The Hollywood Speech Convention: aka: ASHA conference
I remember being an undergrad, and the professors were encouraging us to attend the ASHA convention. ASHA stands for the American Speech/Language Hearing Association, and the convention is huge as it covers the scope of our entire field from babies to the geriatric population. ASHA has never been in Denver, so when you add up the price to fly, stay, and then pay for the conference, you start thinking your money might be better spent elsewhere.
This year though, it came to Denver, and the district I work for paid our way! That’s significant because the conference costs over $400.00 to attend!
It was fun seeing my cousin who is also an SLP, and seeing colleagues I worked with in my previous district! I went to lunch with my mentor and Ashlynn’s SLP, and oh yeah, I also learned a lot in the sessions I attended! Cody always tells me he thinks I want to go to these things just so I can “play with my friends.” I tell him that’s not true, that I really do learn a lot (and I do!), but I have to admit a big part is that it is fun to go and see all my SLP friends and to be able to nerd out and talk speech stuff all day.
I still have two more days, but I think I already experienced the cherry on top. I was invited to the CASANA reception after today’s conference. I was so nervous, but thankfully since I went to bootcamp I at least know three experts and of course Sharon Gretz, the executive director of CASANA. Dave Hammer immediately said hello and I at least found a place to stand. Part of me felt bad because I’m sure he would have preferred to talk to other experts, but he was so nice and started to introduce me to people he knew. It reminded me of two years ago when he offered at bootcamp to drive me somewhere and I remember putting on facebook that I had to pinch myself because I was in David Hammer’s van! lol Now though, I can say I know him, and that in and of itself is still crazy.
Anyway, I know some people aren’t good with names, but I am really good with names actually, and as he started talking I was blown away. There’s Greg Lof (research papers with his name on them and a talk I attended of his a few years ago in Denver, pop in my head), Joe Duffy (my graduate school motor speech disorders text book with Joe Duffy as the author pops in my head), oh and that is Dee Fish (the book this is how your treat Childhood Apraxia of Speech with Margaret Fish as the author pops in my head), and over there is Jonathon Preston ( a research article using ultrasound feedback headed by him pops in my head).
What the?? Where am I?? Why am I here??
As I smiled politely and said hello, a woman walked up to the table I was standing at. As I looked over, “Megan Overby??” popped out of my mouth. Another name on published research. “Yes? And you are?”
I am….picking my jaw off the ground…oh, I’m just Laura Smith. I’m an SLP here in Denver.
After I talked to her I turned around and bumped into a name tag that said Edwin. I looked up and realized it was Edwin Maas…..another huge name in the research. It was seriously like I was Alice in Wonderland and I was transported into a world where all the authors of my text books and research articles came to real life…only, this was real life…I think.
“Hello!!” I heard a loud but kind voice greeting people next to me. I turn my head and it’s none other than Nancy Kaufman. Yeah, that Nancy. If you have Kaufman cards or anything speech related with Kaufman on them, she’s the face behind the materials.
The rest of the evening continued on much in this fashion. I was able to hug Kathy Jekeilski, another expert and bootcamp mentor; and hang out with two of my fellow bootcampers Lucia and Marlo, who were in the same boat as me and who helped me feel so much more comfortable.
As it was time to leave, I went to tell Sharon goodbye and Sharon introduced to me to none other than Edythe Strand. I decided to take a picture of all the experts standing in that immediate area. This is only a fraction of who were there, but it is a great picture and a night I’ll never forget.
