“Connecting on a Personal Level”—Meet Our Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year!

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, and today we’re pleased to announce that Charlene Cano has been named our 2026 Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year!

Charlene, who has been with VNS Health for 14 years, is a Senior Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) with Queens Home Care Branch 2.  She found her way to speech-language pathology through a love of linguistics. After she realized that teaching wasn’t the right fit for her, a professor’s suggestion set her on the path to becoming a speech therapist. She began her career in a skilled nursing facility before moving to home care, where she feels she can have the greatest impact on patients’ lives.

Today, Charlene helps people regain activities that many of us take for granted, such as communicating or simply to be able to eat or swallow. Many people associate speech-language pathology with childhood speech and language development, Charlene says, “but the field is actually a lot broader than that. It covers five main areas:  articulation, voice, language, cognition, and swallowing.”

Whether this means assisting a person to speak more clearly, safely swallow solid food, find words after a stroke, or develop techniques for coping with memory issues, Charlene’s therapy helps patients regain both their independence and their connection to others.

Charlene says her ability to bond with her patients is just as important as her SLP skills. “I sit and have conversations with people, and I end up connecting with them on a more personal level,” she explains.

Instead of standard drills, Charlene focuses her therapy on everyday life situations. “For example, I’ll have a patient practice making a phone call to a doctor’s office, instead of just repeating sentences. I’ve found this individualized approach creates stronger connections and often leads to better outcomes.”

In addition to helping patients, Charlene also educates families and caregivers. For instance, if a patient says “otter” instead of “water,” Charlene encourages their loved ones to focus on the success behind the attempt: the patient communicated a need and made a connection. “That’s an improvement already,” she says, “so let’s celebrate that!”

“Charlene truly seeks to understand her patients’ lived experiences, communication challenges, and emotional needs,” notes one of her colleagues. “She takes time to talk with her patients and build trust with patients and families, especially those coping with new diagnoses.”

As for being named VNS Health’s Speech Language Pathologist of the Year, Charlene says, “I never feel like I’m doing enough. So when you’re doing all you can, it’s nice to hear that it’s appreciated.”