Apraxia Kids is excited to announce the winners of the Kristin Lynn Johnson Scholarship!

Alexandra Garabedian
Lucero Varela Zavala
Madeline Cheyne
Amber McIvor

The Kristin Lynn Johnson Scholarship was offered for the first time this year and we received over 160 applications! The caliber of the applicants made the selection process a challenge, but these four students really stood out above the crowd. We are proud to honor Kristin’s legacy through supporting these four exceptional future SLPs to continue pursuing their similar passions.

Kristin Lynn Johnson was a dedicated pediatric SLP who touched the lives of countless students. In 2019, Kristin’s life was taken too soon by a motor vehicle accident. Apraxia Kids is privileged to partner with Kristin’s family to honor her extraordinary life and passion in helping children with severe speech sound disorders including childhood apraxia of speech, by awarding these four students each with a $1,000 scholarships in time for the spring 2023 semester.

Here is a highlight of just some of the accomplishments and experiences our winners shared with us.

Congratulations to Alexandra, Lucero, Madeline, and Amber!

Alexandra Garabedian will graduate from Eastern New Mexico University with a Master of Science in Communicative Disorders in May 2023. Alexandra found her “why” moment at a young age as she was diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) herself. Alexandra’s own lived experiences with CAS, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and still struggling with words on occasion all help to build a strong rapport with her CAS clients and connect on a deeper level. She has strong foundational knowledge of and clinical experience in working with children with CAS and Alexandra plans to continue providing a safe, comfortable, and understanding therapy environment.

Madeline Cheyne will graduate from Montclair State University with a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology in December 2023. Madeline was awarded a fellowship in undergraduate school and an assistantship in graduate school, both to conduct research studies related to communication disorders and CAS. Madeline works under Dr. Elaine Hitchcock as they use biofeedback for CAS studies, and has presented portions of this study at the national ASHA Convention. Madeline plans to provide comprehensive whole-child assessment and treatment, and is considering a doctoral degree in the field of speech sound disorders with a focus on translational research.

Lucero Varela Zavala will be graduating in May 2023 from Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame with dual degrees, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology and a Master of Arts in Autism Studies. Lucero has worked with a variety of clients using AAC and several evidence-based therapy approaches. Lucero’s long-term goal is to be a bilingual SLP to bridge the gap in the Latino/Hispanic communities to ensure that Spanish-speaking clients with CAS are receiving the best services, support, and information possible.

Amber McIvor will be graduating from the University of Northern Colorado with a Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology in August 2023. During her graduate school career, Amber independently researched evidence-based information on childhood apraxia of speech and provided such thorough treatment for a CAS client that faculty approached her to present that case study to a conference of peers and professionals. Upon graduation, Amber plans to work with school-aged children in the public-school setting before potentially pursuing a PhD in communication science and additional CAS research opportunities.