Victoria McCartney, M.S., CCC-SLP, is now a graduate of the Apraxia Kids Intensive Training Institute (Apraxia Boot Camp) and is considered Recognized by Apraxia Kids for Advanced Training and Expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Victoria McCartney is a licensed speech-language pathologist and reading specialist serving families in the Greater Boston area. She works as a school-based SLP in the public school system and maintains a private practice. Victoria specializes in supporting children with complex speech sound profiles, developmental language disorders, and language-based learning disabilities. She holds a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Literacy and Language, both from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. She is a Certified Orton-Gillingham Practitioner and a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist recognized by the International Dyslexia Association. Victoria is passionate about improving outcomes for children with CAS in public school settings by expanding access to high-quality, evidence-based motor speech intervention. She is also the parent of a child diagnosed with CAS at age 2;11, giving her both professional experience and personal understanding of the importance of early, accurate identification and treatment. Victoria lives outside Boston with her husband, two children, and their Boston Terrier puppy named Hobie Brown.

Victoria offers services in Boston, Massachusetts.
Check out Victoria’s Apraxia Kids SLP Directory Listing to learn more.

Apraxia Kids: What are the top 3 things you learned from this training experience?
Victoria:

1. How to conduct a comprehensive differential diagnosis of CAS using evidence across multiple assessment tools.
2. How to write motor-speech-specific treatment goals using the CAS ABCD framework and design DTTC-based intervention grounded in principles of motor learning.
3. How to document and articulate my clinical reasoning about a CAS diagnosis and connect assessment findings to treatment decisions.

Apraxia Kids: How did the boot camp experience change or expand your network of colleagues/friends?
Victoria: The boot camp connected me with a community of SLPs who share my passion for research and evidence-based motor speech practice. It was inspiring to be surrounded by such experienced clinicians and to hear about the work they do across a range of settings. The mentors were incredible, and I particularly valued my mentorship with Sue Caspari, whose feedback challenged and strengthened my clinical thinking throughout the case study process. I also loved the other mentees in my group (shout out to the Apraxia Pack!)–hearing other clinicians describe their settings reminded me that the struggles I face identifying and serving children with CAS in a large urban school district are shared by clinicians everywhere. We’ve stayed in touch as a boot camp cohort through social media, and I love continuing to learn with and from them.

Apraxia Kids: Describe how you have implemented the knowledge you gained at boot camp.
Victoria: I have integrated boot camp knowledge into both my evaluation and treatment practices. For evaluations, I now use a systematic motor speech assessment framework that includes the DEMSS, IPC analysis, and Mayo-10 features alongside standardized articulation testing, which has made my eligibility determinations more defensible and my reports more quantitative. For treatment, I restructured my intervention for a current client with CAS to align with DTTC principles.

Apraxia Kids: What is an example of how you have been able to (or plan to) use your expertise as a local resource/support for other professionals and/or families since attending the intensive training?
Victoria: I am currently developing a formal proposal to reinstate a CAS consultation team within my school district, partnering with a colleague who also holds the Apraxia Kids endorsement. The proposed model would provide evaluation consultation for differential diagnosis, treatment planning support, and professional development for SLPs district wide. I’ve also co-facilitated professional development for SLPs in my district and plan to continue offering training on evidence-based CAS assessment and intervention practices.

Apraxia Kids: What would you say to someone considering applying to boot camp next round?
Victoria: DO IT! The case study is the hardest part, but you’ll get through it and you’ll be a better clinician for it. You’ll meet amazing people, learn from incredible mentors, and walk away inspired to go home and do your best clinical work on behalf of your CAS kiddos. It will be hard. It will be worth it.