Bio/Resume

Who am I?  

My name is Patricia Rakovic and I am a speech and language pathologist with a passion for learning. I set up this blog to assist me in educating my clinical students.  Below is my resume that will assist in highlighting some of my skills.

University of Rhode Island 2007-Present

Clinical Supervisor:

Responsible for the clinical supervision of graduate students conducting speech language pathology services to a pediatric population, coordination with families, home programming, working with undergraduate students observing clinic, coordination of programming with student’s school. Caseload has included children with traumatic brain injury, autism, Aspergers, dyspraxia, fluency, articulation, cognitive deficits, dyslexia and writing difficulties. 

East Greenwich School department 1998-Present

Speech Language Therapist:

Responsible for caseload that has ranged from preschool to high school aged children member of Team of Qualified Professionals teams, extensive diagnostic work, social skill training classes, employs a variety of service delivery models, coordinate standards based instruction with classroom teachers that maximizes the integration of technology into the curriculum” Augmentative Communication Team, Literacy Team, School Improvement Team, Response to Intervention Team, Literacy Team, Technology Committee, English Language Arts Curriculum Committee, Middle School Working Group, Preschool Work Group, Autism Cadre leader, Math Curriculum Committee, PBIS( Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports) Committee.

Rhode Island Autism Project (RIAP) 1996-present

Founding member:

Coordinator: Summer Institute  Grant 2001/2002

  Responsible for strategic planning and implementation of RIAP replication course accounting of professional outcomes, development of operational procedures and management of professionals development of publicity material, curriculum, and production of course book, facilities manager including meals and all materials for participants and presenters, liaison between RIAP with hosting school system.

Workshop Presenter

Responsible for presentations to a wide variety of audiences including ‘Starting Point’ a nine week interactive training series teaching best practices and strategies for educating, supporting and raising children with autism spectrum disorder, school based workshop series and a variety of  conferences.

 

Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project 2004-2008

Autism Cadre Member, Workshop presenter and consultant

Responsible for development and presentation of workshops in conjunction with Sue Constable. Special expertise in Aspergers, coordinating GLE’s (Grade Level Expectations) with specific learning needs, Social Skills training, Executive Functioning, Reading and Writing, Math Language.

 

Rhode Island Community College

Responsible for course work on speech and language skills and children with autism. This course covers neurology of autism, communication development, overview of diagnostic process, language and its relationship to curriculum, augmentative communication and the role of the paraprofessional

 Johnson and Wales University 2002- present

Adjunct Professor

 Graduate Course: Language Development and Learning Language forms the base for learning. This course covers the neurology of language, communication terms as they relate to learning, language development, overview of the diagnostic process, language and its relationship to specific curriculum topics, special populations, and accommodations within the classroom environment

 

Graduate Course: Communication and Autism: Communication impairment is one of the key deficits in autism spectrum disorder, and a common cause of behavior, social and academic difficulties. This course examines typical communication development, differences in autism speech and language development, and communication assessments, along with promising practices that have been developed to address the unique communication needs of individuals with ASD. Using a combination of observation, in-vivo practice sessions, lecture and project based learning students will develop the necessary skills to apply their knowledge of communication supports across the autism spectrum.

 

Rhode Island Department of education 2000

Special Project: compiling data related to service personnel in Rhode Island in preparation for considering changes in special education regulation in Rhode Island

 

Johnston School Department           1998

Speech language therapist:

Responsible for a caseload of students ranging in age from preschool to grade five servicing one elementary school, two private preschools and one in-home case. Member of MDT teams Extensive diagnostic work, collaboration with reading specialist and classroom teachers to enhance children’s academic performance. Used a variety of service delivery models including in classroom supports

 

Sargent Rehabilitation Center     1989-1998

Director of Pediatrics.

Responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of specialized    educational and rehabilitation program for children 3 to 21 administration, clinical direct service, grant writing, budgeting, Accounting of professional outcomes, development of operational procedures and management of professionals including hiring. Administration of parent workshop series, outreach services. Managed a budget of 1.25 million consistently increasing revenue and product base while maintaining a positive financial balance. Developed a computer lab and solicited community partnership increasing our technology base and business to school partnership. Participated in the design of new school building that incorporated state of the art technology and clinical research findings to showcase educational and research methodologies.

 

Rhode Island College    1993-1994

Adjunct professor/ communication

Language Development

Phonetics

 

 Private Practice    1984-1989

Speech language therapist

 

Sargent Rehabilitation Center   1979-1984

Department Head of Speech Language and Audiology

Accounting of professional outcomes, development of operational procedures and supervision of professional at Kent County Hospital, Kent County Nursing Home, Westerly Hospital, Newport Hospital, Olean Regional Center, Vocational Resources, Woonsocket Hospital and Sargent Rehabilitation Day School and outpatient center. Participated in research grant with Brown University on functional assessments

 

Education

              

  •  University of North Carolina : Chapel Hill, North Carolina Department of Medicine  TEACCH: 5 day training, 2nd level training, Shadow Training Autism, Autism trainer
  •  New York University, New York, New York, Masters in speech language pathology, inducted into Phi Beta Kappa 1979
  • Lehman College Division of CUNY, New York, New York, B.A. in speech language pathology audiology and elementary education 1977
  • Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island, Rhode Island Department of Education and Rhode Island College Autism Leadership Certificate Program CGS 2010, Graduate credits in education emphasis on reading process, Course One, Educational Law, Autism, Special Education Administration
  • Leadership Aspiring Principal  Developing Professional Learning Communities: Course offered in conjunction with Rhode Island Association of Principals, Rhode Island College and Providence College. The role of the principal as education leader was examined through Socratic discussion of professional literature, online coursework and videos of successful principals illustrating the standards establish for principals. SAELP III teacher-leader grant project sponsored by RIDE and SORICO Principal mentor program using a comparative model with the goal of encouraging more teacher leaders to become principals.    
  • Johnson and Wales: Providence: Graduate Credit Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication in the Classroom     
  • University of Rhode Island:   SALT visit                                        

 

Appointments

  •  Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research 2012 to present
  • East Greenwich Frenchtown School Improvement Team 2012
  • Frenchtown School PBIS team 2011 Chair
  • Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project Autism Cadre 2008
  • Rhode Island Standard Setting Committee for the RI Alternate Assessment 2006
  • Rhode Island Grade Span Expectation Science Development Committee 2006
  • East Greenwich Response to Intervention Team 2005 to present
  • East Greenwich Literacy Team 2005
  • Rhode Island Department of Education:  2005 Science Alternate Grade Span Curriculum committee
  • Eldredge School Improvement Team 2005
  • Super Duper: 2005 Tester. Aided in the standardization of the Receptive Language Test
  • Inspiration 2000-present: Beta tester for software.
  • East Greenwich Language Arts Curriculum committee 2005-present  curriculum review based on new grade level expectations 1998 to 2002, responsible for the writing of a new English Language Arts curriculum that meets the New Standards. Text book selection committee 
  • Rhode Island Autism Project Inc. 2001-2003  Board of directors of the Rhode Island Project when it incorporated into a non-profit group whose mission statement is to develop a comprehensive coordinated system of services or resources for meeting the needs of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families in Rhode Island. 
  • State of Rhode Island Committee to study best practices in Autism Spectrum Disorder: 1997 to 2001 in 1999 was one of only 125 people in the world to have advanced TEACCH training, Berard Certified Therapist, wrote/compiled information for grants that funded this project
  • Monsignor Clarke School Board of Directors: 1998 to 2000: interview for principal   committee, principal review committee
  • Eldredge School Technology Team: 1998: website development, digital portfolio development
  • Eldredge School Improvement Team: 1998 to 2002participated in SALT training and preparation for SALT team visit
  • Special Education Preschool Committee 2001: responsible for preparing a research based report on the needs within the East Greenwich community and presenting it to the East Greenwich School Board
  • Member of Private School Association 1994 to 1998
  • American Speech and Hearing Blue Ribbon Task Force on Health Care 1992-1993 Responsible for researching trends and best practices and formulating into a document for the association
  • Governor’s Advisory Board on Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program 1984-1994 assisted in the formation of the legislation and implementation to create access to telephone to deaf, hearing impaired, speech impaired and neuromuscular impaired citizens.  Served as chair and vice chair

