Welcome Dr. Jay!

Please join me in welcoming the newest addition to our GiGi’s Playhouse National Office Team, Dr. Vicki Jay, as our National Speech and Language Expert! Dr. Jay’s first day was Monday, August 5!

Dr. Jay’s role will include working directly with local participants and supervising graduate students in the GiGi’s Amina Grace Speech & Language program, she will continue to supervise undergraduate students during LMNOP. Dr. Jay will also be working with the GiGi’s network as an Ask the Expert. She will be working with all GiGi’s Playhouses locations to continue to grow the GiGi’s Amina Grace S&L program, assist in securing collegiate level students for programming while providing knowledge and guidance to staff, volunteers and families to increase speech & language into programs and participants everyday lives. Dr. Jay will be involved in national initiatives including the GiGi’s Committee of Excellence-Speech & Language, AI, the GiGi’s App and more.

Dr. Jay received her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in speech-language pathology  from the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign. She has worked as a clinician, clinical supervisor, and clinic director in the past. She loves being able to excite students as they learn to work with individuals with Down syndrome. Seeing individuals with communication challenges set goals and improve their skills is a rewarding aspect of being a speech-language pathologist.

Dr. Jay lives in the northwest suburbs with her husband and daughter. She has been involved with GiGi’s Playhouse volunteering since 2014 in various areas including L.M.N.O.P., GiGi’s Amina Grace Speech & Language program, the National Speech & Language Committee of Excellence, AI initiatives and much more! In one of her first conversations with Nancy G., she was asked “what is your dream for GiGi’s Playhouse?”.  The discussion evolved around bring speech services to more Playhouses and improving the communication skills of individuals with Down syndrome of all ages. To be able to realize this dream is very exciting.

If you haven’t already, please stop by and say Hello to Dr. Jay! Have a wonderful week everyone!