Sherry Artemenko has been a speech language pathologist and consultant for the past 30 years. She has worked in both public and private school systems and now owns her own private practice. Artemenko discovered creative ways to use toys, games and books to help children learn. She created Play on Words LLC in 2003, which combines her skills as a speech therapist and evaluator of various education tools. To learn more about it and about Artemenko, be sure to visit her blog, Play on Words.

Why did you decide to pursue a career as a speech language pathologist? 

I didn’t know the career existed when I went off to college. I chose Northwestern University for its excellent programs in many areas. I started out in premed because I liked science. In my freshman year, I took an introductory speech science course and liked the combination of science, diagnostics and helping people. Later I learned that Northwestern had the best program in the country in speech pathology. I also admired some older friends who were in that program.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
I got a bachelor's of science and then a master's of arts. Then I went on to get at Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), which requires a year of supervision beyond graduation.

What types of classes and projects did you have to do in school?
I had to participate in a clinical practicum for my undergraduate studies and graduate studies. I student taught as a speech pathologist for undergrad and did a practicum at the Cleft Palate Institute, which was part of Northwestern University’s Medical School, for graduate school. I had to complete several supervised hours of therapy at Northwestern’s on-campus public clinic.

How did your education help you in your career?
Immensely—it is a very rigorous, practical curriculum to prepare you to work with clients.

What was your career path like in this field? 
I began working in the public school system in their special education preschool program. Over the next 20 years, I worked with preschool through high school aged kids in public and private schools. In the last eight years, I started my own private practice, Play on Words LLC, where I work with kids with speech and language delays and deficits, and in the last year started the PAL Award (Play Advances Language) to award products that have the inherent characteristics to build language.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
You need high energy, especially to work with kids, a love of people, analytical skills since you are constantly doing diagnostic therapy, and it helps to be outgoing to engage people. The most important requirement is to love working with people with special needs.

What do you do on a typical workday?
I prepare for therapy, gather my materials, load my car and drive to my clients’ homes for one-hour sessions. I can do two to six hours of therapy in a day. Because I work in a child’s home, I engage the family, certainly parents and sometimes siblings, in the therapy process to help progress.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field?
I plan to build my PAL Award business and build on my brand as a speech language expert in the industry.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
Someone who is compassionate, patient, discerning, high energy, positive, “sixth sense” in terms of relating to people with special needs, analytical and a people person.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
It is a fantastic career. I am more passionate now about what I do than when I started 35 years ago. There are so many directions you can go in with this degree—working with children or adults, on language, autism or swallowing, to name a few. Find your passion and follow it!