The PRC mission goes far beyond providing communication devices, and our national service-oriented Consultant Network is one example of how we go above and beyond.
Return to OverviewM.S., CCC-SLP
Sharí graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology from California State University, Sacramento in 2005. She held a special recognition in her research in Applied Communication Sciences Lab (ACSL) and as the local National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSLHA) president of her university. Sharí then became the student representative of the California Speech-Language Hearing Association (CSHA) while completing her coursework for her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology with special class authorization from California State University, Sacramento in 2007.
It is in these early experiences that Sharí developed a passion for research and supporting parents and SLPs as they sought solutions for their children to have easier access to communication. She began presenting alongside Dr. Laureen O’Hanlon while still in grad school on topics supporting research in AAC. Sharí has worked as an SLP and also special education teacher in classrooms supporting children using technology for both expressive language and written language. She had one year where nearly her entire class was using PRC Pathfinder devices, which is when she realized the efficiency one could learn using semantic compactions. Later she spent two years working as the assistive technology specialist for San Juan Unified School District. She taught various grades in elementary at a couple schools before relocating to WA where she began as part of the AAC evaluation team for Mary Bridge, Children’s Therapy Unit in Puyallup. She worked a variety of settings in WA including clinic based, hospital based, and early intervention. During these years she appreciated one of the greatest needs was access to SLPs who could conduct AAC evaluations.
It was once Sharí and her spouse were seeking a communication device to support their eldest child’s communication that Sharí quickly became emersed back into her initial passion of supporting others in their search for access to technology and a voice. Her eldest child has a degenerative disorder, limiting motor function and now relies on one of PRC-Saltillo’s devices for communication. Her middle child was later diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and a gestalt language processor (GLP) who is now a part-time communication device user. As a parent of a GLP, Sharí gets the opportunity to have firsthand knowledge of the challenges many families face when trying to support their GLP while maintaining integrity to a robust communication system. Sharí’s youngest child was only a baby when Sharí started in the role as PRC-Saltillo consultant, and she could not have predicted her youngest also would become a full-time communication device user. Her youngest child is unable to produce verbal speech and began trying to steal her older sibling’s communication device as soon as she could crawl over to it. Now all three of her children have access to communication. Sharí feels she is living her dream working for PRC-Saltillo and excited to be assisting others as they navigate the vast options of technology to help gain additional tools to be heard.