Awards

Presenter at the International Pre-conference at TEACCH University of North Carolina Department of Medicine

  • Spring 2005 Framing Your Thoughts: A regular education writing program that gives voice to students on the spectrum. Presentation on a writing program that is multi-sensory with illustrated case studies that show increase in all areas of language including verbal language
  • Spring 2002 The Ambassador’s Club: How a Middle Age Un-cool Woman helps Teenagers to fit in Presentation took brain research on adolescents and combined with best practices to promote inclusion in school community
  • Spring 2001 Parent Workshop Series Presentation detailed the formation of a parent informational series to give parents the “First Steps” on what to do after their child is diagnosis with Autism.
  • Spring 2000 conference: Rhode Island Autism Project: The Development of a State-wide system Presentation gave statistics, research base, methodology and goals for the conception of a state wide system of coordinated best practices within the public schools for the children with the diagnosis of autism.

 

Phi Beta Kappa honor society in education

The Autism Project of Rhode Island

Who’s Who in American Education

Sargent Rehabilitation Center Special Recognition Award

United Way recognition for service

Bernard Fineson Developmental Center Award for service

New York Hospital Volunteer Award

Presented Poster session at American Speech and Language National Convention

 Grants

EDS technology grant 2001   creative use of technology in the classroom

Rhode Island Autism Project 1998, 1999, 2000, large operational grants

Working Wonders Grant 1998 Weaving the Skein of Technology Through The Curriculum educational grant to assist in purchasing, training and use of technology in the classroom

United Way Grant 1997 Family Services and Information for Children with Special Needs New initiative grant for support of library and resource center

          

Licenses

Rhode Island Department of Education:

  • Speech and Language Pathologist K-12 lifetime
  • Special Education Administration

Certificate of Clinical Competence American Speech Language and Hearing Association

 Publications

      “Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships” by Dr. Temple Grandin and Sean Barron Future Horizon 2005 pages 199-202 

Best of Autism Asperger’s Digest Magazine 2005 Future Horizons

 The Ambassador Club: Or How an Un-cool Middle Age Woman Teaches Teenagers to Fit In

Autism Asperger’s Digest Magazine   Future Horizons (Dec 2002 edition)

A Tribute to Chris

                                    Autism Asperger’s Digest Magazine   Future Horizons (Dec 2002 edition)

 

    

 

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2 comments on “Bio/Resume
  1. Hi Patricia,

    I am contacting you on behalf of Chicago Speech Therapy.

    We are a pediatric speech clinic in Chicago founded by Karen George, MS, CCC-SLP.

    Our staff and Karen are advocates for the field and are big fans of your website! We appreciate the resources you provide. When we see a leader in the field we like to reach out and promote them to our contacts and followers. We recently published a new book called Getting into the Speech Grad Program of Your Dreams and listed your site in the resource section of the book.

    We would like to send you a free copy of the book. To receive this, please reply with a full mailing address and we will send you the book.

    To learn more about the book, see the links below:
    http://www.chicagospeechtherapy.com/free-chapter/

    https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Graduate-Speech-Program-Dreams-ebook/dp/B01J4JTNI2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1469725649&sr=1-1#navbar

    Feel free to call us with any questions!

    Sincerely,
    Rebecca Glover
    Chicago Speech Therapy
    Practice Associate
    773-673-0100

    • Thank-you so much for this honor! I would love to get a copy of your book. I will email you my mailing address so that it does not appear on the comment section. I am looking forward to reading it.

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