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Our Mission

NJSHA empowers audiologists, speech-language pathologists, speech, language and hearing scientists and future professionals by providing resources and support to its members and those they serve through:

  • Professional Development/Continuing Education;
  • Advocacy;
  • Public awareness; and
  • Networking and mentoring.

Member Spotlight: Meet Kristen Victorino, PhD, CCC-SLP

Kristen Victorino, PhD, CCC-SLP

Member Since

2012

Introduction

Kristen is an associate professor in the Master of Science Speech-Language Pathology Program at Rutgers University School of Health Professions in Newark where she has beensince July 2022. She has had many roles as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) throughout her career and has worked in various settings since 2005, including higher education. She also was a clinician in early intervention and preschools and the owner of a private practice. Throughout her career, she has been an active volunteer in the field of speech-language pathology.

Kristen has been a member of NJSHA since 2012; she has made many remarkable contributions to the profession of speech-language pathology. She was selected to participate in leadership academies from various organizations such as the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and The Council for Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD). In 2021, she was appointed by the Governor to the New Jersey Audiology and Speech-Language-Pathology Advisory Committee, to serve as an active member, representing SLPs.
Kristen earned her doctorate (PhD) from the City University of New York, her master’s degree (MA) from Emerson College and her undergraduate degree from James Madison University (BA).

Kristen, her husband and two teenage children live in Westfield. Her newest member of the family is a goldendoodle named Willie. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, taking Willie on walks and running. In 2022, she ran the Chicago marathon to raise funds for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, in memory of a good friend. She says it was a tough run, but it was for a cause dear to her heart.

Kristen sat down with VOICES to discuss her many contributions to NJSHA:

What excites you most about your contributions to your profession?
I am always excited to interact with, guide and mentor the next generation of SLPs. I decided to pursue a doctoral degree to do research and obtain a faculty position. I love teaching, and I feel that my contribution to the profession grows with each graduating class.
What professional accomplishment would you say you are most excited about?

I am proud of the way I worked steadily towards my doctorate while starting a family, moving from New York to New Jersey and working continuously as a clinician. I am honored to be able to contribute to several different speech-language pathology programs in the state since becoming a professor. Most recently, I am extremely excited about a new grant-funded opportunity to partner with a school district to conduct research that will be impactful within the community.

With such a strong professional foundation, why join NJSHA?
I initially joined NJSHA as a new faculty member in New Jersey as a way to connect with other professors and researchers in the state. I joined the Higher Education Committee for this reason.

There is value in being a part of an association in which you can learn so much about different experiences from other professionals. The networking and connections I have made both professionally and personally have been so beneficial to fostering my career.

What is your advice to other professionals about why they should join NJSHA?
I don’t know if most people realize how much our professional practice guidelines are determined at the state level. We all know about ASHA certification and standards, but each state operates differently.

NJSHA is an important resource and is hugely influential in advocating for SLPs and AUDs in the state. There is power in numbers, and NJSHA must remain a critical voice in Trenton. There are so many important issues impacting our professions, and with NJSHA’s support, we can make a bigger impact.

It is also a wonderful way to grow your professional network. You never know when you may want to make a professional change, and knowing people through NJSHA who work in varied settings can really give you an advantage in your career development.

How do you suggest others can get (more) involved in NJSHA?
I encourage everyone to join a committee! There is truly something for everyone, depending on your area of practice and interest. The time commitment can be as much or as little as you can contribute, and it’s the BEST way to network and connect with other professionals. You can go to the website, find an interest and attend a meeting. You can start by listening and learning, and then think about ways you can get involved when you are ready. It’s as simple as that. Being on a committee doesn’t have to be time-consuming.

Who is your “NJSHA Hero” and why?
I don’t think I can choose just one. I’ve been so fortunate to work closely with several of the recent past presidents including Mary Faella, Robynne Kratchman and Kathy Palatucci, current president Donna Spillman-Kennedy and president-elect Natalie Neubauer. Each of these women has modeled leadership, advocacy and a commitment to the association that I find so admirable.

Do you have a greatest “NJSHA moment”? If so, what was it?
For the past several years, in my capacity as chair of the Higher Ed Committee, I have organized a Student Advocacy Day in Trenton. We have been successful at securing funds from an ASHA State Association Grant to support this endeavor. Students from each New Jersey program in speech-language pathology and audiology gets to meet with our NJSHA lobbyists and learn about how legislation gets passed and how NJSHA has advocated successfully in the past for laws that benefit clients and our professions. What makes this a great “NJSHA moment” each year is to meet students from across the state and to see how energized and engaged they are. I am consistently impressed, and it makes me excited about the future of NJSHA.

What is the next challenge you would like to undertake, both professionally and with NJSHA?
I am interested in the challenge of connecting local university programs and researchers with clinicians in the state. There is such potential for mutually beneficial work to be done! I am pleased to have been awarded grant funds through the Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health (REACH) program for 2023-24 to conduct community-engaged research with the Newark Board of Education Schools. The REACH program focuses on social determinants of health and encourages research teams to truly partner with community stakeholders on sustainable projects. It is a challenging endeavor, but I hope that our project can serve as a model that could be replicated in other communities.

I would like to further elaborate that this project became possible because of a conversation I had with a NJSHA member, Nicole Ford, at one of our committee meetings. Nicole and I were talking about what we do and she told me that she works for the Newark schools. This led to a conversation about how our respective departments could connect and work together. One simple conversation at a NJSHA meeting led to this amazing project that will benefit so many!

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Stay Involved

NJSHA hosts various networking and professional development opportunities throughout the calendar year. Below are several of our most recent ones. To see future events, please view our calendar.

2023 NJSHA Convention was a HUGE success!

Ocean Place Resort & Spa

View Past Events