We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessica Lenden-Holt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessica below.
Alright, Jessica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?
My name is Jessica Lenden-Holt. I am a bilingual, speech-language pathologist living in Johnson City, TN. I have been a speech-language pathologist for 14 years and have experience as a speech-language pathologist in schools, hospitals, home health, teletherapy, and private practice settings.
I knew that I wanted to be a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in my junior year of high school in order to help others. As a Whittle Scholar at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, I earned an Honors degree in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and an Honors degree in Spanish with an emphasis on Hispanic Studies.
I love learning new languages and being exposed to new cultures. I studied abroad in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Peru and met some incredible individuals while also studying public health and the Spanish language. After I received an MA degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with an emphasis in Bilingualism/Multiculturalism from the University of Texas-Austin, I wanted to apply everything I had learned by working with bilingual (Spanish-English) populations.
I interviewed in several states, but ultimately joined an incredible pediatric private practice in Brownsville, TX for my clinical fellowship year. I loved the area and worked as a bilingual SLP on the Texas-Mexico border for seven years before moving back to Tennessee.
Jessica, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My love of writing and creating led me to publish nine articles related to speech-language pathology, some of which have won several awards and were presented at multiple local, state, and national conferences.
I am currently the Sr. Director of Clinical Services for Sidekick Therapy Partners. Sidekick has almost 200 employees, serves 24 school districts in the state of Tennessee, and has two pediatric outpatient clinics.
While working at Sidekick, I had the opportunity to start creating materials for other speech therapist teammates. That led me to create my Teachers Pay Teachers store, Speech Therapy with Lenden-Holt. My goal was to create fun, easy-to-use resources at an affordable cost. There are over 100 items in-store, over a dozen free items, and all individual items are under $5.00.
I love creating resources and materials for other speech-language pathologists and educators.
I truly believe that learning through play and having fun while learning new concepts is the key to unlocking a child’s potential. My clients know that I care about them. Our sessions are full of laughter and creativity and fun.
I am an advocate for my profession and for the families I serve. I am currently the VP of Legislative Affairs for the Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists.
Each of us has the opportunity to improve the lives of others on a daily basis. I am glad that I found my passion at a young age and am able to pursue a career that allows me to make an impact.
Any advice for managing a team?
Leadership, for me, is about surrounding myself with people that are more talented than I am in a variety of areas and helping those individuals find their true potential. I hope that I am able to encourage those individuals to go outside of their comfort zones and that the culture I have built allows them to share innovative, creative ideas. Staying aligned on our mission “to empower our clients to lead full and purposeful lives” is at the center of our decision making process.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
During COVID, speech therapists were forced to find new ways to reach students and clients.
Physical manipulatives, cards, and books could not be presented in the same way. The use of teletherapy platforms was new to everyone, and we had to find creative ways to engage our clients. Using platforms, like Ambiki.com, allowed me to use a green screen to take my kids on new adventures around the world.
I was able to expose them to new cultures and experiences while still focusing on their individual goals. I’ve enjoyed sharing tips and tricks with other SLPs through my social media pages in hopes of making the transition a little easier for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Speech-Therapy-With-Lenden-holt
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speech.therapy.with.lendenholt/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speechtherapywithlendenholt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lenden-holt-b095b9208/
- Other: www.mysidekicktherapy.com www.ambiki.com