Growing + Supportive + Inclusive
In the next installment of our purpose campaign to show just how much of what we do truly matters, Alisha Golec talks about the insights she gained in her previous roles and how it informs her work now and inspires her every day.
“I am a speech-language pathologist (SLP) by background, and I’ve worked in a variety of health care and educational settings. When I was in grad school, I worked in a hospital as a rehabilitation aide. Once I graduated, I worked in a short-term rehab facility and then long-term care as an SLP. Eventually, I moved into the schools and worked as a school-based SLP.
My previous position before starting at Myers and Stauffer was as an augmentative communication specialist. I worked with many suburban and rural districts in a four-county area that stretched from Portland to the coast, evaluating students who might benefit from augmentative or alternative communication systems (AACs). I also coached school teams and other SLPs in effective ways to implement the ACC devices so the students could access their education.
Because I have experience in several areas of education and health care, I have felt firsthand the impact of policy and funding decisions. I really loved my work in education, but felt the systemic barriers limited my effectiveness as provider to the point that it was not sustainable. I couldn’t maintain my work without being burned out by the end of every school year. I saw wonderful, skilled colleagues leave the profession they loved because the barriers were too much.
When I found the opportunity to apply my practical experience and advocate for improved care, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. I think my background in assistive technology and my former mission of making education accessible for all students gives me a unique perspective on how to help advocate now for better care outcomes for people and better provider conditions to maintain an effective workforce.”
Get to Know Alisha
Alisha has substantial experience in a variety of health care and educational environments working with people with complex medical needs of all ages. She is responsible for providing creative, client focused solutions, maintaining project analytics, project management, and creating client-ready deliverables. Along with practical experience working directly with stakeholders, Alisha has developed experience in stakeholder engagement, accessibility, assistive technology, and health care and education consulting related to Medicaid eligible services.
Positive Impacts
Myers and Stauffer is proud to help our clients serve those who are most vulnerable. Our staff feel empowered to know that their hard work and dedication each day makes a difference. We believe it and so do the millions of individuals helped by the clients we serve. We will release new stories each month highlighting associates and their stories. Follow along with our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more information
