Pathologist, Pediatric Feeding Specialist, Certified Lactation Counselor, and Advocate. Originally from Chicago, she now calls Austin, Texas home. She is the founder and CEO of Buttercup Therapy Services which services the greater Austin region across the lifespan for feeding, swallowing, and communication skills since 2022.

Show Notes:

Lactation Seminar: www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/lactation-and-ip

Contact Tracy: @chattytraceface.slp on Instagram

Butter Cup Therapy: www.buttercuptherapy.org

Black Mamas ATX (Love Money Cause): blackmamasatx.com

National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH): www.nbaslh.org

Find Help: www.findhelp.org

Guests: Rachel S. Tyrone, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Torrey Robinson, MS, CCC-SLP, doctoral student at UMMC.

Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/population-health

Y’all, this conversation exists because of a fantastic dress and a spontaneous chat outside the bathroom at the Mississippi Annual Speech-Language-Hearing Convention. That chance moment sparked a soul-filling discussion about population health, public health, and social determinants of health, and how all three directly shape our work as pediatric SLPs. As 2025 comes to a close and many of us are reflecting on our professional place in the world, this episode offers hope, perspective, and practical ways to think and act upstream. You will walk away inspired to become an “Upstreamist,” ready to lead gently and passionately for our field, our colleagues, and the children and families we serve in 2026.

Show Notes:

ASHA SDOH: https://www.asha.org/practice/social-determinants-of-health/?srsltid=AfmBOopPx1sLqvjVFTyhNQ3gM8f4tlJ3_e6otXZgc5w9S8gGNCKH5zWK

Healthy People: https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople

Mentioned in this episode:

This is a Speech Therapy PD Podcast

Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode when you complete the accompanying course on speechtherapypd.com.

This is a Speech Therapy PD Podcast

This Podcast is worth 0.10 ASHA CEUs when you complete the course on speechtherapypd.com.

Guests: Vicki R. Deal-Williams, ASHA’s Chief Executive Officer, and Perry Flynn, 2026 ASHA President Elect

Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/the-future-of-slh

This episode is a collaboration with the Keys for SLPs podcast, hosted by Mary Beth Hines, MS, CCC-SLP. Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S joins as a co-host to welcome ASHA leadership Vicki R. Deal-Williams, MA, CCC-SLP, FASAE, CAE, ASHA’s Chief Executive Officer, and Perry Flynn, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, CTRI, ASHA-F, 2026 ASHA President Elect for an inside look at the evolving speech-language-hearing professions.

Together, they will explore emerging technologies, workforce trends, and ongoing efforts to recruit and retain professionals, particularly those from BIPOC communities. The conversation will also highlight the SLP Interstate Compact and offer practical guidance for students and early-career professionals navigating the changing landscape of the field.

About the Guests:

Vicki Deal-Williams serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), where she has been a valued team member for more than three decades. A Certified Association Executive and distinguished Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Vicki is also an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and ASHA Fellow. Her expertise lies in cultivating leadership, aligning strategic goals with organizational priorities, and navigating teams through transformation with clarity and purpose. She is known for her ability to authentically build strong, collaborative relationships and to foster a welcoming culture where everyone feels they have a voice. Through clear vision, steady guidance, and deep commitment, she works alongside volunteer leaders and members, students, vendors, partners, and staff to advance ASHA’s mission, achieve optimal results, and ensure lasting impact.

Perry Flynn, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, CTRI, is the Consultant to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in the area of Speech-Language Pathology and a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a two-time member of ASHA’s Board of Directors, and a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language. He is a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) Certified Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor. He has presented several times at ASHA Conventions on the topic of recruiting and retaining men and minorities in speech-language pathology and has written several articles on the topic.