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Professional Interests
"My actions guide my path, using my moral compass as my beacon and resilience as my watchword while maintaining my steadfast commitment to service, as well as having the courage to step up when times are toughest and staying true to my belief that it takes a team of good people to change the world, thus always being cognizant that my success in making a difference depends on others." - L. Buford
lifelong commitment
I’ve had a lifelong commitment to hard work, and my mission is anchored by purpose, vision, and integrity. As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, my patient encounters with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in underserved communities have revealed irreversible deficiencies due to a lack of early diagnosis and intervention. The unmet needs of these children fuel my motivation to close the health disparity gap for underserved children of color with autism and to improve conditions for children who lack early intervention.
passionate
I’m passionate about education and outreach and have loved helping speech-language pathology (SLP) graduate clinicians and fellows gain clinical experience. Mentoring helps me support a rapidly growing industry by empowering future clinicians to deliver excellent speech-language services to the pediatric population with ASD. Additionally, I’m eager to partner with community organizations and offer workshops for parents in underserved communities, enabling them to help address their child’s speech and language deficits.
serving
underserved children
Regarding scholarly materials, I’m interested in creating a universal Speech-Language Pathology tool kit focused on ASD. Research shows that children with ASD in underserved communities are diagnosed and receive treatment at a later age. A resource toolkit for SLPs will help practitioners become more adept in identifying and treating those with ASD while helping bridge the health disparity gap.
Private Practice
Clinically, I plan to open a private practice, The KCB Play Institute, in the next year. The practice will provide services for children with ASD and those needing speech, language, and occupational therapy, with a special focus on serving underserved communities. By providing quality speech-language and occupational therapy assistance regardless of the family’s ability to pay, The KCB Play Institute will fill a gap in early specialized intervention, another measure to help bridge the health disparity gap in underserved communities.