My name is Catherine Brown and I have been practicing as a speech language pathologist since July 2016. I received by undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Science from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!), followed by my Masters in Speech Language Pathology from University of Tennessee-Knoxville. I worked in a large public high school for 5.5 years, helping students gain access to their education through self-advocacy, access to communication modalities and gaining necessary language skills to participate in school. I love working with kids and adolescents, especially supporting complex communicators in their journey to find out what communication styles and modalities work for them. I hope to be able to build relationships with patients and their families through open dialogue and positive, patient driven therapies—speech therapy is pretty great that way…you can talk about anything!

I completed my undergraduate education at Indiana University in communication sciences and disorders and I received my M.S. in Speech Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. During my education, I worked first hand with children and their families in the clinical setting as well as in a research lab that focused on discovering how young children learn words. I loved this experience and following it, I gained an appreciation for the importance of using the latest research in my practice. I also gained experience during my graduate schooling working in an Augmentative and Assistive Communication (AAC) lab where completed evaluations and the funding process to feature match communication systems to children and adults with complex communication needs. I have completed 4 years of course work in American Sign Language, and I can use basic sign language. I have been lucky enough to work with adults and children over my career, and I have been a member of the Pediplay team since 2018. I am also a member of the American Speech and Language Association. I feel passionate about working with children with complex communication needs and feeding difficulties. I love working using a team approach pairing with your family and other therapists to help your child achieve their goals!

My father was born in 1928 with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.  He had dysarthric speech as the result of Cerebral Palsy.  For much of my early life, I facilitated communication for him with inconsiderate clerks and people in the outside world who didn’t even try to understand him due to his unusual speech patterns.  They seemed to write him off as a person of below average intelligence. As a sophomore in college, I made the decision to transfer to Michigan State University to pursue an undergraduate degree in Audiology and Speech Sciences after realizing my interest in working with people with communication challenges generally and with hearing loss in particular.  Next, I entered Purdue University, where I completed dual Masters degrees in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology in 1983.  I hold dual ASHA Certificates of Clinical Competence.  My Indiana State Licenses in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology have allowed me to work as a diagnostic/dispensing Audiologist and a speech-language pathologist working with children and adults with hearing and hearing loss at the Indianapolis Speech and Hearing Center (1983 to 1986), a diagnostic/programming audiologist and aural (re)habilitation specialist with the Cochlear Implant Teams at Methodist Hospital Indianapolis and Riley Hospital for Children (1986 to1993), a Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in therapy with children with hearing loss in the Speech Department of Riley Hospital (1993 to 2000),  and as an Early Intervention Specialist with Indiana First Steps (2000 to present).  Currently, I work with children from 0 to 12 with communication delay, and with children with hearing loss who communicate orally and using simultaneous communication.  I have received Hanen Centre training and certification, and have worked with many children considered to be late talkers.  Early in my career, I received beginner level training and brief experience using Cued Speech.  I have taken many courses in Signing Exact English and am conversationally fluent at the early education level.  It has been an honor to work with so many wonderful families over the years.  They have taught me so much, and have enriched my life beyond measure.

I grew up knowing I was a little different, but I didn’t know why. By the time I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at 22, I was already working on my Master’s in Bilingual Speech Pathology at Indiana University. Having an insider’s perspective has helped me in my work with kids on the Autism Spectrum. My specialty is in treatment of language disorders in bilingual children. I am fluent in French, Spanish, and German, and I speak some Mandarin, Farsi, and American Sign Language. My goal is to become proficient in Burmese Chin.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio Coming Soon!