Vani Suri, M.A., CCC-SLP

I've been practicing as a speech-language pathologist for nearly 10 years now, and I can honestly say this profession has been my destiny. My name, Vani, actually translates to 'Goddess of Words and Voice' in Indian culture, so I think this path was meant for me from the very beginning. I work with adult and geriatric populations, and I have experience in both skilled nursing facilities and acute inpatient hospitals. I recently started a dream position as a full-time speech-language pathologist at Washington Hospital in Fremont, which is incredibly meaningful to me because it's my community hospital and the hospital where I was born. I specialize in dysphagia management, which involves treating swallowing disorders, and I've become particularly passionate about end-of-life swallow function. This area became even more important to me after losing my grandfather last year at age 95, when I witnessed firsthand the challenges families face with swallowing difficulties at the end of life. That personal experience deepened my commitment to providing education, support, and validation to patients and families during these difficult times. I always remind them that there's no right or wrong answer - it's about what they value when it comes to quality of life. What I love most about my work is the human connection. At the end of the day, when you strip away everything, we're all just human beings fighting our daily challenges, whether physical, mental, or dealing with new conditions like stroke or trauma. I'm honored to serve my patients and families, and honestly, I learn just as much from them as they learn from me - whether it's clinical insights or life advice. My mother is an occupational therapist, so I grew up in the rehabilitation world, and I always knew I wanted to work in the medical field with people. I've been incredibly fortunate to learn from two amazing mentors, Colleen Kichula and Andrea Cronin, who are both speech-language pathologists in the Bay Area. They've taught me everything I know and have dedicated so much time, patience, and care to my development. I carry what they've taught me every single day when I work with my patients.

• Bachelor's in Communicative Disorders and Sciences
• San Jose State University
• Master's in Speech-Language Pathology

• M.A.
• CCC-SLP

• American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA)

• Alzheimer's and Dementia Walks and Marathons

I regularly read journals from ASHA Wire, which is published by the American Speech Language Hearing Association, as well as various medical journals. I particularly follow publications from JAMA, specifically in the area of otolaryngology, head and neck. I stay current with the latest research and developments in my field through these professional publications.