Barbara J. Conrad Fellowship Grant
In keeping with our core values of collaboration, excellence, professionalism, and leadership, OSSPEAC is pleased to announce the establishment of the Barbara J. Conrad Fellowship Grant. This grant will be awarded during the annual conference in October.
The annual award of up to $1,000.00 will assist early career school-based SLPs obtain continuing education to provide high quality speech language services to Ohio's school children.
Eligiblity
This grant is designed for speech-language pathologists who are working in Pre K-12 schools. The funds must be used for professional training to enhance your knowledge and inspire leadership in your profession. Approved expenses can include conferences, classes, on-line webinars, college courses, etc. The budget can also include items related to the continuing education such as books or required items, mileage, hotel and meal expenses.
Requirements:
- A master’s level SLP in their Clinical Fellowship or with their ASHA certification.
- Employed in a Pre K- 12 grade school position.
- Five years or less experience working in a school-based position.
- A completed grant application including a budget and one personal reference.
- Willingness to write an article for the OSSPEAC newsletter and/or present at the conference regarding how the funds were used to enhance your professional growth.
SUBMIT APPLICATION BY SEPTEMBER 1ST
Contribution
Every donation, of any amount, is helpful and appreciated. Contributions may be made by using the button below or by sending a check payable to OSSPEAC and writing Conrad Fellowship in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to OSSPEAC, 8840 Greenwood Rd, North Royalton, OH 44133. Thank you for your consideration in donating to the Barbara J. Conrad Fellowship Grant. OSSPEAC is looking forward to hearing from you.
Barbara J. Conrad, M.S., CCC-SLP
Barbara (Barb) Conrad, a visionary, dedicated her career to creating and promoting many of the local, state, and even national-level SLP professional practices considered best practice today. Barb’s leadership was characterized by mentoring young professionals, advocating for school-based SLP practices, developing progressive professional continuing education, and ensuring a better future for students with communication impairments. In 2023, OSSPEAC created the Barbara J. Conrad Fellowship Grant to recognize and honor her accomplishments and contributions to our field. This competitive grant program provides funds to early-career SLPs to develop their leadership, advocacy, and professional skills in order to continue the standard of excellence that Barb exhibited throughout her career. Barb’s passion was to support school-based SLPs, and the Fellowship Grant will help ensure the continuation of her legacy.
2025 Barb Conrad Fellowship Grant Recipients:
Natalie Girolamo:
Natalie Girolamo is currently entering her second year as a Speech-Language Pathologist at Nordonia Hills. Natalie is passionate about supporting each student's unique communication skills to help them succeed both academically in class and socially with their peers. She enjoys collaborating with teachers, families, and other professionals to get to know the students best and serve them as a team to the best of our abilities. She looks forward to continuing to grow as a beginning SLP and to make a positive impact in the lives of her students. Natalie is planning to use the grant to support her professional growth by providing resources and opportunities to enhance her skills. As a second-year SLP working with both elementary and high school students, having access to additional materials, trainings, and up-to-date tools would help Natalie better meet the diverse needs of her caseload and continue building her confidence, knowledge, and effectiveness as a developing speech-language pathologist. Congrats Natalie!
Florence Hardjono:
Florence Hardjono, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Logan Elm Elementary School, where she supports students from preschool through second grade. Before working at Logan Elm, Dr. Hardjono served as an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where she taught and mentored future clinicians and oversaw the program for 7 years. Under her leadership, the program has had a 100% graduate admission rate for 7 consecutive years and was recognized as the 5th Best Undergraduate Program in the State of Ohio by College Factual in 2022.
Dr. Florence graduated from the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary with a B.Th. in Theology and Christian Education, The Ohio State University with a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Linguistics, M.A. in Speech Language Pathology with Bilingual Specialization, and a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences. While at OSU, she served as a teaching and research assistant to Dr. Robert A. Fox for 13 years.
Dr. Florence finds joy and purpose in building trust with young students who have experienced adversity. She has seen firsthand how poverty, addiction, and neglect impact children’s ability to communicate and learn. She is passionate about creating safe, nurturing spaces where children can rediscover their voice and communicate effectively in a regulated state. She is also passionate about implementing music into speech and language therapy in young children.
She plans to use the grant to support her current graduate studies at Tabor College, pursuing a M.Ed. in Neuroscience and Trauma. Her goal is to become a trauma-informed SLP—someone equipped to understand the neurological effects of adversity and how trauma impacts communication and learning. Furthermore, her long-term vision is to conduct trauma-informed workshops that would equip educators and professionals to see beyond behavior to work with children with adverse childhood experiences/trauma effectively. Together, we can help restore safety, voice, and hope in these children.
Lindsey Cook:
Lindsey Cook is a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist working at the elementary level. She was first introduced to the world of speech therapy when she received services for stuttering at a young age. The influence of her speech therapist stayed with her through college, inspiring her to make that same positive impact on other children’s lives. Lindsey has been practicing in the field for three years and is passionate about supporting students in developing strong communication and language skills. She grew up in Akron, OH, and earned her master’s degree from The University of Akron. During graduate school, she received additional training in AAC and AVT, which have enhanced her ability to support diverse learners. As an SLP, she aspires to grow into leadership and mentorship roles to positively impact students, families, and fellow clinicians. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, being outdoors, and reading. Lindsey states that the grant would provide valuable access to professional training that will enhance her clinical skills and keep her current with best practices in speech-language therapy. It will support her growth in specialized areas that she is both familiar and unfamiliar with, allowing her to better serve her students. Additionally, this training will help her build the expertise needed to take on future leadership and mentorship roles within her school and district, aligning directly with her professional goals.