Congrats to Katie Gildea, VNS Health’s 2023 SLP of the Year!
As we approach the end of Better Speech and Hearing Month, we’re proud to announce that speech-language pathologist (SLP) Katie Gildea has been named VNS Health’s Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year! Leaders from VNS Health Provider Services reviewed this year’s nominations and selected Katie as someone who exemplifies how our SLPs go above and beyond to achieve the best possible outcomes for their patients—delivering outstanding service while also embodying VNS Health’s Core Values of Integrity, Empathy and Agility.
Katie started out in speech-language pathology almost 20 years ago, working with children and adults recovering from brain injuries. After several years, she moved to New York and joined VNS Health. Now approaching 15 years with the organization, she has spent much of her career working with patients on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
“I feel very lucky to be in home health care right now,” said Katie. “I find that all my patients have been so appreciative of us coming to them, and I feel like I get so much more accomplished with them in the home.”
“Katie exhibits all three VNS Health Core Values during her daily work,” wrote one colleague in their nominating letter. “She has expanded her areas as needed, to assist her co-workers. She spends time talking to the patient and caregivers not only about the work and exercises, but also how it affects their lives, and she exudes honesty: Our patients sometimes ask us difficult questions—whether because the answers do not exist, are out of our scope of practice to answer, or the answer is just unknown at that time, Katie always responds professionally, appropriately, and with care. She continues to be such an asset to our SLP team!”
In recent years, Katie and her SLP colleagues have been working more closely with VNS Health hospice team members, something she’s found both new and rewarding. “I feel it’s been really great, because there’s a lot that speech therapists can offer the hospice team and their patients, whether it involves a swallowing issue or a communication issue,” Katie noted.
After being informed of her selection as SLP of the year, Katie said that she was surprised and very grateful. She was also quick to highlight the work of her colleagues and all those in her career field. While thankful for the award, Katie explained that she couldn’t have done anything without the hard work and dedication of her fellow speech-language pathologists. “I think it’s important to highlight the work we do as SLPs whenever possible,” she added.
Congratulations, Katie—and Happy Better Speech and Hearing Month to all of our terrific SLPs!
Click here to read some stories that a few of our SLPs – including Katie – recently shared in Frontline about their most memorable cases.
